My Next Journey: CrossFit

I’ve lived in various areas around Michigan, coast to coast and throughout the Mitten. Each city sparked a new interest of mine. As a high schooler in Sterling Heights, running. At Alma College, language. In Manistee, yoga and spirituality. In Midland, beer. This month marks a year living in Grand Blanc. I love my job. I have adopted an adorable dog with whom I’m only mildly obsessed. But that new hobby didn’t make its appearance into my life until January.

I’ve been following 810 CrossFit online since August. Everything Joe and the other coaches preached had resonated with me, but I’ll admit I was still just a bit too nervous to join. I saw my Facebook friends doing CrossFit and thought maybe it was just a bit too ‘hardcore’ for me, so I stuck with that gym membership going through motions that weren’t helping my overall fitness all while secretly wanting to be that hardcore.

And then I made that leap. I wanted to be stronger, to be more confident in my everyday life, to be a better me. I joined the New You Challenge, a six-week challenge, in January. I was surprised by how much of a community it really was. People were introducing themselves and saying ‘hi’ as soon as I joined my first class. Before, working out was equal parts keeping my earbuds in, dodging awkward eye contact with anyone on the treadmills and following poorly written instructions on the machines.

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Aside from high school sports, I never really went into a workout with a plan, with someone guiding me, correcting my form, making sure I get the most out of each movement. Now I have exactly that, including a coach pushing me to do my best, do that last rep, add that extra weight I know I can handle, but I’m just a little too shy to try. And not only that, but I have a group of people excited for me and cheering me on. Whether it was that I pushed through a particularly hard workout or accomplished something I couldn’t do before, someone was there to tell me good job!

I love that I could find a community within my community, and I’m so ready to invite more to join us! Now I can really see that I’m capable of much more than I had been doing before, and I’m excited to see my strength improve and keep pushing myself to be better. And I can't wait to prove my newfound strength and test my limits on Memorial Day with the Murph Challenge.

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My workouts are no longer done alone on dreadful treadmills with music through my earbuds; they’re done laughing with friends, pushing each other to keep going. ​​​

If you’re looking to improve your health and fitness with a group of fun, encouraging people, 810 CrossFit is the place to go. ​

Carly Schlinkert

Craft Beer and CrossFit Enthusiast