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I was 8 years old when I started running. Almost thirty years later, I still remember my first day of practice and the first medal I ever won in a race. My dad was so proud he hung it from a nail on our mantle. It was from that point I was hooked. If anyone ever asked me what I was going to be when I grew up, the answer was always the same - a professional runner. I ran through middle school, high school and college. After college and entering the real world for the first time, I realized that childhood dream would not be as easy as I imagined. But I still had the passion and drive to run professionally so I entered as many races as I could, collecting race money prizes to pay our bills and keep us fed. This was it - I had made it and was making money doing what I loved. But like many sports, running is difficult on the body and injuries are bound to happen - my injury just happened to be career ending.

I was 24 when I ran my last competitive race and it was the last paycheck I ever collected from running. I was lost with no direction. All I had ever known was running and other than the ability to work hard at things, I had no other skills. I finally settled for a job at a large company. It was endless days of sitting at a computer with no movement except going to lunch or the occasional walk to the copier. From day one I hated it but I told myself this is what adults are made to do. I no longer had any goals, dreams, or aspirations besides making it to 4:00 on Friday each week. Fast forward 10 years and I was still sitting in a cubicle, mindlessly churning out presentations for things I didn't care about. Then I quit. Not a rash "I quit and shove this job!", but I had planned it for a while and finally got the nerve to leave something that I knew was wrong for me. I was scared and excited at the same time.

I started a business and then decided I needed to find something that I cared about like I had cared about running. I was obsessed with watching American Ninja Warrior and thought - there it is, I am going to do that. I went to a few practices with other people wanting to try out for the show and quickly realized I was not a ninja. Then my sister mentioned going to a CrossFit class. I had no idea what CrossFit was so I looked it up on you tube and thought - man, I am going to be awesome at that, let's go (I was very wrong)! We went to our first class on a Saturday and I will never forget the feeling of complete and utter exhaustion after that first day. For the next week, I was so sore I could hardly move. We started to go on Saturdays and I quickly realized I was terrible. Not just average terrible, really terrible. I could only do any lifting movements with the PVC pipe and even that was a strain. But little by little, with a lot of patient coaching, I eventually moved to the trainer bar for lifting movements. Even after months, I was still the worst athlete in the class but I could finally squat below parallel. It was the little achievements that kept me coming back. I worked to get my first pull-up for months and was never alone in my quest. There was always a coach or fellow athlete to motivate, encourage, or teach technique. And despite being very far from my successes as a runner, I still left each class feeling happy. It had been so long since I had a chance to PR at something, every day felt like a success. I have been at Bombers CrossFit for about 15 months and I still feel excited every class. I love the challenge CrossFit provides and the community support at every class. It took me 11 years after my last competitive race to find CrossFit and I can honestly say CrossFit has filled a void in my life that I never thought would be filled.

5 Random Facts about me:

I love Eminem. Not just a little, but a semi-obsessive type of love. 90% of my time driving in the car is listening to Eminem.

My biggest fear is time travel. I have been told its an irrational fear, but that doesn't ease my mind.

My Front Squat 1-rep max during my first months at CrossFit was 15lbs.

My PR for the mile run is 4:40.

I co-founded and am the CFO for a non-profit animal welfare organization in Greene County.

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