November Athlete of the Month: Maddy Rich

Congratulations Maddy, you are our November Athlete of the Month!

Maddy is fairly new to our NoCoast community, but she’s jumped in with both feet from the get go; absorbing as much information as possible, coaching classes, meeting friends, and immersing herself in our community. She has quickly become one of our favorite people around the gym and is supportive of everyone around her. Maddy even teamed up with Lani and June last month to compete in their first CrossFit competition, where they exceeded their expectations and made us equally as proud! 

We appreciate all of Maddy’s efforts around the gym, as a coach and athlete, and we look forward to her growth over the next year in both capacities! We are so grateful to have you as a coach, friend, and integral community member!

Quotes from Maddy: 

“I’ve always been fairly active and relatively fit, and while I’ve definitely gotten fitter by doing CrossFit, that hasn’t been the biggest benefit. I had a tough time making friends and finding a community in college and during my time in Maui. At my first CrossFit gym, I was surprised by how important the social aspect was. Feeling a sense of belonging with a group of cool people has been very important for me, especially after moving to a new place. There’s something about being with people while you’re pushing yourself hard, being inspired by them and encouraging them. I think it builds a special kind of bond and community, and I'm here for it!”

“Food is fuel! I definitely notice that if I don’t eat enough, I get very sore, and if I don’t eat properly before a WOD I will hit a wall that is no fun at all to push through. Eating enough of what your body needs is non-negotiable!”

Age: 28

Athletic/Sports history/highlights: 

Throughout high school and college I was pretty into rock climbing, but that has since fallen to the wayside. I started mountain biking 6 years ago and enjoy both downhill and cross-country riding.

How long have you been CrossFitting? 

10 months.

How did you get into CrossFit? 

Totally by chance! The dive shop I worked for in Maui opened a commercial space in an industrial part of town, and that facility didn’t have a bathroom. The CrossFit gym across the parking lot let us use theirs. The owner was very charismatic and convinced me to take a trial class (even though I was pretty wary of trying it out). I forget what that first workout was, but the coaches were really encouraging and I was quite inspired by the other athletes around me, and kept going!

What is your favorite WOD/CrossFit movement?

Rope climbs! They’re so different from everything else we do, and I feel like I’m pretty good at them. It’s always nice to do something you feel competent at doing!

What is your least favorite WOD/CrossFit movement? 

Squat snatches... They’re hard and it’s not as fun to do something you DON’T feel competent at doing. The olympic lifts are still new to me, and I understand they’ll take time to practice… but pretty much every time I do squat snatches I feel defeated by the movement. More practice!

What is your most memorable CrossFit moment? 

It’s not a moment in particular, but I had a lot of fun competing in the Koda Iron Games this last month with Lani and June. I’d never done a competition before, but it was really well run and we all did better than we had done in practice rounds! It was great to see both of them push themselves, and I was pretty proud of how I did too. It felt good to walk away from each event feeling like we’d tried as hard as we could.

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

Food is fuel! I definitely notice that if I don’t eat enough, I get very sore, and if I don’t eat properly before a WOD I will hit a wall that is no fun at all to push through. Eating enough of what your body needs is non-negotiable! I’m also pretty sure that my body in particular needs lots of chocolate. Not clear where the science stands on that, but I’m convinced.

How has CrossFit improved your overall wellness?

I’ve always been fairly active and relatively fit, and while I’ve definitely gotten fitter by doing CrossFit, that hasn’t been the biggest benefit. I had a tough time making friends and finding a community in college and during my time in Maui. At my first CrossFit gym, I was surprised by how important the social aspect was. Feeling a sense of belonging with a group of cool people has been very important for me, especially after moving to a new place. There’s something about being with people while you’re pushing yourself hard, being inspired by them and encouraging them. I think it builds a special kind of bond and community, and I'm here for it!

What do you enjoy most about coaching CrossFit? I am a very goal-oriented person myself, so when someone else sets a personal goal, either at the beginning of the WOD or for the long-term (whether it’s beating an old time or increasing their usual weight or working on technique), it is very satisfying to help them achieve that goal.

Advice to new people: Leave your ego at the door! My old gym had this written on their front doors. I’ve seen people get caught up in what they think they should be able to do (I do it too), and it leads to unnecessary frustration or pushing too hard. I try to focus on what I’m feeling capable of today – often that changes, and that’s OK. The fewer “should” that go through my head, the more fun I have.