This month, we’re excited to highlight Liz and Stu as our Members of the Month!
Liz and Stu have become steady members of our community, each bringing a strong work ethic, an open mind, and a sense of humor to class. They were unanimous choices to highlight as Members of the Month among the PUSH team! This is why our coaches wanted to nominate them:
Liz and Stu rocked the Open back in Feb & March. When 26.2 came around, both of them said “I don't have pull-ups”… a few mid-workout tips later, and they EACH got their first pull-up (plus many more)! It was so fun to see their shock, excitement for each other, and renewed spirit for gymnastics movements. They were both so encouraging to other members during the Open, and Mario (aka Liz) lit up the room every time she walked in! Both are very focused when in class and have worked really hard to nail down correct form on complex movements. It’s been so fun to see their progress!
Liz and Stu are both so fun to be around. They are hardworking and humble, but also friendly and a little goofy (see Liz working out as Mario during the open). It's been so fun to see all the progress they've made, and I love getting to chat with them before or after class.
Let's get to know our June Members of the Month!
When did you start CrossFit?
- Liz: I started CrossFit in early 2017.
- Stu: May 2025.
What's your fitness background?
- Liz: I started on swim team when I was 5 years old and kept at it until my second year of undergrad. So, age 5 until age 19. I will always be a swimmer at heart.
- Stu: I lifted in high school for football (offensive tackle), lifted for a bit in college, and then did running briefly until 2022. Stopped most regular fitness til I joined PUSH.
What’s your favorite CrossFit movement?
- Liz: I love tempo squats. There is something so satisfying about the intentionality of the movement.
- Stu: I like wall balls and thrusters.
What’s your least favorite movement?
- Liz: Running is definitely the hardest for me. I am a swimmer, so moving around on land is always a challenge.
- Stu: Anything burpee or burpee-like.
What do you do for work?
- Liz: I am a postdoctoral fellow at Hopkins doing molecular biology research.
- Stu: I'm a forensic toxicologist primarily specializing in postmortem cases.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
- Liz: I am the oldest of three sisters in my immediate family. We are all two years apart in age, so we were very close growing up. My parents live in Wilmington, DE, in the same house I grew up in, so it is great to have them close by for the first time since I left for undergrad. I currently am the mom to 4 cats (Luna, Merry, Pippin, and Strider).
- Stu: I grew up in West Lafayette, IN, and most of my family now lives in Indy and Goshen, IN. My dad and sibling are moving to Baltimore this year. I greatly enjoy grilling, cuddling with my cats (Luna, Merry, Pippin, and Strider), playing video games, and watching football & F1.
Tell us something we don’t know about you!
- Liz: I am a huge birder. I have multiple tattoos of some of my favorite birds that I've seen.
- Stu: I have distant Amish relatives.
How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym?
- Liz: I started CrossFit during an incredibly dark and difficult time in my life. It gave me a way to get out of my head and into my body again. It has kept me in such a positive space over the last 8 years. I've made lifelong friends and done so many things that I never thought I could do in and out of the gym.
- Stu: I definitely feel better on a day-to-day basis. My job is mostly done at a computer, so it's nice to have something that I like doing to be active.
What do you enjoy most about PUSH?
- Liz: It is such a non-judgemental space. It really feels like everyone there is focused on helping to achieve your personal goals, no matter the weight, or the distance, or the reps.
- Stu: The coaches are very good at giving you tips and not making it feel like you should be embarrassed.
What tips would you offer someone who is just getting started with working out?
- Liz: Set small goals at first. One workout a week is an incredible achievement. Start there and build up slowly. Most importantly, don't get discouraged if you don't hit your goal. You're still thinking about working out, you can do better at meeting your goal the next time.
- Stu: The best workout is the one you keep doing.
What's your favorite song to work out to?
- Liz: Anything by Kesha.
- Stu: I used to listen to a lot of Linkin Park when I lifted in college. Faint or Papercut are up there.
What's your favorite restaurant?
- Liz: Cafe Dear Leon for breakfast, Dipasquales for lunch, Clavel for dinner, Happyjack Tavern for late night
- Stu: Cafe Dear Leon and Thames Street Oyster House
Who's your hero (real or fictional)?
- Liz: Who's your hero (real or fictional)?
- Stu: Evette (family) for showing me who I can be.
What does your frequently used emoji tab look like?
- Liz:
- Stu:
Words to live by or favorite quote?
- Liz: "We can choose to be happy. We're allowed to be happy." - Owen, The Last of Us Part II
- Stu: "The most important step a person can take is the next one." Dalinar Kholin from The Stormlight Archive
What's your favorite travel spot?
- Liz: Cape Cod (my dad grew up there) or the Highlands in Scotland. I love water and I love mountains.
- Stu: Big water, beach preferred.
If you could win an Olympic gold medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be?
- Liz: Put board games in the Olympics, and I will be there in a heartbeat.
- Stu: Curling, it looks fascinating.
What's your hidden talent?
- Liz: I can memorize a song/melody after hearing it once.
- Stu: Making my friends roll their eyes.
What are your top five favorite movies?
- Liz:
- Spirited Away
- Grand Budapest Hotel
- Shrek 2
- Casino Royale
- Knives Out
- Stu:
- Lord of the Rings
- Star Wars
- Friday Night Lights
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- A Knight's Tale
