Why did she begin CrossFit at the age of 63?
Thanks to our son’s continuing encouragement and his belief that I would really enjoy CrossFit AND the fact MBS Broomfield opened a location in Arvada, a five minute drive from our house, I thought, “What the heck, why not give it a try?”
I have loved any kind of physical movement – skiing, racquetball, running, swimming. But as I approached the age of 30 a significant event occurred. My dad had a quintuple bypass, having battled diabetes and hyperlipidemia for 20+ years. After the surgery, as he lay in his hospital bed with tubes coming out of nearly every opening on his body, and a couple of additional openings the docs had made, he looked up at me with pleading eyes and said, “Don’t let this happen to you.”
Sooooo my husband and I made some changes. We took up running and swimming along with dietary revisions. Running remained my main physical focus until we moved to Colorado. I met a number of women who avidly played racquetball and I was invited to join. I loved it and stayed with that until most of my RB buddies moved away or moved on.
In 1999 I entered, what would turn out to be, a 10 year season of significant stress, overwork, loss, deaths, and grief. In 2009 soon after I graduated from seminary, I, as my grandmother would have said, “Commenced to have a nervous breakdown.” In today’s parlance, I was diagnosed with a major clinical depression. During those 10 years of intensity and having had little time or margin to deal with any of it, I was hit at all levels - emotionally, physically, and mentally. I was put on medications which had numerous side effects, one of them being, significant weight gain. In the end, took me three to four years to emerge from the darkness and away from the meds.
Fast forward to July of this year – another nudge toward CrossFit. I admit that I had some reservations: my age, how I would be received, my lack of fitness, doubts about being able to do the work, etc. But our son kept reminding me that the only person I would compete with was myself. Knowing that I’m not defined by what I accomplish but by who I am I entered a class at the Deuce. All the while I repeated to myself, “I don’t have to keep up with anyone but myself.”
IT WAS WONDERFUL! After my first class I would like to have died - but surprisingly, I didn’t. In fact, I was very much alive. It took some time to recover but I returned, again and again. Heather, Jeremy, and Rich have been my greatest encouragers in addition to the members of the morning MBS CrossFit Arvada classes. I feel stronger, better, and more fit – it feels good. I consider every movement a win - another deposit into my health and fitness account. I enjoy the classes, coaches, and members of our box.
So I say thank you to all of you – for your patient training with attention to form, the friendship, encouragement, and just plain fun - especially when we get to play “Pizza Delivery with the abmats” or do squats to Moby’s Green Sally Up. ☺
To whoever says, “Why did she begin CrossFit at the age of 63?” I soundly say, “Why the heck not?! What are you waiting for?”
