Miriam Vera

ATHLETE PROFILE:

Name: Miriam Vera

Hometown: Cypress

Age: 28

Occupation: Medical Assistant

When did you first start CrossFitting?: September 2014

When did you first start training at CrossFit Katy?: September 2014

What class do you generally attend (morning/afternoon)? Afternoon

Favorite WOD: 12 Days of Crossfit, even though I almost passed out. It’s fun because it has so many movements in one workout.

Least Favorite WOD: Anything with burpees and thrusters, I hate them lol.

Tell us about you sports & fitness background: I didn’t really play sports in school, I was the dancer/cheerleader girl. Not very athletic at all.

How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? Take us back to your first WOD… what was it, and how did it feel? I was first made aware of Crossfit in 2012 by one of my co-workers back in California. I was too scared/intimated to try it, so I stayed away. Then finally in September 2014 I decided it was time to actually start working out like I kept saying I was going to. I get bored easily and like most need to be pushed for something to get done, yes I am a procrastinator haha. I searched for a Crossfit gym close to work so I can head over after work. I am definitely not a morning person. I found Crossfit Katy and decided to just do it. I can’t even remember what my first WOD was, I started with the Burn classes. I do remember that halfway through the 400 meter warm up run I had to stop and walk. I also remember how out of shape I felt after the warm up and being told I still had the actual WOD to go. Definitely an eye opener at how out of shape I was.

What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CF (before/after)? I have lost about 25 lbs, I have muscle definition, I make better choices as far as eating (not always lol), I have more energy, and just feel happy.

What sort of changes in your life have you experienced out of taking on something like CrossFit that were totally unexpected? The weight lifting part, just like every girl out there. I thought “oh no I can’t lift weights, I will look like a man!” Well I was completely wrong, Crossfit opened up my eyes and completely changed my perspective when it comes to weightlifting. I now love it!

Name one goal you have reached since joining CFK and one goal you want to achieve (example: deadlift/squat/press ¬¬¬___ pounds; do a pullup; do a WOD RX’d, etc.): The goal I was most proud of was running 800 meters non-stop, that for me was huge. I hate running, I have never been good at it. My next goal that I want to achieve is being able to do a pull-up without a band, once I get that I will be able to work on bigger goals like a muscle up!

Please share with us any favorite CrossFit / CFK moments: My favorite moment was during the open in 2015, it was the last open workout. It had thrusters of course, well I was really struggling. All I remember was some of the girls from the gym formed a circle around me and started cheering me on, pushing me. If it wasn’t for that, I think I would have definitely quit in the middle of that WOD. That’s my most favorite thing about Crossfit, everyone is cheering for everyone.

Any advice for people just getting started? Don’t give up, keep moving. Doesn’t matter if you’re moving slow, just keep moving. Also don’t ever say you can’t because once you do, you’re right, you can’t.

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit? I spend most of my time at work and at the gym haha, I definitely love art. I haven’t picked up a brushed and painted until recently so hopefully I keep it up. I also love movies, so being at home on my couch watching a movie is definitely a favorite for me.

‍