Upper East Side

Congrats to our August Columbus Circle athlete of the month, Shelly! 

One word comes to my head with the thoughts of Shelly: inspiration. Shelly and I started together with personal training sessions before she got into classes. At first she was shy and didn’t feel very confident in her abilities. Now she is one of the most confident athletes I have ever seen. Shelly has a engine, people! I love training Shelly, and I love that we both like to listen to Hipster Cocktail Radio on Pandora.

— Coach Jamie

How/when did you get involved in CrossFit? What has motivated you to stick with it?  
I started about two years ago, just after my 60th birthday, when my son encouraged me to give it a try. The continued results and increased strength and fitness keep me motivated. And it’s fun. I could never stick with anything if I wasn’t having fun.

What do you enjoy most about being a member at EVF?  
It’s almost a cliché to talk about the camaraderie, but it’s really true that the enthusiasm of the staff and the encouragement of the other members is inspiring. From day one I felt like I was part of a team.

Do you remember your first workout? Looking back how did it go?  
I remember early on doing a Half Cindy. I did jumping pull-ups and knee push-ups, but I still felt I’d accomplished a whole lot in ten minutes!

What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?  
My fitness routine had gotten stale and I wanted a challenge. I certainly got that with CrossFit. With each skill I learn I still want to challenge myself. Can I do one more rep? Add ten more pounds to the bar? Complete one more dreaded burpee? My goal now is to know that I’ve worked my hardest and done my best each day.

How have you grown in that time — health, body, mind, etc.?  
I honestly think I’m in the best physical shape I’ve ever been in. In the process I’ve learned to face difficult tasks with a “can do” attitude instead of thinking something’s just too hard to try. There are so many things I’ve never done that I’d like to try, maybe learn a new language or study art, and having started CrossFit when I did I now know with certainty that it’s never too late to try something new.

Favorite lift and WOD?  
I find deadlifts really satisfying; that’s where I lift my heaviest weight. I really enjoyed doing the Memorial Day Murph challenge the past two years. It’s a real burner of a WOD and a true test of my endurance, but it’s also a good way to honor a fallen hero and remember what the holiday is really about.

Least favorite movement and workout?  
I groan whenever I see a workout that includes a run, especially when it’s a stair run.

What drives you through the door each day? 
Well, for one, my dog needs to be walked! Seriously, I’m a pretty upbeat person. I love my job, I love my family and friends, I love my workouts and knowing my day will include at least one of those encounters makes it pretty easy to get myself going.

Do you have any advice for new members?  
Don’t be afraid to approach a skill, no matter how daunting it may seem at first. And don’t be intimidated by what the person next to you can do. There are scaling options for a reason. Don’t worry about what you can’t do; there’s always something you can do and you’ll get out of the workout what you put in.

What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?  
Last year was about working on an overhead squat. This year is about pull-ups!