In all my years of blogging (so it’s been less than two years, but still!), I do not think I have ever come across anyone that has called me out publicly as her girl crush, but this week one of my potential spotlights did just that. I wanted to feature her even before she flattered me in such a way, but it is always nice to get a little ego boost and know that you are making a difference or inspiring someone!
@winetoweights xooxxo š #IHaveAGirlcrushOnJenniferDontTell š
ā Sandy Shepard (@fempowerment) November 20, 2013
This week’s spotlight is a woman who I am pretty sure has done it all, yet still is always striving for more. I admire this woman for what she has done and love that her active lifestyle has kept her feeling and looking young! A former Marine, Ironman, self-starter and lover of life, Sandy has recently discovered Crossfit and is ready to tackle the next chapter of her life!
Name:Ā Sandy Shepard
Blog:Ā BeABondGirl.com and DreamChoosers.com
Twitter:Ā @fempowerment
Pinterest:Ā BeABondGirl
Instagram: BeABondGirl
Facebook: fempowerment
LinkedIn:Ā sandyshepard
Location:Ā Marin County (across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco), CA
Age:Ā 50+
What types physical activity do you enjoy?
I donāt really like physical activity š I LOVE lying on the couch and eating bon-bons. š HOWEVER, I have completed an Ironman, I did a handful of marathons in the past year (oh and the Lavaman triathlon), and Iām applying to The Amazing Race.
How did you get started in weight lifting?
I have been lifting now for 2 months. I started because I realized that, while I could run a marathon without issues (WELL, I could run 17 miles without issues, then I would be grumpy, but thatās pretty far for a couch potato), and swim like a mile, etc., I was super duper weak āstrength-wise.ā Also, I have had continual issues with one shoulder from when I was doing pole dancing, and nothing seemed to be able to get me out of constant, nagging, low-grade (or high grade depending on the activity) pain. I got a Groupon for Crossfit, and havenāt looked back!
I had one bad experience with a different box (actually with a coach) that was so frustrating it made me cry, but I went back because I felt fairly strongly this would REALLY make a difference. Iām still a āweak sisterā but Iām constantly amazing myself and my hubby. Example ā last night he and I deadlifted the same amount in a 10 RFT that includes 10 deadlifts in it ā now look, weāre talking less than 100 lbs, but still ā and the coach even whispered āgood jobā to me (Heās not a big one for praise, but in a nice way, not a mean way).
How many places in your life can you, at age 50, get āPRsā and āatta girlsā ā I mean, seriously? Thatās what keeps me going back. Oh, and of course the fact that Iām kinda digging having calluses. Yes, thatās weird, I know.
Favorite workout or lift?
Right now, I really like deadlifting (um, obviously!) I still canāt do much of the workout otherwise, I scale everything in a big way. HOWEVER, 2 months ago, I was deadlifting the 10 lb āswirly barā (itās a bar that you canāt put plates on ā the ends are āswirledā) and that was plenty, now I have a regular orange bar (I think itās 10 kg ā maybe 15?) plus ok itās not a lot, but 10 kg either side. (Yesterday I started with 5 either side ā which is what Iād done before ā and then I just added 2 more 5s either side to see what would happen LOL) I have a bad shoulder, plus I blew both my knees out in the Marines, so I am ābroken.ā
But for the first time in memory, I donāt wake up with pain in my shoulder. Oops, I am wandering š Letās see, what else do I like to do? I love to push the sled. Maybe thatās because I was born in the Year of the Ox. And I really like pulling the battle rope with weights on it. Arrrrrrr, Me Strong. LOL.
Current lifting-related goal:
To do a pullup. To do a pushup once the doctor says I can. To do a burpee for real instead of basically a āstair climber, pike, updog combo). To do an OHS with something more than the weakest power band. To climb the rope. To do a handstand. To have one of the competing athletes (we have a bunch of competitors, theyāre unbelievable) in the box see me do something good or cheer me on. I think that basically āto do an X for realā on ANY Crossfit-related thing is how I would fill in this blank. Or, how about ādoing a workout at Rxā? That would be awesome. Iām way far from that now, thatās for sure.
Piece of advice for new lifters or those reluctant to try:
Find the right box. I started at one where the coach made me feel like a big loser in the first sessions (the āon rampā where you have to do personal training before you can actually join classes?) Iām not sure if itās because he heard Iād done like 4 marathons and was on my way to Austria to do another one, plus Iād been in the Marines, etc. but he CONSTANTLY kept saying basically how unfit I was. I would go home and just cry. I went to Austria for the marathon and came back and never went back to the box and pretty much crossed Crossfit off my list to try to get stronger. Then another box had a Groupon and I thought Iād give it a go.
The most important part of this box (for me) was that NONE of my friends belonged. We have (literally) 10 boxes within about a 15 minute drive from my house. 2 (including the one that I went to first) are within 5 minutes. I went to a box thatās a 15-20 minute drive depending on traffic, and though itās actually the FIRST Crossfit in our area a lot of āhard coreā Crossfitters put it down because it is a HUGE area but 1/3 is Crossfit, 1/3 is gymnastics, and 1/3 is Parkour. They call it āoh, that Parkour boxā which is most assuredly is NOT. Anyway ā so I actually LIKE the fact it has all sorts of things I can aspire to like an ENORMOUS amount of Parkour stuff, a rock climbing wall, etc. ā I love that there are kids there from fat to thin, boys and girls, doing stuff that I would have been way too scared to do as a kid (I was a bookworm, DEFINITELY not athletic, until I was well into my adulthood).
So I would say to new folks, and this is coming from just MY experience, but if youāre curious about it, look for a Groupon, first, and then go to a box where you know NO ONE. Then you donāt have to be nice ā if you reject it youāre not rejecting your crazy friend who lives for this stuff ā you donāt have to tell anyone youāre even doing it ā etc. And if you can find a box with a āConditioningā class, DEFINITELY go for that over jumping right into the WODs. I LOVE that about our box too. And sometimes, Conditioning is HARDER than the usual WOD ā but the good part is that generally everyone in there is at or around your fitness level, versus jumping into a WOD where the folks look like they are Action Figures.
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How would you like to be the next in the spotlight? I love to spotlight ladies in all fitness levels; it does not matter if you are a brand new lifter or a seasoned veteran! Check out theĀ past spotlightsĀ andĀ contact meĀ for details!
Omg. That’s so crazy that a coach was telling you how unfit you were!! That’s ridiculous. I totally agree with finding the right box. We have a lot of people transfer to our box from other ones in the area that are more “competitive.” Our box has a lot of beginners and is just very positive — we like it that way. Good luck with your pull-ups!! You can do it!!!
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November 22, 2013 at 1:29 pm
There are so many things right about this post! Sandy you rock! I love your attitude and sense of humor. And this is the 2nd time in 2 days that someone has mentioned pole dancing. I think I need to look for a class and just try it already!
@Mary and @CorrieAnne – THANKS! And @Mary – pole dancing is a blast. Just be SUPER careful how they teach you. Shoulder injuries are rampant. Then again if you’re a Crossfitter, you probably know how to “lock your shoulder” already etc. – which will put you miles ahead in that area.
I love this! I live in the next county north of Sandy! The first crossfit box I went to wasn’t for me either. It is really important to find a good fit.
I took pole dance classes for a few months about 5-6 years ago. Super fun, but I didn’t have the upper body strength to keep going.
@Beki – I found in pole dancing that often it really isn’t the upper body strength as much as it is “understanding how your body functions.” Because I can still do a ton of pole stuff where I can’t even do an overhead squat, etc. A lot of it has to do with how you’re taught, I think. FUN that you’re in either Napa or Sonoma! How GORGEOUS is it today after the rain? Have a great thanksgiving!
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Loved this spotlight!!!
Sandy is a true inspiration!!!
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