Ohhhhhh I am SO excited for this one because I have been sitting back JUST WAITING to write this one! Shelley Leftwich usually comes to the early bird 5:30am class and she has been here with us at CrossFit Odyssey for 3 and a half years! She started CrossFit at another gym in town and transferred over here back in June of 2016. She liked the fact that our gym had a slightly older crowd and she liked the personal attention she got with her training.
Shelley is an Engagement Director for OneSource Virtual and she travels a LOT for work and to help take care of her mother in Flagstaff, AZ. Just last weekend Shelley turned SIXTY years old! So this is her (super-duper I’m so freaking proud of you because you are the absolute coolest most badass-est 60-year old I know) slightly late birthday present and honorary tribute!
Now, Shelley is not a badass because of her age, although I will say that most women her age can’t do a 10th of what she can do. She is also a badass because she is diligent, and focused and smart with her workouts, she works hard on her diet, she is a team leader in her business, and she has all but beaten a bad case of scoliosis and to top it all off she is incredibly friendly, sweet and supportive of everyone in the gym. I talked to Shelley earlier this week about turning 60. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. I completely understood as I just turned fifty last September. What we both understood was that it IS scary that life is moving so quickly and more importantly that we haven’t done all of the things we want to do in this beautiful life.
HOWEVER, let me tell you a little bit about what Shelley HAS accomplished just in the past year. Recently, a few people have been meeting on Sundays and testing their strength lifts. Shelley has beaten her personal record for every single lift in the gym. Let me explain to you that after doing this for three years, while also aging and working and dealing with scoliosis and family issues – beating your personal record is NOT easy! The longer you do this stuff, the rarer it is to beat your personal records and Shelley has taken all of her fitness to a completely new level.
What I love the absolute most about Shelley is her winning attitude. She shows up early and as often as she can, she works super hard, is friendly and helpful to everyone around her and she is getting BETTER every single day! That is what it’s all about. Life happens and life definitely goes on, but we can still improve upon ourselves all the time, and this woman is like a fine wine – better with age! Congratulations Shelley on your Journey to Extraordinary!