“Mr. September”……..MARK!
“SWB” is honored to have Mark as the “Member Profile” for the month. Looking back a year ago when Mark joined The Box, it is amazing to see all the changes Mark has made in his endurance, strength, flexibility…..the list goes ON! But what we can say is…..none of it has gone to his head. He is still the GREAT GUY that he has always been! CONGRATS MARK!
When I was younger I was your typical athlete. I played in youth soccer, basketball, and baseball leagues. As I grew up I seemed to lose interest in traditional sports and I became intrigued by action sports. I began aggressive inline skating, skateboarding, freestyle bmx, and single track mountain biking. Most of you have seen the scars left on my legs from these sports. When I graduated high school, I had to make some important life decisions which led me straight to college. While in college I found myself participating in these sports less and less and embracing the “college atmosphere” more and more. I eventually let myself get to a chunky 265 pound stature with an equal sized drinking habit. I was not happy with who I had become and a couple years ago decided it was time to make some changes. It was a slow effort at first, jogging a mile or two once week or so and going to the gym maybe once a week. It was nothing very helpful but it was a start.
I am almost finished with a degree in electrical engineering and received my first internship in March of ’11 at a place where it seemed that almost everyone was involved in some level of fitness. I decided it was time to get my act straight at start exercising on a regular basis. I met Tom Normandin while on this internship and he would talk about his CrossFit workouts and they really intrigued me. I got a membership at Crunch and thought I would look up the WOD’s from the main site and try to do them there. I found myself working out harder than I had ever before, however it was really hard to find the space to set up a circuit. I would also find myself quitting early and not finishing the WOD’s I had set out to do.
Last October I found a Groupon for CrossFit SW Beaverton, and met Laura and Melissa. This place has been so great to me over the last nine months and I have done things that I had never thought possible. The group atmosphere helped push me to finish even the toughest of WOD’s. I have found myself pushing my boundaries every time I step in the box. This year I will have competed in the CrossFit Games Open, ran in my first 10k, competed in the Oregon CrossFit Games, and triumphed the Tough Mudder with a big group of you guys! I just want to say thanks to all the trainers Melissa, Laura, Parisjat, Holly, and Steve who keep me going everyday along with the incredible support from my 6:15 a.m. peeps. And thanks to everyone else at the box that keeps me on my toes, posting those crazy times I hope to get someday! CFSWB is the place to be!
WOD:
50-40-30-20-10
Push Jerks 65/95
Box Jumps 20/24
Pull Ups
