As someone who could run 50 miles on trails and had, what I thought was a decent level of fitness, I was about to black out for the first time ever while trying to make my way to a bench that was slowly disappearing due to my vision. We were only 5 minutes into the warm up and that’s when I learned that being traditionally in shape (good blood markers, low body fat, etc) does NOT equal being fit. CrossFit Credence in Rochester, MN tee’d up this journey I’m on now by demonstrating what can be accomplished with a great community, awesome coaching and leadership.
| “In shape but not fit version of me” | “A much healthier version of me with Trish” |
The Journey Continues at CrossFit SISU
When my family and I moved up to the Twin Cities, we just happened to land a home next to another fantastic gym called CrossFit Sisu. There I was able to watch owner Pat Crosby and GM Christina building a community that continues to grow and thrive today. Their members were constantly doing triathlons and a variety of activities outdoors year round. They were big supporters of my trail running ventures and I began to reap the benefits of adding CrossFit to my running training.
Importance of Coaches
For almost 7 years I watched my body start to look and behave differently because I’d show up to class and have a coach correct my form or push me to go harder than I ever would by myself at the local YMCA. This TED Talk from Atul Gawande tells how coaches can help us get better at whatever area of life we need to improve. And honestly, what is more important than our ability to live a great life because our body does what we need it to do in a variety of situations?
My journey into coaching at CrossFit Lincoln is due to the belief that if I’m not growing, I’m dying. I know this sounds hyperbolic, but we only get one today and hopefully a tomorrow. My goal is to get incredibly proficient at coaching so I can positively impact as many people’s lives as possible. While doing this, I hope to set an example for my kids to live a life of purpose and to be a husband who finds the ability to support his wife as much as she deserves (she’s put up with a lot over the last 15 years!).
For more of the story, check out my interview with Coach Landon here!
Backyard tent camping with the fam