Chances are you may not have met Beth yet, because she’s one of “those” that works out before the sun’s up.  But she’s a CrossFit veteran who’s become a huge asset to our gym in a short period of time.  Read on to get to know Beth Brunton.

What do you do for a living?

I am a postdoctoral fellow at Mayo Clinic.  I am part of a research group engineering viruses to treat a variety of cancers.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of the gym?

I like spending time with my friends and family, cooking, (I love trying new recipes), biking, and hiking.

What made you decide to try Progression?

After my husband, Jeff and I moved to Rochester last April, I was looking to make new friends and find a gym atmosphere that would keep me motivated.

How long have you been at Progression Fitness?

I joined the end of July, 2016.  So almost 9 months.

What was your experience with fitness like prior to Progression?

I played sports, (basketball and softball) growing up and tried long distance running for a while when I started graduate school at the University of Iowa.  When I finally got tired of running workouts, I found myself joining a boot camp class at a local gym with one of my close friends.  This was our introduction to CrossFit style workouts.  We continued these types of workouts for 3+ years at the University gym by following a variety of CrossFit gym blogs.  During that time we got a lot of weird looks as we lifted heavy weights and did our WOD’s among the treadmills and lifting machines.

What was your biggest fear when you started?

I feared that after years without a formal Coach, that my form on many of the lifts we do often would be not great.  I am still working to correct some bad form habits but they weren’t as bad as I had feared.

Favorite cheat meal?

Ice cream and chocolate or the combination.

What goal(s) are you currently chasing?

Pull ups and double-under’s.

What’s the hardest part about your fitness journey at the moment?

Mentally staying motivated to go to bed early, getting up in the morning to get to 5:30am class, and convincing myself to keep going and push through to finish the hard workouts.

What’s one thing your fellow CFP’ers would be surprised to learn about you?

I have my doctorate in Microbiology.  I studied the Ebola virus for my graduate work in hopes of understanding how the virus enters cells so we could develop therapies to block the virus.

What’s your favorite piece of advice you’ve gotten from a Coach or member at Progression?

My favorite pieces of advice are to “squeeze your butt” and “keep your core tight”, especially when I am tired.  Also, Coach Michael always has great advice on pacing and choosing weights prior to our WOD’s.

How has your outlook on health/fitness changed since starting at Progression Fitness?

Since I started, I can’t imagine a life without being active.  I love the challenge of the workouts and truly enjoy lifting heavy.  Being active helps to reduce the stress in my life and helps me lead a healthier life.  I also have found that I have a cleaner diet and take more time for myself in all aspects of life.

What has been your fondest memory during your time at Progression?

Participating in Friday Night Lights this year.  I have done Open workouts in the past but the atmosphere on Friday nights at CFP pushed me to really challenge myself, (even doing my first Rx Open workout).

Why do you think you’ve stuck with Progression Fitness?

The CFP community!  Everyone is so encouraging and help to motivate me to continue to improve my fitness day in and day out.

What would be your one piece of advice for someone who’s just joining Progression Fitness?

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.  It may improve both your mental and physical well-being.