Keep Showing Up
When we first met Jessica in January 2013, she had no intentions of starting CrossFit. “It was kind of an anomaly,” she said. Jessica had always worked out on her own, but had been fairly inactive for about a year prior to meeting us. She was just shy of 36 years old, found herself overweight and easily fatigued, and knew she needed to do something.
Her close friends, box members Wesley and Marc, encouraged her to join our gym with the reassurance that she could modify or scale any movement or workout to her current fitness level. Jessica researched “CrossFit” online, saw the CrossFit Games athletes, and wasn’t so sure. Wesley invited her to our Paleo Potluck the following day. She said yes. “I don’t know why I said yes. I would normally not be into hanging out with a bunch of strangers; let alone a bunch of active, fitness freak people,” she said. It was there that she met several members of our community, tried some tasty Paleo food, and watched the CrossFit documentary Every Second Counts. One of the competitors featured in the film said something about CrossFit being “spiritual” and that “you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.” That resonated with her and she “realized that [she] had just gotten very comfortable where [she] was. Too comfortable. [She] needed to do something different.” She emailed me about starting our Foundations Class the following day.
Jessica, pictured at our Paleo Potluck in January 2013.
During Foundations, Jessica admits that she “felt out of [her] element, but everyone was so nice and also new to CrossFit, so [they] were all nervous and intimidated together.” She looks back very fondly on that group of people, her Foundations Class, and even recalls one of her new boxmates encouraging her to “just keep showing up…even if you’re sore, just keep coming back.” And she did. In fact, she decided to approach CrossFit with the mindset of her goal of attending 4 or 5 classes per week rather than focusing on weight loss. By the time Jessica did weigh herself (soon after starting CrossFit), she was “somewhere in the 180’s.”
J-Dub & the Dirty Peaches during the Swamp Dash Run.
Within six months of joining our box, she set some goals, began weighing and measuring her food, focusing on the quality of her nutrition, and lost 40 pounds. Jessica didn’t stop there. She remembers Coach Nick saying “don’t come in on Saturday’s and work on the things you’re good at; work on the things you suck at.” So she would come in around 10AM, find the darkest corner of the box, and work on her weaknesses. While honing her strengths, Jessica eventually picked up a piece of chalk and wrote the name “J-Dub” above her hash marks on the floor. Short for “Jessica Dubois.” It was a sign that she finally felt “comfortable being uncomfortable” and her coaches and boxmates have referred to her as “J-Dub” ever since.
Jessica & Marc, post partner-Murph.
It’s her fierce determination and discipline that have taken her from achieving her initial goals of a single box jump and a 150# deadlift to the unimaginable kipping pull-ups, multiple team competitions, a Spartan race, climbing a rope, running her first mile, and competing in the CrossFit Open, Rx’d. All of her personal records have not come without lots of hard work, frustration, some eye sweat, and many failures. But through everything, it’s the “incredible friends, the love of our community, and the fun that we have…at the end of the day, it’s good for [her] soul,” she says.
Kristi & J-Dub, after the 5:30PM class.
J-Dub’s goals now consist of multiple strict pull-ups, larger sets of double unders, handstands, and a bodyweight back squat. “And you know, better speed and endurance…the usual CrossFit shit,” she says. I couldn’t help but admire the Rogue Jammer Pull-Up Bar mounted in J-Dub’s office doorway – a gift she bought for herself. “Did you ever think you’d have one of these installed in your office?” I asked. We laughed. “No. Never,” she said. “But I’m serious about this strict pull-up.” She pulls out a small notebook that’s littered with lists of goals, new and old, and data from years of workouts. “It’s important to write everything down, so you can look back at what you’ve been able to accomplish,” she says.
J-Dub jumping over fire during her 1st Spartan Race.
J-Dub carrying a sandbag during the Spartan Race.
When I ask J-Dub how CrossFit has carried over into her work and personal life, she refers to the chipper-style workouts…”the really big ones with a ton of movements,” she says. “They make you think…how in the hell am I going to finish all that work? But you do.” She’s back in school now at 42 years old, pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Her mom always says “the time is going to pass anyway”, so she’s just chipping away at the degree she’s always wanted. “I’m not the fastest or the strongest in the gym, but I can hang in there and get the work done,” she says. She also expresses her love for the integrity of the movements along with the technical skill work we do. “It’s not just about brute strength; anyone can have a go at it,” she says. It reminds her of the saying, “if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” She believes that’s true both inside and outside of the gym.
2018 CrossFit Open
2019 CrossFit Open
What would J-Dub say to herself back in 2013 when she was just getting started in CrossFit? “The weights will feel heavy. That’s OK. This will not be easy. And [you] will surprise yourself.” As for the advice she’d give to people thinking about starting CrossFit or just finishing up their Foundations Class? ”Don’t get into shape first, just show up. Just keep showing up and you’ll figure the rest out,” she says.
We’re proud of you, J-Dub. Way to pay it forward. Anything is possible if you just keep showing up.
LT & J-Dub, The Demo Team