Carna and Dan are PUSH511's June CrossFit Members of the Month!
These two bring a steady, positive presence to PUSH511, showing up with quiet determination and a contagious sense of encouragement. Their dedication to improving each day—along with their natural athleticism—hasn’t gone unnoticed. Whether it’s a smile during a tough workout or a fist bump after a big lift, Carna and Dan help make the gym a more welcoming and uplifting place. Their coaches have loved watching their progress and had this to say when nominating them as Members of the Month:
Dan & Carna have been such great members in the gym with their warm personalities along with the drive to try their best each day. They both move so well and can be so fast! While quiet and humble, though still competitive, it's been great to see their growth in and out of the gym together. I can always count on seeing them with a wonderful smile, a motivational high five, and a push to get some PR's here and there.
Now, let's get to know our Members of the Month!
When did you start CrossFit?
- Carna: July 2021 (Dan told me I had to try it after he joined)
- Dan: I started CrossFit in July 2021.
What's your fitness background?
- Carna: I have grown up in the gym environment since I was born. I played soccer from the age of six, joined a travel league in middle school, and played through high school. I grew up always hiking, swimming, playing soccer, or going to the gym.
- Dan: I started running in high school through cross country and track and field. Went to States but never won. Picked up boxing later on and joined the team on the UMD boxing club. That lasted for about two years until I was tired of my face constantly hurting.
What’s your favorite CrossFit movement?
- Carna: Farmer's carry.
- Dan: Strict pull-ups, ring dips, box get-overs, or any other body weight movement.
What’s your least favorite movement?
- Carna: Thrusters.
- Dan: It used to be the Devil's Press, but now it's Coach Joe's Insane Lunges.
What do you do for work?
- Carna: Auditor for a public accounting firm.
- Dan: Fire Protection Engineer. I develop life safety and asset protection systems for buildings.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
- Carna: I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the middle of nowhere. I stayed in the city after graduating from Towson University. I met my husband while I was in college, and we got married in New Zealand last year! You may see us coming to the gym together. We have two fur babies - Meli and Nala. You may see Meli in the Beast Cave every now and then. She will give you a hello howl!
- Dan: I was born in Baltimore and grew up right outside of the city in Forest Hill, MD. I've been in Maryland for most of my life but spent a semester in Australia and subsequently lived in New Zealand for a few years before moving to Baltimore. Carna and I got married last year and we have a dog named Meli that sometimes makes an appearance in the Beast Cave.
Tell us something we don’t know about you!
- Carna: Depending on the time of year I am always thinking of what plant to grow (right now I am trying to grow and harvest Loofah) or baking some kind of bread or dessert. Homemade pretzels are my favorite! In any downtime you will most likely see me with a book in my hand or crafting!
- Dan: Obsessed with the ocean. I'm a rescue diver and love paddle boarding or anything that gets me out there.
How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym?
- Carna: It helps me vent out all my stress from work.
- Dan: Generally, I feel healthier both physically and mentally.
What do you enjoy most about PUSH?
- Carna: The people! Everyone is there to cheer you on and help you improve yourself.
- Dan: The community. I also enjoy the suffering...like when I'm in the middle of a workout and forget all of my problems because I'm dry heaving and might keel over at any moment. I love that feeling.
What tips would you offer someone who is just getting started with working out?
- Carna: Don't be intimidated by what others are doing. You will get to their level or your equivalent level.
- Dan: Don't quit. You can do anything for a minute.
What's your favorite song to work out to?
- Carna: Any mix of Pink Pony Club lately.
- Dan: Big Bootie Mix 2013 or DNA.
What's your favorite restaurant?
- Carna: At the moment, it is Momotaro in Chicago. The nigrizushi is to die for, especially the Aburi Beni Toro - I am always trying new places! Next on my list is Kyojin Sushi in Georgetown, DC.
- Dan: Tio Pepe.
Who's your hero (real or fictional)?
- Carna: Bart (Dan told me to)
- Dan: Bart (from the gym)
Words to live by or favorite quote?
- Carna: "A cheetah never stretches before a run." - Bart
- Dan: "Just keep swimming" - some fish
What does your frequently used emoji tab look like?
- Carna:
...Dan pays all the bills 
- Dan:
What's your favorite travel spot?
- Carna: NEW ZEALAND! I can't make up my mind between Milford Sound or Mount Cook. If you haven't been you have to add it to your bucket list ASAP.
- Dan: Kaikoura, New Zealand.
If you could win an Olympic gold medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be?
- Carna: The short-term memory tile game. No one has been able to beat me yet!
- Dan: Math flash cards while running in flip-flops
What's your hidden talent?
- Carna: "Master" Packer - packed for a week in Tahiti in only a regular backpack.
- Dan: Cooking without measuring anything. I do have others but Carna said not to share those in public.
What are your top five favorite movies?
- Carna: I honestly like anything that makes me laugh - White Chicks, Crazy Stupid Love, Deadpool & Wolverine, How to Train Your Dragon, and Atlantis.
- Dan: Braveheart, Creed, A Beautiful Mind, Big Fish, Gattaca.
