Thank you for tuning in to The Community Conversation, brought to you by Prototype Training Systems, home of CrossFit Prototype. The Community Conversation highlights a different member of the Prototype Community each week and allows them to tell their story, share their life experience, and communicate their perspective on all things fitness.

We’ve all listened to podcasts and watched YouTube videos that highlight some of the world’s greatest leaders and visionaries and these people also walk amongst us. We believe we have some AMAZING people at Prototype and we want you to get to know them!

To that end, I want to introduce our 5th and 6th guests, Todd and Peg Kinsman. Todd and Peg have been part of the community here at Prototype near its inception so over 8 years. They participate in our CrossFit classes, have worked with our personal trainers and nutritionists at Prototype nutrition, and are all in on their fitness!

They recently won our 2020 Community Member Power Couple Award, they’re residents here in Westborough, MA , they’re got a pack of black labs and they’re two of the best people we have within the Prototype community. I think a lot of people are going to be excited to hear this conversation today!

So tune in and enjoy!

Mike Collette 0:02
Hey everyone, thank you for tuning in to the community conversation brought to you by prototype Training Systems home of CrossFit prototype. The community conversation highlights a different member are now members of the prototype community each week and allows them to tell their story, share life experience, and communicate their perspective on all things. Fitness. We’ve all listen to podcasts and watch YouTube videos that highlight some of the world’s greatest leaders, visionaries, and these people also walk amongst us. We believe we have some amazing people that prototype and we want you to get to know them. So to that end, I want to introduce you to our fifth and sixth guests, Todd and peg kinsmen, Todd and peg have been part of the pro tip community here for geez Come on eight years. We’ll validate what that is in a minute. And they recently won our 2020 community member power couple awards, our new member here in 2020 new and you’re saying 2020 the residents of Westboro they’ve got a pack of black labs, and they’re just two of the best people that we have in our community. So I think a lot of people are really gonna be excited about this community conversation today. So Todd Pegg thank you guys for being part of the community conversation. Thanks, Rob.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 1:10
Thank you, Michael.

Mike Collette 1:11
You’re welcome. So time peg. Like I like I mentioned you guys have been listening to these a little bit. Let’s tell us your story. Tell the listeners your story. Where did you guys you know, grow up. How do you guys get involved in CrossFit? You know, what was your fitness background? Start wherever you guys would like.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 1:28
Okay, I guess I’ll start. So I am Westborough townie. I grew up in Connecticut my first 10 years but moved to Westboro when I was 10 years old. So back in 1975. Didn’t get too far went to Babson. College and Wellesley moved back to this area been working in the area and we live now in Westborough since 1994, so I love it. The town has changed. But being part across, it has been great for me because it’s really connected me back to the community. Why don’t you say where you grew up, and then we can go from there? Sure.

So I grew up in Concord pass. And met Peggy obviously at Babson so we went to school together and met there grew up playing a lot of hockey. So from a sports perspective, hockey was a big part of my life. And so, you know, we, as Peggy said, we moved to Westboro with, we have two two boys who still live with us, Andy and jack. And so, and he was born in 93. And then soon after that, we moved here in Westborough. JACK was born in 96. And, and so like pig said, we’ve been around the whole time, since then. And and to Michael’s point is I joined it, I was the first one to join the gym. So I think it was either the end of December of 2012, or beginning of January 2013. joined it. And I think it was like there was a special wahdat going on from the scenario. And so I came one morning, just showed up and started working out. So I had been in the gym a long time. So

yeah, what’s interesting is like, I always played sports growing up, and in high school, like my main sport was volleyball. And then I played four years in college. And so you know, and totally played hockey. So we’d always been had a lot of athletic sort of things going on. And then like your real life takes over with like full time jobs and kids and houses. And we were off and on sort of like sometimes I did the y and did curves for a little while Todd did p90x down in the basement, we were always, you know, it was like a comfortable spot for us, because we had always been sort of like athletes growing up. So then, but the kids are getting older. And Todd was looking for something to do talk to his friend at work. And john told him like, Oh, I’m doing this thing called CrossFit. So that’s why Todd looked into CrossFit and started and he said to me, do you want to go and I was like, No, no, I’m not I’m not interest. That’s going to be your thing. Todd, you go in and do that. And then about after six weeks, when he was like, loving it, and coming home and talk me about it all the time. And I was I started to get like almost like jealous ish. Yeah, it was just like, Oh, yeah, FOMO or mofo is my girlfriend’s at CFP will tell you. And anyway, so I came in and did the onboarding classes. And I think that was like February 2013. And then we just have never stopped going since. But also, it was funny.

I remember telling Peggy the story, because I was like, I’m like, I have to warn you when you get there. Like, everybody’s gonna be super nice. And you’re almost going to be like, like in the real world. People aren’t that nice. Yeah, no. So like, you’re almost like, you’re like, What the hell’s wrong with the first one? Yeah, might be nice to be whatever it is. So you can take a little bit get used to it. People are just really nice when you get into the gym. It’s it’s a total different vibe. And so that was a thing you know, and that hooked me was the working out. And then, I mean, I all I think most of our friends right now are CFP people, you know that those are the people you hang out with most we talked to most most. So that’s our connection.

Yeah, the other thing that’s interesting for me is, so we started CFP. And then we had some personal stuff going on with one of our children. And it wasn’t good, it was bad. And CFP became this place for me, Michael, where I was safe, like it safe in a way that you could come in, I could let all of that shit go, I didn’t have to worry about it for one hour, every day, I could just focus on I didn’t really even have to focus. I just had to do what you guys told me to do. And it’s one of the things that I and it was it. It was life saving for me and the people there that were so kind. Like I’m a true believer and everything happening for a reason. Good, bad, ugly. My problem is I want to know the reason why you don’t always get that. But the timing of it all was not coincidental. In my in my point of view, it happened because I was going to need that kind of support to help you get through this other thing that was going on in my life. And thank God for it because it did it got me through it. You know, anything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. You come out the other side like yeah, you get burned by the fire, but you’re you’re stronger for it. And CFP was a big part of that for me and I still don’t like get emotional talking about it. You didn’t like here today.

And you got to meet that coach Sean.

I called Brian Sean for like the first six weeks and he said, Hey, lady, I called him a lady. Anyways, that sounds that was the start. That was the start of our CFP journey.

Mike Collette 6:54
So that’s the start what is kept you guys going because I have to tell you that like you. You guys have also I don’t know if you guys have them, but you guys have done each over 1000 workouts. Yeah. at the gym. Oh, my cup is one of one of there are two of the 30 or 31 people that are in that in that bucket. What kept you coming back? Like you’ve guys have created this as a lifestyle routine. And in for the majority of people doing anything, it’s, you know, do something for a little bit stop. Maybe they come back do something a little bit stop, but you guys have been consistent. Some of the most consistent people doing this, like, what kept it going.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 7:40
You go?

Well, one thing is a little bit its peg is like a super disciplined person. So and has a structure to things and so like when we learn when we started having kids, I think one thing is you first learn with kids is that structure is really important. And so Peggy’s is really good at that, like just always waking up and probably the reason why she’s friends with Lisa z because Lisa sees the same way which is structure and discipline, and so forth. And so for me, you know, there are times probably when the alarm goes off, you know, at you know, 355 then I’m thinking Alright, I don’t have to go and some days I don’t like Peggy’s just gonna go so she’s just super disciplined. So I think that’s one thing I think the other is that I always think of like CFP, I was thinking of CrossFit. It’s like gym class. I just think it’s like oh, I love gym. And so like I love going to the gym and so and then I think it’s the social part and you know, Mike a lot of this has to do with the environment that you’ve created, Brian, others, a coaching staff and so forth, that have created with CFP is that you’re always trying to get better, you know, and you always talk about this Michael, like growth mindset, so forth. And so a lot of the lot of the values and principles that CFP has are the principal Peggy I have a family. Yeah, and it’s interesting, it’s the same values of the company I work at So, so it just feels right when we’re there. And the social part is a huge part of it. Because, like our friends are there, you know, so you know, you kind of get to see people and right now with COVID like some people you don’t get to see Yeah, you know, so you know people are in and out and so it’s it’s a little bit hard But yeah, I think it’s a lot of different things. It’s not a single thing.

But yeah, I would say for me, by far it’s the social part and it’s my group of friends the coven the badass is I mean sometimes I do stop and I just say out loud to everyone there it’s like how lucky are we that we get to start our day off just like hanging out with our friends and laughing and we do a lot and for john Collette sorry john. He needs and now Sam they have to put up with our shenanigans but and so that for me is number one, but the other thing that’s amazing is like I’m going to be 56 in June. I’m probably in the best physical shape of my entire life. And I want to keep that going, like I want to be in a place when I retire from work that I can do everything I want to do physically. I’d want to be able to walk really far and travel and maybe have a second career and all of that. And I just see the health and wellness of it being at the core. And I don’t want to believe in like getting older means you’re getting worse. It I don’t. I got two prs this week, actually. And I’m like, yeah, so I’m not going downhill yet. At some point, I will. But it hasn’t happened yet. So I love that feeling to that I get to get at prototype.

Mike Collette 10:39
I love that. Yes. So, so honest, you guys are just literally just spilling your guts, I love it. So, routines, structure, values, the social component, an outsider looking in, like, and again, we don’t need to say on this topic, but but an outsider looking in, right, they drive by, they might drive by the gym. You guys might not know a lot of people have driven by the gym for two years, and haven’t enrolled and have been, like, oh, I’ve always wanted to step in here. But I’ve always been intimidated or have been, or felt like, I can’t do that or, or whatnot. What have you told or how do you how do you tell people about like what you do in there? And you know, I guess like, you know, how does that conversation go?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 11:29
So I have this thing, I don’t want to be that crossfitter talks about CrossFit. So I try not to talk about it. So if somebody asked me, I’ll tell them, but I you know, and so Michaels like Oh god, this is shitty for my business stuff. But like, but like, I just I. So like, you’re saying we’re kind of spilling our guts. It’s like, well, this is the first time I really get to talk to somebody about CrossFit. Because I try not to talk to people about cross. I try not to tell people at work. What I’m doing

You’re the worst crossfitter

God Yeah, yes, like just. I don’t want to do that.

And so it’s so funny. I, of course, like this is typical of Todd and I in a relationship. I’m way over here, where, because I think it’s so great, and so much fun. And like what it’s done for me physically and mentally, I want to like people who I know that I like, I want to tell them about it. I’m like, you got to try this there will be given me that. Okay, that’s good. That’s good. Whatever, you don’t have to talk about it. I will. But the thing I do talk about is people are like, Oh, I could never do that. And I’m like, Oh, yes, you can. Every single person can do it. It’s all scalable, and you can modify it. And if you go to a CrossFit and they don’t do that for you, then that’s not the place for you to go to, you know, the coaches should be really involved in helping you with that, because that’s the other thing. We’ve been there for a long time. And we’ve gotten that kind of guidance and help along the way. So that’s what I tell us. We got our nice we got our nice prospect, so she’s not

Yeah, Katie can Lisa kinsmen? Yep, it does it. I mean, our family for sure. We talked about it’s funny. Yeah, Joseph does it people are like, Oh, I couldn’t do that. I’m like, Yes, you can. Every single person could do it. Yeah. And it would be life changing.

Mike Collette 13:21
You guys, sorry. My God. No, since I’ve been here so long, you guys have created a lot of relationships, good relationships, you’re part of like this 5am early morning workout crew, you have all this all these good relationships and friends now? What’s your favorite memory? so far? And you guys, you know, probably take a second to think about it and you know, might, it might come up, you know, organically doesn’t have to be one but like, what’s your what’s been your favorite memory slash, like, an experience that you’ve that a lot of people might not necessarily think what happens at a gym?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 13:59
I have I have one. I mean, I have a lot but the one that just popped right into my mind is it was during the CrossFit Games. And you know, we judge each other when the workouts go on. So Friday mornings and Todd and I go at 5am because we go early. And so Lisa and i a lot of times we Suzanne sweats and I will end up judging each other. And I remember being so mad Hold on. our dog is chewing a bone right now. It’s quite loud.

Sorry. Lisa’s into it tonight. O the the workout was pull ups in the scaled division and I was like, Are you kidding me? That’s not scaled, scaled, should be jumping pull ups and I was mad. And so we came in and Lisa’s like listen pack, all you have to do is just try one. All you have to do is just try to hang up. And so I was like all right, Lisa. Yeah, I was like beside myself. So um, I get up there and I do a pull up. And she’s like, Oh, that’s so good. That’s so good. Okay, no, try another one, not your other one. And we kept going. And I ended up doing 17 in the Portland, and I’m sure they were really ugly. But Lisa was there and cheering me on and talked me into getting started on the whole thing. And we still laugh about that, because it’s like, remember that time and you’re like, Yeah, I remember that time. So it’s also a good memory because you don’t know what you’re capable of. And then that’s another thing you can get it at CrossFit is like, you can push yourself and try something until you do get it and you don’t get that opportunity a lot as an adult, you don’t have a tendency, I don’t have a tendency to push myself out of my comfort zone. So when people are nervous about doing the games, I’m like, Oh, yeah, I get it. I still get nervous every year. And doesn’t I don’t know why I’m not going to regionals or anything. But um, yeah, I just like that memory. That was a good one.

Mike Collette 15:55
That’s a good like, the best memory. Your first pull ups? I mean, that’s incredible.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 15:59
Yeah, it was cool.

I think for me, I don’t think they’re like, specific memories. That kind of like, could be very good. I think they’re, like, different times. So like, for, for me is like I love our summer party. I was just gonna say though, like, it’s a lot of work. And especially, you’ve just done like four workouts and you’re completely gassed. And it’s, it’s 95 degrees. And I’m standing in front of the grill trying to cook you know, hamburgers and hot dogs.

Mike Collette 16:26
And it’s hard to hold your arms up, because

Todd and Peg Kinsman 16:27
you’re like, you’re like, Oh, my God. And you just worked out with Caitlin, who just carried you through. But like, I just love I love the party. And I love having everybody come over. And it’s amazing that all these people come together and we have that whole thing. Saturday mornings are also awesome. Yeah. A lot of people in the partner work is one of my favorite because gets rest but like was just like a host different people that Saturday. Exactly. Yeah,

Saturday is like you get to see people you don’t see. So a lot of the people that are you know, evenings and stuff or afternoons that we don’t see in the morning, I get to see, you know, so like the Saturday mornings are some of my favorite like, the way the sun comes in on Saturday mornings, through the front windows, whatever, and everybody’s working out. And it’s just, you just leave starting your weekend off like the best way possible. So you feel great. And so those are not specific ones. But just like every Saturday, yeah.

Mike Collette 17:25
How is how is like, so you guys have gotten incredibly fit? I probably do the most fit people at the gym to be candid. How is your fitness? How have you translated that into your not like into everyday living? Like what is that been? Like?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 17:44
I would say I think I don’t know where I was reading this. Or maybe it was, I can’t remember I’ve seen this log or something. But like, it was actually a daily stoic was this idea about the voice that you hear? Or maybe this was your feet, Michael, I can’t remember yours in the daily still, I can get your email. And they’re both good. Same time. But like, this idea, that voice that tells you you can’t do something. And so I think one of the things across What does for me is I get to practice listening to that voice and then not listening to it. And so like I think it Yeah, it’s physical, you know, getting in good shape, but like to be in better shape. I’ve been in better shape at CrossFit, but like, but you go through different stages of your training, so to back CrossFit up ups and downs, and but like I’d say the biggest thing is training, training your mind to kind of deal with adversity. And so the adversity of a workout and I just feel like I can’t finish this thing. But just still finish the workout. You know. And that’s that, that and knowing you can do it. Yes. Put your head down its a chipper.

I’ll get through this when you’re dealing with stuff at home or at work. And you’re like, I’ll get through it. Yeah, you know, doesn’t mean I’m going to have personal record here.

But there’s something to be said about that. Like you Oh, like no matter how long this takes me. I’m going to do it. Yeah. So I think one of the things too, which is kind of like very different from what you just said is one of the things that we started doing. As soon as Todd joined is paying attention to what we eat. I had never done that before my goal never and and just reading labels on things and saying what is this that I’m putting into my body? I wish I had done it so much sooner when my kids were little and paid more attention to that because what I fed them now growing up, I’m just like, oh boy, but um, you don’t. When you know better you do better. So we eat pretty clean too. And that’s been a change that only happened since coming across it.

Mike Collette 19:43
Yeah, so beyond the physical, Todd, you you’ve taken the mental like component or kind of facing adversity or overcoming those challenges and then peg you’ve implemented you guys have both but your thing peg is implementing the nutrition taking home 360 degrees, because it’s true, right? You’re not just working out, you’re improving your, your, your mental fitness, your mindset, the nutrition, and then you start looking at the other areas like stress and sleep and all those sorts of things. And I think you guys have taken that full approach. And I think that is a big thing, why you guys have been so successful. And just personally, in my opinion, I’ve been able to maintain and do this for so long, because you’ve taken all those things, a lot of people, they’ll just do the fitness and then they forget about everything else. But you gotta look at it from that, that that big perspective.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 20:38
Yeah, I think it’s all I think, though, that we’ve been a little bit lucky. So one of the things I admire about the people, some of the people that Jim is that, you know, Peggy and I, you know, our kids have grown, they can take care of themselves. So, this is the same, it’s a similar sort of, you know, compliment I can give to parents who are dealing with this pandemic is like, I, you know, I talk to people on my team, and it’s like, little kids, and they’re trying to balance everything and super hard. But for us to work on those things, whether it’s, you know, stress, or sleep or mobility, we do ramen every night. You know, working out all those things. But it’s just pegging.

Yeah. Or at that point in there. And well, and all our crazy animals. Yeah, it’s like, the people that are doing this with like, kids at home. Yeah, are starting off their careers and working a zillion hours. That’s, that’s hard to so we’re not that you wish to get older, except in the CrossFit Games, so you get the easier workouts. But, um, yeah, we’re adding we’re entering this different block. Yeah.

Yeah, we have a lot more time to be able to do it.

Mike Collette 21:45
So I got it. I got a few more questions for you.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 21:47
Sorry, I’m, you know, talking your ear off like,

Unknown Speaker 21:49
Oh, no, no, this is this is great. I love it. So, what’s next? So you guys have goals? Are there things that you’re working on? Or what is like, what what do you look forward to? What are you focused on? On with health and fitness perspective? or just in general, again, you guys have any goals that you’re you’re looking to accomplish?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 22:10
So maybe Brendan’s Sheehan is? also well, is that any goals? Right? He said,

Mike Collette 22:17
any, anything that you guys are focused on in that you’re looking to improve? Yeah. Yeah, I

Todd and Peg Kinsman 22:21
think tying back to the point about, you know, where we are, in our age, it’s like, you know, we’re thinking about what the next 10 years is, you know, like, Peggy may be looking at changing careers or doing something different, I’m doing something, you know, what I can do at work, and there’s different challenges there. I think from a fitness perspective, I’m kind of stuck a little bit, you know, you know, I, I, I think for the first five years went really hard that I messed up my shoulder and had to take some time to kind of get back and and now so I’m kind of in a maintenance mode. So my goals aren’t really clear. At CFP, I guess the goal is just keep showing up. So that’s kind of where where I am out of that goal.

Mike Collette 23:01
Not a bad goal? Not a Bad goal.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 23:02
Yes. That’s my I have to remind myself that my goal is to be able to walk when I’m 80 years old, that’s really my mom. She’s 82. And severely, she’s got osteo and a whole bunch of stuff, and she never really took care of herself. And I just don’t want that to be mace. It may be but everything I that’s in my control, I’m going to do something about and we’ll see where I am when I get to be that age. So from a fitness perspective, I always have to remind myself that’s what I’m shooting for. And then other than that, it’s an it’s an, I don’t know, Michael, like career wise and things of that nature. And, you know, I know I’m not really sure what it is. We’re gonna find out over the next couple of years, but we’ll be sticking around for sure. just figuring it out.

Mike Collette 23:47
doesn’t need to be all figured out.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 23:49
It’s good. It’s not

Mike Collette 23:50
It doesn’t need to be all figured out. A lot of people think there has to be all figured out. What I learned recently it’s no one has it figured out. Yeah, right. What a lot of added stress on ourselves for that for really no reason. last three questions. Okay, Spitfire. You guys don’t have to be the same answers by the way. What’s your guys favorite movie or TV show? Of all time?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 24:15
Shawshank Redemption I know everybody says that but it is the best movie ever.

I don’t know if it’s my favorite but I’ll just say this one because I stopped on it every time it’s Castaway. Like I anytime that movies on I stop and watch it or maybe Notting Hill or another rom com to Todd’s loves. Thanks for being totally honest here to do

Mike Collette 24:39
Shawshank and Castaway…”WILSON!” favorite musician or music artist of all time.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 24:50
Good Bob Schneider. He’s like, that’s who I think what do you think that? Yeah, out there.

Bob Schneider is this artist from Austin. who we love and we actually took a trip down there a couple years ago and followed him around to all these different places and saw him and periodically comes up the East Coast and we see him he’s awesome. look him up on the internet guys, if you ever but who are you consultants? I probably will call. So Jeff Tweedy and Wilco so it’s probably, but basically to any music. I love music. So I like it.

Mike Collette 25:24
Is that good? That is that that might not be good workout, though.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 25:28
No, no, no, neither. No.

Mike Collette 25:30
Relaxed music. Yes. All right. Last thing. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working? working out? Or at the gym? What’s your favorite? Your favorite hobby?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 25:43
I like hanging out with my animals, like taking our dogs for a walk is probably one of my favorite things in the world to do through the woods.

I don’t know. I think right now we’re just so pandemic focused. So I think it’s probably binge watching. We’ve just been watching. What’s

your favorite thing though? Sitting in many tchibo having a Peggy Rita. That’s pretty nice.

I’m pretty good on vacation. Yeah, yeah, I think that’s one but I was just gonna say it’s like we just been binge watching a lot of stuff. So that’s kind of Yeah,

Mike Collette 26:12
what do you binging doing right now?

Todd and Peg Kinsman 26:14
We’re going back to Curb Your Enthusiasm. So we’ve just we’re started over on that yellow stone a lot of a lot of recommendations from people at the gym. Yeah, SP has given us some stuff so yeah,

Mike Collette 26:29
well that sounds pretty pretty pretty good. Your curve your curve for all you guys that don’t know.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 26:38
I got it. I got it.

Mike Collette 26:39
Yeah, you got it. I saw you. So Todd, pag. Thank you guys so much for being part of that community conversation. This means so much to me and everyone I prototype, and then everyone who’s like listening right now. Thank you for tuning in and watching. Remember, every week we’re releasing a new community conversation with a new guest, maybe guests to get your week started. So to be the first to know, for the new community conversation, subscribe to our YouTube page or join our daily brief newsletter. If you’re a member of prototype, we post these in our members only group on Facebook. So if you’re not in there, for some reason, just let us know. We’ll get you in. And then lastly, if you’re interested in being on the community conversation, choose the message we would love to have you so till next time. Thank you guys.

Todd and Peg Kinsman 27:25
Thanks Everybody, See ya everybody