Allow me the pleasure to introduce Alex “Dr. Pancake” Pankonien.  Alex has been part of the Bomber Crew for over 3 years.  His consistent progress has been a hallmark of his – each day he shows up ready to work, puts in the effort and the rest speaks for itself.  If you’d not had the pleasure of engaging Alex in conversation, I’d highly recommend it – he’s been know to dive deeply into the abstract physics of weightlifting.  Ask him about the best  place to get a cup of coffee or the best way to brew it at home.

 

             How did you hear about CrossFit and what was your first            experience?

I heard about Bombers (and CrossFit) right after I moved to the Dayton Area. Rob Reuter and I work in the same office. I was looking for some community since I had just moved here. So he invited me to come join him at the gym. The first time I worked out wasn’t super horrible since it was all high-skill movements (hand-stand pushups, muscle-ups) and I hadn’t worked out in almost three years, so I scaled like crazy. However, the second time was horrible (100 burpees, 1000 meter row, 100 wall balls). I finished my burpees right about the time most people had finished their wall balls. I won’t forget that someone actually did 100 extra wall balls with me so that I wouldn’t have to do all of mine alone. That’s community if you ever wanted it.

             When did you first come to Bombers CrossFit?

I’m guessing March 2016. I’d have to check Wodify. I’ve always logged on Wodify like crazy (and written lots of notes). It’s really fun to see the multi-year charts showing progress.

 

How many days do you CrossFit?

 

I’ve been doing 2-3 days a week of CrossFit and 2 days a week of Barbell club for about a year. I started that because I was always the absolute worst whenever a WOD involved lifting the bar. So, I decided to work on my weaknesses. Now, I’m better at lifting than I am at WODing. I suppose it’s a continual process where you’re always working at something.

           

            What classes do you normally take?

6 am is my jam, especially with a young child (I have a 2 year old daughter, Lily, and another on the way due in May). If you want to keep any sort of focus on the workout, it’s nice to show-up and work out before anyone in your house wakes up. Also, I’ve found that no one schedules over your 6 am workout. I’ve definitely had late meetings at work that schedule over afternoon classes, but no one is brave enough to schedule a meeting between 6-7 am and expect anyone to show up. That means I can keep consistency in my workouts. And that’s the important part: consistency and the long game.

 

What motivates you/keeps you coming back to Bombers CrossFit?

The reason I started working out again was (this is hard to write, but it’s always hard to write when it’s real) I started getting worried about my long-term health. During writing my PhD dissertation, everything just seemed to freeze, except writing of course. I felt like my health was slowly going downhill, including my mental health. I made it out the back end of that experience, but I was out of excuses as to why I was waiting to start working on my health. Around that time, my younger sister got some information that she had high cholesterol. Well, my dad has high cholesterol, and his dad had high cholesterol. And his dad died from (I believe) his third heart attack. So there I was, 28. What was I going to do about it? If not now, then when? 

So, the hardest part to showing up in the gym was to admit to myself (before I ever even showed up) that something had to change, and I was going to do more than just talk about it. That’s still what keeps me coming back to Bombers. My end goal hasn’t changed, and it won’t change, because my genetics won’t change either. But I have to do the best with them that I can. And it’s not just for me anymore, it’s for my family too. So, I can be around in a meaningful way as we all grow older. You could say that I’m doing a lifetime-long workout, where each round is a WOD in the gym.

 

What’s your favorite thing about the Dayton area?

 

I’ll paraphrase Chris Mavron on this one. “Everyone here will push you to be better.” In terms of amenities, Dayton may not have mountains or ocean, but the cost of living is great, and Cincincatti and Columbus are only an hour away. But at the end of the day, “ So what ?”, you could be living next to the best beach in the world, but if you don’t appreciate it, or can’t appreciate it because you can’t move or can’t get there, it doesn’t matter. I’m a strong believer that there are only two paths: 1) growth 2) decay. Neutral is an illusion. If your community isn’t challenging you to grow, you need to think about what your end goals look like and if you even stand a chance of getting there with the people around you.

 

What accomplishment are you the proudest of (inside and outside of the gym)?

It’s important to understand that I’m not ambitious. I’m in it for the long-haul and the process (i.e. growth over any particular goal). So, I inherently don’t like to think this way. Still, I’m proud of one thing, because it’s a continuous thing, a continuous sacrifice. And it’s related to my story about starting working out. At that time, I had been saving up money for a new video game system, and I love video games. However, I decided to spend the money that I had saved on 1 month at the gym (look, it wasn’t a lot of money, but it meant a lot to me, especially after being a grad student). I thought that the money and time that I would’ve spent video-gaming could be better spent at keeping me alive long-term. I don’t regret it. And I keep making that decision every day. And I’m proud of it.

 

After a hard workout, what is your favorite meal?

I grew up in Texas, and I still love BBQ. So that’s a strong contender, see City Barbeque or Texas Beef & Cattle Company (slightly west of I75). But *nothing* beats cooking your own BBQ on your own grill. Absolutely. Unequivocally. 

 

What are some of your interests outside of CrossFit?

Kayaking. I’m always up for a same-day multi-hour trip on a local river. I love music: alternative, jazz, classical, like all types. I can sing too. I’ve done it for decades, in jazz groups and conventional choirs. I’m a tenor.

My wife, Ambi, says that I wander. That’s probably the truth of it all. I’m an explorer at heart. I’m a researcher by day, but that’s just another flavor of wandering (intellectually). I love the word “wanderlust” (I also speak German). That word alone describes me and my interests pretty well. Feel free to invite me on your next adventure.

 

What is one goal within the gym that you’re working on?

Backwards Double-Unders. I’m a contrarian (I like to do stuff just because other people don’t), and this seemed like a fun, backwards goal. If you want to try this too, just realize that when you get whipped, it hurts way more than if you try it forwards.

What impact has CrossFit had on your life/lifestyle/level of fitness?

What a weird question. I read it like “what impact has meat had on your life?” . “Fundamental” would be the answer I suppose. I’d be a fundamentally different person if I didn’t have that opportunity? push?  to work out regularly. I’d be pursuing a fundamentally different path if I didn’t have that community.

 

What advice would you give to a newbie?

Get started today, whatever your situation. Scaling (reducing the weight, etc.) is expected and is the correct way to do things. Everything is a scale of something else. Don’t injure yourself trying something too heavy or too skillful than you’re ready for, because recovery from that takes longer than you think and isn’t worth it. There’s another WOD tomorrow if you were wondering. 

Speaking of which, stick through it for at least 2 months, shooting for 4 days a week at least, in the end. Make friends, because that’s what keeps you accountable and coming back. Really try not to take more than a week off or it’ll be hard on your body when you come back.

At the end of those 2 months, don’t stop coming. There are ebbs and flows to life, keep coming. When you travel, there are other CrossFit gyms. It’s a completely different lifestyle, thinking about where you’ll workout when you travel, but it’s worth it. You’ll feel better. You’ll be better. Choose to be the best you can, I’m there with you too, trying.