Jenny is a lot of things.  A mother, an engineer, a cancer survivor.  Most apparent to her fellow CFP members, Jenny is a strong woman setting a great example for everyone around her, including her sidekick (son, Kyle) who comes to REV class with her 3 times a week.

J: What do you do for a living?

J: I’m a software engineer at IBM.

J: Where are you from?  Where did you grow up?

J: I grew up in Colfax, Wisconsin which has a population of 1000.  I was hired by IBM after college and have lived in Rochester for the past 26 years.

J: What brought you to CrossFit Progression?

J: My husband works at HGST and he’s been doing CrossFit since they started the program there.  My son did CrossFit for teens program this past summer, and my daughter was doing CrossFit as part of her high school swim team so I decided to sign up for bootcamp.

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

J: I spend most of my days running between work and shuttling kids to activities, so curling up with a good book is toward the top of my favorites list when I have free time.

J: We have Hip Hop Friday at the gym, but do we need to talk about an entire day at the gym devoted to Country music?

J: As long as it’s upbeat country, I’d be fine with that.

J: Favorite cheat meal?

J: Deep dish pizza and something chocolate for dessert.

J: What’s your favorite healthy recipe?

J: Spinach, halved cherry tomatoes, and garlic sautéd in olive oil.

J: Would you rather: clean and jerk or overhead squat?

J: Overhead squat.

J: Would you rather: leopard crawl or mountain climbers?

J: Mountain climbers.

J: What’s your least favorite movement?

J: Burpees.

J: What’s your perfect WOD?

J: I’m currently doing the 6am REV class and Nicki comes up with great ones every time!

J: What goals are you currently chasing?

J: Pretty generic so far – I just want to continue making classes a habit and get stronger.

J: What’s one things that your fellow CFP members would be surprised to know about you?

J: I have an hour of piloting time logged in a hot air balloon, (20+ years ago).

J: What’s the hardest part of CrossFit?

J: Getting to bed early enough so I can get up in time for my 6am class.

J: What’s the best thing you’ve gotten out of your time at CFP?

J: Realizing that some of the workouts I really struggled with at first are becoming easier.

J: Favorite piece of advice you’ve gotten from a coach?

J: Make the last rep your best one!

J: What’s your spirit animal?

J: An eagle.

J: How has your outlook on yourself changed since joining CrossFit Progression?

J: In the summer of 2014 I lost my dad and then had a diagnosis of cancer.  Surgery followed and then came a lengthy recovery.  Doing CrossFit and seeing myself getting stronger has given me a sense that I’m in control again.

J: What has been your fondest memory during your time at CrossFit Progression?

J: Laughing with my bootcamp buddies as we compared muscle aches after the latest workout.

J: How is your experience at CFP different from what you’ve done previously?

J: I’ve found CFP to be a very welcoming environment.   There’s a wide variety of ages and fitness levels, and everyone is encouraging everyone else.  The coaches are fabulous and they work hard to make sure everyone in the class puts as much effort as they are able but doesn’t get hurt doing it.

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

J: Stick it out through the soreness.  Those first weeks of bootcamp were rough, but it’s gotten better the longer I’ve been doing it.

The Next Progression Boot Camp Starts soon!