Month: July 2014

Jacque Cody, CrossFit PAX Athlete of the Week, is fast becoming a master of juggling fitness and family life. A consistent member of the morning classes, she has found that making the time to prioritize her diet and fitness is WELL worth the effort and gives her the energy to do all of the important things in life. She was nominated for athlete of the week because she is consistent and coachable and has been making steady improvements and overcoming obstacles aggressively. Like everyone at the Bunker, Jacque has fears and weaknesses, but she is committed to overcoming each one and not just showing up for those WODs she is confident about finishing ‘well’. From box jumps to handstands and cleans, she shows up and puts in the work. She can laugh at herself, and as you will see from her own words, she truly values the community and friendships and has been an encouragement to those around her. Way to go, Jacque! In her own words…

I’m not the youngest person in the gym.  I’m not the fastest athlete.  I’m usually one of the last to finish a WOD.  I don’t lift the heaviest weight.  I never will.  And that is ok–because that isn’t my purpose for walking into those doors each morning.  My purpose is to be able to watch my boys grow up, to wrestle with my grandchildren.  I want to be able to walk up stairs at 70 without huffing and puffing. I want to be strong enough to handle what life throws at me.  CrossFit isn’t just about physical strength, but emotional strength as well.  There are WODS that you honestly just want to quit.  You want to cry.  And that’s when a fellow athlete or coach comes along and finishes it with you.  They get you over that mental and physical hurdle and show you that you CAN persevere.

I turn 40 in a few months.  I’m the one in the back giving the coaches the evil eye when they tell me to add weight to the bar.  I’m the one at the end of the WOD slumped on the floor screaming “That was AWEFUL”.  And yet I keep coming back.  I have learned to “embrace the suck”.  It’s the sense of accomplishment when you have completed a WOD you never thought you could do.

It’s intimidating to walk in and be around amazing athletes. But I cross that threshold anyway.  It took a good year of friends pleading with me to join them at a cross fit gym. I honestly didn’t think I was capable of doing crossfit. But everyone has to start somewhere, right? It doesn’t matter if you have to walk the runs, or use every single band color to get a pull up.  Just showing up in itself is a huge step in the right direction.  I never thought I would be able to do an unassisted pull up.  Or an unassisted full range of motion hand stand push up.  But you know what?  Now I can.

I started Crossfit in Japan one week prior to my father’s diagnosis with esophageal cancer.  Right from the start, the comraderie was amazing.  Every morning I came, my coach would take one look at me, and would tell me we were going to take it out on the bar, and yell as loud as we could.  And we did.  I think it is what honestly kept me going after my father’s death.  I had a focus, somewhere to go each day; somewhere to take out my anger at the world. It was a place where I could rebuild myself so that I could go home and be able to be a mother and a wife.

The CFP community is so welcoming.  It’s all encompassing. It’s not just about strength.  It’s about nutrition.  A healthy mind.  Motivating yourself. Discovering the drive to achieve a goal you once thought unobtainable. Developing a healthy lifestyle. The coaches truly do care about the athletes.  It’s not just a job.  They enjoy what they do.   It’s not everyday you find a gym that focuses on the ATHLETE as a whole.  These coaches have a desire to teach and help.  They want to be there every day.  And they are just as excited as you are when you finally push through a barrier.

The whole family has benefited from CFP. Our nutrition has improved. The boys do pull-ups before dinner. Exercise and healthy eating have become routine and unforced. Do I still crave chocolate?  Um, yeah.  Do I still love Vodka?  Ah, YES.  Do I still stare at that 20 inch box and freak out that I’ll smash my shin? You betcha. But my perspective has changed. Keeping myself physically and mentally strong is no longer an option. Day in and day out, I am humbled by other athletes. I marvel at their sheer determination. That’s what keeps me coming back day after day. I have something to strive for……

You rock, Jacque. Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself and encouraging the rest of the gang at CF PAX. You are an example of grit and consistency to your family AND your family at CrossFit PAX. Pretty soon the 24″ box will be a thing of the past and you’ll be knocking out muscle ups, too.  Eat well, work hard, rest effectively and keep at it. Thank you for trusting us to coach you and your boys!