The first day Paul was here, I thought he was going to die.
I’m really glad he didn’t, but for a minute there, I was concerned. Mostly with how I was going to get a dead guy out of his pull-up bands.
You see, Paul had done CrossFit before (which you’ll read about below), so I granted him a little more leeway in his first workouts here. I don’t remember exactly what he did for his first one, but I do remember that it had pull-ups. I also remember that he had an interesting way of resting between his sets of pull-ups. He would hang from the bar, feet still in his bands and rest his head against his upright arms with his eyes closed. So, you can see my preoccupation with how to extract a dead guy from a loaded band while he still had a grip on the bar.
In all seriousness, Paul is one of my favorite guys to have in class. He’s here consistently 3x per week, he likes to talk hunting, he listens, and he’s got a great, dry sense of humor. (So I’m hoping he’ll find my depiction of his first class funny).
What brought you into CrossFit Sandpoint in the first place?
I originally started CrossFit as a form of cheap health insurance. I want to live another 30 healthy years and keep myself fit so can enjoy them. I came to CrossFit Sandpoint as soon as I heard that it was open. I was driving 75 minutes each way to CrossFit Coeur d’Alene so when I heard about your opening, I jumped at a 35-minute drive and a beautiful one at that. The place and the people have kept me here. I’m not a morning person and am not very social as a rule until after 10 and definitely not before my morning coffee, but it feels like ‘Cheers when I walk into the gym every morning, where everyone knows your name’ and is glad to see you (even Rick).
What do you remember about your first experience (class or other)?
My first memory was one of the “Girls” workouts, I don’t remember the name but it kicked my butt. I had taken a couple months off during hunting season and I came back thinking I could jump right back in, no problem. It was a problem, a big one. I approached the workout the way I always do, but I was down on the ground at the end of it, like it was my first day ever.
What’s your favorite memory over the last 5 years?
I don’t know that I have a favorite memory, but I do smile thinking back at the turf, sally up, Attie, and burpees for showing up late!!! I can say that I have no bad memories, even when I swear that this was the third day in a row that we are doing wallballs in the WOD. I just do them. I never look ahead of time to see what the workout is going to be and I never find an excuse to skip my workout. I will say, I have lucked out twice by missing the 5k runs, but it was not on purpose.
What are you most proud of over the last 5 years?
I don’t know what I am most proud of. I think personal satisfaction and accomplishment are better words to describe my 5 years doing CrossFit. I have never not finished a WOD, even in the early years when I thought it was impossible to do three rounds, let alone finish the fourth one ( I might have lost count more than once and rounded up, but…). For me that is absolutely the benefit to working out with a group. One that cheers you on and acknowledges your accomplishments, whether you come in first or last.
What is still on your list of things to achieve?
My goal this year is to work on my technique and improve on that. I don’t care about being stronger (I’m probably strong enough) or lifting more or going faster, but I grew up in the belief that if you are going to do something, you do it right or you don’t do it. CrossFit is not for everyone, but it does work for me and I know it does for the handful of people that have been here from the beginning.