Name: Eric Funston
Age: Really? 56 and 354 days
Occupation: Vice President Labor Relations Institute
When did you first start CrossFit? November of 2016
Tell us about your sports & fitness background. I grew up as a kid playing all sports but as I grew older my focus was on tennis only. I played completive junior tennis for many years. When I was around 49 years old, I traveled a lot for work. After a while, I started feeling old and was clearly out of shape. I bought a home gym and started lifting and doing programs such as P90 X, Insanity and Skoggs (kettle bell program). I would take my bands on the road with me and would work out in the hotel room when traveling. After a few years, a friend suggested I try men’s physique and because of my competitive nature, I decided to give it a shot. After winning 1st place in my age division, I took 6 months off to gain more muscle but found that this was too stressful and I began to feel worse than I had before. During this time, I learned about CrossFit Eclipse and decided to give it a shot.
How did you first get into CrossFit? How did it go? CrossFit Eclipse is close to my home and I drove by it many times before deciding to stop in. At this time, I was looking for something different and challenging. My first experience was extremely humbling. I really thought I would do much better in the first workout than I did but aside from that, I learned very quickly that the CrossFit community is supportive and there was no judgement, which was nice. The workout was challenging but at the same time, I had a lot of fun doing it.
What sort of changes have you seen in your body, health, and fitness since starting CrossFit? I have noticed that my legs are a lot stronger. My flexibility has improved and I have better endurance. CrossFit definitely gets my heart rate up like no other exercise and that is something I look for when deciding on an exercise program.
What impact has CrossFit had on your life? I have met many great people and I look forward to the workouts. It has brought back my competitive nature.
What is your advice for people getting started or thinking about starting CrossFit? Try it! Put aside your predetermine ideas on what it will be like and just try it. If you are looking for a challenging experience and an opportunity to meet great people, you will not find that in your local gym. Do not worry if you are not as strong as you think you should be. Workouts can be scaled back to your current fitness level and you can work up.
What are your hobbies, interests, and other talents outside of CrossFit? I enjoy horseracing, college football, tennis, playing the stock market, spending time with the family and my Old English sheepdog.