Athlete Spotlight: Deb Walston

Name: Deborah Walstonphoto 2(1)
Age: 29 and six halves
Occupation: Elementary School Teacher
Which class time do you usually attend? 7:00 pm
Favorite Lift: Clean (not jerk…just clean)
Deadlift Max: 275
Back squat Max: 240 (one time counts, right?)
Favorite Food: Pickles
Favorite Movie: Forrest Gump
Favorite Athlete: Rich Froning, duh?!
Dream Job: Own a cute little market style shop
Dream Vacation Destination: Europe, all of it.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
“Officially, I’ve been doing CrossFit for seven months.”

What keeps you coming back/motivated?
“I love the simplicity of CrossFit. You push; you pull, jump and run. You pick something up, and then you put it down. Sometimes that something is heavy and you feel like you can’t do it. Then, you surprise yourself by what you did. Additionally, I love the competitive spirit of CrossFit. You compete with yourself and others to bring out the best in everyone.”

How did you find CrossFit?
“My first experience with CrossFit was watching the 2011 Games on ESPN. I remember seeing Julie Foucher in that terrible one-piece speedo running through the sand and then doing a million pull ups soon after. I thought if she could do it, so can I (all except the one piece speedo). CrossFit then became something I wanted to try when I was fit enough. It took about 3 years for me to finally muster up the courage and join No Excuses. Looking back, I wish I ‘d started back then. It isn’t about being “fit enough.” Everyone has to start sometime.”

What is your athletic background (If applicable)?
“When I was younger I participated in baseball, bowling, swimming, bass fishing, and ballet just to name a few. Eventually, I began competing in gymnastics throughout late elementary and middle school. This continued until I was a sophomore in high school. Then, I ran track in high school during my junior year. After that, there wasn’t much athletic movement until I turned 30.”

How has CrossFit changed your life, lifestyle, and level of fitness?
“CrossFit has shifted my aspirations from just wanting to be healthy and look a certain way to wanting to achieve performance based goals I’ve set for myself.”

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.)
“I never imagined putting something equivalent to my body weight over my head.”

Who or what motivates/inspires you?
“Others who have achieved success despite setbacks or difficulties inspire me.”

What is your proudest CrossFit achievement?
“I must say, I was pretty pumped when I got a ring muscle up.”

Name one goal/personal achievement you would like to achieve through CrossFit?
“I want to be comfortable in the uncomfortable.”

Hobbies/Interests outside of CrossFit?
“Can eating be a hobby? Honestly, I really enjoy trying new restaurants in the company of good people. Other than that, I love shopping.”

Any advice for new members?
“Pick someone in class who challenges you. Chase their results and let it motivate you. By nature, we are all competitive. It’s a good thing.”

“Seek help on skills you want to work on.”

“Advice for the ladies…whatever weight you think you should do, add more.”

“Do a competition. It’s fun to work towards a goal and stretch yourself to do something you may have never done before.”

Any additional thoughts/comments:
“Thanks to all the coaches and members who answer any rookie crossfit questions I have. You have welcomed me from the get-go, and I am thankful for your friendship and support.”

Coach Laura’s Take:
“Deb is an outgoing person that inspires a lot of people at the gym. She finds any opportunity to encourage others. Her hard work and natural athleticism have created a jet stream of improvement in a relatively short period of time. She works hard at her weaknesses and because of that, I have no doubts that we will continue to see great things from Deb! Plus, she’s just a great person to be around!”

2 thoughts on “Athlete Spotlight: Deb Walston”

  1. Awesome job Deb! Proud of you for the work you are putting in. Keep honoring The Lord with your efforts! Be blessed, be fit! – Ben

  2. What an amazing athlete! You are a great role model to push toward being like and always so down to Earth about your abilities. Keep on pushing your limits:)