Athlete Spotlight - Everett Smith

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? Word of mouth…a friend told me about this program he was going to that was intense and if I didn’t mind being constantly sore I should give it a try.  My friend was right, it hurt, but it’s the good kind of hurt!

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

I really don’t have a favorite. Personally, they all give me heartburn; however, I ‘m kind of reminded of that quote by Friedrich Nietzsche, “that which does not kill us makes us stronger.” So, as long as it doesn’t kill me, it’s a favorite.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

A little over two years.

4. What do you do for a living?

I work for a fitness equipment manufacturer headquartered in the valley.  Although we manufacture exercise equipment, I’m thinking what we really sell is motivation!

5. What are your hobbies?

Raising six children, supporting them in their activities, and we’re over half way there!

6. What are your goals?

To continue to improve flexibility…at my age flexibility is something that often falls through the cracks. It’s amazing how good you feel when you have flexibility.

7. Why do you Crossfit?

When you discover something that makes you feel better and you can feel and see results you stick with it.  In addition, Brad does it right and he makes us do it right. Case in point, we were doing overhead squats and Brad could see I was struggling with just a 45-pound bar.  Brad said, “You’re on PVC buddy until I see otherwise.”  He explained to me that it wasn’t a matter of lack of strength but a true lack of flexibility on my part. Thank you Brad!   I also see a lot of fitness and strength programs around the valley especially those involving youth and I see a lot of young people going through the motions and not being taught proper form and technique.   It’s worth a lot to have total confidence in those instructing you. That’s what you’ll get at CFCV.

8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?

It might look like a race but it’s not. It’s you versus what you did yesterday. Take your time and do it right and you’ll be amazed with the results over time. It’s not something that takes a week or even a month, it takes as long it takes. Your health, your fitness is a life-long endeavor if you want it to be.

Athlete Spotlight - Holley Creger

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? A girl at work was doing it, so my mom and I thought we would try it once.  The second time I went I didn’t really want to because the first time almost killed me, but my friend Bridget said she would go with me, and we have both been addicted ever since!

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

I really like Fran.  It was the first benchmark I RX’ed, but I also love Grace and all of the other workouts where I get to throw barbells around.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

I have been addicted to going to the box for a little over 2 1/2 years now.

4. What do you do for a living?

I work at Herff-Jones, we make yearbooks.  I also go to school at Utah State majoring in Business Administration.

5. What are your hobbies?

In the winter I love to ski, and in the summer I love to be in the sun and soaking up all the warm weather to prepare for 9 months of winter.

6. What are your goals?

I would really like to be able to do strict pull ups.  But every time we lift weights I am always trying to get a new PR.  I would also really like to learn to do muscle ups!

7. Why do you Crossfit?

I do Crossfit because of the way it makes me feel, I feel like I have more energy when I come, and I am addicted.  I love feeling stronger everyday, and knowing that I am in the best shape of my entire life.  Also I love the community here at the box, I love how everybody is always so supportive and there’s no judging.  It is so much different than just going to a gym.

8.  Any advice for future CrossFitters.

The only thing that I could tell future CrossFitters is to just try it, you will push your self harder than you ever thought possible, and everyone there will be cheering you on all the way, but when you are done you will feel such an accomplishment. And then you will be addicted just like the rest of us!

Athlete Spotlight - Heather Burt

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? I found out about CrossFit Cache Valley through a friend.  I like to exercise and she suggested I try something different.  I haven’t looked back.  Thanks Tanya.

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

I have a love/hate/love relationship with CrossFit.  I love coming to the box, “hate” while I am doing the workout, but love feeling the accomplishment of finishing all the workouts!!  I love the really hard workouts I really hate – does that make sense  ?

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

I have been Crossfitting for a little over 3 years but it seems like just yesterday I started!! I love it.

4. What do you do for a living?

Currently I work part time at my husband’s insurance office, Otto Derr Insurance as an insurance agent.  I also have three children that keep me busy.

5. What are your hobbies?

CrossFit, running marathons, boating, hiking, and camping with my family, reading, and sewing.

6. What are your goals?

I want to be stronger!  I love the feeling I get of being able to increase the weight I lift, or run a 400m sprint faster, or do more consecutive wall balls.  My goal is to continue to improve without getting injured!!

7. Why do you Crossfit?

I crossfit because I love it!!  I look forward to the variety each day and the results I see in my running and in the way I feel; and I like the people I meet and who help keep me motivated.

8.  Any advice for future CrossFitters.

Just do it!  Start somewhere, everyone at the box had to start somewhere, don’t be intimidated, just do it!! Make sure to keep track of your workouts, the weight you use or lift, how you felt for each work out so you can compare and see the results—you will love it!!

Athlete Spotlight - Dean Johansen

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? I have known Brad Thorne for about 15 years, mostly through golf.  I always knew Brad to be a “gym rat”, always in to fitness, training, and diet.  More importantly I knew Brad to be a very genuine, dedicated, and driven individual.  When I heard he was coming to the Valley to open a Crossfit, even though I had no idea what that was, I knew I was in!!

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

My favorite Crossfit WOD is FRAN.  There isn’t another WOD that scares the hell out of me more, that makes me want to cry when I see it on the board when I walk in the box, or gives me a better feeling of accomplishment when I’m done, than FRAN.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

I’ve been Crossfitting since BT started in the rec center, I guess about 3 1/2 years.

4. What do you do for a living?

I’m the Assistant Golf Professional at Logan Country Club and in the middle of my 11th season as the Men’s Head Golf Coach at Utah State University

5. What are your hobbies?

I am the father of four beautiful boys, I certainly don’t consider being a father a “hobby” but these days I enjoy watching them golf, bike, or fish almost more than I like doing it myself…………….Almost 

6. What are your goals?

My goal is to do better than I did yesterday.

7. Why do you Crossfit?

I Crossfit because of the way I feel, physically and mentally.  Crossfit forces me to take myself to places that other programs don’t.  I love the fact that everyday I know  I’m going to just get lit up with a workout and I’m going to have to figure a way to get through it. I love it!!!

8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?

My advice for people that haven’t tried it? Your Loss!! Crossfit is a lifestyle, not just a 30 minute class or a video you can workout to.  We are lucky to have Brad and his staff here to help us be better.  Everyone that does Crossfit is getting something different out of it, this not one dimensional.  So my advice? Get in here!! Don’t try it…..Do It!! Look inside and see what your made of, you might like it.

Athlete Spotlight - Devin Davis

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? My wife introduced it to me.  She worked at a fitness company and asked around to find out what people thought was the best workout available.  They all recommended Crossfit Cache Valley, so she paid for 1 month and gave that to me for Christmas.  I have been attending CFCV ever since.

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

 I don’t really have a favorite WOD, but what I really look forward to is being challenged to do something I have never done before.  After my first few weeks Brad challenged me to start throwing the 20 lbs. wall ball, and the next WOD was Karen – 150 wall balls for time.  That was nasty!  But I did it and it felt great!  I remember having the same experience with double unders and Flight Simulator, and learning to snatch and then seeing 75 x 75 lbs. snatches for time.  My favorite is the feeling of accomplishment I get after physically and mentally conquering a new challenge.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

2 and half years

4. What do you do for a living?

Self-employed, distribution business

5. What are your hobbies?

Crossfit, cycling, and golfing

6. What are your goals?

My goals are different than most people, since I am always trying to gain weight.  There is a good reason why all my buddies call me Gandhi.  I would like to gain 10 lbs by the end of the year, as well as increase my max bench press by 20 lbs. and deadlift by 30 lbs.

7. Why do you Crossfit?

I Crossfit because:

1. It matches my personality: I love the physical and mental challenge, the required discipline and dedication, the variety of WODS, and that I can go through 20 minutes of grueling training and be done for the day.
2. It matches my goals: I love the blend of olympic weight lifting and metabolic conditioning.  It helps me build strength and improve my conditioning without having to do endurance training.  But when I decide to participate in an endurance event, like a 100 mile bike ride or a half marathon, I can just walk out the door and do it.
3. It is a fun / competitive environment: I enjoy the friendships I have built with other Crossfitters. They are great people who contribute to a positive, competitive environment.  They encourage me, push me…frequently crush me in the WOD, and always celebrate with me when we are done.
4. It makes me happier: my hot wife says I am way more happy on the days I do a WOD at CFCV.  I think it is just her way of saying she likes to see my body glistening in the sun with sweat after an intense WOD.
5. It has great coaches: Brad Thorne is the best fitness coach!  I won’t go to any other Crossfit gym in town because they don’t have him.  I believe he knows his stuff, is dedicated to continuous improvement, and is sincerely invested in helping me achieve my personal goals.  The other trainers are great too.  They are quick to point out my mistakes, helpful when I have a question, and excited when I succeed.

8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?

Get in and try it!  You will know within minutes if it is the right solution for you.  You will have all the resources you need to be successful–a wide variety of workouts, great coaches and trainers, and a strong support group.  If you make the choice to put in the effort, you will get the results you are looking for, no matter what your goals are.

Athlete Spotlight - Dan Perry

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? My wife and her friend started going and it was not long before she brought me along. I have loved it from day one and even though she has since decided it is not for her I will be a CrossFitter for life.

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

Not sure I have a favorite. I have really enjoy running so I like any that involve the runs. I have also enjoyed all the lifting that we have done lately. But really I enjoy them all once they are done and I have caught my breath.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

I have been coming to Crossfit for just over a year now.

4. What do you do for a living?

I am a web application developer for Utah State University Research Foundation. There are a few of us from USURF that Crossfit.

5. What are your hobbies?

I enjoy golfing, mountain biking, running and camping. I am also kind of a nerd so fixing computers and building web apps are things I do even away from work.

6. What are your goals?

Well with in CrossFit my goals are to keep improving. The advise Brad gave me when I asked him what a good max on dead lifts for me would be, he replied 10lbs better than your pr today. So that is my goal with all my work outs, to do just a little better than the last time I did that exercise. To do 5 more pull ups in a row, to string 10 more double-unders together, to lift 10 lbs more than before, just always improving.

oh I also want to shoot a par or better round of golf sometime in my life.

7. Why do you Crossfit?

I Crossfit because it gives me confidence and helps relieve stress . It gives me a place to escape everyday life. My wife has said on several occasions, “You should have worked out today you are in a better mood when you work out” I also want to stay strong and fit. I suffered a heart attack 3 years ago not because I was in poor health or had a real heart problem but because of a virus but it was a wake up call that life is fragile and I need to stay fit and strong. I plan on staying fit until the end.

8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?

 Just to stick with it. Those first months when you may not be able to full push ups and pull ups and doubles, all that gets easier and you will get better and stronger. I am in better shape and have more muscle now then when I was in my twenties. I may still have those days when I get sore but the pain goes away and the rush of accomplishing things you never thought you could do replaces it. CrossFit can if you let it change your life.

Athlete Spotlight - Dennis Parry

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? My daughter Chelsea had been attending for about 2 months before I joined and I noticed the change she had made in her body and her attitude.  I also knew Brad Thorne through golf.  I liked to exercise and thought I would give it a try.

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

I like any WOD that uses your own body weight, such as Cindy or Murphy.  I’m not into weight lifting much, but I do it because I understand it is important.  The word Crossfit tells it all because there is a different workout every day and it never gets old like going to a gym and doing the same thing every day.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

I started September 20, 2008, so I am coming up on my 3 year anniversary.

4. What do you do for a living?

I am a Real Estate Broker and have a side business called Send Out Cards.

5. What are your hobbies?

I love to do things with my wife, children and grandchildren.  I also like to golf, more golf and then golf.

Hole in One! #13 LGCC 170 yds w/ 7 iron. Blue pin, back one bounce and in it went!

6. What are your goals?

I’d like to do double unders consistently in a row. I can only do two in a row now.  I also set a goal the 1^st of this year to run everytime when the WOD called for it previously I had rowed when it called for the run.  I also set a goal to run for a mile once a week.  As of today, I am still meeting that goal.  I am constantly trying to beat my times on some of the benchmarks even if it is just one or two seconds better.

7. Why do you Crossfit?

Let me count the ways…moving approximately 400 sq ft of sod from my front yard to my back yard and laying it all out in less than 3 hours  and getting up the next morning with no pain or discomfort, ready to go to Crossfit again. I can run up the stairs on hole number 15 at the Logan Golf and Country Club, step up to the tee box and hit the ball without gasping for air.  I also can hit the golf ball much further than I did three years ago. Most importantly, I will be able to be around to watch my grandchildren grow up and be very active with them.

There is a friendly atmosphere at the box that makes you feel comfortable.  Everyone is willing to cheer the other one on to help them accomplish their goals.

8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?

Crossfit is designed for anyone of any age.  Even though I am one of the oldest and old enough to be some of the Crossfitter’s father and they jokingly call me Grandpa, I still love it and gain a lot from the exercise. Be consistent with coming to the workouts and don’t be afraid to ask questions of the trainers.  You want to make sure you are doing the movements properly and use the right weights.  It’s the trainers that make Crossfit so effective.

Athlete Spotlight - Darlene Woolf

1. How did you find out about Crossfit? I first found out about Crossfit Cache Valley from a girl I worked with, I was in the Boot Camp program at the Sports Academy and was really getting frustrated with the price going up every few months!!  CFCV  is by far the best value for my exercise dollar that I have ever found.

2. What is your favorite Crossfit exercise or WOD?

I don’t know that I have a favorite WOD,   I really like Saturday workouts, they are a great chance to see the other crossfitters that are not in my morning class  and always make me work really hard.

3. How long have you been Crossfitting for?

I have been Crossfitting  for 3 years this coming October. I have never been able to stick with any program this long, finally found something that works easily into my lifestyle.

4. What do you do for a living?

I work for the USPS, and am currently a window clerk at the main office in Logan. I am literally standing  on my feet 8-9 hours a day, I’m the one clerk who doesn’t  mind the “heavy” packages. I volunteer for them all the time, Crossfit has taught me that they are good for me!

5. What are your hobbies?

After being a Grandma (best thing ever) and doing things with my family.  I really like to ride my bike, go hiking, read, craft. And of course Crossfit!

6. What are your goals?

Since starting Crossfit I have done a few triathlons (3) as well as different races around the valley.  I usually finish pretty much in the middle of the pack for my age. That was ok at first, but now I want to kick it up and finish closer to the top.  Just want to continue getting stronger and healthier.

7. Why do you Crossfit?

Crossfit fits so good into my schedule, I have had different work schedules and have been a regular in the 7:00 am, the Noon, and 4:00pm class.  I am doing things I never thought I could ever do. At 55, I’m healthier and happier than when I was in my 30′s and 40′s . Unlimited and flexible class schedules, fantastic personal trainers, and nutritional help and support, you don’t experience that at the other gyms.

8. Any advice for future CrossFitters?

 My advise for anyone contemplating Crossfit is, DO IT!  Anyone can do it, current fitness level really doesn’t matter. Give it at least 1 month and you will be hooked!!