Eric Metzler
Age: 55
Instructional Support and Assessment Specialist
Kelley School of Business
I began doing CrossFit six years ago, six months before turning 50. Working at Indiana University, I had long made use of the school’s weight room and lap pool, but for me, working out was always a chore, something I had to do to keep from turning into a human marshmallow. When the university closed its facilities for upgrades, I decided to give CrossFit a try. I was hooked after my first session and never turned back.
The first three months were rough. I thought I was in pretty good shape when I started, but quickly realized that my fitness level left much to be desired. I would get home from workouts drenched in sweat. I was so spent that I needed help getting my T-shirt off. I had trouble turning over in bed because my core was so sore. I was way behind in my cardio-respiratory capacity. But I stayed with it, and by my 50th birthday, I was in the best shape of my life.
For me, CrossFit is a lifestyle. It means eating right, sleeping right, training regularly, and scheduling rest days. It means setting goals and working toward them step by step. It means showing up for WODs even when they sound terrible because that’s what CrossFitters do. It means busting my ass every day at the box, but scaling appropriately when needed. It’s hard work. It’s thrilling when you accomplish something you never thought you’d do in your life and it’s bitter when you have an off day. But most of all, it’s huge fun.
The Crossfit community is like no other for me and stands at the core of my experience. We support each other: we cheer, we encourage, and sometimes we even redo part of the WOD, joining members who are struggling so they don’t have to do it alone. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments and offer our shoulders to cry on when things go wrong. I have met and befriended some of the most amazing, inspiring people in my life at Crossfit and consider them family. The level of fitness you get from Crossfit is legendary, but for me, ultimately, it’s the community that makes Corssfit so special.
