Marina has been an athlete and part of our gym for over seven and a half years — more than 750 classes and 84 PRs. Those numbers are impressive on their own. But the real story isn’t in the numbers. It’s in everything that happened between them, and everything happening outside the gym while she was racking them up.
During her time here, Marina was a single mom raising her kids, and like so many others, she was affected by COVID when her work furloughed her. The kinds of things that knock people off track — or give them a built-in excuse to step away — only seemed to light a fire in Marina. Life ebbs and flows, and so did her consistency at times, but she never stopped coming back.
Those of us who have been around as long as Marina know what this place really means, beyond just being a gym. For Marina, it’s her social hour — time that belongs entirely to her, away from work, away from family responsibilities, where she gets to focus on staying strong and healthy. She’ll even tell you: what we do here is fun.
This place is better because Marina is in it, and we’re so thankful she’s here. She’s a quietly strong, humble woman — and this is her story.
Tell us a little about yourself outside of being an athlete at CFL:
I grew up in Southern California, then went to college in San Francisco and stayed there for a little over 10 years. We moved to Lincoln 14 years ago. I have two kids: Evan (26) and Sarah (19). There might be one or two people at the gym who remember that I’d bring Sarah with me to class when I first started. I love to travel — my daughter and I went to the UK and Ireland last summer, and I’ll be going to Italy at the beginning of next year. I’m a huge music fan, and one of my favorite bands is the Grateful Dead — probably a result of living in San Francisco for so long.
What first brought you to CrossFit as an athlete, and what keeps you coming back?
I saw the “Fittest on Earth” documentary and thought CrossFit looked like fun, but I wasn’t sure it was really for a “non-athlete” like me who was already in her 40s. I decided to look into it anyway and reached out to CFL. Phil called me back and told me how all the movements can be scaled for any level of fitness and ability, and that it was all about being just a little better than the day before. I decided to give it a try, and I’m so grateful that I did. I keep coming back because I’ve noticed what a difference it’s made in my strength and overall fitness. I also really enjoy the atmosphere here — it’s a real blessing for me to be surrounded by so many fun, positive people.
What accomplishment in the gym are you most proud of so far?
I can really feel the improvements I’ve made in my cardiovascular endurance and overall health. My work capacity has improved greatly; I can work out harder and for longer than I could when I first started.
What is your favorite movement or workout — and your least favorite?
My favorite movements are kettlebell swings and deadlifts. I also like farmer’s carries and odd object carries because those are functional movements that help me in daily life. My least favorite… I don’t know if this counts as a CrossFit movement, but I’m not a fan of the karaoke running warmup. I always feel like I’m going to trip.
How has CrossFit impacted your life outside the gym — health, work, family, mindset?
I think CrossFit is helping me maintain a better quality of life and will help me live the kind of life I want to as I get older. It’s also given me the opportunity to try things and test myself in ways that I otherwise wouldn’t. That’s really helped boost my confidence about what I’m capable of physically.
What advice would you give to someone who is brand new to CrossFit?
Have fun with it! Don’t worry about the numbers so much — just learn to enjoy the process, and the improvements will follow.
