I AM CrossFit - Team Mate Robert Battalio

My next feature athlete is Robert Battalio. I have A LOT to say about Robert. When Robert came to CrossFit for the first time it was Thanksgiving Day 2010. Well, we all know that the WORST time to start CrossFit is during our annual Blow Your Turkey WOD but we did have a few new brave souls that not only survived the workout but came back and joined CFM knowing that Jim Turnbo sometimes thinks he is Richard Simmons. Robert started his essentials classes with me in December (when it took him 3 days to recover from one workout being an active runner he knew he had been missing as essential part of his training).

Robert, like so many of us who first start out in CrossFit lacked one if not many of the ten components of CrossFit. In his case, I noticed that he was lacking balance, coordination, and flexibility to perform a simple air squat. I witnessed Robert doing the Team Jackie WOD on Friday February 26th and he was doing 45# thrusters like a pro. His squat was below parallel, his elbows were raised so that his back held the lumbar curve, when he drove through his heels from deep in the squat and pressed the bar over his head to a locked out position, popping his head through "the window!", I nearly cried! I saw his successes with my own two eyes.

Robert is a man with very few words, when I asked him for a testimonial of how he was feeling I got something like this: "I am running better....am feeling stronger...am eating better..." but he said it best when he was walking out of the gym on Friday. He said, "isn't the fact that I show up here every day for my assigned classes and you to torture me proof enough that I am getting results!" Well put!

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Spotlight Athlete Brenda Hunsberger

Every once in awhile you have one of those days where you wonder if what you are doing is all worth it? Did you make the right choices? Are you happy with the path you have chosen? I'm not gonna lie, I DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT OF BED THIS MORNING! I was tired and sore and then the phone rings and reminds you why you do what you do.

My phone rang this morning at 9:13, I was at the Chiropractor so Brenda left a message. It went something like this, "Carole, I have good news, call me back so I can tell someone who cares!" So, I called back and got her voice mail. Minutes later we connected. Carole, I went to the doctor today and was told that lung function has improved and he is taking me off one of my asthma medications!" I literally had goosebumps running down my arms and legs. This is why I get up every morning in the dark of night and do what I do. This is why Brenda Hunsberger is my spotlight today for the I AM CrossFit Challenge.

Thank you Brenda, for bringing me "back to life!'' I know, that is what you are thanking me for....but Brenda, I think it works both ways. Here is Brenda's testimonial....I was going to cut pieces of it but I think you all deserve to see the entire thing:

"As my 40^th birthday approached a few years ago, I wanted to improve my fitness and decrease my weight. I have had asthma following lung trauma in 1996 – this sometimes makes it difficult for aerobic type activities. I have been one of those on and off exercisers. I do not like the monotony of it…so I usually don’t stick with it. CrossFit is different – every day! I do like to run (sick I know) so I been doing a few 5K’s each summer and one ½ marathon annually since 2007.

I have been doing CrossFit for about three weeks. I have more energy than I thought possible (for a young lady of my years). I am on four medications for my asthma. After a visit to my pulmonologist today, I was told my lung function has improved about 10% since my appointment in August. He is taking me off of one of my medications! I have been told it isn’t all about the scale, but I also lost 9 pounds since that appointment. I am beginning to notice small physical changes! My biceps and waist are beginning to look sculpted and it appears that someone has taken a bite out of my "bagel". Performance in the gym has improved, and I have also noticed improvement on my long run times and endurance. I have a 10k scheduled for March 6^th and I am going to try to RUN the whole way…stay tuned.

Has it really only been three weeks? GO TEAM CAROLE!"

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I AM CrossFit - Team Carole

Pictured above is Kent Dead Lifting during CrossFit Total week at the gym, Kent is one of my athletes in TEAM CAROLE!

Well the I AM CrossFit challenge is off to a good start. Team Carole consists of Robert Battalio, Lena Tisten, Myra DeCraene, Kent Riffell, and Brenda Hunsberger. We are just starting our third week of the eight week challenge. April 2nd will be here before we know it!

I just wanted to give a little update on one of my athletes: Kent Riffell is kicking butt and taking names....he has lost 2 inches in his waist so far and almost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. Kent, it's time to kick it into HIGH GEAR! No more snickers and reese's for your late night cravings.

Everyone on my team is heading down the right path. We are all working on remembering to eat our daily dosage of protein. Keep it up and "Go Team Carole!"

I'm not MIA

For those of you wondering what has happened to my blog and where I have been, I am here to tell you that I am not MIA. I am just "frazzled!" Is that a word? I am so busy right now I can't see straight.....but fear not I have words of wisdom coming your way!

For now I wanted to share a picture of my new puppy hanging out at the gym. He is so cute...and I love him very much!