Congrats to our July Member of the Month, Molly Brandau!

Molly is fearless in a way that she knows her fears and goes right for them.  She’s a driven, positive person who beams light and happiness every where she goes.  If you’re lucky enough to get in a class with Molly you will get extra mid-line focus because she will have you in stitches!  Molly works full-time in an office and when she isn’t there, she’s consistently traveling somewhere and expanding her horizons. Molly is awesome – the world needs more Mollys. We got her story straight from the source – check it out! 

Q: What brought you to CrossFit in the first place?

A: I’ve always wanted to be able to put my kayak on roof rack by myself, but I’ve never been strong enough. Cardio is great for endurance, but it doesn’t get your strong like lifting does. I love how CrossFit translates to all aspects of life. The more I do CrossFit, the more I want to do CrossFit.

Q: What was your first impression?  How has that changed?

A: BEFORE….I first stepped foot in a CF gym about ten years ago (2008?). I was in decent running + swimming shape at the time and figured ‘hey, if I can run 6 miles, how hard can CrossFit really be?’ (I couldn’t have been more wrong) 

I went to my first class in Mt. P – we did some pull ups (ish) and ran some sprints. There were other things mixed in there too, but I couldn’t begin to tell you what they were.

After finishing what I figured would be a quick 20-minute workout, I legit thought I needed an ambulance. My lungs were on fire, it was HOT as Hades, and I was surrounded by people that were speaking a language I’d never heard before! But even aside from all that, something else didn’t feel right. It wasn’t the usual post-workout fatigue. I felt beaten down and discouraged. All the motivation I had leading into the class was gone and I sat there feeling like a failure. Who was I to think I could do CrossFit anyways? My body was rocked, I couldn’t do the movements, I was the last one to finish. I left the gym feeling like I wasn’t good enough. Like I would never be good enough. Obviously CrossFit was only for the athletically-inclined – definitely not something for Molly.

And that’s where my journey with CrossFit ended.  I never went back to that gym. For the next ten years, anytime CrossFit came up in conversation, I would shrug it off and say “yeah, I’ve tried it a few times, but it’s dangerous and not really my style.”

AFTER….Fast-forward to February 2018 when my CrossFit journey began again – this time with an older body and a wiser, more positive mindset. But maybe most importantly, it began in a place (haven) where the coaches and community made everything fun and anything seem possible – a little spot called Locomotion.

Over the past 5 months, I can’t begin to tell you how much my life has changed (grown) – I’ve met great (and I mean great!) people; I’ve faced my fears; I’ve pushed my limits further than I ever thought possible; I’ve gotten to know my body – what it’s good at and where I struggle; I’m stronger than ever before; I’ve stopped making excuses; I started take pride in small, incremental gains (20” Box Jumps); and I actually enjoy learning from failure vs. letting it dictate my future.

In retrospect, I’ve also realized that my initial relationship with CF ended only because I let my ego hold me back. But the real answer is (and always has been) – I’m a badass. I can do anything I want. Yes, it’s going to be hard. Yes, it’s going to take work. Yes, I’m going to get frustrated. Yes, it’s going to take time; and yes, I may even get scared. But in the end, I can. do. this. Our thoughts create our reality, and I plan to create a damn good one (in and out of the gym).

Q: What was your first “bright spot”?

A: Taking a leap of faith (with a push from Jay) and signing up for the Open when I was 3 weeks into CF not having a shit’s clue what I was getting into.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: All the things? I’m still new to many of the lifts/movements, so I’m really focused on form and finding that sweet spot between pacing myself and pushing myself.

Q: What’s your favorite Locomotion Memory?

A: Because I’m so new, there have been quite a few small victories along the way, but out of all of them, it’s gotta be doing Murph. Knowing that others have literally fought to their death for our freedom is something that really came alive in my heart this year. There were so many times in Murph when I wanted to stop or take a break, but then I thought of these dudes fighting – and they don’t get to stop or take breaks – so I kept going.

Thank you for sharing your story, Molly! 

See you around the gym!