July Member of the Month
Say hello to your Hudson River Athletics July Member of the Month, Michelle Laerke!
What goes into selecting a HRA MOM? Glad you asked. Here is what we consider the cornerstone of being the best version of yourself within the HRA fam:
Gym attendance
Camaraderie with other members
Being involved with events in and outside of the gym
Taking initiative on a goal they set for themselves and crushing it
Being a generally pleasant person
Lending a helping hand to members or coaches in the community
Showing unwavering support for the HRA community
Here is what Michelle had to say about the impact Hudson River Athletics has had on her life.
1) What is your favorite thing about Hudson River Athletics?
My favorite thing about HRA must be the community and the people. I moved from Denmark to the US a year ago and the beginning of that move wasn't easy for me. I knew no one, had never been on the east coast and I knew I was gonna be unemployed for a long time... I "accidentally" discovered HRA when I visited Jersey City, last year in May, for the apartment hunt. I saw some people running in and out of a parking lot and disappearing into a little hidden gym. My curiosity was awoken. So when I moved here, one of the first things I did was asking for a try out session. I loved it so much, I signed up the next day. You guys were so welcoming, the coaching A LOT better and the feeling of being part of this gym is just amazing!
2) What differences have you seen in your body, and health since starting at The Riv?
For starters, I lost 10-12 pounds within the first few months, without really trying. I have always been really active, playing handball (the olympic/european kind, not the strange thing you call handball over here ?), going to the gym, running marathons. But I never found losing weight to be this easy. I have gotten a more relaxed relationship to my body and lifestyle and I am thankful to HRA for helping me get to this point.
3) Does training at Hudson River Athletics carry over in any way to your personal life?
I love to talk about the workouts we just did, how I sometimes feel like I'm gonna puke and how great the support in this gym is when you are struggling to finish the workout. Unfortunately, my husband isn't that into crossfit (yet !! I'm working on it), so he finds it rather annoying....
To be honest, training at HRA is kind of an important part of my life. My day after a 6.15am /9.15am/4pm/5pm workout just feels a lot better. I am energized and happy and it leaves me with a feeling that anything can be accomplished. I really love that!
4) What has been your favorite moment at The Riv and what has it meant to you?
I have a few favorites!
My first one was joining the gym right after you finished the strength cycle last summer. I had only been a member for a few days (maybe weeks), when we had to max test our squats, deadlifts etc. On the day of the deadlift max test, I loaded the bar with 285lb, which was above my previous 1 RM, and i didnt expect to lift it. but i did! Jay walked by and he was like: "That looked way too easy, put on another 25# on each side". I always do what Jay tells me to ?, so I loaded it with 325lb, the 9.15am squad started cheering, I walked up to the bar and I lifted it (nearly passed out though), and people just went crazy, like I've beaten the world record or something. I'll never forget that feeling and support! It was just awesome to experience as a new member.
My second favorite is all the crazy, post workout, spike ball matches I've had with the 9.15 peeps. Destroying lamps in the yoga room, throwing balls down behind the wall or Alex destroying herself on the turf or by jumping into things just to save the ball. I really miss those days of unemployment and the 9.15 gang! That class has a certain feeling about it.
The last one is a recent one. It was the "reopening day" of the gym and the workout we did out on the baseball field. Jay and Bobby had turned that place into a CF games venue, with cones for each round, spectators on the sideline, the weather was nice and the whole atmosphere was electric! People were so excited to be back for workouts and chilling. And I was insanely happy for the first time in months, it felt like everything was going back to normal and things were starting to be okay again.
