Member Spotlight

FEBRUARY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

 

Marius Magda | Cascade CrossFit

 

Another month, another Member of the Month, and we are so pleased to introduce to you Marius Magda!

If any of you have been around Marius, I’m sure it’s clear to see why we have chosen him. One of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and at the same time, an incredibly hard worker. He holds himself to high standards and works his butt off to achieve the results he has.

 As you’ll learn, Marius has only been coming to the gym for a few months, starting in this past November.  It’s been incredible to watch him grow in this short period of time. The man’s a machine! He may be a little bit smaller than most, but the guy can sure crush through a WOD.  It sure is going to be exciting to watch Marius grow and continue to get stronger and faster.

It’s also been a pleasure having his son, Tudor, come in and train with him. Tudor is just awesome. Has a great heart, very kind and respectful, and wants to just get after those WODs. With Marius’ goal of competing in The Games as a Master…maybe it will be a father and son trip when Tudor gets older!!

Marius, we are so pleased to have you as a part of this CrossFit family and are so proud of you for already achieving so much! You are going to have some amazing achievements in CF and you inspire those around you!

Here’s from Marius:

Hello everyone,

My name is Marius Magda and I came to Cascade CrossFit in November 2011. I work out in the afternoon, so a big “Hello” to the morning squad. Last year, as soon as I did some research about CrossFit I became hooked. I started to train on my own for a few months, getting more info over the internet and doing random WODs in a regular gym setting, where everybody stared at you like you are something else. Dropping weights is not an option either! It was just a matter of getting a full time job, having a steady paycheck and a CrossFit membership was the number one priority on my list.

I’m originally from Romania and I moved in the US in 2004 with my wife and my older son, Tudor (9 years old) – who comes to Cascade to train a couple of days per week as well. We have another son, Eduard who was born here in the US and who will be 3 year old in May. I was always active and “in shape”, but once I’ve experienced CrossFit it totally changed my perspective. I searched some CrossFit gyms around Issaquah and Cascade CrossFit was the perfect fit. The coaches and members here are my extended family. I’m inspired every day by them. The workouts are a blast and even if I feel like dying sometimes, I can’t get enough of it. The feeling after completing a workout is priceless. Laying there on the floor, vulnerable, exhausted and happy at the same time is worth more than anything. There are days when workouts are brutal, but a few hours after I’m done, I want to be back in the gym for more. I want to continue improving and get better on my technique and my form, knowing I’ll get stronger. I actually believe I’m stronger now than I’ve ever been in my life.

CrossFit is becoming huge everywhere and I believe this concept and type of training will take over the regular gym setting. My ultimate goal will be to participate at the Games, maybe in the over 40 category, in a couple of years. With your help I know I can get there. I feel privileged to be part of this wonderful team of people. Thank you Cascade CrossFit for choosing me Member of the Month and for being part of my life!

See you all at the gym!

3…2…1…GO !!!

JANUARY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Nachelle Corey | Cascade CrossFit

Member of the Month time again, and who is the lucky number to get spotlighted in January??? None other than miss Nachelle Corey!! Even though Nachelle is somewhat new to our gym (starting in mid-August), we’ve mentioned her name for a couple months now.  Why is that? Because she’s an animal! I was super surprised when I talked to her about being Member of the Month that she didn’t seem all that excited. Her reasoning? Because she hasn’t accomplished all her goals I don’t think she thought she was  that deserving. Well, she couldn’t be more off. What has Nachelle achieved? She’s changed her diet, RX’ing a ton of workouts, she’s crazy consistent, lost 30lbs in 4 months, and lost 20 total inches!!!  I’d say that’s some accomplishment!

Another thing you tend to see in the Member of the Month’s is that not only are they accomplishing awesome things, but their attitude is awesome and Nachelle is no exception. It’s very typical to see people come in, who have big goals, maybe some extra weight to lose, and haven’t worked out in a while, and most drop off possibly thinking CrossFit isn’t for them and that it’s just too much. I’d have to say Nachelle is one of the first that just blew that option out the window. She immediately got to work once she signed up. Sure, we had to modify stuff, especially since her knees really bugged her, but she had no excuse for not coming in. Even if we had to really change up the workout because it had too much knee stuff…she was there. And, that’s the key. And now that she has stuck with it, look at all she has accomplished! Beyond that, she is incredibly kind, supportive, giving, fun, and just an awesome person to be around!

She also addressed her diet, making no excuses that it didn’t need to be addressed. She got on board with the Advocare Challenge, a 24 day challenge that gives you a meal plan with supplements, and she found a ton of success with it. It helped to change eating habits and get rid of cravings, which is pretty dang huge!

Nachelle, we’re super excited to show you off this month and continue helping you reach all your goals! You inspire us and I know you inspire our members. Way to go lady! Here’s her story J:

Hi all, I am Nachelle Corey and started Cascade Crossfit mid-August. I decided to give crossfit a try because I wanted to get in shape and was looking for something different than the typical gym workout. My friend, Sarah Lenihan, could not say enough wonderful things about CCF, so I signed up for the fundamentals class.

Before my fundamentals class I did some research regarding crossfit and began to get very intimidated. Most of the information was about people who were in great shape and I wondered if CCF would be accepting of someone who would not be able to RX and needed to lose a good amount of weight. So I reached out to Sarah and told her about my concerns and she assured me that CCF was an awesome place and the trainers would be very willing to work with me.

The first few weeks at CCF were very eye-opening. When I use to go to the gym I was able to lie to myself that I was still “fit” because I could keep up with a zumba class or stay on the elliptical machine for 60 minutes. Crossfit does not let you lie to yourself. It exposes every weakness and where you need to improve. It was extremely humbling at first to ask for help, do mods, be the last to finish and have truly pitiful scores. However despite the blow to my ego, there was never a day where I couldn’t wait to go again, try harder and continue to challenge myself.

A little over four months later and I am still in love with CCF!  I got my husband to join and have fun competing with him. My times have improved, I am able to RX many things and, with the help of Advocare, am down over 30lbs and 20 total inches. I am not at my goal weight yet, but I am confident I will get there.

I am so thankful to have found an amazing gym. The trainers are so encouraging and knowledgeable – THEY MAKE THE GYM! My fellow members are dedicated, inspiring and make me push myself every day. I am blessed and honored to be the member spotlight and part of such a remarkable group of people.

 

NOVEMBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

It’s Member of the Month time again and this month, it’s all about Kerry Kintzley! Kerry came to us in May of this year, and it’s been amazing to see what he has accomplished in 6 short months (just this morning on the Halloween WOD he beat some of the coaches for the WOD). He is RX’ing most every WOD and kicking butt while doing it.

One thing we love about Kerry is his attitude. Kerry is one of the nicest guys you will meet and always has the most positive attitude. In fact, I don’t think I have ever heard him say one negative thing about anything. AND he’s always got a smile on his face (he’s state patrol…would you every know it??). J You just feel good about yourself when you are around Kerry as he doesn’t have one ounce of ego.

CrossFit-wise, Kerry is a total stud. He improves every day. He is consistent and pushes himself in every workout and it shows by how much he has grown. One of the coolest things to see as trainers is how EVERYONE has room to grow. It’s obvious that Kerry is an athletic guy, but it is exciting to see how he gets stronger, faster, and develops in all the components of CrossFit (agility, accuracy, cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, power, flexibility, stamina, strength, balance, power, and coordination).

Thank you, Kerry, for being such a wonderful part of this gym. Thank you for being such an encouraging person to all. It’s people like you that continue to make this gym a better place. Stud!

Kerry’s turn:

Hello everyone, my name is Kerry Kintzley and I came to Cascade Crossfit in May of this year.  At the time, I really didn’t know much about crossfit.  I have always been involved in athletics and competitive sports.  Over the past 5-6 years my workouts have focused on running.  I ran 25-35 miles a week and I spent little to no time on strength training.  My only sporting competition was an occasional softball game.  Earlier this year I decided to fill my competitive need by running in my first race.  In April I registered for and ran in the Mt. Si Ultra 50k run.  The pride, happiness, and self worth that accompanied such an accomplishment was amazing as I completed the race in less than 5 hours.  The race reminded me of how much I missed the team and competitive atmosphere of athletics.    A friend suggested I give crossfit a try.  I found Cascade Crossfit online and enrolled in the fundamentals class – BEST DECISION I EVER MADE!  I really didn’t know what to expect as I walked in for my first class, but was quickly impressed with the amount of attention and patience the coaches showed each student.    My first fundamentals class ended with a short 5-10 minute WOD.   It was humbling to discover that I was not as fit as I thought.  I could not believe how gassed I was after such a short workout.   That night I knew I had found what I was looking for.

Crossfit feeds my competitive spirit.  I am competing more against the clock and myself than with the other members.  The drive to beat my previous time, or to complete more reps than last time, pushes me.  Every day is a new workout and challenge. The members of the gym are my teammates and we are working together to achieve our maximum effort.  Whenever I feel like quitting, I look to my teammates and coaches for inspiration.  Team Cascade Crossfit has never let me down.

I am inspired daily by members of our gym.  When I see someone achieve a goal, or RX a workout for the first time, I feel their pride.  I am as happy for them as I would be if I had done it myself.  A great example of this is when Krista recently mastered the 20” box jump.  She worked so hard on achieving that goal.  I know the whole gym shared in her pride.  Cascade Crossfit has become my extended family. There are so many amazing people doing amazing things.  It is a privilege to be a part of it.

Hello, my name is Kerry and I’m a crossfitaholic.   I look forward to the next WOD and hope to see you there.

OCTOBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 

Chris Eisenberg | Cascade CrossFit

For this month’s Member of the Month, we are honored to spotlight Chris Eisenberg. Chris’ story is one of those stories that just make your jaw drop and say, “Wow”. It reminds me of how blessed I am just to be healthy and have the ability to be rather competitively active, as many do not. It truly is not something to take for granted and humbles me when I get frustrated at myself that I am not able to lift a certain amount of weight or do a certain exercise. It is definitely the nature of CrossFit. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. And, although that is an awesome thing, it also may make us glaze over what truly amazing accomplishments we have already made.

From the beginning, I absolutely adored Chris. She has a spirit unlike anyone I have ever met and a determination like no other. I swear if there were a dictionary entry for the phrase “No egos, No excuses”, Chris’ picture would be there. From the beginning, we knew CrossFit, for her, was going to be a road of recovery and just gaining muscle memory back. She had told me in the beginning that her legs would sometimes just give out for no explained reason. It was a fear, but something I knew we could work on and improve. In workouts, we’d use the PVC pipe just to get her practicing the moves and hopefully ignite some confidence in her muscles. Slowly, things started happening. Sure the weights weren’t what other people were doing, but who cares. It was amazing to hear progress reports from Chris that she felt stronger and could do things she hadn’t done in a very long time. I was so happy for her and so inspired.

This doesn’t mean that there haven’t been hard times…there have. But, that is what I love so much about this community– that it is a community of love and support and sincere caring for one another. It’s unlike anything I’ve never seen in any other sport.

Sometimes I’ll get emails from Chris or have a nice little chat session that (I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it), make me eyes well up, because she is someone whose life is truly being changed by CrossFit. To hear that feedback and to hear how much this CrossFit community has impacted her life touches me so much. My whole life, I have wanted to be a part of or do something that, in whatever tiny way possible, makes a positive difference in the world. By talking and hearing from Chris, it makes me think that maybe that wish is coming true in some small way. However, all the accomplishments and progress she has made, would not have been without her determination and dedication to achieving her goals.

And, as much as CrossFit has helped Chris, I know Chris is helping to inspire us all.

Now her story:

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” –  Prefontaine

Besides my family and my faith, music and sports have been the greatest passion, challenge and source of satisfaction in my life.  As a musician I have performed throughout the US and Asia, recorded with Burbank Studios and played with Doc Severnson and the Johnny Carson orchestra.  I have degrees in music education and brass and just recently finished my doctorate in classical piano performance.  As an athlete, I have competed in and successfully finished Olympic distance triathlons, half marathons and a marathon.  I am a second degree black belt and instructor in Taekwondo and hold a national record, two National titles and one World title.  In 2002, I qualified for the US Olympic trials in that sport.  I know how it feels to be strong, confident and successful . . . but all that changed four years ago.

While scuba diving in Cozumel, I sustained a traumatic, usually fatal injury that was caused by a heart defect that I didn’t know I had.  Two open heart surgeries eventually repaired my heart, but the residual damage left me unable to walk well, think or speak cohesively or play even the simplest of piano pieces.  Being alive was a tremendous gift but I had still lost so much and the only “therapy” options presented to me were to give up or start all over   . . . and so I began again.  It has been a difficult, lonely, scary and mostly frustrating journey until this past January when I found Cascade CrossFit and all of you.   Along with the awesome trainers and the amazing support system, I also found new hope and renewed optimism.

Because my damaged system no longer conducts energy or absorbs oxygen effectively, I usually feel uncoordinated and weak . . . like I am out of fuel and just stuck.  The unconventional and ever surprising CrossFit workouts however seem to be slowly shocking it back into some sense of order and I have enjoyed some unexpected and encouraging successes during this year.  In February I passed a brutal winter wilderness survival and EMT recertification course . . . in March I played my first professional concert in four years . . . and this summer (despite the fact that I was told I would never dive again) I passed a rigorous Rescue and Dive Master certification program and was offered an Instructor internship for next year.  There is not a doubt in my mind that none of this would have been possible before my training at CCF . . . I am amazed and so very thankful for this incredible gift.

I have been told that there are no records of anyone surviving a dive accident of this type and magnitude… except for me.  I have been told that the only credible reason that I lived (beyond divine intervention I guess) was due to my high level of fitness at the time.  All my life I thought I was training to be a better, stronger, faster athlete.  Now I understand that I was really training to save my life . . . that the biggest competition of my life was and is for my life!  CCF is my life insurance!

Sometimes when I am in the middle of one of those “you’ve GOT to be kidding” WOD’s, when quitting seems to be a really great option, I remind myself of the critical, agonizing weeks following my accident when choosing to quit would have had much greater consequences . . . and I keep going.  I no longer need to be the most brilliant musician or a world class athlete . . . all I really need is just to be the best that I can be.  I really miss feeling strong but I do think that there is power in me somewhere . . . I just need to find it and let it out.  This is CrossFit’s challenge and gift to all of us . . . helping us be the best we can possibly be . . . and for this opportunity I am humbled and grateful beyond words.

SEPTEMBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Mikey before gettin after it | Cascade CrossFit

L-sittin'. I think he needs to work on his arms... :-) | Cascade CrossFit

Enter CrossFit. Of course, it took the first few weeks of getting used to the drill, but right away he got after every WOD like he was in it to kill it. And, he did. Right away Mikey took off and just crushed the WOD’s. Then high reps of pull ups and double unders came…something Mikey wasn’t necessarily “proficient” in. I remember the one workout we had where made people do double unders for 10 minutes. If that meant they got none, then they practiced for 10 minutes, or if that meant they got 400. I remember watching Mikey and at seven minutes, he was clearly not happy. He decided to hang up the rope and stop because he wasn’t getting it. However, Mean Tenny made him pick it back up. Well, shoot. After about two more minutes he got like five. He went from being so upset to so happy. Correct me if I’m wrong Mikey, but I think that was a huge thing for him because he saw how putting his mind to something (and practicing), he can achieve whatever he wants.

Beyond Mikey’s drive, he is such an awesome dude. So respectful, so kind, willing to help, willing to ask questions, and fun to be around. Because of his job, he is typically a morning guy (which is mostly when our hot momma’s come in), and I love watching him interact and become friends with all these ladies. It doesn’t matter what environment he’s in, he is just happy to be there and get his WOD on! It’s awesome.

Congrats Mikey. We are lucky to have you as a part of this family and so excited to continue to see you grow, improve, and get stronger. If this is where you can be in six months…we can only imagine what you can achieve!

Here’s a little bit from Mikey:

Hey everybody! You may know me as Mike or Mikey. Either will do. Crossfit. When people ask me what that is, I seem to tell them something different every time. Usually because I end up telling them what our WOD was for the day. Which I guess is why we all love Crossfit. There’s no plateau-ing. No going through the motions. No ending workouts early. Never have I finished a workout and wished I hadn’t gone.

The passion for physical fitness and living a healthy lifestyle really began for me about 5 years ago. After high school, I began weightlifting with a focus–primarily focusing on strength and powerlifting movements. A cardio workout was like asking me if I wanted to eat a raw onion, no thanks! After 3 or 4 years of gaining strength along with weight I had finally had enough. I didn’t feel healthy, nor was I pleased with weighing 240lbs. I decided I was going to lose weight. From what I knew, I figured running would be the most efficient way to shed the unwanted LB’s. And so I began my weight loss journey. Through running and diet changes from 2005-2007 I lost 90 lbs! So, from then until about February of this year, I did the routine of running and lifting weights. Very boring and was simply burnt out on it.

My first Crossfit experience was in February. Wall balls and dumbbell clean and jerks. Only other time I had been that tired was after 26.2 [miles]! My life was changed that day. Cascade CrossFit became an aspect of my life that only we all understand. Brothers and sisters of the CrossFit community. Pretty awesome! Thank you to all of you for your motivation and desire to better your selves and the ones around you. Kyle and Tenny you’ve got a great thing going on. Thank you for everything you do. All the trainers that are there every day. You do an excellent job and I greatly appreciate the guidance and motivation you give me. It’s an honor to be your September member of the month! I look forward to what my CrossFit future has in store for me. 3,2,1 GO!

AUGUST MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Caroline Furness | Cascade CrossFit

Congrats to our August Member of the Month…Caroline Furness!!! Woop woop! Where do I even begin with Caroline! I have to admit, when I first had met Caroline, I didn’t quite know how to read her. She wasn’t like most members that get all inquisitive and super super pumped about some of the things we do. It was kind of like she just wanted to get in there, not mess around, and get that workout over with. I can remember when I first started coaching and I felt like I got the death eyes from her if I said, “Lower Caroline!” or “Push it Caroline!”. It kind of cracked me up and made me nervous all at the same time.

Fast forward to over a year later and here we are…and I couldn’t stop expressing good things about her. She works so hard in the gym and always makes us laugh. I love how she is so welcoming to newer folks and has no ounce of ego about her. One of my most exciting moments with Caroline (which she’ll mention later) is the day she told me she decided to work on finally getting those kipping pull ups (as basically the whole last year she just stuck to the band and strict pull ups). She showed exactly what I knew she could do with a little practice, and 6 weeks later, she’s kipping! Darn woman just did running Cindy and beat my score (someone who’s been doing kipping for like a year) on her first RX WOD with pull ups! That’s so awesome!! To put the cherry on top…a couple weeks ago she asked if she could take a jump rope home. I kind of looked at her confused because—surely she wouldn’t be trying to practice double unders too??— but she was! She also has decided to do 24” box jumps instead of the RX 20”, with her goal to use the 30″ box. It was like a whole new person who was sick of doing things less than RX. I don’t have kids…but when you guys accomplish those little achievements, I’d imagine it’s like small achievements they make that are so exciting, because you know they are accomplishing something pretty dang cool.

Beyond all her hard work Caroline is just an awesome lady. We have to personally thank her, as she has been instrumental in helping us get our CrossFit Kids Program off the ground. Without her help and her bugging certain people, I am certain we wouldn’t be lined up with the schools that we are now. And, the other day, after the workout was over, she came to me and asked if she could help and wash our used towels!! Caroline- we are so proud of you and are so excited for all the success you have achieved. This gym would not be the same without you and your spunky personality that spices up every class you are in. I know you are an inspiration to others as you inspire me. And, we love your family: Alan, Ella, Hudson, and Beckham…the Furness clan…you are so much fun and so kind, again, it wouldn’t be the same without you here!

Here’s Caroline’s story:

Hi everyone! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Caroline Furness. If we haven’t already met, don’t worry – I will find you and introduce myself. I have been coming to Cascade Crossfit for about a year and a half now. I have been into physical fitness of some sort for most of my life. Since having kids, my most recent fitness passion had been long distance running; marathons and half marathons. Rewind about 18 months and I walked in to Cascade Crossfit thinking I was in pretty great shape – I was about to be proved wrong.

Let me just say at this point, I was probably the most sceptical person when it came to Crossfit. I didn’t have much of a desire to do it – even though most of my running friends were quickly becoming addicted. I could not wrap my head around 15 minute workouts that actually got you in to better shape. Especially when I had been doing training runs that took me away from my family for hours at a time. Then someone handed me a kettlebell – and life as I know it changed – for the better.

Pretty much every workout in the beginning had me thinking one of two things: either “I feel like I am gonna die” or “I would RATHER run 26.2 miles than this”….but at the same time there was ALWAYS someone working out alongside me that would encourage me – or inspire me to continue. And I did. And guess what? the workouts got slightly easier – and more manageable – but more importantly – I got STRONGER and was able to do more.

About 3 months ago (yes that was after crossfitting for over a year) I decided I wanted to be done with the pull up bands – I felt like it was time – and I felt like I was strong enough but not working hard enough to master a simple pull up. I mean – how hard can it be right? well – turns out for me it was REALLY hard – but I committed to practicing a bit every time I was in the gym. Here’s what helped the most: every time I was practicing – someone would come over and help me or encourage me. Whether is was a trainer or another member (Meredyth) – I never felt like I was alone – or lame for not being able to get it done. FINALLY – I am up to about 5 in a row without a band – and I could not be prouder! I told Tenny that I worked harder on those pull ups than I ever did training for a race! Plus this was more fun…and rewarding.

Another icing on the Crossfit Cake? My kids LOVE coming in to Cascade Crossfit – all the trainers are always so nice and patient with them – and they get to see people of ALL ages getting fit and enjoying doing it. Which for a kid, is pretty awesome…and for a parent – a pretty cool lesson to teach.

So there you have it, what could be better than a place with a fun positive atmosphere where everyone is friendly, working towards the same goal? Somewhere you can inspire people at that same time you are being inspired. Cascade Crossfit has definitely become a big part of my life and I am so proud to be part of this family.

JULY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Well, we took a little hiatus from our member of the month since days leading up to June for us were a bit hectic (certainly not for a lack of someone to spotlight). But, we’re back on track and and are excited to spotlight Ryan Lenihan as our July Member of the Month!! Ryan has been a consistent member with us for a long time now. At nearly 120lbs, he may not be one of our biggest guys, but he certainly has the heart, and is one of the most hard working. He is always trying to go for that RX weight, even though his body weight to bar weight ratio is quite a bit different than the other guys. He’s diligent about form and that’s definitely one of the reasons he’s been able to make such huge progress. Ryan never complains and is such a fun guy to be around. Ryan– we think you are a total stud and you are so inspiring with all the things you accomplish. Couldn’t be more grateful to have you as a part of the Cascade family!! Keep up the awesome work!!

Some words from Ryan:

Hi I am Ryan Lenihan, I stand at 5’5” and weigh 120 on a heavy day, but many of you know me as Ryan L off the white board. I am mainly an afternooner so “hello” to all who I may not see or know from the morning classes. I have been a member at Cascade Crossfit for over a year now and love every day of it. I am a very quiet person and am not into a whole lot of chit-chat so when I am in the gym I pretty much keep to myself, unless you’re the one approaching me for conversation.

After about 6 months or so at the gym things were going well and I thought I was in pretty good shape, especially when compared to before I started. Since I am a super picky eater I don’t do the Paleo thing or have ever done the Whole 30. But I decided one day a few months ago to see a nutritionist about what I do eat. I just wanted to make sure my body was getting what it needed. I learned then that I knew nothing about nutrition. I didn’t make any big changes, but just getting rid of the processed foods and eating real foods and making better choices when at the store. This started me down a path I never knew could exist for me. I started actually seeing muscles on my body and getting them in places I didn’t even know you could get muscles. It’s amazing; I never thought I would spend so much time looking at myself in the mirror. I am still getting better results and stronger every time I change my diet a little more. I learned that no matter how much I worked out, if I was eating frozen pizza and mac+cheese all the time I wasn’t going to get real results.
My Crossfit goal is to go to the gym as many days a week as I can and try my hardest at achieving the RX weight while maintaining good form. I am as competitive as the next guy but I would rather have good form and do full reps than have a faster time. I am there to get the best workout possible not the best time on the white board.
One of the best parts of my day is during the WOD. During the WOD nothing else in the world matters (my job, personal issues, world peace…), I am working as hard as I can and there is no time or energy to think about anything other than what I am doing at that moment. It’s like a daily therapy session. Just me and the WOD…

MAY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Dave Wheeler | Cascade CrossFit

It’s Member of the Month time again and this time it’s all about Dave Wheeler (better known as Wheely Bob’s)! Dave came to the gym back in December to give us a try after some friends had recommended it to him. I have to say, we honestly didn’t think he was going to join. Even though we gear our fundamentals program towards beginners, the program was pretty tough for him (I think there were a couple of visits from Mr. Pukie and a couple DNF’s). BUT, he totally stuck through and we were thrilled.

Over the past 5 months, Dave has come in nearly 5 days a week, each week, and has devoted himself to giving each and every workout, all he’s got. We are so impressed with his positive attitude, determination, and hard work and it has been so wonderful to have him bring those traits into the gym. The accomplishments and progress he is making is just awesome. I don’t even know if he could ever imagine that he could do a pull up, but now, you better believe it! One thing that I think is awesome is that he is determined to do each workout RX, if he can, no matter how long it takes. It’s easy for people to want to scale the weight/movement in a workout (aside from actually needing to), just so time does not get affected as much However, the only way to get better, faster, stronger, is to push yourself to be better each and every time and not stay “comfortable” in your modifications. We love that about him.

Wheely has come so far and it’s going to be awesome to watch him continue to grow and achieve his goals. He really is an inspiration. So, the next time you see the guy in the grey sweatpants, tearing it up, give him a high five and say, “Way to go!”.

Here’s his story:

In my mind I always thought I was reasonably fit. I windsurfed, got out in the countryside a bit, mountain biked a few times a year, snowboarded until age overtook ambition and the injuries accumulated. Yeah … right.

I didn’t realize how bad driving a desk for 15 years and living in hotels whilst doing it was for me. Something needed to change or I wasn’t going to last long. I was ill-unfit and didn’t know it. Everyone else did though.

A few of my good friends joined Crossfit a while back and started laying on the pressure, so I signed up for the 2nd Dec 2010 fundamentals. Oh boy, how unfit? Mr. Pukie had something to say. But it was fun and I felt good and I knew this was the exercise program for me. Crossfit provides the planning and a little bit of friendly competition to make it all fun and keep me at it. There’s enough variety that the workouts never get mundane.

I have to scale all the workouts, and the team and fellow members are all supportive of this and make me feel that just doing my best is awesome, even if they are leaving you their dust. I get the impression everyone is saying ‘yup, worked through that, and look at me now, keep at it, you’re improving every day’.

And it’s working. It’s all fun. And there’s enough benchmark workouts that I look forward to them to be able to measure the improvements.

One ‘smile’ moment for me was the 2nd ‘filthy-50′ benchmark I just did. The first 50 was just after I started, I only did 25 reps per exercise, and couldn’t complete the workout. 3 months later and I completed the full workout with all reps and in a shorter time than when I failed the first time. Sure, I’m still much slower than everyone else, but I feel on top of the world.

Oh, and I’ve lost weight, a lot of waist, got stronger and I feel better than I have in years :-)

Dave.

APRIL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Sue Rovito | Cascade CrossFit

This month we are excited to spotlight Sue Rovito as Member of The Month. If I remember correctly, Sue was part of one of our very first fundamentals class offered back in September 2010. [I deleted the part about the Skechers Shape-Ups, because my memory, yet again, failed me]. From the beginning, she was all about form and learning everything correctly. I loved that after each workout at the end of the fundamentals, she’d acknowledge that it was tough, but good!! The thing about Sue that really impressed me, was that after just joining our gym, and for not really being involved in anything prior to joining, she was one of our most consistent members. I think I saw her 4-5 days a week. It is very common for people to approach CrossFit a little hesitantly, and want to just try to come a couple of times each week, so for Sue to take charge and really “go for it” was impressive to us all. And the proof is in the pudding! Not only was (and is) she consistent at coming, but the girl works dang hard. She wants to do what’s required as to not cheat herself from a great workout. In doing that, she has improved so incredibly much. Her body composition in just this short time, has really shifted, but the exercises and weights she is now doing is such a huge improvement from where she started. It’s just awesome to see and awesome to see the new muscles she’s getting! Again, just so impressed.

Beyond her awesome accomplishments in the gym, we love her attitude. She pushes herself and holds herself to the standards, never complains, and is determined. We are so proud of you Sue and it’s exciting for us to continue to watch you accomplish your goals! We’ll be here every step of the way for you!

Here’s Sue’s story from her words:

Although I am, and always have been, an avid sports fan, I was never an athlete. I never competed for any high school or college athletic team. I never lifted weights of any kind and never considered myself “in shape”.

So, imagine how daunting it was to envision myself in a gym without machines, in a gym with Olympic style weight lifting moves, in a gym where people might be “cut”, or thin, or strong, or lean, or…. I could go on and on. I was embarking on a journey where I could no longer hide behind the gal in front of me in class when I didn’t know the dance moves, or hide in the far recesses of the gym slowly trudging along on the treadmill barely breaking a sweat. No, I was jumping into uncharted territory; where I thought I’d never survive.

But, with a mix of trepidation and excitement, I did come to Cascade Crossfit. I looked at a few local Crossfit websites and decided that the Fundamentals Class was exactly what I needed – no pressure to join, no payment in advance, the instruction required for learning the moves correctly, and, most important at the time, the opportunity to back out (un)gracefully if I found it wasn’t for me. The other reason for choosing Cascade Crossfit was that I spent some time reading the on-line testimonials. I was struck by one that Colette wrote and it was the inspiration for my joining. I thought that, well, just maybe, there were other women like me giving it a try.

Why Crossfit? Well, for about the previous year I used the elliptical, I ran two turtle-paced 5K races and did a brief 3 month stint at a local gym. But, I knew that I needed more than any of those could provide. I had very little upper and lower body strength and had zilch-zero-nada core abdominal strength. I needed to fix that! I don’t want to be that 70 year old with a walker; I want to be that 70 year old hiking Si and Mailbox. Yes, I have lofty goals, literally and figuratively!

After 3 months of Crossfit, I decided to add another dimension to my new-found fitness regime. In addition to working out about 4 days a week, with the encouragement and support of the gym, I gave the Whole 30 Lifestyle a try. I’m now over 85 days into it and, except for 4 well-deserved and tasty glasses of wine, I have been following it to the letter!

Cascade Crossfit has been what I’ve needed all along, a supportive community with people at all fitness levels working on personal goals while also encouraging others to meet theirs. The progress you will see in your workouts comes quickly and continuously, which makes you strive to reach further, work harder, and dig deeper than you ever have. Since October I have had 2 personal best times in 5K races, made great strides in all areas of the WODs and I am now training for a Half Marathon.

Although I have lost weight, the comments from friends that bring a smile to my face are not those about being thinner, or smaller or lighter. It’s the statements like, “Wow, you have muscles.” or “Look at your arms!” That is what I wanted from Crossfit. I got that, and much more!

A special thanks to all the great Coaches and my morning work-out partners, who are always pushing me to do my best!

To a healthy mind & body with Cascade Crossfit: Cheers.

Sue

MARCH MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Peter Hong | Cascade CrossFit

Congratulations to Peter Hong who we are featuring as our member spotlight of the month for March. It has been such a pleasure having Peter at the gym since he joined last fall. He has always been incredibly consistent in coming which has proved to help him achieve some pretty awesome goals. Just recently he busted out his first muscle up and keeps improving on times and weights. It’s awesome!

One thing that stands out about Peter is his positive attitude and enthusiasm for CrossFit. He is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet and always has encouraging and kind things to say. We love and appreciate his encouragement for the fellow members, which we have not only heard, but see consistently on the blog. It’s amazing how a far a few encouraging words go, and I know his do not go unnoticed. He’s also always questioning things and posting links about CrossFit related stuff. It’s obvious that he is passionate about this sport and that he wants to grow and continue to improve. He is an awesome part of our CrossFit family and we are so excited to continue to watch him improve and crush any goal that he sets to achieve, because we know he will!

Here’s a little from Peter…

Hi all, My name is Peter Hong,

I joined Cascade Crossfit around September/October of 2010 as I was trying to find something new as I wasn’t really getting any more progress on my current workout regime. I have known of Crossfit for a little while and actually incorporated some of their movements into my workouts but after sometime I just wasn’t hitting my goals so I decided to find myself a Crossfit gym. I found out that my manager at work does Crossfit and I ended up talking to her about it and she convinced me to find a gym. Then, I remembered that one of my friends from high school and former trainer at Cascade Crossfit, Dean Kruse, was making posts on Facebook about a new and amazing gym called Cascade Crossfit. So I checked out the website and fired an email for the fundamentals class and the rest is history! I never thought I’d be in a love hate relationship with being so sore after a short work out during the fundamentals classes and I knew that Crossfit was the exact thing I needed.

Well, it’s been about five or so months since I started Crossfit and it’s the best decision I’ve made. I’ve lost about 10 lbs from the 30-day Paleo Challenge we started in January, beat some of my PRs, put on some muscle and, best of all, I feel incredible. I have learned so much about myself, fitness and nutrition in these few months that they have become a life change. I love that I am being challenged everyday by our coaches to push harder, keeping good form on whatever lift we’re all doing, and even throwing the 30 day Paleo Challenge to help us all get to our goals and to live a healthier lifestyle.

I never thought I could get in this good of shape in so little time! I hope that I can keep making progress so I can become better every day and be able to beat my PR’s and get myself into some local competitions so I can represent Cascade Crossfit and crew! It’s a real blessing to have such an awesome community pushing each other every day. It really motivates me to see all the members trying their hardest, being the best they can be and sharing knowledge with each other so we can all hit our goals! Thanks to all the Members and Coaches for being so kickass! See you all at the gym! 3..2..1.. GO!

FEBRUARY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Jessica Thornton | Cascade CrossFit

We are really excited to announce Jessica Thornton as our February Member Spotlight of the month. Jessica has been coming to Cascade for quite some time now and has been such a pleasure to have as a part of our family!! From the very beginning, Jessica showed herself as quite the competitor. She was very impressive, putting up some big numbers for weights and fast times on the WODs. It was basically a given that she was a stud and that it was going to be really fun watching her grow as a CrossFitter.

Fast forward several months, Jessica is doing freaking awesome. She’s gotten stronger and faster and is a force to be reckoned with! J Kyle and I always recap at the end of the day how each day went at the gym. Several times he has mentioned, “Man, Jessica is a stud!” The other day, he came home and said, “Dog gon’ it, I could barely stay ahead of Jessica in the AMRAP today. That’s bullcrap.” She’s gotten stronger, faster, and leaner and we are just so impressed. It’s not only her results are we impressed with, but her attitude is contagious. She is so friendly and kind but also is an awesome person to workout with because she knows just what to say to push you to keep going. I love working out with her because she always yells at me to “Go Girl!! Keep it up!” She is an inspiration to many, including myself. She is such a pleasure to be around and we couldn’t be happier she is a part of this awesome Cascade CrossFit community.

To get you to know her a little better…here is her story!

It was 23 years ago that my mom, who is now also a Cascade CrossFit member, started my sister and me competing in track and cross country. For those of you who don’t know me, I am only 27 so that would put me at 4 years old! Back then I didn’t know that it was going to start a lifestyle of exercise and running, I just thought it was fun to beat all the other kids.

Until last June, my daily exercise routine consisted of running, more running….and running some more. I totally thought I was in amazing shape, however, I was bummed that when we would hit the slopes for skiing or the rock for climbing, I still struggled and would get exhausted. It was frustrating because I thought I was in super good shape. Little did I know how far off I really was!

I was introduced to Cascade CrossFit by my kick ass friend Rachael Austin. We work together @ Boeing and she would always talk about how much the workouts and the gym rocked. After a few weeks of deliberation, I decided to bite the bullet and go try it out for two weeks. I think it only took me two days to get hooked!

Never in my life have I been this fit, fast, strong, lean, healthy and motivated. It is an incredible feeling to be able to hold my own in the WODs and do recommended (Rx) on most all of the workouts. Everyday I can’t wait to get out of work and head over to the gym on my way home. Each day it is a different challenge for my mind and body and each day I leave feeling so proud of myself and my co-CrossFitters for what we had accomplished. The people, trainers, and facilities are incredible and have become very close to my heart! I try not to miss any WODs, even when I am on business travel, because it has become one of my happy places!

Thanks to the Jacobson’s, Kyle O, Nick, Cody, the Austin’s, my family and all my fellow CrossFitters for creating such an incredible place that I am proud to be a member of. You all ROCK! If you are just starting CrossFit or trying to decide if it is for you, just come in and any of the trainers or members will do everything they can to help make it an incredible place for you from day one. And, if you get butterflies before the workout, that is a good sign! You are not alone…we all do!

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JANUARY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Meredyth Malocsay | Cascade CrossFit

We are really excited to kick off this New Year spotlighting Meredyth Malocsay! Meredyth started in the gym in September and I have never seen someone improve in as fast as she has. Sure Meredyth came in being in pretty dang good shape, but it wasn’t just that why she has accomplished leaps and bounds. Meredyth is in the gym basically every day that we are open. In fact, I almost get worried about her if I see that she has missed a day. We have joked with her that we are going to start charging her rent, because she really is in there all the time! Which is awesome!

Meredyth is constantly working to improve something and reach some sort of goal. For a while, it was double unders…so she bought a speed rope and practiced in her house day after day. One week later, or even faster, she comes in and whips out like 50 in a row. Dude! She wanted to then learn kipping pull ups where her goal was 5 in a row. So, day after day, she would stay after class, when she was exhausted, and she’d practice. She killed it before we knew it! She has an insane mental toughness that helps “get it done” and it is truly inspiring to train with someone like that. It really is awesome to see her reach her goals because it shows that if you set your mind to something, you can achieve it! Meredyth is now finishing at the top of the board on every single workout. I absolutely love working out with Meredyth because she pushes me and I know she pushes others. I hear so many members come in and then immediately look at Meredyth’s time or weight and they make it their goal to either try and beat that time or beat that weight. That shows a real inspiration.

Beyond Meredyth’s passion for CrossFit and amazing things she accomplishes, but she also is a sincerely genuine and beautiful person inside and out. She never complains, always has a smile on her face, and has some sort of joke (sometimes about herself J ) to share. I love how she comes in knowing all about the workout because she has researched what the movements were prior to coming in. I thought it was so freaking awesome that she came in one day thinking the workout was 5 rounds of something nasty and then a 1000m row at the end of each round. That would definitely turn most people away, but she still showed up. She wants to be corrected and she’ll call herself out if a rep didn’t feel like it should count. And, that is how she maximizes her workouts because she doesn’t let herself cheat. She’ll take longer if she needs to, but most all the time, “taking longer” is still finishing at the top.

Meredyth we are so thankful to have you as part of Cascade CrossFit. Keep up the amazing work, you are an inspiration to all!

Here’s what she had to say:

Hi guys – My name is Meredyth (you may hear Kyle J call me Woosy occasionally, but my name is actually Meredyth).

I’ve always had some form of competition sport in my life, but for the last few years it’s been paragliding, so the only exercise I was really getting on a regular basis was hiking up to launches with a 40lb backpack. I knew eventually I was going to have to bite the bullet and find something else if I wanted to stay in decent shape, so I had been looking around for something that I could fit in. I had heard about crossfit, but as soon as I heard you had to go to a gym I had kind of dismissed the idea. I’d never been into the gym scene and never really seemed to accomplish a lot when I did go.

Then at a competition this fall, one of my friends had a crash on a paraglider and a bunch of us decided he would’ve probably been hurt a lot worse if he wasn’t in such unbelievable shape. I remember being completely amazed when the friend in question raised his shirt to show me his chest tube (he’d hit hard enough to collapse a lung and crack some ribs) and all I could think was “when the hell did you get that six pack”? When I realized how much this guy had changed his body through crossfit and saw this real life example of how it could not only make someone look/feel/be stronger, it actually could also serve as a kind of injury prevention too, I knew it was time to give it a try.

My original idea was to join the gym for a few months, learn what it meant to do a crossfit workout, then get some basic equipment and do it in my garage, so I wouldn’t have to go to a gym. Ha! Now I love the gym so much, I’m like Jim Belushi in that Saturday night live skit “The thing that wouldn’t leave”. Competing with and cheering for your friends at the same time is pretty awesome and totally motivates me. I also realize now that there’s no way I would ever come close to working this hard (or use correct form) if Tenny, the Kyles, Cody and Nick weren’t there to remind me – get lower!, lumbar curve! chest to the ground! I’ve got so many heroes at the gym now, I’m having to keep them in categories – deadlift hero, muscle up hero, double under hero, butterfly hero … you know who you are because I keep asking you to demonstrate for me! Yay crossfit and yay Tenny and Kyle for creating this awesome gym and filling it with special people, and making me not want to miss a single WOD!

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DECEMBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Joe Sullivan | Cascade CrossFit

Joe started in our fundamentals program a couple of months ago and from the beginning we could tell he was going to be a stud. However, we didn’t know how quickly he would start overtaking us on certain WODs! Joe’s dedication to fitness is incredible. One day, at the 6am class, he told us how he was going to do the class, then drive home, only to then ride his bike over 20 miles to work and back. On other days, he was doing two-a-days. Only just over a month at the gym, Mr. Sullivan did a 5k row and absolutely CRUSHED everyone in the stinkin’ gym (not to mention he did the row all by himself with no one to compete against)!! He also recently competed in the local CrossFit competition and did every WOD as RX, which, after only starting a couple months ago, is incredibly impressive. It can take people years to be able to do RX weights and movements. He has a great personality and is really a pleasure to have in the gym. Keep up your good work and we are looking forward to seeing you at the top of the leader boards! :-)

What Joe has to say:

Hi, my name’s Joe Sullivan.

I joined up at Cascade a couple months ago, and its been one of the best decisions I’ve made in a while. I’ve been aware of Crossfit for a bit and had been messing around doing the WODs on the main site off and on over the last few years on my own. Earlier this year, I was on a ski trip with some guys and one of them was pretty into Crossfit. I mentioned that I had been doing some workouts here and there and he said: “that’s cool…but if you wanted to learn to play soccer would you buy a ball and kick it around a field by yourself or join a team…?” that analogy stuck with me and I decided to check out some gyms when I got home. A couple days later I blew out my knee and had to cut the trip short.

Fast forward six months, one ACL surgery and a ton of physical therapy and here I am a member of Cascade. The Crossfit format has been awesome for rehabbing my knee and getting me back into shape, and the team and facility at Cascade are really top notch. I love driving out to the warehouse in the woods and chasing the Kyles, Nick and Cody through some brutal workout. I’ve seen amazing gains in the first couple months, and the motivation that comes from the group is the complete opposite of anything I’ve felt at a gym before. The approach feels very holistic, and things like the nutrition challenge we just finished really rounds that out. In the short time I’ve been coming to the gym, it’s easy to see that Kyle and Tenny have created something really great in the community at Cascade Crossfit. Though I’ve only been a member for a couple months, it already feels like home and I’m looking forward to getting my ass kicked daily for the foreseeable future!

Thanks Joe, and keep up the awesome work!

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NOVEMBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Rachael Austin | Cascade CrossFit

We are thrilled to spotlight Rachael Austin as our November Member of the Month! Rachael and her husband Tyler have been super involved with CrossFit since near the beginning of opening back in January, however, Rachael was always the vocal support because she was pregnant. In May, Rachael gave birth to one of the most beautiful baby boys, Landon, and ever since has been busting her butt to get her body in the shape that she wanted. In fact, I believe she weighs 10lbs less now then when she did before she was even pregnant! The first few workouts were definitely tough (I think there was a visit from Mr. Pukey once???), but through her strong determination to lose that dreaded “baby weight”, she has shown how absolutely amazing you can look just 5 months after giving birth. She is a true testament to what hard work will do for you. Not only is she is a hard worker, but she always has a huge smile on her face. We are so proud of you Rachael and you are a true gem for our gym.

Now here is her story:

Hi everyone! My name is Rachael Austin. My husband and I moved here from Alaska a little over a year ago, then we found out we were going to be having a baby! Landon was born May 18th 2010. While I was pregnant I would go for walks and try to lift a few pounds here and there.

My husband and I were introduced to Cascade CrossFit in February by Kyle. I would come and do the work outs as best I could while having what felt like a basketball in the way. Six weeks after having Landon, and seeing the great results that Tyler was getting from CrossFit, I was very excited and determined to lose my baby weight and to get back into shape.

To my surprise I not only lost my baby weight but I feel like I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I feel stronger and quicker than before, and I can’t wait to see the difference on the volleyball court come January. I couldn’t be happier with the results that CrossFit has given my family and I. Both the trainers and members give this gym such a great atmosphere, I love being able to bring Landon there, while I push myself every day.

Thank you Cascade CrossFit for helping me reach, not only my fitness goals, but also helping me achieve a much healthier lifestyle!
Rachael Austin

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OCTOBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Shelli Sanctis | Cascade CrossFit

We have seen a lot of people come in and out these doors, and a lot of people in other CrossFit gyms, and have to say that Shelli is one of the most inspirational people we have seen. From workout to workout, she gives it her all and more. Her honesty in the workouts is amazing and she always makes sure she is starting where she’s supposed to start, ending where she needs to end, and never cheating in between. It is something that is hard to always uphold, but she does it, even if it takes that extra bit of time. Her determination and heart to succeed and improve with each workout is amazing and we couldn’t be prouder. She inspires us to be better and she makes this gym a better place. We are so happy you are here Shelli and thank you for all you bring to this gym!!

Here is a little of what Shelli wrote:

Hi! My name is Shelli Sanctis and I have been working out at Cascade Crossfit since June. I was previously working with a personal trainer but I realized I needed something more affordable and most importantly more challenging.

A quick note on my background…. my husband and my family moved to the area from California almost 6 years ago to start a business. You may have heard of it, Sahale Snacks! After years of hard work and perseverance the company is doing well. I have three boys and I live in Fall City.

Getting started…. I was afraid to start crossfit, it looked so intimidating but after a few email exchanges with Kyle and with the support of my middle son Dean, I decided to give it a shot. Dean and I started coming in June, he wanted to get in shape for football and well, I just wanted to get in shape.

Deciding to become a member at Cascade Crossfit was one of the best decisions I have made in a long time. The support is incredible, the members are fantastic and the workout is always a challenge. Thank you to Kyle, Tenny and Dean K for your support and encouragement. Cascade Crossfit is awesome!