This month, we’re celebrating Emily, our November Member of the Month who brings equal parts strength, positivity, and fun to every class she walks into. No matter the workout, Emily always brings an upbeat energy that lifts the room. Our coaches nominated her as Member of the Month because she shows up ready to give her best, support the people around her, and enjoy the process. This is what the PUSH511 coaches had to say about Emily:
Emily is so much fun to have in classes. Up for any workout and always crushes it. She’s a joy to be around, super friendly and coachable. On the plus side having her little sidekick Ozzy around is great as well.
Emily has such a unique ability to walk into any class, at any point in the day, and just fit right in. She is someone who comes in to get the work done, but has fun in the process. She knows how to crush a heavy dumbbell workout and anything with a heavy squat, she knocks it out of the park. She is so much fun to have in class.
Now, let's get to know our Member of the Month!
When did you start CrossFit? I started CrossFit back in 2018.
What's your fitness background? I was a swimmer in high school, then did long(-ish) distance running throughout college and in my early 20s before finding CrossFit.
What’s your favorite CrossFit movement? I love powerlifting - back squats, deadlifts, and bench press are my absolute favorites. But I'm also really partial to barbell cycling of any sort.
What’s your least favorite movement? I hate pull-ups.
What do you do for work? I'm an economist - I spend most of my time doing labor market analytics for a workforce development non-profit, and I also work on social policy and program evaluations. I'm currently evaluating an initiative that aims to increase community college completion rates through intensive advising services.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family. Me and my little family have bounced around quite a lot in the past decade. I'm originally from Chicago and lived there until I was in my late 20s. Then, my husband, David, and I moved to Seattle so that I could do my PhD at the University of Washington. When my son came along in 2022, we moved from Seattle to the DC area, and after 2 and a half years in the DMV, we discovered how cool Baltimore was. We're all huge fans of exploring the outdoors, traveling, and enjoying all of the cool happenings in Baltimore.
Tell us something we don't know about you! I absolutely love live music and have been going to shows since I was 14. My husband and I even travelled to Glasgow to see Eminem, Run the Jewels, and Danny Brown, which ended up being an amazing trip. We were supposed to see Cat Stevens in Rome in 2020, but then the pandemic hit.
How has CrossFit affected your life outside of the gym? CrossFit has been such a balancing influence in my life. And, especially now as a mother to an energetic little boy, being functionally fit gives me the energy and tenacity to keep up with him.
What do you enjoy most about PUSH? The community is the absolute best. Everyone is so friendly and supportive. Being able to celebrate and share in others' success and have them share in yours as well is a really powerful motivator. It is an atmosphere that I look forward to every day.
What tips would you offer someone who is just getting started with working out? The mindset shift that changed my relationship with exercise was simply that movement is a gift, not a punishment for what you've eaten that day. I spent so much of my life really not liking my body, but when I started CrossFit I just began to appreciate and recognize my strength and to be grateful for what my body allowed me to do. So, for folks thinking that it's too hard or they won't fit in, I just advise getting out there and starting to move in a way that feels good and makes you happy, and to stop thinking about exercise as punishment.
What's your favorite song to work out to? Anything off Run the Jewels' RTJ4.
What's your favorite restaurant? Portillo's (an Italian beef place in Chicago)
Who's your hero, real-life or fictional? It's so cliche, but l love Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation.
What does your frequently used emoji tab look like? Lately, 
, 
, and 
have been in my heavy rotation.
Words to live by or favorite quote? "First things first"
What's your favorite travel spot? London
If you could win an Olympic gold medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be? Patiently waiting while my son gets his shoes and socks on anytime we leave the house.
What's your hidden talent? I'm pretty good at writing a lot very quickly.
What are your top five favorite movies?
- The Big Short
- There Will Be Blood
- Ghostbusters (the originals)
- The Departed
- Gangs of New York
