Congratulations to Marcia Andrino for being named Blackbird CrossFit’s December Athlete of the Month! This girl brings joy to every room. Her smile is heart warming and contagious. Her attitude is full of gratitude. And her work ethic is off the charts.
Marcia has made huge strides in her fitness, but more importantly, her confidence over the past 6 years. Watching her grow as an athlete and a young woman, has been inspirational. She gives her all to the people around her, to her community (inside and outside the walls of Blackbird), to her workouts, and to her life, in general. She truly lives with zest and passion!
So, it’s with an incredibly sad heart that we have to say goodbye at the end of this month. Marcia has a great job opportunity that is moving her down the road to Ellicott City. It won’t feel the same without her at Blackbird, but we didn’t want to let her leave without recognizing all of her hard work and contributions to our community. She is the type of community member that every CrossFit gym dreams of having. She is tattooed on our hearts, and our Blackbird is literally tattooed on her body. So, she is a Blackbird-for-life, and she will be greatly missed.
Please take the time to read about this amazing human and all the great work that she does to make her little part of the world a better place. Meet Marcia…
Tell us about yourself
Hello! My full name is Marcia Eugenia Andrino-Chinchilla. My Hispanic friends call me Marcy, my family Marcita, and my American friends Marciiia.
To give you a brief introduction: I am originally from Guatemala and moved to the US on my own at the age of 19 years old. I am the oldest of seven siblings and for twenty-nine years I was the only girl until my little sister, and the youngest of all siblings, was born. I am a proud dog owner, aka mom, of a 3 year-old miniature labradoodle named Asher. Regarding my profession, I am currently in the transition of switching to a job as a Financial Controller for different clients of an accounting office. It is a great door that just opened for me and that came at an unexpected but perfect time in life. I am so looking forward to all the learning that is to come! Along with the job transition, I am back in school. I am working to finally get my bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in Small Business Entrepreneurship, and eventually, I would like to sit for the CPA certification exam.
What made you start CrossFit? Has your motivation changed over the years?
All the good music Steve played at the 4 pm class and that I could hear from the office next door. ….. JK! Talk about new beginnings! Back in 2017 when I decided to join Blackbird, I was coming out of a very hard transition in life. I realized that I needed to invest in my well-being and that physical exercise was to be a part of it. Growing up, I never played sports or did anything that involved physical movement. You would normally see young Marcia at the library, watching TV, or watching other friends while they played sports. I knew I needed something guided because I was going to start from zero, so I decided to check out Blackbird’s group classes. Fast forward six years later, here I am.
My motivation has shaped a bit. My goal is to become a seniors fitness instructor when I reach seventy years old hahaha! In all seriousness, I visit a lot of senior homes and their quality of life can be so much better with exercise as part of their daily routine. I would love to give back to the community when I am older. For that to happen, I need to invest in myself first.
What have you learned about movement, fitness, and yourself since joining Blackbird?
Wow! I have learned everything. I honestly started from zero! One of the aspects that stuck with me very early on is that your body is always capable of more than what you think, but it does not happen overnight. There is no magic diet, pill, or 30-day program that will give your body the strength and health it needs. You must put the work in, and it is a long-term relationship, not a New Year’s resolution.
What is your proudest CrossFit moment?
The first time I was able to perform a pull-up, and then the first time I did Murph RX and under an hour. I never saw myself being able to perform pull-ups.
What is your favorite CrossFit movement, lift, or WOD? Least favorite?
I love Wall Walks, Cleans, and Box Jumps. Every time they show up in a WOD, I know it is going to be a good workout. On the other hand, Wall Balls are at the bottom of my list. That ball always smacks me on the face, my feet get numb, etc. The movement is just awful! If I could eliminate them from the CrossFit list of movements, I would do it in a heartbeat.
What impact has CrossFit had on you inside and outside of the gym?
In one word– patience. Be patient with your body, with the state of your mind each day, and with how your body performs based on the rush and demands of home, work, and life in general. Be patient with the areas of life that take so long to soar (like my toes to bar are taking forever). My trajectory at Blackbird is all the exposure to fitness I have had. A few times, I have had to go back patiently AND graciously for a day or months scaling a movement, so I can develop the correct technique or the strength that is not there yet. The same can be with many other areas of life. So, when I want to rush things at work, home, etc., I remember that in the long run, it is more beneficial to take a step back, keep on doing the work that I am doing, and be patient for the results.
What do you enjoy most about Blackbird or CrossFit in general?
To me, CrossFit is Blackbird. I have not had much experience outside of our box, but the safe environment here is one of the reasons CrossFit is enjoyable to me. Stereotypically speaking, heavy weights, perfect performance, and a perfect body type is the idea people have about CrossFit. On the contrary, at Blackbird, I have learned that you give your best each day and each day is different, your body is perfect just the way it is, and there is no such thing as perfect performance because there is always room for advancement. I don’t know if that is the environment at other boxes, but it is what I have experienced at Blackbird for six years, and it has been liberating.
What are your CrossFit goals? How close are you to reaching them?
I am working on my handstand pushups, and my toes to bar for the most part. Toes to bar, it is just a matter of keep practicing. HSPUs, I have gone from a 10-pound weight + an abmat under my head to sets of three with an abmat under my head only in the last three months. My six-month goal is to be able to do sets of three with no assistance. After, I want to practice handstand walks, at least the balance to be upside down without a wall supporting me. This is my 2024 goal.
When you are not CrossFitting what is your favorite thing to do?
I have always been very involved in church; My faith is a big part of my life. Outside of the gym, you will see me serving in community events at church, and mostly serving with Spanish interpretation to help the Hispanic community who struggle with the language and culture barrier while performing daily chores (helping their kids with school, going to Dr. appointments, etc.) This is an area I did not think I could be of help to others, but God has chosen it for me, so I do it gladly. I am also part of an ASL (American Sign Language) group, and we go around different places and events and sign to music so awareness can be raised concerning the huge deaf population among us in the DMV area that many times are not provided with the services or resources they need.
All those activities take up big chunks of my time, but I enjoy quiet times hiking with my dog and spending time with God and nature. I use it as my time to recharge. I also love gathering with friends and their families for cookouts, birthdays, or just for random game nights. Most of my family does not live in the US, but when we have the chance to spend time with each other, I dedicate my undivided attention to enjoying them.
What is one fun thing about you that we may not know yet?
Every November 1st, on All Saints Day, I go to an open field and fly a kite. This is a very popular tradition in Guatemala, and the wind around those days is perfect for doing it. I have done it for the past eight to nine years, and it is something odd and fun; well, I think it’s fun! I do it either with friends or by myself. Flying a kite is as relaxing to me as fishing is for some people.
What is the one tip you would give someone considering CrossFit or new to CrossFit?
Give it a try with a childlike mind. As adults, we lose the sense of curiosity and wonder that children have. They aren’t concerned about what they don’t know; they just naturally try things. On the other hand, as adults, we think we know so much and as a result, we become hesitant to try new and/or challenging environments.
What is your diet like? Has it changed since starting CrossFit?
My eating habits are not the worst, but they can be better. I need to go back and focus on my nutrition a bit more. In the past, I participated in many challenges but the moment the challenge ended so did my commitment to being very strict about what I eat. However, my diet as a lifestyle is on the healthy side. I enjoy eating fruits and veggies of all kinds, and everything else in moderation. I am a Guatemalan by birth so rice, beans, and plantains will always be a part of my diet, but even then, I don’t eat that each day.
What I struggle the most with is water intake, I can go a whole week without drinking water, and that is one of the aspects of my nutrition that needs attention ASAP. It is not that I don’t like water, I just don’t remember to drink it.
What is your favorite workout fuel? What about your favorite indulgence?
Frozen bananas and blueberries, I eat about 1/3 of a cup of a mix of both (mostly bananas). There is something about frozen fruit, delicious! My indulgence is cheese and cheesecake, All kinds! Anything with cheese.
Results? Tell us about your results!
This year has been more about consistency. I made it into the 12 Month Committed Club, improved some movements, and got the bravery to participate in the Battle in Birdland, taking second place with my workout partner Cynthia. Such a fun experience! I did not follow my body fat and mass composition closely this year, but I have been able to maintain the changes that happened in prior years and that is also the result of consistency.
FREEWRITE
Shout out to my workout buddy, Joel Navarro! He has pushed me hard this year. When I do not make it to a workout during the week, I will get the phone call for a partner workout on Saturday. We made it to the Committed Club, Joel!!
My journey at Blackbird has been nothing but life-changing. You guys have guided me from the start. The past six years have been full of change, The different gym setups, the outdoor gym, and the online workouts. So much has changed, and I am happy to see this community getting bigger and better. You are tattooed in my body (literally) and my heart forever!
