Megan and Dan are PUSH511's February Members of the Month!

Megan and Dan have been members of PUSH for a year and a half and, in that time, have become regulars in our morning group CrossFit classes.

Let's see why the PUSH team wanted to celebrate Megan and Dan this month:

Love having both of them in classes. Both of them are super coachable and always come in early to loosen up their bodies before a workout. They both know when they need to modify and when they can push the pace. It’s always fun to see them being consistent and show up week after week!

Megan & Dan are pillars in the 7:15 am class. If they are not there it raises questions! They both love working out in the same area, we are going to rename an area in the gym to "Dan's Corner." So happy Dan decided to get back into CrossFit and at first he might have dragged Megan in... but now she is the trailblazer! Love seeing Megan increase the weight on the barbell or push a little harder in a workout and find out it is fun to push the limits. Extra bonus to Dan's love for smoking meats and sharing with PUSH!

I don’t coach Megan or Dan often but I can share that both are so kind and consistent as members. They come to class ready to work and do a great job of showing up as part of a dedicated community. I have always enjoyed working out with them and in the few times I have coached them they are always willing to listen and adapt.

Now, let's get to know our February Members of the Month!

When did you start CrossFit?

• Dan: 2011 (took a 3-year hiatus at the end of 2018 due to a serious back injury)
• Megan: 2022, After COVID I wanted to try something new and Dan had been doing it for so long, I figured I would give it a try.

What's your fitness background?

• Dan: High school sports (baseball). Work requires a degree of fitness to perform, so intimate relationship with standard PFTs. At one point in my past life had CrossFit Level 2 and other CrossFit certifications.
• Megan: High school volleyball (voluntarily) & basketball (involuntarily). As an adult, I did Orange Theory.

What’s your favorite CrossFit movement?

• Dan: Any of the Olympic lifts.
• Megan: Standing in front of the whiteboard.

What’s your least favorite movement?

• Dan: Burpees.
• Megan: Wall balls, bike, burpees, snatches, thrusters.....

What do you do for work?

• Dan: Government bird watcher.
• Megan: I own an online consignment store that sells women's designer clothing and accessories.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

• Dan: Originally from Ohio. Moved to the DC area. Family scattered around the country.
• Megan: I grew up in the Towson area, which is where my parents still live. I went to college at Coastal Carolina and then moved back after I graduated.

Tell us something we don’t know about you!

• Dan: I have been in several bands.
• Megan: I am Greek (but I guess my last name is a giveaway)- my dad was born there and came to the US when he was 7. I am the last person in my family to have my last name, which is why I didn't change it when I got married.

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym?

• Dan: It's made me the brunt of many jokes in various friend groups.
• Megan: To contrast Dan's sarcastic answer: It has made me mentally stronger.

What do you enjoy most about PUSH?

• Dan: I have been to numerous CrossFit gyms all over the country and PUSH has the chillest vibe of any of them.
• Megan: I was super intimidated to start doing "CrossFit" when I joined. I had no idea what I was doing and was afraid to try my first class (if Dan wasn't going I probably never would have tried it). Even though I still cannot do most of the workouts at the prescribed weights, no one ever makes me feel bad about it. I find the coaches to be super helpful and kind - I never feel judged.

What tips would you offer someone who is just getting started with working out?

• Dan: Pace your progress and have a plan. Don't end up a 45-year-old with chronic back pain.
• Megan: Just do what you feel comfortable with at first, don't try to do too much too quickly.

What's your favorite song to work out to?

• Dan: Any Hall & Oates jam.
• Megan: Any 2000's rap/hip-hop.

What's your favorite restaurant?

• Dan: Right now in Baltimore, it's probably La Barrita.
• Megan: John Brown Butchery (even though one of their locations just closed)- their bacon cheeseburger is THE BEST.

Who's your hero (real or fictional)?

• Dan: My wife.
• Megan: Moms, once you become an adult you truly realize how hard of a job that must be.

Words to live by or favorite quote?

• Dan: "'You miss 100% of the shots you don't take - Wayne Gretzky' - Michael Scott"
• Megan: "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin

What's your favorite travel spot?

• Dan: Any place with real mountains. Wyoming/Montana is my dream locale to retire to.
• Megan: Any national park.

If you could win an Olympic gold medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be?

• Dan: Oreo eating.
• Megan: The amount of hours wasted watching Bravo.

What's your hidden talent?

• Dan: I can eat a package of Oreos in one sitting.
• Megan: Worrying about everything that could possibly go wrong.