Athlete Spotlight: Kevin Monahan

Monahan_picName: Kevin Monahan
Age: 40
Occupation: Pastor at 12Stone Church
Which class time do you usually attend? 6 a.m. or 9:30 a.m.
Favorite WOD: Filthy Fifty
Favorite Lift: Power Clean
Deadlift Max: 395
Back squat Max: 245
Fran: 6:42 Rx. Thrusters are from the devil.
Cindy: 15 rounds
Muscle-ups? Yes. Done a few, but it isn’t pretty.
1 mile run: 7:38
How long have you been CrossFitting? Since October 2012

What keeps you coming back/motivated?
“I am consistently inspired by he challenge of the workout, the encouragement of the coaches and the friendships within the CrossFit community.”

How did you find CrossFit?
“Coach Ben Davis. I was connected to him through a friend. Ben worked me through foundations and I was hooked in a few short weeks.”

What is your athletic background (If applicable)?
“Soccer through high school and college.”

How has CrossFit changed your life, lifestyle, level of fitness?
“Crossfit has been a game changer for me. I started CrossFit a week before my 39th birthday. My goal was to be ‘Fit by 40.’ During my first week of training, I wrote down some personal health and fitness goals to achieve during the next 12 months. That list was archived for one calendar year. When I retrieve that list on my 40th birthday, I was floored by what I had accomplished through CrossFit.”

What is the one thing you have done here that you never thought you could do? (muscle up, double unders, heavy deadlift, run a mile, etc.)
“When I first started I could barely do one pull up. Now that I can kip/butterfly 50-60 pulls up in a WOD blows me away!”

What motivates/inspires you?
“The people that we get to work out with. We laugh, we struggle and we push through. In every class there is someone who I can try and ‘compete’ with. The friendly competition drives me to go farther, faster. Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, but we always have a great time.”

What is your proudest CrossFit achievement?
“Personally, it was the opportunity to baptize Coach Mario this past year. No Excuses CrossFit, was just the venue that God used to connect us friends.”

Name one goal/personal achievement you would like to achieve through CrossFit?
“Overhead Squats. I have some minor shoulder issues that I need to work through. For fun, I want to beat Coach Brandon in a WOD. He always presses me to work harder. I hope that my best day and his worst day collide with me as the champion.”

What goals have you achieved in CrossFit?
“Weight lost, muscle gain and mental strength to keep getting at it.”

Hobbies/Interests outside of CrossFit?
I love spending time with my wife and three kids.”

What is your favorite meal?
Anytime of breakfast cereal. Carbs and sugars. They get me every time.”

Any advice for new members?
“You’re competing against yourself, not others. Chase down your own capacity before chasing the person next to you. And don’t always believe the white board. Most of us cant count correctly and WOD at the same time.”

Coach Brandon’s take:
“I still remember the first time Kevin did a WOD at No Excuses CrossFit. It was ‘Christine’ (3RFT, 500 row, 12 bodyweight deadlifts, 21 box jumps) and girl WODs are never easy. He was struggling as to be expected and kept grabbing his chest. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. Luckily he didn’t and he came back to WOD with us again and again. That first year of CrossFit Kevin’s mantra was ‘Fit By 40’. That was all the motivation he needed every time he walked in the gym. About six months with us, you could see a change in his physique and level of fitness. You know every time Kevin is in class he’s going to do his best and give it his all. It’s been fun watching him nearly die that first WOD to being one of our well-rounded athletes in the gym.”