KATY

When did you start CrossFit and how long have you been at CrossFit Matters?

My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, got me a Groupon for discounted membership to “CrossFit DNR” (they meant for it to stand for “Do Not Retreat” but that’s obviously not the first meaning of the acronym for those in medical fields) in Fort Collins, CO for Christmas, 2016. He & I had been working out at a Fit Body Bootcamp franchise for a few years before that, but I switched to CrossFit in January 2017.  February 2017, was my first Open and I haven’t missed an Open since. We moved to Dallas in August 2017, and I’d already incorporated CrossFit as a fixture in my daily life, so I immediately found D-Town CrossFit to continue working out until moving to KC and CrossFit Matters in December 2022.

What goal(s) have you been working toward this year? How do you stay motivated?

This year I’ve been being very intentional about losing weight (putting in work in the kitchen!) while building lat strength and working on strict pull ups because my goal is to improve my gymnastics skills. TTB [toes to bar], pull ups of all kinds, maybe even muscle ups… and progress has been satisfying. I’ve built up to being able to do five unbroken strict pull ups now, when the most I’d ever done previously was three. Brady at Empowered PT has been amazingly helpful correcting my mechanics. My goal in 2022 was to get big and lift heavy, and I PR’d my bench, clean, and deadlift last year, but CrossFit has too many movements and skills - I didn’t want to ignore all the movements I was bad at (gymnastics is the tip of that iceberg). I stay motivated by appreciating my friends and coaches at the gym and all the skills & strengths they have. It makes me want to be better. That’s where CrossFit is so much better for me than working out alone at a traditional gym. The only difficulty is to focus on *a few* things to improve on at once.

How do you spend your time outside the gym?

I work in a research laboratory in the Cancer Biology Dept at the KU Medical Center. We study genetic factors that influence metastasis. I work with tumor cell lines and transgenic & inbred mouse models. Coach Devin, biostatistician extraordinaire, is one of our lab’s favorite co-authors.  People at work call him "the Wolverine," lol.

I've been doing a lot more walking this year, always with the dogs.  My husband and I have a pug named Jessi. Jessi has a border collie named Liam. Liam is Jessi’s bodyguard, personal trainer, pillow, and playmate. I guess legally they are both our dogs, but Jessi is definitely in charge.

Softball season just started.  I’ve been playing softball since I was nine years old. This year my husband and I registered to play in the Heart of America Softball League (HASL) which plays doubleheaders on Sundays. He and I are on a team in the open division and I'm also on a women's division team.  So when I show up to CrossFit on Mondays with a sore right arm, you'll know why.

If I’m not at CFM or in any of those places then I’m probably at the grocery store, no joke.

What is your favorite and least favorite CrossFit movement?

Favorite movement: Snatch. Not power snatch.  Full depth Olympic squat snatch.  I’m not good at it, but it makes me happy to try to get good at it.

Least favorite: Running. I only have two speeds: 1) balls out sprint in 65 ft increments or 2) shuffle at an unimpressive half marathon pace.  There is no in-between.

What is one thing you love about CrossFit Matters?

One of many things I love about CrossFit Matters is how committed our coaches are to making what could easily be a routine hour of our day into something that cumulatively enriches our lives. Just one example, fewer than a handful of members signed up for the 2024 open, but our coaches were still 100% prepared and committed to making that open experience great for us. Some coaches at other gyms don't always invest the same amount of thought or effort or planning into their jobs. Some coaches at other gyms may be more invested in their own personal performance and competitions than in their coaching activities. Some coaches at other gyms may have no interest in socializing with their clientele.  But our CFM coaches are so much better than those guys.  I hope they feel appreciated.