March Athlete of the Month: Brandy Medran

Congratulations Brandy, you are the NoCoast Athlete of the Month!

Brandy has been a part of our NoCoast community for the past 3 ½ years and is quickly approaching 500 WODs with us! We love how hard Brandy works and her dedication to our community. Brandy has even stepped in to coach some classes recently and we truly appreciate her willingness to coach and help around the gym! Thank you Brandy, for being a part of our NC community!!

Quotes from Brandy:

“I started wearing a Whoop band about 2 years ago and after tracking a few nutritional goals I have found that cutting out processed foods, eating low carb, intermittent fasting, and limiting alcohol have significant impacts on my fitness and recovery.”

“It keeps me motivated to stay active and healthy. I think the best part is it keeps me mentally healthy - being around a community of people who are all supportive, kind, and passionate puts my mind in the right place to handle life when it gets tough. Also, taking an hour each day to sweat and clear my mind has significantly reduced my stress levels. “

Age/Weight:

33 years old / 130 lbs

Athletic/Sports history/highlights:

I have played soccer since I was 6 years old and still continue to play. I also just started coaching club soccer (currently coaching U10 girls). I was burnt out after high school so I decided to step away from competitive soccer when I went to college at CU Boulder. When I started playing again recreationally I was able to finally enjoy playing again and now soccer and CrossFit are my two main hobbies/passions.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

I started in Boulder at CrossFit Beat (now closed) in 2017.

How did you get into CrossFit?

Brian became interested in 2016 when a gym opened up next to our house. He went in for a consultation and ended up joining the gym. I had a bit of FOMO so I went in for the consultation and had an amazing experience in my foundations classes with the owner Adam Knickelbein. I decided to stick with it and have been addicted to CrossFit ever since.

What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

Anything on the pull up bar, so pull ups, toes to bar, and most recently bar muscle ups.

What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

Snatch and overhead squats.

What is your most memorable CrossFit moment?

Attending the 2021 CrossFit Games. Getting to see the elite athletes perform and being around the greater CrossFit community was such an incredible experience. It definitely reignited the passion I have for CrossFit. I think I was also inspired by seeing all those amazing athletes because when I came back to NoCoast after the games I PR'd every single one of my 1 rep max lifts.

How does nutrition play a role in your fitness and recovery?

It plays a huge role for me. I started wearing a Whoop band about 2 years ago and after tracking a few nutritional goals I have found that cutting out processed foods, eating low carb, intermittent fasting, and limiting alcohol have significant impacts on my fitness and recovery.

How has CrossFit improved your overall wellness?

CrossFit has majorly improved my overall wellness. It keeps me motivated to stay active and healthy. I think the best part is it keeps me mentally healthy - being around a community of people who are all supportive, kind, and passionate puts my mind in the right place to handle life when it gets tough. Also, taking an hour each day to sweat and clear my mind has significantly reduced my stress levels.

How has CrossFit changed your family?

I love having CrossFit as a shared interest between Brian and myself. I was a soccer player and Brian played lacrosse so having CrossFit as a sport we can share and do together is really great. Additionally, CrossFit has provided me with a connection point with my mother. She lives in Colorado Springs and while she doesn't go to a CrossFit gym she's recently been focused on her health and fitness. It's been great to talk about our training and nutrition goals together and sometimes I'm even able to give her advice on her workouts using the CrossFit methodology.

Advice to new people:

When you are first starting out, keep your focus on learning good form. I found that strength and speed come naturally once you can lock in proper form on CrossFit movements. I would also say be patient in your progress. I got my first bar muscle up last year so it took me 6 years to achieve that goal. Mastering CrossFit movements takes time and consistency in your training so if you stick with it you'll see the improvements but it may take longer than you think.