- What got you started in CrossFit? How did you hear about it? My goal out of university was to join the Canadian Air Force, and I knew I had to and wanted to train to prepare for basic. At the gym I was a member of, I joined small group classes and I was the only one in the class the first time I went. The trainer (previous owner of a CrossFit gym) told me I had the personality to try CrossFit and asked if I knew anything about it. I told him I had only seen crazy posts from a girl I had went to high school with (you may know her as Coach Steph), and that I would reach out to her. Cleary I never looked back. I didn’t end up getting into the Forces, but if I didn’t have that goal in the first place, I may not have found All Level. It just goes to show that everything happens for a reason.
- What is your favourite part about coming to the gym? I love coming to the gym and seeing people that have grown to mean so much to me. I feel like I’m walking into my home when I go through those doors. I also love that every day presents a new challenge for me to face and then I get to feel proud of myself when I get through it. I also love the snacks that are available - I swear I should be sponsored by Daryl’s Bars and Fit Aid.
- What is your favourite CrossFit movement? Least favourite? It’s hard to say what my least favourite movement is because I tend to base it on what I’m struggling with. In that bucket right now is snatches, but as I continue to learn the movement, I will begin to like it more. On the other hand, when I see cleans, over-head squats, or double unders in the WOD, I get excited.
- What are your goals in CrossFit? My goals are to become an RX Athlete, but I also need to remember to take it one step at a time and celebrate my small accomplishments.
- How do you explain your newfound obsession with CrossFit? It’s a sport for me! As a former competitive athlete, coming to something where I can compete against myself and work towards a goal with like-minded people is really satisfying.
- What advice do you have for someone who is thinking of trying CrossFit? Try it. There’s really nothing you can’t do. Scaled or not scaled, there’s always a way to ensure you can get through the WOD. AND there is an entire gym full of people who are excited to see you succeed. You get a dose of accomplishment every. Single. Day.
- What does CrossFit mean to you? To me, CrossFit means inclusion. Anyone and everyone can do it and welcoming coaches are there to guide you. You can walk into a gym across the country for a drop in and feel like it’s your home gym.
- How has CrossFit helped you improve your life outside of the gym? CrossFit has really helped my mental health. That has been the biggest change that I’ve seen in myself My close friends and family have noticed it too. In addition to that, I feel more prepared to take on the unexpected and I’ve learned that there are different kinds of ‘strong.’
