Hi friends!  I’m a busy working mom of two littles, Vivian (3) and Crosby (2).  I work for UW Organ and Tissue Donation and do a lot of in-state travel for my job.  In fact, it’s a lot of spur-of-the-moment travel for my job as I work mostly on-call.  Finding a workout routine that works for my personal and professional life was challenging.

How in the world did I end up in CrossFit…?  I’m glad you asked.   I’ve always been an active, even athletic, person but never very strong.  I stayed fairly fit through college and graduate school with activities like Pilates, spin, running, and beer-drinking (I hear it has many health benefits).

After grad school I even trained for and completed a marathon in 2010 but in doing so, I did some damage to my knee and running became painful and less enjoyable.  Fast forward a few years and I’m expecting my first baby, due in September of 2013.  What a joy!

Ten short months after little Vivian was born, I found out I was expecting my second child.  What a shock! My body was no longer my own and my time was prioritized away from the gym.

As the spring of 2016 approached I had a two year old and a one year old at home. I was finally no longer an incubator nor a food truck for any tiny humans and I was aching to get back into an exercise routine.  I needed it both physically and mentally.

I knew my days of wandering around the weights, getting on the treadmill, and just seeing “how I feel” that day were over.  It was time to get to work.  Extra time was not something I had with two toddlers at home along with a demanding professional schedule and I knew I needed three things out of a new work-out routine: I needed something challenging, I needed something structured, and I needed something time-efficient.

I wasn’t looking to lose weight; I wanted to get stronger.  I wanted lifting my kids into the cart at Costco to be a piece of cake, rather than a comedy act some might actually pay money to see.  (My kids tend to run on the big side….)

Enter CrossFit Recursive.  I saw an ad for the six-week New You program and, honestly, at first I was hesitant.  I recall years ago the CrossFit Games being on TV in my living room when my fitness-freak brother-in-law was living with us and I remember thinking “stupid CrossFit”.

What I was really feeling was, “stupid brother in law – when are you going to get your own place?!”.  I put my past judgments aside and jumped in.  I figured a six-week introduction class with all women could quite possibly be the least intimidating environment for a person jumping back in to the workout scene.  When I met with the coach to discuss goals and I learned her name was Vivian.  If that wasn’t a sign of good things to come, what would be?

I completed the six week program and was in love.  Now I needed to figure out how I was going to swing this financially.  Two kids in daycare… woof.  My mind was made up when I was talking with my mom about how much I loved CrossFit.  I talked to her about how I was likely not going to continue, even though I was loving how it made me feel, and she said, “Don’t you dare.  This is the only thing you do for yourself.”  Sold.

I became a girl on a mission and I found a way. Now I get to see all of your lovely faces 13 times a month, pushing me to do one more burpee, challenging me to put just a little more weight on that barbell, encouraging me to get to the top of that rope – which I did for the FIRST time in my life about a month ago!!

My next goal is to get my long skinny arms and torso to pull my chin above that bar for a legit pull up. Because of the amazing coaches and supportive class-mates, I know I’ll get there eventually!

It’s nice to hear people say, “you look great” but what’s truly better is to feel great. Thank you all for making this beanpole frame feel like she can move mountains (or at least throw a little weight around).  

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