TARA SHONE– Athlete of the Month– May 2021

Tara Shone has been a Blackbird since October 2019. In that time she has grown exponentially. She came in with a nice baseline of strength and the body awareness of an athlete, so the coaches have had a great time quickly proving to her that she is capable of so much more than she believes.

 

“If you want to have fun at an evening class, be sure to sign up for one where Tara will be there. She always has a good attitude, constantly seeks to improve herself, takes every opportunity to cheer for others’ success, and never takes herself too seriously.” –Coach Chris

 

“Tara is a joy to have in class. She is extremely coachable, asks great questions, and always supports her fellow Blackbirds.” –Coach Steve

 

Tara has put 75lbs on her deadlift, back squat, and front squat and can now easily clean 125lbs. But most impressive is her gymnastics strength. She can now bang out strict pull ups in a workout and in April got her first ring muscle up!

 

Like Coaches Chris and Steve said, Tara has the best attitude, a laid back demeanor, and a supportive, warm nature. She has been such a blessing to our Blackbird Community…so thank you Des & Mike for pushing her to join in the fun!

 

Check out her story below!

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.

My name is Tara Shone and I am 35 years old. I am originally from Colorado. I moved to Maryland in 2012 for grad school and ended up sticking around. I have my B.A. from Colorado State University (Go Rams!) and MPP from George Mason University. I currently work as a consultant.

WHAT MADE YOU START CROSSFIT? WHAT HAS KEPT YOU DOING IT? HAS YOUR MOTIVATION CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST STARTED?

I have to give all the credit to my sister, Desiree. She joined Blackbird and her husband, Mike, joined shortly after. They both loved it and started seeing great results. I was in a workout rut and constantly doing the same thing at the gym. They convinced me to come into Blackbird for an intro class and I was immediately hooked (Even after falling while doing box jumps. Somethings never change!). I keep coming back for the community and fun workouts. Everyone is super friendly, and the coaches are always so helpful. I also love that every workout is different, I learn something new every class.

My motivation to workout has definitely changed since starting CrossFit. I used to dread going to the gym. Now, I get frustrated if something comes up and I have to miss the gym.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT CROSSFIT?

The Blackbird community is the best and make it so much fun to come to the gym! Everyone is so friendly and encouraging, whether it’s cheering you on during a workout or giving helpful tips.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SINCE JOINING BLACKBIRD CROSSFIT IN 2014?

I have learned that you are capable of more than you think. I am so grateful to the amazing coaches because they often know what you are capable of, more so than you. I remember after a class one night I was practicing box jumps and added a 10 lb plate. My highest at that point was 24 inches. Coach Chris casually strolled over and flipped the box to 30 inches. I surprised myself and managed to jump it. I would have never tried without that little nudge.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST CROSSFIT MOMENT?

Either when I broke 200 on my deadlift or when I hit that 30-inch box jump.

**Since she filled out her form, Tara got her first ring muscle up! So we’re sure that huge accomplishment would be added to her proudest moments list!!

WHAT IMPACT HAS CROSSFIT HAD ON YOUR LIFE IN AND OUT OF THE GYM?

CrossFit has had a big impact on my gym routine. Before starting CrossFit, I mostly ran and didn’t really lift weights. I never thought I was capable of doing some of the lifts or gymnastic movements. I think it has also helped me realize the importance of working out consistently- both mentally and physically. Before starting CrossFit, I would go through phases of working out. Since starting CrossFit, I’ve realized how important it is to take that hour for yourself.

WHAT CROSSFIT GOALS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS?

So many things! Which is why I love CrossFit – there are always new goals achieve. Currently, I’m trying to tackle double unders and stringing together toes-to-bar…which is a work in progress.

FAVORITE LIFT, MOVEMENT, OR WOD? LEAST FAVORITE?

My favorite is deadlift. Least favorite is definitely overhead squats- they just feel so awkward! I haven’t fallen over the past couple times, so I guess that’s a win!

WHEN YOU’RE NOT CROSSFITTING WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO?

I love spending time with family, friend, and my crazy hound dog. I also enjoy baking, breweries, and going to concerts (Ahh… those were the good old days!).   

WHAT IS ONE FUN THING ABOUT YOU THAT WE MAY NOT KNOW YET?

I once sang the national anthem at a minor league soccer game when I was little. For those of you who haven’t heard my singing…it was bad, very bad!

WHAT IS ONE TIP YOU WOULD GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING CROSSFIT OR NEW TO CROSSFIT?

Don’t be intimidated and be patient. When I first started CrossFit I would avoid classes if I wasn’t comfortable with the movements. I realized that I wouldn’t get any better if I didn’t try. Over time I started getting more comfortable with snatches and other lifts.

WHAT IS YOUR DIET LIKE? HAS IT CHANGED SINCE STARTING CROSSFIT?

I’ve always had a pretty healthy diet, but I think more consistent now. I try to cook all my meals on Sunday so I’m not tempted to eat out during the week.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT FUEL? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INDULGENCE?

I’m usually scarfing down peanut butter toast and a banana. Indulgence is probably wine and 80’s movies!

WHAT IS ONE POSITIVE THING THAT YOU TOOK AWAY FROM 2020?

This past year has definitely taught me to slow down and just appreciate being in the moment. Being able to work from home allowed me to spend more time with family instead of commuting.

FREEWRITE:

It’s crazy to think how far I’ve come since joining Blackbird about a year and half ago. My deadlift has improved from 155 to 230 lbs. Prior to starting CrossFit I didn’t even know what a clean was. Never in a million years did I think I could do one let alone clean 125 lbs. My back squat increased from 95 to 170 lbs and my front squat went from 55 to 130 lbs. Last year when we did the Murph preparation workout I did it scaled. This year I did it RX and improved my time by over 5 minutes.