March Athlete of the Month – Chris Ruth
1) How long have you been a member at CFRR ? 11 years ago April 1st I took my first class.
2) What was a misconception you had about CrossFit? I am a runner and had not done any Olympic lifting or a lot of weight training in the past. That being said, I certainly was intimidated at the thought of not knowing what I’m doing in front of all these fit people who do know what they are doing. Shoutout to our friend and one of the OGs, Malinda Baca-Price for pushing me (in the best way a friend can push) to take fundamentals and join the awesome CFRR community/family. I’m so glad I did!
3) What motivates you? Cheesy as it sounds, my ability to move motivates me. I want to be as agile and strong as I need to be every day. It is self-care. There are days that I don’t want to work out because I’m tired, I’ve had a long and difficult day at work and so on, but I make myself come and I’m ALWAYS glad I did when I leave. This community/family and the WODs have a positive impact not just my physical health but my mental health too. My family is also a big motivator for me. My sons have grown up watching me be a part of this community and have also joined it on occasion. My whole family knows that it’s a constant in my life that I need.
4) What are your training goals? I am focused on getting my nutrition back on track. I know this will help me have more energy and improve my performance/endurance.
5) What’s a moment you felt very proud of yourself in a workout? There are a few…..one that stands out is when I got my first kipping handstand pushup. I didn’t expect it the first time and then I managed to string a few together that same day. Another was during a competition WOD where we were doing sandbag cleans…it was slow going for me at first with that movement, then all the sudden it just clicked and I was a sandbag cleaning machine.
7) How has CrossFit changed your life outside of the gym? It has helped me realize I can do hard things. CrossFit has improved my confidence and how I carry myself in many facets of my life.
6) What advice do you have for new athletes just starting out in CrossFit? Dive in – it’s the best atmosphere, at least at CFRR. The camaraderie amongst the CrossFit community is like no other.
8) What’s your favorite part about the community here? The community and coaches! I am not one that has to lift the most or be the best at a movement/workout but I do want to be able to do what makes me feel I’m at my best. Adrien and Landon, and all of you have built something special here. That’s the main reason I’ve been here for 11 years.