Member Of The Month – January 2024
Our January MOTM award goes to the lovely Alannah Cowley!
Alannah is just ace – bubbly, fun, works hard and really coachable. In the past few months we’ve seen her achieve strict and kipping pull ups (beautiful ones too) and recently got her first chest to bar pull up too! She’s been improving all her gymnastics, facing fears such as getting upside down, getting stronger, and she and her competition partner Chloe absolutely smashed the January M Squared competition, pushed really hard, PB’d, won the bleep test, smiled a lot and had fun, and not only all that, they made the final! What we love about Alannah is that she doesn’t take it too seriously, she has fun while getting fitter and stronger and that’s the main reason we all do it! She is also a mega supportive judge, gets fully involved in the community and a great cheerleader. Have a read to find out more about her CrossFit journey so far…
M – How long have you been doing CrossFit?
AC – Joe & Joey talked us into trying it out in September 2020, so three and a half years, including a few pandemic-y zoom months.
M– What class time do you usually attend and why does that work for you?
AC – Being a teacher, 5pm used to be the best I could do, but since I handed in my notice I’m waving the kids off with my coat on to be at M Squared for 4. Bootcamp & Saturdays are my fave because I am my best me when I’m on a team & I have a love/fear relationship with run-club, it’s so hard but so good for the legs, lungs & soul.
M– What is your why? Why do you put yourself through it each day? Do you have goals you want to achieve?
AC – I suppose I am naturally enthusiastic. Whatever I’m doing, I love getting stuck in & trying as hard as I can. I also have had very many ups and downs with my fitness/body/self but a constant for me is that I always enjoy anything that feels like I’m using my body for its intended purpose, essentially running about. So CrossFit really appeals to me because it’s both of those things, it’s all about getting stuck in, making my legs and my heart go so I know I’m alive and healthy, so I can appreciate everything I can do while I’m out of breath on the floor.
M – What advice would you give anyone wanting to start CrossFit but is either unsure or nervous? We get people all the time saying they need to get fit first or they could never do what we do? Any advice for those people?
AC – My advice would be to bring someone you fancy and spend 90% of the class watching their bum.
M – What is your biggest achievement so far in CrossFit and what are you most proud of?
AC – I think I am most proud of how much more confident I am. I’m not naturally a very brave person, I’m deeply needy and never considered myself strong. But more & more since I’ve joined M Squared I am less afraid of scary things: I don’t mind being last to finish the WOD, I don’t mind having a judge in competitions, I’ve done two competitions when I knew there’d be spectators and pictures, I’m a little bit brave. I’m even brave enough to practise my pull ups around pure gym strangers & when they ask me ‘do you do CrossFit?’ I say ‘heck yes friend, get yourself to M Squared and one day you’ll be able to nearly do a chest to bar in several enormous elastic bands!’
M – This is the loveliest blog. Also love the advice given on how to join… hahaha! Well done Alannah! Keep being you!
