Upper East Side

We’re happy to announce our Upper East Side Athlete of the Month for January: Dan Strader!

Dan, an EVF member since September 2012, has been an integral part of our community since the beginning. He’s the first to cheer on his fellow athletes in class, and inspires other EVF-ers to push themselves even harder.

How/when did you get involved in CrossFit?
I was involved with CrossFit-style workouts for a while with my tri club, and when EVF opened I wanted to expand this style of training. I work from home from time to time and started attending the 12:30 class. It was me, Juno and Jay. Matt was a killer coach and taught me Batman is real. Very quickly 12:30 became the place to be.

Do you remember your first workout? How was it?
I do not remember the exact workout, but I do remember thinking “… what the hell?”

What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?
When I first began CrossFit, I really didn’t have a particular “goal” in mind. I was training for races with my team and thought adding CrossFit was a great way of expanding my strength. I was hooked from day one. Today my goal is to continue to improve and increase my strength.

How have you grown in that time — health, body, mind, etc.?
I have grown both physically and emotionally. Physically, my racing has improved ten fold due to this style of training. One of the biggest aspects of my time at EVF has been the outpouring of support for “RUN FOR ROB.” The gym community bent over backwards to participate, support, and promote the Burpee Challenge. You couldn’t have asked for anything more from friends. I can’t wait for this year’s Burpee Challenge. Be ready people!

What do you enjoy most about CrossFit?
The training is great and the advances I have made physically are icing on the cake (had to make a sugar reference, ha), but what is most enjoyable are the friendships I have made. You cannot put into words how it feels to workout with friends who care about you and push you through each and every day — both in the gym and out.

Favorite lift and WOD?
12 Days of Christmas is the absolute best … but only when done in July for fun.

What about your least favorite?
Thrusters. Fran can suck it!

What motivates you?
The people around me. There are many gyms in this town, but when you find a community such as this you simply want to be with your friends. Plus, when you achieve a movement, you want to keep increasing the weight and prove to yourself you can go heavier.

Do you have any advice for new members?
HAVE FUN! Yes there are crazy ones at the gym who will intimidate the hell out of you … Jay, Lindsey, Eric G, Gerson (ha). You simply do what you can, watch those crazies and have fun. You WILL get better.

What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?
Continue to increase my weight, little by little, till I can be RX on all the WODs.