1:51 Grace
1:51 Isabel
Completed A 1/2 Marathon
Completed A Full Marathon
1300 lbs. Club
245 lbs. Thruster
CrossFit Level 1 Certificate
CrossFit Level 2 Certificate
National Certified Peer Support Specialist
CrossFit was given to me fairly late in my athletic life. I played baseball growing up, with some football, a lot of pick-up basketball, and a lot of skateboarding and bmx-ing as well. As a kid, I lifted for sports and aesthetics. In my early twenties, I did some powerlifting, but basketball became my main focus for the rest of my twenties. In my early thirties, I began strength training and loved it. After about six years of pretty serious strength training, at the very end of 2016, a big group of my friends did an unofficial CrossFit-style competition, and we all loved it! Shortly after that my main group of workout partners and I started holding small CrossFit-style competitions and workouts. We were blown away by how people bonded around the shared suffering, and all of the other social, emotional, and mental benefits came from the workouts and community. We then created a non-profit organization around this force, calling it "Redemption Road Fitness Foundation." We got our L-1's and started boxes across Colorado to spread the experience of CrossFit in the community. I am the coach today because of the rigor of CrossFit instruction, and even more because of the magic and joy of our amazing community.
At forty-four years old, I have had lots of turning points! I was in a lot of trouble growing up as a kid, and I did a lot of drugs and drank a lot of alcohol. I was definitely my own worst enemy, struggling deeply with addiction, as well as a lot of insecurities and depression. Coming out of that life was not easy, and there was a lot of pain for a lot of people. In my late teens, I was given some opportunities to get some education and shift the direction of my life. I had a lot of love and support, and I was definitely a changed person. I had also created some serious life setbacks for myself. I had to learn to accept and push through that damage. Family, friends, fitness, and education were huge supports during those times, and I was shown remarkable grace. One of the greatest gifts given to me during those transition times was the encouragement to try new and hard things, which showed me strengths I didn't know were really in me. Another significant, more specific turning point for me was when I had to lose a lot of weight. During my strength training days, I became very heavy ("mass moves mass") and it didn't seem to matter. That was until I weighed in for a competition, realizing I was almost 300 lbs. and still gaining weight like crazy. It took a serious amount of determination and discipline to cut all that extra weight and a good year or so to do it! Food was an activity, a medication, and fuel for me before that turning point, and I had to learn to relate to it differently. That was also right when I was introduced to CrossFit, so it lined up really well for me. Most of the lessons in my life seem to be about the importance of community, gratitude, and being good and useful to others.
The main thing I really love about coaching is being with people as they learn they are not as limited as they often think or feel they are. When a person gains a new skill, takes a risk to accomplish a task they have never done and learns how truly capable and awesome they really are, I love to see it! The confidence gained in the gym translates to life, and when a person learns what they have within them to attack life and things that hold them back I am truly thrilled. Being a coach also allows me to be a part of an every growing and moving community, and I get to help people be together and support each other!
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