23
Dec
Heather Walsh
| Q: How did you find out about Ballston CrossFit and what about it convinced you to join? I had wanted to try CrossFit for years, ever since some of my friends from my past life as a triathlete started doing CrossFit and raved about how much fitter they had become. One day I walked by and saw the “free class” sign and figured — there’s my sign! I figured I’d try Foundations and learn what I could, without necessarily committing. I was pleasantly surprised! Everyone was so welcoming and the workouts were so fun that I was pretty much hooked from the start. Being completely new to this type of workout, I really appreciated that I could just show up and do what the coach said to do, and I’d be guaranteed a great workout without having to think about it. Q: What stopped you from coming in sooner? CrossFit has an intimidating reputation. I held the (mistaken) belief that I was too old to take up such an “extreme” sport. Q:When did you start at BCF and what were your goals going into it? I started in September 2021. My main goals were to: (1) develop enough strength and mobility that I could do anything I wanted in life easily and pain-free; and (2) lose weight. The women in my family tend to live a very long time. But their quality of life varies greatly based in large part on how they lived their younger years. If I am lucky enough to take after them, I want to do what I can to make my later years good ones. Q: What has helped you achieve success at BCF? Attending the 5:30 AM classes has been a big contributor. It’s the only time guaranteed to fit in my schedule, and I have to get up and out the door well before I’m awake enough to talk myself out of going! Also I have to credit my workout partner and friend of almost 20 years, Laura, who helps keeps me accountable through motivating pep talks and (well-deserved) guilt trips if I feel like skipping. Q:What advice can you give to others that are new to CrossFit? I don’t like to give other people advice. But I will offer what has helped me, and that is constantly reminding myself that the only person I need to compete against is myself. I’m still often the slowest and weakest one there, and there are a bunch of movements I have to scale way more than wish I did. As long as I can consistently show up and put in the work, I’ll be faster and stronger than I was before. Q: Besides working out, what other lifestyle changes did you make outside of the gym to achieve your goals? About a year ago I started working with a dietician. She taught me a lot about nutrition and helped me develop a sustainable way of eating that has helped me lose weight and that also supports my fitness goals without being too rigid. Q: What is the biggest benefit you have noticed since starting CrossFit both in or out of the gym? On weekends, I like to do orienteering races. Orienteering is a sport where you use a topographical map and compass to find checkpoints in the woods. It involves jumping over logs and streams, climbing steep embankments, etc. My race times have gotten faster and I’m less clumsy thanks to CrossFit. The varied workouts have made me much more capable over challenging terrain. Q: What has been your favorite thing about Ballston CrossFit? The coaches. I’ve visited a few other CrossFit gyms and they can’t hold a candle to BCF in terms of the coaches’ level of knowledge and ability to teach. I learn something new in every class, and each coach has their own unique style that contributes to that. Q: What has your favorite memory related to CrossFit been? I don’t have a specific favorite memory. But if I’ve been away for a few days, one thing I quickly begin to miss is the familiar faces of people I regularly see in class and starting my day on a positive note with all of them! |