Growing up, I avoided any type of physical activity like the plague. I pretty much said marching band was my sport. After college, I began to realize my metabolism was not keeping up with the food I was eating, nor the level of activity I was getting. I took a look at myself and decided I needed to make a change. I got myself a Groupon to my first box in Arizona and went with some friends. Before I started, I am not going to lie, it was not something I took seriously or even thought about doing long term. I wanted to go for my one month to get my summer bod on for an upcoming vacation, then bounce and never look back.
Honestly, the reason I was so scared of the gym was because I used to be so intimidated by it and the people there. I was afraid of being judged, made fun of, not fitting in and just straight up making a fool of myself; especially to something like CrossFit. The moment I walked into my first CrossFit Class, all that fear washed away. I quickly learned CrossFit was not just about the Work Out of the Day: it's about yourself and the people you meet. CrossFit is a community that embraces everyone no matter if you are the fittest or someone trying the gym for the first time. One thing I had to remember was everyone and every coach had to start right where I was.
When the time came for me to move back to WA, I needed to find a new gym that embodied the mentality of CrossFit I had come to love. CrossFit Snohomish has become that place for me. From my first class at CFS to now, CFS has continued to push me to challenge myself and to grow as an athlete and a person. Every time I walk into the gym, I get to coach and work out with the most amazing people.
Coaching is my way to give back to the community at CFS, a community that has given me so much. It's amazing to me that what started out as a one-month trial in 2014 has turned into something fundamental to who I am. I can truly say I would not be where I am today without CFS and the CrossFit community and I look forward to help others realize their potential.