Member Spotlight - The Awesome Trio

Chuck, Suzanne and Jessica have been working out together since the beginning of 2008. Jessica and Chuck found us the year before while we were running the free workouts in the metroparks back in the summer of 2007. Here's a little scoop on each of them.

Jessica has been working out with us since our days in the park. Can you believe it's been 2 years now? Once the gym opened Jessica joined as a member to help achieve her goal of finishing her first half marathon. She also wanted to do it in under 2 hours. Her goal was accomplished May 2008 with a time of 1:57:28. Since then, she has run 2 more half marathon and attributes CrossFit to keeping her strong enough to get through those tough races. Many of you may recognize Jessica, as she works out with the morning crowd (Mondays and Wednesdays), the evening crowd (Thursdays) and the weekend crowd (.....Saturdays). Or by her 2 workout buddies Chuck and Suzanne.

When not at CrossFit (as she seems to be there quite often), she's at home in Rocky River with her husband , Marcus, and two kids, Caroline and Christian.

Suzanne has been working out with us since January of 2008 after Jessica guilted her in to working out after she was sore from bowling. Usually Suzanne can be found at the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings. She can also be found with her workout buddies: Jessica and Chuck. Since starting CrossFit, Suzanne also picked up the nasty habit of running and completed her first 5k in May. Even with the new running habit, her favorite workouts include rowing (and lots of it). While currently out of the running routine due to a minor hip injury, she hopes to be back on her feet and off the rowing machine soon.

Just marking his two-year anniversary with CrossFit, Chuck has been working out with the group since the early days in the park...and has been hooked ever since. In fact, the Deck of Cards workout was Chuck's first WOD and continues to be his favorite. Now up to five days a week, Chuck estimates he's commuted more than 10,000 miles back and forth from his southeast suburb home in Twinsburg to workout with the CrossFit family.

"Being able to exercise for a solid 20 minutes doing countless pushups, sit-ups and squats blows my mind" says Chuck. "I never thought I would be able to do this intense level of activity at 45 years old, and I owe it all to hard work, the support of my team mates Jessica and Suzanne, and the ongoing help received from Paul, Bill, Nancy and Staci." Since joining the group, Chuck has completed several half-marathon races and numerous 10 mile runs. Accomplishments he also credits to his CrossFit training.

Following a lengthy career in corporate marketing, Chuck has recently started his own consulting firm and is currently help launch a new magazine in Cleveland, along with helping several local companies manage their marketing, advertising and event planning.

Chuck is married to Karla, an Advertising Account Executive in Chagrin Falls, and they have a five year old Lhasa-Poo named Harley. In addition to CrossFit, Chuck enjoys everything related to cars, home improvement projects, and the occasional cigar on his patio with friends.

CrossFit workout pictures

Patrick's & Greg's first muscle-ups

Executive Fitness Program workout pictures

Here are some pictures of our current groups working out. Get more information on our CrossFit Executive Fitness Programs here.

Member Spotlight - Amy A.

Dr. Amy A. is an Emergency Room Physician who has been working out with us since the early days of CrossFit Cleveland.

She recently completed a strength routine during the entire month of June. Nancy reports that prior to that, Amy could not clean and jerk 65 pounds. Just last week she completed the clean and jerk workout with 65lbs, for all 50 reps!

I asked Amy to give me some scoop, here is what she had to say....

"Ever since my collegiate swimming career ended (over 10 years ago!), I've been looking for a new sport. And now I've found it!

I stumbled across the CrossFit Cleveland website last year around March and went in to try it out. I thought I was in decent shape at the time. I'd been to different gyms in the area, but at that time I was working out in my apartment gym, doing the usual weight routine and the occasional treadmill or elliptical machine (boring!).

Now, after over a year at CF Cleveland, at 34 years old, I truly feel I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm certainly stronger than I've ever been. My resting heart rate is in the 50s again and my body has definitely changed into a less flabby version of its former self.

I may not be the fastest or strongest Crossfitter, but the best part for me is that I'm always competing against myself. I can compare what I've done in the past, and this motivates me to improve. It was the same with swimming for me. I was no Olympian, but I wanted to improve my own times. This is one reason why Crossfit is so perfect for me. I love being timed again! I have to admit it's fun to beat one of the boys in the gym from time to time. Plus, it's cool to learn new things, like the weightlifting stuff. I never new anything about Olympic lifting or power lifting, but it's surprisingly fun! Now if only I could do pullups...

I can't say enough good things about Bill, Staci, Paul, and Nancy. It was obvious from the beginning that they were excellent trainers. They're very knowledgeable, write awesome workouts, and are just fun to be around. They bring a great atmosphere to the gym and are eager to help anyone who walks in the door. And they play good music!

What else about me?

I'm an ER doc at MetroHealth, which is where I did my residency training. I enjoy working with the medical students and residents. I've been there for 2 years now after a short stint of traveling and working in Portland and Seattle. I have a hard time staying in one place for too long. It's summer now, so lots of gunshot wounds and motorcycle accidents. Wear your helmets, people!

I've recently become an aunt to a very cute niece, Elise!

I'm competing in my first triathlon at the end of July with really only Crossfit as my training (with an occasional bike or swim)--so we'll see how that goes.

Sadly, I'm moving to Chicago in September and will miss CrossFit Cleveland! Don't worry, my new apartment is 1.5 miles from the nearest Crossfit gym (yes, that was a consideration in my apartment search), and I will be back in Cleveland at least every few months to visit!"

If you haven't yet met Amy, say hi the next time you see her. She will most definitely be missed when she moves to Chicago. She doesn't have to worry much about missing us though, Staci and I love to visit Chicago. I hope Amy also considered that during her apartment search.... the extra guest room!

Amy will send me a picture to add to this posting in the next few days, or I'll dig up one from the sweaty workout archives and post it here next week.

Member Spotlight - Teresa M.

Teresa started working out at CrossFit Cleveland in November 2008 as part of the Executive Fitness Starter Program. She liked it so much that she continued on with the Intermediate program before joining as an Unlimited Member in February.

Here’s a little of what Teresa has to say about herself:

“Before CrossFit, my idea of working out was going to the gym with my MP3 player, novel (I like suspense stories) and I would spend 30-45 minutes on the elliptical or stair master. How boring! Those days are gone. I can’t say enough about CrossFit and what it has done for me. I feel better today than I have in a long time. Even though I started in November 2008, I just started changing the way I eat. The combination of these two things has resulted in a 25 pound weight loss.”

“I live in Cleveland with my two cats, Ricky & Lucy. I am the Office Manager at a local manufacturer of the ‘other’ Ohio State Flower, the orange construction barrel. I know you hate them! I don’t like to see them on the road either except that it helps my paycheck. I my spare time, I enjoy scrapbooking and spending time with my family. “

You can see Teresa three to four times per week at our evening workouts and on Saturdays. If you haven’t met her yet, say hi next time you see her. Remember, it’s a 25 burpee penalty if you don’t say hi to someone you don’t know!

Tire flips at CrossFit Cleveland

Saturday's CrossFit workout, 5 rounds of 400M run, 55lb kettlebell swings, 15 reps & 30lb DB thrusters, 15 reps, for time. Three tire flips before and after each run.