Upper East Side

Our first Westside Athelte Spot Light of the month is………

Scarlett Mcfarlain

We caught up with Scarlett and asked her a few questions. He is what she had to say…

How/when did you get involved in CrossFit? What has motivated you to stick with it?
I first heard the word Crossfit about a year or two ago and it just kept popping up in so many places. I started the day that the EVF Columbus Circle location opened last March.

What’s motivated me to stick with it? Well, I’m not sure what hasn’t. Color me the Kool Aid Lady. But I’m probably most motivated by my fellow members, and it’s been truly awesome getting to see so many of us progress in these past few months. There’ve been so many new experiences for everyone here … I feel like I’m getting to be a part of the small things that can mean the most sometimes.

What do you enjoy most about being a member at EVF?
In any training facility, it’s usually going to boil down to your coaches that make the standout difference. They’re the ones who make it feel a little safer to risk failure on route to a next PR. They’re also the ones who will celebrate with you when you make it!

At EVF, there’s no question that’s the case. Whether it’s Caley’s awesome music selection and infectious “let’s go, let’s go!” or Travis’ hyper-preWOD-caffeinated happy-dance when he’s counting down to go-time, or James’ eerily adept demonstration of a “stripper pushup,” they all also keep me smiling while they’re kicking my booty. Not to mention that each one, in their own way, has become someone I’d consider a friend, and “nobody likes to work out with strangers,” right? Right.

Do you remember your first workout? Looking back how did it go?
My first On-Ramp was solo with Travis and it was admittedly hellacious. After showing me how to handle a barbell from a rack for the first time in my life, he showed me a burpee and a wall ball, and he told me there was this rep-scheme of 21-15-9 and “3-2-1… Go!”
How did it go? Well, 6.49 minutes (yes, I wrote it down) and however many face-to-floor burpees later, I didn’t know where my lungs or legs were. That’s how it went.

What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?
This was actually the “icebreaker” question James asked on Day 2 of On-Ramp. My answer at that time was “to become limitless” (pretty sure James raised an eyebrow at that doozy). Well, here’s what I meant when I said that, as it’s still true for me:

What I hoped to get out of CrossFit was an unburdening of the built-in limitations of the single-minded training I was more accustomed to. CrossFit is meant to train your body for anything and there’s always some new variety of “spicy” to try. This isn’t about limiting your focus to winning one competition or RXing one WOD (even if it feels that way sometimes). It’s about trusting in the awesome overall program, compliments of Sir Q, to help build you into an equally awesome all-around athlete so that you can, and likely will, succeed at any of those things and more. My goal: I’m training for the goals I don’t know I have yet.

How have you grown in that time — health, body, mind, etc.?
Does having learned a new vocabulary count? It should.
So, I’m learning to think about the relationship between my body/health in terms of capacity and functionality, rather than just approval and appearance. I can now say something I never thought I’d say: a “thigh gap” is just nowhere near as much fun to work with as thighs that can do a back squat at bodyweight or above.

I’m also learning how to differentiate between “good enough” and giving my absolute “best” and how sometimes the mind is the difference between the two. I see growth with each box jump (eek!) I make myself do, when a step-up would’ve been “good enough.” Boom! (I never thought I’d say “Boom!” either.)

Favorite lift and WOD?
Right now, I like cleaning (words you will never hear me say in any other context), and I pretty much have a new favorite WOD each week. Most recently, it would be “The Honey Badger” for Carissa’s birthday.

Least favorite movement and workout?
I don’t have a least favorite movement, but I’m definitely the worst at anything overhead and I dread running. My least favorite workout is one where I don’t break a sweat.

What drives you through the door each day?
Myself.

Do you have any advice for new members?
Don’t be shy, just make yourself at home. We don’t bite … but we might bark, or grunt as the case may be. Don’t be afraid to be nervous, but don’t let it stop you from making the attempt to overcome it. Allow yourself to surprise yourself. Ask questions. Keep asking until you understand the answer. Trust your coaches and be willing to lean on your fellow members. Get involved with events because you’ll be surprised by how much more fun it all is that way. Embrace the Suck, but avoid the WOD entitled “Embrace the Suck” at all cost …

What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?
Whoa! Loaded question! I have a lot of goals for myself (cough-free-standing-handstand-cough), but I’d rather talk about a more group-minded hope I have for EVFCC over the next year. It certainly won’t be MY achievement, but I’d be happy to be a small part of it.

Over here on the West Side we’re still getting our feet wet, as we should be, but I’m excited to see this group of people-who-Crossfit-at-EVF CC develop into an identifiable community of friends that share each other’s wins and gains, sweat and tears, and maybe even a drink or two from time to time. I hope we all find our place as a formidable force to be reckoned with, both in life and in fitness. I already see it happening and look forward to seeing where it goes from here.

Awesome stuff Scarlett! We couldnt be happier to have you. From day 1 Scarlett has walked into our gym and embraced the meaning of community. She attends every one of our events and has become a great an ambassador for EVF. We are very proud of the achievements she has made and we look forward to seeing her grow along with the rest of the EVF CFCC community.

Keep trucking Scarlett!!!!