Member of the Month – Mr. Saunders

Strength
EMOM for 10 minutes
2 Squat clean thrusters (heavy)

WOD
12 minute amrap
3 wall climbs
6 alternating pistols
9 box jumps (30/24)

L2- 2 Wall climbs (24/20)
L1- 1 Wall climb (24/20)

 

How did you get involved in CrossFit? What was your first WOD/experience?
I believe everyone has their own path to follow for everything in life and my path to Crossfit was extremely personal. In October 2008 my dad was diagnosed with Lung Cancer at the age of 73 (he passed away 2 years later). He was the strongest person I have ever known and easily one of the most influential people in my life. I was 27 at that time and still had youthful feelings of invincibility and this was the first time in my life when it really hit me that no one was truly invincible. Not me, not my dad, no one…at some point this life was going to end and all we can hope to do was stave off that inevitable day.
Couple this news with the fact that my wife and I were expecting our first child and I was literally in limbo. Here my dad was suffering from this insidious disease and I was in the process of taking my first steps towards being a dad myself.
My decision to get back into shape took root during this time but I didn’t really get serious about it for another year or so.
In November of 2009 I saw a picture of myself (attached) at the Boston Garden after a Celtics game. For the first time ever I looked at myself and didn’t recognize me…the real me. Instead of seeing the guy I always thought I was staring back at me I was looking at someone completely foreign.
I was 28 years old, 5’8”, weighing in at a robust 263lbs (plug that into a BMI calculator!) also I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (taking medicine) and was probably pre-diabetic.
After seeing that picture, thinking about everything that we were going through with my dad, everything that I could put my son through if I didn’t get healthy, and all of the memories that were yet to come that I may miss out on if I didn’t start taking care of myself I finally started working out consistently in January 2009.
Fast forward 5 months. I had lost 35lbs but the weight loss stopped and I was getting bored with the gym routine. One of my colleagues showed me a max height box jump video on YouTube and in the background was a Crossfit logo.
I Googled Crossfit, did some reading on the main site forums, other blogs, and finally searched for the closest box which, at the time, was Crossfit Boston.
I scheduled my intro for the next day.
My first WOD was the baseline WOD (500m row, 40 air squats, 30 abmat situps, 20 pushups, 10 pull-ups w/green band) for time. This would be the first (but not the last) time I threw up after a WOD…but I was hooked and signed up the next day.

When did you start coming to CrossFit Southie?
We moved to Savin Hill a few months after I joined Crossfit Boston and with James ( yes he’s a junior), our first child, getting older I needed a box much closer to home. I heard that a box was opening up down Dot Ave. in Southie and stopped by one day. That is when I met Chris and Amy and saw the box they were still in the process of building. We talked; they took my information, and told me when they were most likely opening up the box. The opening was delayed a bit but I kept calling. One day Amy said they were opening the following week. I came down that afternoon to sign-up. That was September 2010.

Is this the first CrossFit you’ve worked out at / how long have you been CrossFitting for?
I got my start at Crossfit Boston where Neal and his coaches were absolutely awesome. I have been Crossfitting for just over two years now.
When did you realize that CrossFit was right for you?
It was either as I was throwing up after the baseline WOD or just after ?
What are you short-term and long-term CrossFit goals?
My short term goals are to continue increasing my strength as that is what is holding me back from both the elusive muscle-up and unassisted HSPUs. My long term goals are to continue having fun with what we do in the box. It might not be a quantifiable goal but what keeps me coming is that each day I’m better than I was the day before. Also, the “collaborative competition” that exists in each class is awesome. No one is truly great at everything and you are constantly learning from your peers, those same people push you each WOD to do your best, and when you fall short they are there (sometimes literally) to pick you up.

What is your biggest accomplishment?
Biggest accomplishment (in life) – Having two awesome little boys (yet another pic) and a great, patient, and understanding wife who allows Crossfit to be my mistress.
Biggest Accomplishment (Crossfit Related) – Losing a total of 63#, normalizing my blood pressure (no longer medicated), getting to know some awesome people….

What is your favorite / least favorite WOD/movement?
My gut reaction was burpees but I strangely enjoy them now. So on second thought box jumps – they enjoy a level of suckitude that is unmatched by any other movement

What do you do for a profession outside of CrossFit?
I am in High Tech sales focused currently on the Healthcare Market. For all intents and purposes, if it has an on off switch or lives in a data center I can sell it

What are your hobbies outside of CrossFit?
FOOD! I love to cook and I’m wicked good at it…no seriously…like insanely good at it…trust me…

Do you eat Paleo or Zone? What is your favorite paleo/non-paleo meal?
I’m 85-90% during while at home…almost impossible to be 100% with kids in the house. When I travel for work though the diet goes to sh!t but I have taken up visiting other local boxes or doing travel WODs to offset the diet.

Fun fact?
• Both of my thumbs are double jointed.
• I geek out to sci-fi in a big way (Star Trek, Stargate, etc) and secretly (not so secret now) want to go to Comic-Con.
• I haven’t lost a game of Madden NFL Football (Xbox) in over 10 years