Claire and Crossfit: a 1 year update

3 months into my Crossfit journey, I made a blog post about my experience and I'm pretty sure it was seen on all 7 continents. 7,000 people viewed it in the first week alone! More than likely it was due to the before and after photos... everyone loves a good fat girl redemption story (or at least I sure do!). I received so much positive feedback from many people, and I have friends who have been begging for an update photo, so I thought this would be a great time to do it... My 1 year anniversary of my love affair with Crossfit!

SO much has happened this year in the gym that it could not be contained in the confines of The Garage. The mystery of the WOD awakens something in people that is just unexplainable. Confidence? Yes, tons of it. Humility? Servin' up hot, fresh Humble Pie! I have had a hard time figuring out what it is, but I think I've finally nailed it down: HONOR. Not really a word you think of in the gym. The following words explain it much better than I can........

1 Corinthians 9:27 "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple."

Romans 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."


This year I have learned to honor God by taking care of my body and making it a strong dwelling place for Him. I honor my family by taking care of my physical self so I can be the best wife/mom/daughter/friend I can be. I honor God's gifts to us by enjoying nature's foods and animals (which have turned out to be more delicious than I ever imagined!). 

 I honor other athletes who are on this journey with me. We grunt, scream, cry, laugh, come to the brink of death, and back again, day after day, together, because we love it. We hold each other accountable and push each other to the limits. There is just something unexplainably comforting in looking around during a workout and seeing everyone else suffering as much as you (sounds bad, but it's true!). If they can do it, I can do it. If I can do it, they can do it. And we won't stop until the work is done. Then, when we come out on the other side, we are all stronger!  

And last but not least, we honor the sport. It may just be a barbell, or a pull up rig, or a bag of sand, but it has the ability to transform you if you humble yourself and become the student. Crossfit is a sport but it is also a practice. Something magical happens inside of us between the confines of "3-2-1-Go," and "Time." I just can't describe it. If you haven't tried it, you will never understand.

OK, so what all have I accomplished this year? Maybe I'll just make a list...
My proudest accomplishment would probably be becoming a "mostly Rx athlete." I rarely scale WODs now (Mostly due to Coach Tim not letting me!) I can do almost every skill: double unders, pistols, STRICT RING DIPS <<woot! woot!>>, toes-to-bar, handstand push ups, all kinds of pullups-- kipping, strict, chest-to-bar, strict chest-to-bar-- pretty much everything but muscle ups(... which I want to have by June 14, 2013!) 200# Back squat, 180# Front squat, 115# snatch, 148# clean, 168# jerk, 140# x 2 overhead squat, 97# strict press... I could talk about weightlifting for days............ 

Weight loss has been so dramatic! I think it is 75% due to my diet alone. I ate strict Paleo for the first 3 months, then about 90% Paleo for a few months, then Whole30 for 3 weeks (cut off by family vacation), then 85% Paleo for a few months, finishing up with a good month of Whole30. In that time, I have lost a whopping 53 lbs and dropped 4 pant sizes!! All of my clothes are too small! Matt says I look like we did when we got married (I don't believe that). But between you and me (and Matt), I am lookin' good and feelin' confident! ;)

So now comes the part where I want to thank so many people! 

My sweet husband Matt. He not only provides for my membership, but understands the value of exercise and encourages me to be healthy. He makes sure I have the time I need as well as all the resources available to be the best Claire I can be. And he loves me just the way I am! And my 2 kids, Ollie (age 4) and William (age 1) who make me use my functional fitness every single day. Ollie tells me "Mommy, you are strong like a rock!" I hope my new-found passion for health and wellness gives me many, many more full, healthy, active years with all 3 of you! 

The owners of The Garage for making such a great family-oriented place where I can bring my kids and they can see me work out and think that exercise is just a normal part of every day.  So Andy, Shane, Dr. Eric, and Wes... THANK YOU! 

I have to thank my favorite coaches: Travis, Justin, Tim, and Bruce. I made my first big gains under Travis' guidance and learned never to be afraid of the weight! Then Justin came along and awakened the Oly beast within me, and has written some gnarly programming that as a result, has packed on some major muscle mass to us all! And then came Tim who watches (prowles!) over me every day and NEVER EVER EVER lets me take it easy. I just "get" his way of coaching, and he just "gets" me. Almost all of my skills have developed exclusively under Tim's guidance. He may be young, but age is by no means indicative of one's abilities as a coach! And Bruce, my very first coach for a little while there, and also has become my nutrition coach. He is such a wonderful mentor and role model as he takes the Master's division by storm. He is just one of those people that knowing him makes your life feel a little bit richer.  

And a big thank you to the Garage family.

 I could not do it without the morning crew-- You guys make my mornings fun and it is great to start the day will y'all! 

Garage Girls-- You ladies are so inspiring and fun to compete and celebrate our accomplishments with! Thank you for the constant reminders that every day is a chance to be great! 

And all those random friends I get to see on "reunion day" (Saturdays) and at Barbell Club-- it is cool to watch everyone progress and get stronger week by week, month by month. Team Garage... woot woot!

What about now? Well, I still have a long way to go. I want to hit new PRs in everything. I want to perfect my skills. I want to try gymnastics again. I dream about getting my first muscle up. I want to compete in the individual Rx woman's division. I want to lose a bit more fat from my lower body <bleh!> Will I ever make it to THE Games? Let's just be realistic, probably not. But GG athlete Crystal McCullough said it perfectly "But I will train like I am."  I said it before, and I'll say it again. I want to honor God with my body and be the best Claire I can be!  




And now... the before and afters... I am pleased to announce that it is time to retire the old yellow bathing suit!  The bottoms are so big that they fall down when I walk! 







































 The "befores" are March 2012                                                                   The "afters" are March 2013