It’s been over a year since the move to SASSfit and I’ve been extremely quiet on this site. Most of the action has been centered around my social media, growing my Instagram and blogging the life of a 50+ masters functional fitness athlete.

Life has been more focussed at SASSfit, I came to this box with goals. I’d already done the hard mahi of getting fit so this was a new start for me with a new direction.

I’d also signed up to be an apprentice personal trainer with them, so this was now becoming more serious as a new possible direction for the future.

I need to be disciplined and consistent otherwise (from experience) I can get easily derailed. It’s been an interesting journey as I knew that to be a better athlete I’d have to face some things that have unhinged my efforts in the past.

It has been challenging, we’ve been through another lockdown, mandates and COVID and I’m still here standing – fighting to be in the 50+ age bracket working up to being an RX athlete.

Progress

Over the last 18 months or so, I’ve met some really awesome people and achieved things I never thought possible. Sometimes it’s been dark and I’ve thought about giving up my lofty goals for something a little more passive.

I recently started to get kipping pull ups after a hefty focus on growing my strength. I am also now starting to link the toes to bar movement. When I first started this road to fat loss I wanted to be lighter to achieve pull ups. It’s taken me four long years to get to where I am now but I’ve made fast progress over the last 18 months.

WOF Championships 2022 – Max Lifting Complex

My lifts have consistently got heavier and my form is better. I ditched running (half marathons anyway) and put on a little weight, grew some muscles and gained extra confidence.

I started training hard in December in conjunction with an assignment I was doing for my apprenticeship. I had to write an exercise plan, and so with my coach we formulated some extra work to get me to where I wanted to be. It felt good to be setting goals.

I’ve been working like this, outside of class settings, for about 7 months now and I’m definitely seeing the gains. At my last competition, I walked and talked like an athlete, I warmed up like an athlete and I took the competition floor like an athlete.

Looking back at the competition there are some improvements I need to make. I always like to take videos of the stuff I need to work on so that I can perfect my form. So coming back to the box after the comp I’m definitely working on a few things that I spotted that need some work.

Since joining SASSfit I’ve done a few competitions now. I used to have the goal to not come last but now that has been replaced by wanting to do the best I can (I’ve not been at the bottom of a competition since joining this box).

I’ve qualified to go to Melbourne in October and so I’m really busy trying to raise funds to get there, things are expensive at the moment and there is pressure coming from everywhere financially.

Masters League Games is a competition especially for masters athletes from Oceania and beyond and I’d love to go there and smash it. Next year I hope to have notched up to the Warrior division which is intermediate. I’m working hard on those moves.

During the darkness, where I thought my age was against me, and I questioned my sanity a few times, I’ve been glad to have the support of my box. Not just my coaches who have stood behind me like a heavy anchor, reminding me of what I set out to do, but those people who consistently come into my training space with encouragement, telling me I’m not old, and shouting from the sidelines for me. As an older athlete it’s easy to think that you are disappearing and that no one sees you but I know that this is not true. My whānau are in my box and my box is my home.

Competitions I’ve competed in over the last 18 months

Split Jerk – Practice makes Perfect
  • CrossFit Open 2021
  • Discipline 7’s in Auckland
  • Palmy Powerhouse Single Sex Duos (my partner Hera Edwards)
  • Masters League – online qualifiers, regional cup and Online Games
  • WOF Championships 2021
  • Fittest Mums 2021 (qualified for the finals but didn’t go)
  • NZ Nationals Online Qualifiers
  • Strong Women Lifting 2021
  • Palmy Powerhouse Mixed Duos – (my partner – Mr K)
  • CrossFit Open 2022
  • Masters League Online Qualifier 2022
  • CrossFit Open
  • WOF Championships 2022 (finished 6th out of 15)

Upcoming Comps

  • Beauty Beyond Strength pairs (partner Renee McDonald)
  • Strong Women Lifting 2022
  • Masters League Games 2022 (Melbourne) – qualified Soldier Division 50-54
Overhead Squat – Building Strength