How many years have you been a part of the Grassroots family? What made you want to start?
I came to a couple of community workouts before joining the on-ramp in October of 2014. I LOVE to challenge myself and see what I can accomplish. I had never lifted weights before; I ran distance for a long time and I’ve run two full and close to 50 half marathons. I didn’t feel like I was getting any better at running and after a while the streets all look the same. A good friend of mine had been doing CrossFit for a couple of years and it intrigued me, so I decided it was time to try something new.
How has working out at Grassroots impacted your life outside of the gym?
I have to be a much better time manager! I literally plan my days around when I can go to the gym. I feel like such an addict.
It’s hard to list all the positive ways Grassroots has affected my life. It’s not just a gym, it’s like an awesome family of people I choose to hang around with and listen to gangsta rap.
Because of working out, my kids truly believe I can win American Ninja Warrior, so that’s awesome. A negative – I now get asked to help move furniture a lot.
What’s your most recent PR? What fitness goals have you set for yourself to achieve in 2016?
I hit a 135# overhead squat – I wasn’t sure I could do it but Melissa kept encouraging me to put more weight on the bar, and I think I can do more (but will wait to retest!). My overall goal is pretty simple: I want to be better than yesterday, in the gym and in daily life. Oh, and maybe get like 10 double unders in a row.
Where are you from?
I grew up in a super small town called Whitinsville, Massachusetts. I went to college at Boston University and I lived in Ireland for a while. I think I can say I am from here now – I’ve lived in Berkeley for 14 years.
What do you do for work?
I am Managing Partner for a public relations agency. My team is virtual – there are 12 of us and we all work from home, which is amazing. And I get to work with a lot of really awesome companies and inspiring people…I love what I do.
What outside-the-gym activities you like to participate in?
I love to cook! And eat! It’s probably the main reason I need to workout, otherwise my pants wont fit. (Although none of my pre-Crossfit pants fit anyway due to the increased quads and booty.)
If you could have any super power, what would it be?
Stop time. We spend so much time trying to get stuff done and pack everything in to one hour or one day or one week, that we risk (and often do) missing the small moments that really matter.
If you could describe Grassroots in five words, what would they be?
Positivity + power = My happy place
