Athlete of the Month: Colleen Byrnes

Hometown: Wilmington, DE

Current Location: Conshohocken, PA

Age: 24

Occupation: Marketing Content Creator

College: University of Delaware

How long have you been a CrossFitter? I dabbled with Crossfit in college for about 7 ish months and then took a 3 year hiatus before joining Crossfit KOP in May 2018.

Did you ever play sports? I think almost all of them at some point, but the one that stuck was swimming. I swam from the age of 4 through the end of my junior year of college.

Got some cool (or uncool) hobbies you'd like to share? I definitely spend way too much time in coffee shops, not sure if that really counts as a hobby? I also really like fashion & styling.

What has been your biggest achievement at CrossFit in general? Can I say everything? Pull-ups (strict, kipping, and butterfly) were huge for me. Rope climbs were another big one considering I'm very afraid of heights. And just gaining strength in general!

What skill had you been working on all during 2018, and did they become successes? I didn't have any specific goals set in 2018 other than just improving overall, but accomplished a few movements I didn't realize I was capable of doing. Butterfly pull-ups, rope climbs, and handstand pushups. I also spent some time working on Olympic lifting technique which helped me be able to put up a lot more weight!

Goals for the whole 2019 year? I want to get bar muscle-ups so badly!

What's your favorite WOD? For the most part, I like a lot of WOD's that we do. The one that sticks out most recently was with double unders and heavy snatches. Anything with a barbell, double unders, and rowing I generally like.

How about your favorite food/snacks? Sushi & pizza (preferably with pineapple on it)

What is the craziest workout outside of CF you have ever done? I'd have to say swim practices at UD are up there. Swimming close to 8 miles in a day feels like it's probably pretty crazy.

What’s your least favorite WOD? Kalsu 1000%

Favorite lift/movement? Cleans & double unders

What’s your least favorite lift/movement? Burpee box jump overs, hands down

Whats your favorite piece of workout "gear"? It's no secret I have a slight obsession with camo print, so I'd have to say my camo knee sleeves :)

What you say is your biggest improvement since starting CF? My mentality! Crossfit has helped me overcome a lot mentally, whether it was inside or outside of the gym. The coaches and other members have helped me grow a lot in that aspect.

Who is your favorite coach? I definitely couldn't pick just one, each coach has helped me in different ways! The coaches I see most often - Aimee, Steph, Manisha, & Justin all do a great job at pushing me out of my comfort zone, which has helped me improve significantly. I really love all of our coaches at the gym! They create such a welcoming and encouraging environment for everyone and I'm really grateful to be able to be a part of this community. I always have a great time in class and our coaching staff plays a big part in making it the fun environment that it is.

PR's to mention? Goals Reached? Nutrition highlights?.. I did my first competition back in April and have done a few others since and I have loved them! It was really cool to be able to podium finish, so I'd say that is an accomplishment I'm proud of! Next up, RX division I promise :) As far as nutrition, I started working with Justin on nutrition and counting macros last fall. I immediately noticed improvements in the gym and my clothes were fitting better and I just had more energy in general. It's helped me learn a lot about fueling my body rather than just eating "good" or "bad" foods.