Meet member Stan!

Athlete Profile…..Stan!

Name: Stan Hazard

Age: 41

Occupation: Business Development Manager for Spectrum Brands

Previous workout/exercise history before starting CrossFit? Very little exercise for last 20 years, played football and ran track in high school.

CrossFitting Since: July 2011

How did you learn about CrossFit Sting? Word of mouth through friends while looking for a new gym

Was it love at first WOD? Absolutely NOT! I wanted to quit for the entire first month.

Favorite WOD or movements? Deadlifts, Squats, Powercleans, Tire Flips (also playing in the chalk…..sort of like last weeks member we profiled, Traci)

Least favorite WOD or Movements? Burpees or any variation of Burpees

Favorite CrossFit Sting moment? 12 days of Christmas WOD, Sandy Hook WOD and Team WOD on Saturdays

Why do you CrossFit? Now, because I’m addicted and love it! My journey in Crossfit began after I received a letter denying me elective life insurance coverage citing “Morbid Obesity” as the reason for denial and that I was considered too much of a “health risk” to insure. That one statement really hurt but opened my eyes to how unhealthy I had become. I had a membership at the YMCA and rarely if ever used the membership. I knew I needed to be pushed like a football coach would push from my past experience in my youth. I had never been one to do voluntarily exercise or workouts. My step-brother owns a Crossfit gym in Cartersville, GA(Crossfit Adrenaline) and he encouraged me to give it a try. My weight was out of control, I had to use an asthma inhaler, I had high cholesterol, and my doctor told me I was on my way to being diabetic. So, I needed Crossfit. I can honestly say CF has probably saved my life and not just physically as far as my health is concerned but socially and emotionally as well. I had become a social recluse because my weight was embarrassing to me, buying clothes was a terrible experience, and just being in public period was hard because my self esteem was so low. I have to admit I was very intimidated to try Crossfit, especially after watching some YouTube videos online. What I found after my first workout was how encouraging and supportive the Crossfit regulars were to the new people like me. The trainers were great too. I honestly have to thank my very first Intro WOD trainer, Anna Bullis, for being tough but also knowing just the right encouraging thing to say to keep me coming back. I wanted to quit everyday but Anna kept me coming back by making me believe I could do it. As I got to know the regulars that came to the 6:30 class, I made some great friendships. Those people kept me coming back too those first few months. Thanks Danielle, Jessica, Craig, Jessica W, Jennifer, Chuck, Avery, Greg, Brian and many others along the way! I felt like I belonged to a community. Now I just get plain pissed if I have to miss a workout. I love seeing the new people come in and try Crossfit. I feel like it’s my turn to pay it forward and be the encourager for someone else now. Seeing people achieve things they thought was impossible, or pushing friends to set new PR’s, or watching people shed a ton of weight and become stronger, healthier and happier, that’s why I Crossfit.

Tell us something new about you that we don’t already know? I am a science and history geek so I watch H2 every night at bedtime.