September 2019 Athlete of the Month: Hannah Williford
We have so much love for our community, and want to take the chance to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work – if you haven’t met Hannah yet (or even if you have), make sure to say hello and smile next time you’re at the gym!

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since beginning CrossFit?

I’ve been doing CrossFit 6 years now (wild!). Physically, I’ve noticed increasing strength and muscle. I primarily ran before starting CrossFit, so I was on the leaner side. Mentally…where to begin. I’ve gained a lot more confidence in myself and in my abilities, in/outside of the gym. I still have mental barriers to break down, but I’d never have thought before starting this journey that I’d ever lift 100+ pounds over my head, or do even a single pull-up!

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym?

It has helped me to become a stronger/faster runner, which I definitely appreciate every time I toe the line for a race. It has also given me an amazing friendship group that I am very thankful for!

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?

Mary and Vickie inspire me everyday with their upbeat attitude (it’s contagious!) and determination to reach their goal(s) 🙂

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?

I’m practically 30 going on 80… I love watching Murder She Wrote. I am cold almost always. Napping in my favorite recliner is a thing. I could go on.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?

Learning the terminology and movements can be overwhelming at first – try not to get frustrated! It’s so worth being patient and learning the proper form/technique to each movement.
You’ll laugh, cry and sweat rivers with your fellow CrossFitters/friends on the regular, and it’s one of the best parts of my day. Get ready for the most memorable fitness journey of your life!

Q: What are your top 3 memories in CrossFit?

I have soooo many great memories!
1. The first time I got a double under, I about cried! It took me almost two years to get them figured out, but now I love them.
2. My very first pull-up was also monumental (thanks for getting it on film, Alyssa!). I go back and watch the video sometimes to see how far I’ve come and look forward to all the things I’ve yet to accomplish!
3. Attending BaconFest when we were at Terminus 1.0 was so much fun! [Flip Cup Champions! If ya know, ya know haha]

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment?

That’s a tough one..I think finally learning to believe in myself and what my body was capable of changed everything for me. Being able to scale workouts is one of the best things about CrossFit – it makes fitness accessible to anyone! For the longest time, I doubted myself constantly though and would never push myself to scale up, it was always down or the same. I’d say/think things like ‘I can’t possibly lift more than this #35 bar’ or ‘running a 400m lap in under 2 min, you must be joking?’. Eventually something clicked and I started adding plates to my bar, pushing my legs to their limits and seeing the results of coming in 5 days a week, instead of 2-3. Where I am now versus where I was at 6 years ago is just crazy to think about – the progress has been so rewarding!

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term CrossFit goals?

Short term – I’m working on bettering my push-ups and pull-ups.
Long term – I’ve got to push past my mental barriers and get that handstand push-up! Being comfortable upside down is a work in progress for sure.