Congratulations to the CrossFit TEF Athlete of the Month for September! Kate has been a member off and on for a few years – mostly because she lived so far away. Since moving closer to the gym and joining us in September of 2021, it’s been amazing to see her dive in and take on new challenges that she may have held back on in the past.
Her commitment to pushing herself out of her comfort zone is paying off bigtime! Taking small steps and working on the basics is turning Kate into one of the most hard working athletes in the gym. And her smile and encouraging words for others even when she’s struggling brings incredible vibes into the gym. We’re so happy to have her as a part of our community!
Hey, I’m Kate. I’m 39 and reaching middle age blows! About 4 years ago my sister (Jackie) told me that her gym was doing a strength training class for women. She seemed really excited about it, and I took the class with her. That was my first intro to the TEF family. I took those courses and fell in love with the gym, the people, and the ability to feel strong. As soon as I was able, I joined the gym full time, and love showing up and working out, because yelling at your coworkers over zoom is frowned upon by HR.
What was your first day at The Endurance Factory like?
Nerve wracking! I had never taken a class or been apart of anything like it. But when I got there, everyone was saying hi and just making me feel welcome.
What makes you stay at TEF?
The positivity and family feel I get when I’m here. Everyone is friendly and accepting. It gives me the warm and fuzzies.
What achievement or PR are you most proud of, and what is your next goal you’re working toward?
There are many things I am proud of since joining… I think most of all is simply being able to run 200m and not feel winded after it. I do not consider myself a runner, but the ability to simply run 200m is rewarding. I don’t dread it anymore during warmups.
My next goal is to work on my grip strength so I can start doing heavier weights on many of the motions we do. I want to be able to at least try and grip the bar long enough without slipping off right away.
What motivates and inspires you?
Seeing everyone push themselves, when the WOD is over and we’re all sitting on the ground, completely exhausted is what inspires me. I feel when I see that, that we are all on the same level, and I am not below any of the other athletes. I am working out along side people who have done all different types of races (Spartan, Marathons, Ultra everythings) and they are just like me, completely out of breath and sweaty. It motivates me to keep moving, because it makes me feel like no matter the level of experience I have, at the end we’re all the same. It makes me know that I can keep moving forward.
What advice would you give to someone who is new Or considering trying CrossFit TEF?
Don’t compare yourself, don’t be afraid to join. You see people doing kipping pull ups or handstand walks, remember they had to work up to being able to do that as well. No one started out being able to do those things.
What is one fun fact about you that we may not know?
I still play candy crush.
