Athlete of the Month: Elise LeBlanc
Meet our featured athlete Elise LeBlanc. Elise is a friendly face first thing in the morning in our 6am class. She shows up with a smile and ready to put in work. Elise not only works hard but challenges herself in learning the movements with sound technique. Elise may be tiny but she sure is mighty, do not let her size fool you. She is a strong determined young lady and we cannot wait to watch her continue her CrossFit journey here at CrossFit Ironstone.
1. How did you discover CFIS? How long have you been crossfitting?
A colleague of mine (Hi Clint!) attends CFIS and was talking about it at work. I thought it sounded like fun so I went to a Community Workout. I signed up for Foundations later that day. That was 6 months ago.
2. What was your athletic background prior to CF?
When I was a kid I did Highland Dancing competitively but I stopped when I graduated from High School. Since then I’d mostly just been running casually.
3. How does Crossfit keep you interested?
I normally look at Beyond the Whiteboard on my phone in the morning before going to CFIS. When I see what the strength component or WOD is, and see what I did last time, it gets me pumped up to get up and go see if I can do better. Because everything is tracked so precisely, its easy to see if I am improving.
4. Do you remember what your first wod was? How did you feel?
My first WOD ever was a Community Workout. It was an AMRAP that included wall balls which I had a really hard time with and I think I ended up just squatting with the ball. Afterwards, I could barely walk across the parking lot and had to use my arms to drag myself up the stairs.
5. Do you have a favourite CF wod/movement? Least favourite?
Favourite, GHD sit-ups. Whee!Least favourite, wall balls.
6. Proudest CF moment so far
When I started Crossfit I couldn’t even do one single chin-up. When I realized I could do one unassisted, I was very happy.
7. Number one goal in the next 6 months
I would like to improve my squatting form and figure out how to do squat cleans and squat snatches.
8. Do you have a favourite post wod snack? Go to food?
My favourite post-workout snack is milk. My favourite milk is 4% unhomogenized. I read a paper once that said that drinking a cup of milk immediately after working out helps build muscle and burn fat so I feel like it is healthy as well as delicious.
9. Tell us a interesting fact about you
I have worked as a professional taste-tester. I spent my summers during university doing quality control in a herring cannery, including eating a ton of fish for taste-testing purposes.
