Athlete of the Month-April

Athlete of the Month: Laura WellsWhy Laura?

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Laura may be pocket-sized but is packed full of potential.

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She has embraced the message that 8 Mile pushes. She has committed and bought in to being the best version of herself possible. She realized all these people around her believe in her—it was time she did the same!

Laura runs around all day taking care of her family, driving her kids to various sports, but still finds time to take care of herself. Laura Wells realized that she was capable of more. With this epiphany, she stepped up her effort in class, got with a coach for her nutrition, and worked with another coach on extra programming to address her weaknesses.

Laura has bought in and committed to herself.

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Laura's Story:

I have been working out consistently for the last 14 years. I would spend hours in the gym doing cardio 4–6 days a week. The weight would come off a little bit, but I was never where I wanted to be, so I decided I needed to add weight training.

I hated weights, so I decided to get a trainer—and then I would have to lift the weights. After all, I was paying him, so I may as well do the work. As time went on, I discovered a love for weights, and pretty soon my trainer had me doing things that most of his other clients wouldn't even attempt.

I loved the CrossFit-type workouts and the lifting, so we made those things part of my plan. Then I got on board with eating right, and the weight started to come off.

I wanted the gym I was at to get a CrossFit program in place, but they never did. One day I was driving down 8 Mile and I saw CrossFit 8 Mile. I emailed CF8 and got a response from Nick right away telling me I should come and try it. That was probably June 2014. I pondered it and debated it that whole summer. I wasn't sure I was fit enough to try it, but finally in September I told Nick I'd come in to give it a try.

I scheduled a one-on-one with Nick—but then he and Monica went and had a baby (Tristan) on the day I was supposed to come in. 😊 Ha ha! I met with Alonso that day, and we went through all the movements and a small CrossFit workout—and I was hooked.

I bought a punch card that day just to give it a trial run, but within two weeks my punch card was used up, so I quit my other gym and joined CrossFit 8 Mile.

I'd like to say that the next year and a half I kicked butt, but that's not quite the case. CrossFit was awesome, but I was afraid to fail—so many times I was afraid to even try anywhere close to my potential. In my previous gym, I never failed. I guess I never pushed to failure.

Then I just kinda fell into this mediocre spot. I came to the gym, did the WOD, but never pushed to my capability.

Then in December 2015, I decided—this isn't me, this isn't what I want—so I needed to change it.

I decided to contact Jamie, who I had probably only spoken two words to the whole time I had been here. I knew she was into nutrition and I saw what she did in the gym, so I sent her an email asking if she'd help me get back on track. I wanted to get my eating back on track, lose weight, and be more prepared to handle the 2016 Open.

She didn't hesitate. She was completely on board. Then she suggested I talk to Nick about programming extras for me, and so he did.

I've been working with both of them for months now, and everything seems to be falling into place. I feel so much better and my numbers in the gym are improving. I'm getting stronger and faster. I push myself—and if I'm doubting myself, the coaches know what I can do and will push me to do it.

That Jamie—she has eyes in the back of her head! Ha ha! But it's awesome having people believe in you more than you believe in yourself.

I've realized that it's okay to fail, because that gives you a place to strive to get to next time.

I had a great time in the Open this year and even hit some PRs. I can't wait to see what this next year will bring me because I'm 100% committed to getting better every time I step in that gym.

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Goals:

I tell Jamie all the time that my actual goal is to be her twin. Not kidding! I actually think I should write that on the Goal Board! Ha ha! I can't ever be as tall as she is (darn it!), but I can be the best version of myself—the way she's the best version of herself.

I want to be strong and fit, and I want to improve every day.

In 16.4 I got to the handstand push-ups having never even attempted one before. Heck, I didn’t even want to set up the mat because I never thought I’d get there—but Jamie made me set it up… and I got there! Try as Nick and Jamie did to coach me through a handstand push-up, on the fly, with a few minutes on the clock—it didn’t happen.

So, my goal is to be able to do those by the time 2017 rolls around.

I’m also working on improving my pull-ups, changing bands to make them more challenging. Double-unders are my nemesis, so I’d like to get those as well.

The goal list could go on and on because I see CrossFit as a way to continually improve yourself through every movement, every time you’re here.

I love CrossFit 8 Mile. It was hard to leave my previous trainer and gym after having been there for 10–12 years or so, but I can honestly say coming to CrossFit 8 Mile was one of the best decisions I have ever made.