Upper East Side

Congratulations to our December athlete of the month, Kim Pappas! Kim exemplifies the best qualities of a CrossFitter has: She is always hardworking, consistent, humble, helpful and coachable.

She’s the type of person who genuinely cares about people — especially the people in our EVF community. I’ll never forget how she brought me a hand care kit on her way to work after she knew I wasn’t going to be able to get home for awhile to take care of it.

This month’s spotlight couldn’t shine brighter on a great athlete and person, and I am excited to see her journey continue at EVF.

— Coach Nicole

How/when did you get involved in CrossFit? What has motivated you to stick with it?
I became involved in CrossFit in October of 2013. I completed a ToughMudder race that September and realized that my upper body strength was god awful. I decided to look into CrossFit once I realized that the regimen I was currently on couldn’t help me complete monkey bars.

One of the main items that has motivated me stick to CrossFit is unfinished business. I have always been a driven individual. I love the hunt and the challenge to continuously improve every time I walk down those stairs. Subsequently, every day once I walk back up those stairs to leave, I always leave knowing I have unfinished business to come back for, something else to improve on.

The biggest motivator though, is how CrossFit spills into other areas of your life. If you go into the gym in the morning and hit a PR, or crush a workout, I can honestly say there will be nothing that will stop you that day. You build such mental and physical stamina that you feel you can do anything, and it’s incredible.

What do you enjoy most about being a member at EVF?
It is no surprise that everyone says the community we have here, and I couldn’t agree more. I joined EVF not knowing a single soul and two years later, I have my second family.

Exercising is no longer a chore, or something I feel I have to do. Exercising has become something I enjoy, something I look forward to daily because I get to see my coaches who have become my friends, and my friends who have become my family. I mean, how insane is it that you see your closest friends before the rest of the world even wakes up?

Do you remember your first workout? Looking back how did it go?
Ha, yes I do. It was awful. It was back squats, toes to bar and power cleans. I remember being mortified because during the back squats, I couldn’t get the (empty) barbell from my back to the front. Coach James Q stood by me every time that movement came around, and lifted the barbell off my back to help me get to the next movement. I was at the very least, extremely embarrassed.

But what he did always stuck with me. I think we have all been through that, that daunting moment when all you’re thinking is HELP! It’s nice nowadays to see the more experienced members doing that to the newer members; going out of their way to make them feel okay. That’s what this community has always been about, and it always makes me smile that not much has changed.

What were your goals when you first started? How have they changed?
When I first started my goals were centered around my image. I wanted to be “toned”, I wanted to be skinny, I did paleo, I did a Whole30 and the list goes on and on. Simultaneously, I also wanted to be able to lift everything in sight, regardless of weight. But I wasn’t seeing the full picture, I wasn’t taking care of myself like I should have. My first year at EVF I did 4 competitions, one of which led to a bad injury.

Fast forward to today, yes, I have goals around my gymnastics and hitting that next PR, but make no mistake – my biggest goal is to be healthy. My goal is to be a smarter athlete, to not succumb to the pressure of doing every competition that comes my way and to properly fuel myself to succeed in the gym. My goal is to walk into EVF, throw some weight around with my friends and go to Mansion after and inhale my $25 everything bagel.

How have you grown in that time — health, body, mind, etc.?
The biggest thing that has changed for me personally is my confidence both inside and outside of the gym. Before I joined EVF, I was a completely different person, and I am proud of how I’ve changed. I honestly believe that if I hadn’t joined EVF, I would not have changed my job, changed my boyfriend, changed my apartment, and changed my wardrobe (hello booty shorts). I would not have changed how I feel about myself and how happy I am to be where I am.

I truly believe people underestimate the effects of CrossFit. Most of the time, it’s not about the muscles, the meticulous meal plans, or how loud you grunt during a lift (although it certainly helps). It’s about going into that dark place that makes you feel scared and uncomfortable and uneasy, and coming out triumphant because you decided to challenge yourself and not settle.
Oh and I have physically grown – my quads have gotten HUGE!!

Favorite lift and WOD?
Cleans. I love cleaning. Both in the gym and in my apartment. Favorite WOD is The Chief.

Least favorite movement and workout?
Thrusters. I hate thrusters. Least favorite is Fran, because of the thrusters. Because I hate them.

What drives you through the door each day?
FRIENDSHIP. There is so much more to CrossFit than lifting weights, and EVF has absolutely nailed the community aspect. There is no way in hell I would wake up at 4:30 for a 5 AM class if I didn’t enjoy the people I work out with. That morning crew has a certain vibe to it, and if I didn’t see “my guys” every morning, walking through that door would become daunting.

Do you have any advice for new members?
Be patient, I can’t stress it enough. I know it’s difficult walking into a new place where other people are more advanced than you, and might even be advancing at a quicker pace. It’s a hit to the ego, I get it. It happens to me literally every single day. But your time will come to excel and succeed. Listen to the Coaches and most of all, listen to yourself and your body. This is supposed to be fun, and it’s all just exercise. Give yourself a break!

Another piece of advice – wait for and cheer on your teammates as they finish their workout before cleaning up. I don’t pride myself on being the fastest (because I’m not) or the strongest (because I’m far from), but I do pride myself on cheering hard for everyone. Because that’s what people will remember: encouragement when they want to give up.

What do you hope to achieve in the coming year?
Well, my mantra lately has been “Fourth Quarter Kimber” because I wanted to end the year on a high note, which I think I have! For 2016, I hope to be able to incorporate pull-ups and TTBs during WODs. It took me two years to finally be able to do the movements, now I’m hoping to be able to implement them under exhaustion. ☺