Athlete Profile – KMP

I am starting up a new thing since the gym is getting bigger.  Every Friday I will feature someone in the gym in an Athlete Profile.  Just a fun way to get to know everyone.  The first new profile is from Katie Marie.  Katie Marie started at the old gym with her best friend Danielle, so she has been around for awhile.  I have to be honest, Katie Marie and Danielle came in for their first workout and when they crawled out the door, I thought I would never see them again.  They disappeared for over a week and I was happily surprised when they called me to schedule there first class.  She said it took the whole week for her not to be sore.  I am pretty sure KMP never lifted weights before coming in and she has come such a long way.  Last week she snatched 55 pounds for reps in a workout and she can bang out 10+ pullups in one shot.

KMP after running her first full 400 meters!

Name: Katie Marie Powell

Where are you from originally?
Mount Laurel

How long have you been at CrossFit Mount Laurel?
A little over a year

What’s your favorite WOD?
100 pull ups, push ups, and squats! I feel like such a champ once I am done and can’t wait to brag to my family and friends!

What’s your least favorite WOD?
I usually like most of them. I’m not a big fan of anything using the bar, like deadlifts, they always hurt my back.  (side note just so bad info doesn’t get out there.  Deadlifts are the absolute best exercise for bad backs.  KMP has a hyper mobility problem where her back is actually so flexible she over-extends it.  Were still working on it.)

What is your favorite and least favorite exercise?
I love pull ups, toes to bar and handstand push ups! My least favorite exercise used to be running, but now we get along better. I’ve only overhead squatted like twice and it wasn’t a pretty sight. Thrusters. Ew. Wall balls suck pretty bad too.

What was the hardest thing to give up during the 30 day paleo challenge?
Next question…

What was the easiest thing to give up?
Let’s just not go there, but I do eat healthy! (On the days I’m not consuming a gross amount of candy)

What were you doing before CrossFit? How did you hear about CrossFit and or CrossFit Mount Laurel?
I did gymnastics for 11 years and had to quit due to injuries. Once my career ended, I tried a few things like joining a gym and doing p90x. My motivation for that was nothing like I have for Crossfit. An old gymnastics friend told me about Crossfit Center City and was trying to get me to join. I was too worried about how out of shape I was to join. I came across Crossfit Mount Laurel through Facebook. I made my best friend come with me to try it out and we’ve been coming ever since!

What were you thinking after you completed your first workout here?
I was thinking if I was going to be able to get out of the car and up my driveway. I was literally sore for a week.

Then vs. now. Describe any changes, results, or workout improvements (such as in the benchmarks) you have experienced.
The changes that come from Crossfit are unbelievable. I have built endurance and gained back a lot of strength. Although I am away at school for most of the week, I always seem to find at least one day to get into the gym. It’s addicting! Being organized isn’t my thing, so I haven’t kept track of my workouts in probably 6 months, but I know I have improved dramatically since the first few months I was here. I remember specifically doing a hero workout at the old gym, and when we did it a few months ago, I lowered my time by over 5 minutes and did not have a band for pull ups! Also, I could never run 400 meters without stopping, even when I was in the best shape of my life. Now I can!

Do you have any special or favorite CrossFit Mount Laurel memories/moments?
Running the entire workout was huge for me, but every time I walk into the gym and see new faces and equipment it’s a good day. It is crazy to see how far the gym has come in only a short period of time! My favorite moments are accomplishing something I never thought I could do before. It makes me so happy to see everyone else do this as well.

What advice would you give to a newbie joining CrossFit Mount Laurel?
Do not get discouraged! Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, unless of course you are cheering them on. You are competing with yourself, nobody else. Everything is hard-until it’s easy!

Name one other person in the gym who inspires you during workouts and why.
I am inspired by everyone. I love seeing people succeed in something they haven’t done before. As soon as the clock starts, everyone is in their own zone. Matt C always finds a way to cheer everyone on while still crushing the workouts. He never leaves a workout without giving out high fives. It’s a great energy for the gym. I’d say Tommy also inspires me even though I am usually not too happy any time he passes me during a workout. It lets me know I have to keep moving.

The workout of the day comes up as KMP, the workout named after you because you are so amazing. What is KMP? (rounds, exercises, and repetitions)

KMPIZZLE

AMRAP 15

5 handstand push ups
10 pull ups
15 sit ups
run 200 m