Athlete Spotlight – Claudia Vaillancourt

What were you doing for fitness training before joining BVC? 

I was a true couch potato; the exercise I did was driving my kids
around to their activities.

What made you decide to try CrossFit? 

My friend started CrossFit about 1 year before me and kept telling me how much she thought I would like it. I did the Couch to CrossFit classes and fell in love with the classes, the community at the gym and I felt really included.

What improvements have you made that you are most proud of? 

Just before the lock-down, I finally was able to do box jumps; previously I had a
mental block of being able to jump on the box but after a little push from the
coaches, I realized I was ready. I am also proud of my overall fitness improvement, my running has improved, and I worked really hard on my push-ups trying to keep my elbows tight.

How has CrossFit changed your life/lifestyle? 

I realized that the excuses I was making were all in my head. No excuses is my new moto! I have 3 kids that do activities and a full time job. If I can make it
work, anybody can! I lost weight during the lock-down, thanks to the challenge which included the nutrition portion, helping me understand my eating habits.

Did you manage to stay active through the lock-
down? If so, how?

Yes, I did the challenge and that really helped me stay focused with exercise and nutrition. Thanks to coach Liz for allowing us to take some equipment home, that was a tremendous help.

Tell us about any other activities you love to do outside of the gym.

I like mountain biking as it allows me to do it with my kids. I also like skiing
in the winter and both activities are now easier because of my improved
health.

What is one of your goals for this upcoming year?

I would like to be able to do a pull-up by next year. I think I have improved
my kipping… it’s all about the little wins along the way!

What motivates you during a WOD?

I like the way the WODs are setup, warm ups, breakdown of the movements and then the workout itself. I like that it feels as though it is a community, I feel comfortable knowing others are going through the same as I am. I like to have people look up to as it pushes me to keep up and/or get better.

If you could create your own WOD,
what would it be?

I would say a chipper:
Buy in/buy out rowing, squats, deadlifts,
situps, push sled

If someone was thinking of joining Bow Valley Crossfit what would you say to them? 

That was the best thing I have ever done. That is My Time for Me. When I am at the gym, I don’t think about anything else, it’s just me, the gym, the music, the coaches, the community, the workout. Don’t wait another minute, just do it, it will change your life for the best.

 

Claudia, you are an amazing addition to our community. You have worked so, so hard to be at the level of fitness you are today and you deserve every success along the way. Seeing your smiling face in the gym at 6am brightens everyone’s day and we are so grateful that you decided to join us. 

Here’s to you and your CrossFit journey.