After the Olympics I had some time on my hands so I decided to spend it in California. I started doing CrossFit in mid-March. The ‘box’ was not like any gym I had ever seen before. No treadmills, no ellipticals, no bikes, only 3 rowers lined up in the corner.
This was unfamiliar territory for me and I was uneasy about the whole situation. It didn’t take long, however, to feel connected to Cheryl, the coach, and the rest of my class. We were all ages, shapes, and sizes and everyone was very welcoming and supportive.
For the first few weeks I was trying to come up with an excuse good enough to not have to go back, but deep down I knew this was the right thing for me to be doing. When I started noticing a change in my body and an improved ability to do simple daily things, I started to get really excited and my commitment grew.
2 months later, and 30 lbs lighter I was hooked, not only in the value of the physical gains that I had made, but the value that the community brings. As a coach, I started thinking about how that could apply to my teams and how I could integrate CrossFit’s principles into building the bond within my team members. When it was time to leave had to Desert CrossFit I was sad to leave our new CrossFit friends behind.
It has been 5 months since I started and to date I have lost over 60 lbs, and am going strong. My balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility have improved dramatically. I have more energy and feel better than I have had in years and things that once intimidated me are now routine. I look forward to continued health benefits and am having a great time meeting a bunch of new people along the way.
This is great Hitch, you are awesome and inspiring.
Wow, big difference in body shape from the Olympics to now. Great job Hitch!