June Athlete of the Month – Charles Athanas

A couple of things to know about Charles Athanas: 

1. He’s one of the most supportive class members we’ve ever had

2. He loves AC/DC

He’s been a consistent member of the 8:30am class for as long as we can remember and always shows up with a big smile and ready to work. He never lets his ego get the best of him and is very open to coaching and suggestions on what ways to he can better scale the workout up or down to adhere to his fitness goals. 

He’s an absolute blast to have in class as a classmate or an athlete. Keep up the great work Charles!

1) What is your biggest motivation?

Staying healthy to enjoy life and my family.

2) Your favorite quote or words to live by?

I have 2 that come to mind, “If it were easy, everyone would do it” and “The person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it”.

3) What is your current training goals/PRs?

Now that I have lost the weight, I would like to start adding muscle.

4) Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?

Elements was humbling. I thought I was strong and in OK shape.  I lifted a lot in my early 20s, so I was expecting to get right back at it.  Wrong, 30 years later is was a lot harder.

5) What advice do you have for new athletes just starting out in CrossFit?

Be consistent with your efforts and DO NOT skimp on learning proper form.

6) Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout?

Anytime I can PR is a proud moment.  Being able to go a little faster or lift a little more than last time is great.

7) What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?

I love to cook and eat.  I enjoy running.  I am really good at playing hide and seek with my grandkids.

8) What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Round Rock?

The community.  Without the sense of belonging, I don’t know if I would have kept it up.  Not that I don’t enjoy just working out, but feeling like I would be letting my “8:30 family” down if I didn’t show up motivates me to be there on days I would rather skip.

9) If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?

I joke a lot about creating a WOD around Donuts.  A good WOD for me would be a 1 mile buy-in, 3 rounds of 20 American Swings, 10 Box Jumps, 10 Push-ups and a 1 mile buy-out, with a 30-minute cap.  The name would be Charlie Surprise.

10) How has your diet changed since starting CrossFit (if it has), and what foods do you rely on most?

I was pretty much gluten free before CrossFit.  My weight would fluctuate during the year and I was tired of being heavier than I wanted.  In August, I started IF and OMAD.  I have lost about 30 pounds and have been the same weight since December 15th.  I think I have found the golden ticket.