Share your CrossFit Prototype experience and fitness journey
Years ago I was a collegiate (and many years beyond) soccer player.  I also ran a lot and completed a couple of marathons.  All that seemed to slow to a near stop as my life got busier and busier with a young family and a crazy job as a globe-trotting consultant.  Something had to give.  I joined a local gym and started to learn a little about weight lifting (something I had never done before)…nothing technical; certainly no Olympic lifts, but it got me off the couch.  Along the way, many around me were getting on the Crossfit train.  I resisted.  I had the impression that it was a little cult-like and I was happy quietly lifting on my own.  A turning point occurred when my wife, Lillian Rich, started working out with Mike.  She raved about the way he customized workouts for her, pushed (but didn’t break) her and otherwise created a welcome environment for her to enjoy fitness.  Through the vagaries of a CFP Holiday Party raffle (I attended as a guest of Lillian), I ended up with a few free introductory personal training sessions with Mike.  I reluctantly took a sip of the Koolaid.  Mike was gentle at first.  …a few bench presses, a couple of pullups… piece of cake.  Then he introduced me to the Assault Bike.  “a few rounds of 5 calories, you say, Mike?”  At the end of that toy workout, I was gasping for air.  I’ve come a long way from that! Even during those one-on-one training sessions with Mike, I was constantly asking about what the class was doing.  He could tell I really wanted to be part of that community and he ultimately transitioned me to GenPop.  I was all in.

What is your favorite part about being at CFP? 
What I love most about CFP is the community.  Perhaps that is a hackneyed thing to observe in this blog but it is true for me, nonetheless.  I love the vibe the gym exudes when you show up for a Murph; the energy around a Friday during the Open; even the anticipation of BZ hollering: “3…2…1…GO!” on a regular weekday at 3:30.  I’ve grown to especially value the Partner events on Saturday mornings (even if it is way too early) when I chase around (but never catch) my friend and workout partner, Colin Lake. I also have to point out here how impressed I am with the flexibility of the coaches.  I am currently nursing a chronic injury to my elbow (ah, youth is wasted on the young).  As a result, right now I have to fairly dramatically modify many of the movements.  Now, I am not talking here about substituting a jumping pull up for a regular pullup, rather I am referring to throwing out the pullup altogether and doing a vested air squat (or the like).  To a person, each coach has rolled with my limitations and helped me design something that leaves me properly sweaty and fully worked out.  Thank you, Gang!

What are your hobbies and activities?

I love to play golf (you wouldn’t really know that watching me play but I keep at it anyway).  I’ve really enjoyed getting to be part of the CFP golfing crew and, even though we don’t hold a candle to the travel antics of the Ladies of 5am, we are doing our best to compete.  While I’m a terrible golfer, I am much better with the tiller of a sailboat or the wheel of power boat in Boston Harbor and waters beyond.  I’m trying to get out there as much as possible.  Also, as I have eased into retirement from Corporate America, I have mostly taken on the role of chef for the family.

How has (if it has) CFP helped you outside the gym (in sports etc)? 
General life is better when you have the confidence of fitness.  Chasing the kids, moving furniture (“you want me to move that couch, again??”), toting groceries, shoveling snow…the list is endless.

What are you continuing fitness goals to this point?

I would really like to improve my flexibility.  I feel this would translate into better performance all over the shop.  John Collette recently asked me after a back squat workout, “How’d you do?”.  I told him that I wasn’t near my PR and that I was disappointed in my performance.  As an afterthought I added, “but, I think my squat might be getting a little deeper…”  John’s face brightened.  He essentially told me to shut up about the weight and revel in the long term benefits of that improved flexibility.  Astute, indeed.

What is your favorite quote? 

A few months back we had a CFP goal of getting 10K (I think) calories on the Assault Bike.  As the month wore on, we were woefully short of reaching the goal.  I kept doing the math, noting with increasing concern that there was NO WAY we could catch up.  Near the end of the month the crew rallied; on the last Sunday morning there was a APB issued by G on Facebook and some diehards assembled.  Goal achieved.  Mike Collette:  “if we really put our minds around something, the CFP Community can do anything!”  I’m going with that.