Nicole Washington

If you had told me in grade school that I would become a CrossFit coach I would ask you "What is CrossFit?" It's funny that I never played sports as a kid. The closest athletic thing that I participated in was the marching band and step team. When I got to college I helped in many leadership positions that allowed me to teach and train individuals but none of those ever included physical activity. My husband introduced me to working out my junior year of college. I dreaded working out myself but I loved watching others dig deep and feel that satisfaction after completing their workouts. Post-college graduation fitness became an on-and-off part of my life. I rarely went to the gym to workout but if someone managed to get me there I gave it my all. My husband and I reached a point where we decided to take our health and fitness seriously. We joined a free weights gym and trained together. I remember viewing my progress on the videos as we recorded over time. I was so proud of myself and how far I had come! Fast forward to today, I'm proud of myself for remaining consistent. There have been times when I allowed traveling for work to get me off track. Although that first day getting back into the gym is hard, is something that I know is inevitable. Overall I want to be remembered as a Coach who made people smile and laugh while improving and doing this challenging thing called CrossFit. I also want to be a constant reminder that if I can do it anyone can.

I've been doing CrossFit since November 2020. I've had a different motivation for showing up every day. Recently I've hit a turning point that will forever stick with me inside and outside of CrossFit. For my fitness journey, I continue CrossFit because I love how it makes me feel. I have struggled with comparing myself to others my entire life. The same happened when I initially started CrossFit. I struggled because I focused more on the scores of similar athletes than I did on my success after the WOD. The moment I found my CrossFit community and developed genuine friendships within that community, it helped me to remember that we are all different athletes with various strengths and weaknesses. I also learned to cheer myself through every WOD simply for having the courage to do it!

I remember my first time walking into a CrossFit gym and watching a group class. I thought, "There is no way I can do this" the entire time. My husband and I started CrossFit together and it has been life-changing for us both. For me, it started as a way for us to spend quality time together. It has evolved into an essential part of my weekly routine. I'm not always confident or excited walking into the WOD, but the thing that I enjoy most is the way CrossFit has strengthened my mind. I know that I can do hard things. I also know that it's about reaching my stimulus and no one else's. I love that CrossFit truly is for everyone. I love how multi-generational CrossFit Liberate is. It's empowering to be in a room with people ranging from 6-65+ with everyone actively giving their best and getting stronger. It's about showing up. If you show up you win. I decided to be a CrossFit coach specifically to help introduce this amazing sport to others. I want everyone who dares to give CrossFit a try to know that they are supported and can accomplish their fitness goals. I want to let the world know that CrossFit truly is for everyone.

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