March Athlete of the Month || Diamond Horton!!
Each month we spotlight a different CFA athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow classmates and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit Austin Community should be about.
Our March Athlete of the Month is Diamond Horton! Diamond joined the CFA family a little over a year ago and has been on that steady growth track from day 1! Diamond is such a focused and driven person, there is no way he won’t succeed if he puts his mind to something! To top it all off, if you ever need a smile or a friendly face, he’s your guy! Diamond has always been a hard worker, but he’s been kicking that into high gear the last few months and it shows! He’s a great example of working through the hard stuff and coming out better on the other side. Diamond has been such an incredible addition to our CFA family and it’s been a joy to watch his growth in his time here. Diamond, we are honored to have you as our March Athlete of the Month and as an awesome part of this team. Thanks for your all your hard work and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the years to come! Congratulations!
State your name or nickname please:
Diamond (Thanks Mom). I also go by Dee.
Words to live by?
“Where there is no struggle, there is no strength”. I’ve basically adopted this quote from Oprah.
What is your fitness background?
Fitness has pretty much been a part of my life in varying degrees. In high school, I played for the football team as a corner back and kick returner. I ran for the track team, running the 200m and 4×4 relay. After high school, I joined the Army National Guard, and of course, you have to keep up with your fitness in order to stay fit for duty.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
I have been crossfitting since I joined CFA, so that would be just over a year.
Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
I was pretty nervous on my first day of CrossFit. I felt like a freshmen with no skills who somehow made the Varsity team. I did not want to embarrass myself. In comparison from then to today, I believe I have progressed greatly. This is the most productive and consistent I have ever been when it comes to my fitness. Definitely don’t feel nervous about getting after it with everyone now.
What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
The group sessions. It’s one of the main reasons why I joined. I am terrible at working out by myself so being with others, motivating each other through action and words gets me hyped. Gotta love all the coaches too!
Current Training Goals/PRs?
Become more proficient with cleans and snatches. And be able to do a muscle up by the end of the year. I’m dabbling more in performing WODs at the performance level as well after a year of mainly doing them at the athletic level.
What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit?
Give it time and patience. CrossFit is definitely not something you can just jump into and dominate as a newbie whose never done it before. Don’t give up and remain consistent.
Things look a little different right now, how are you staying focused in your training and in your life during this time?
Without training, I don’t feel at my best and that alone usually motivates me to stay on top of my fitness. Also, family keeps me going. They are my backbone.
What is your cheat meal go-to?
Oh, I love me some pizza, especially Dominoes black box pizza.
How do you use your fitness outside of the gym?
I do it to keep up with the kids. I like to be active with them, play basketball, volleyball, throw the football around, etc. I also do it for work. I love what I do and I want to be able to do it for as long as I can. As a paramedic, there is a lot of lifting and moving involved. I feel as a healthcare provider, I have to “talk the talk and walk the walk”, and fitness puts me in that position. Fitness is also my therapy when it comes to dealing with traumatic events in my field. I’m not a big talker about my emotions, so sweating it out works better for me.
Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
I felt most proud of my deadlift Max, which is 315, because I’ve never lifted that heavy in my life. It felt rewarding. Now I can’t wait to see what else I can achieve.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your fitness journey?
Dieting. That is something I’m constantly working on, and I feel like I’m making some progress. Snatches and cleans are a pain for me, but I also feel like I’m making some headway with that. Overall, I’m just working on pushing myself past that comfortable limit where you want to just stop and rest. I want to continue working past that limit, safely of course.
If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
“Dig Deep”
7min AMRAP:
10 Goblet Squat,
10 burpees
100m sprint
What keeps you going on the days you don’t feel like it?
I usually just find a way to motivate myself. I do quite a bit of positive self-talk when it comes to that. Remind myself of the goals I want to achieve.
What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
Spending time with family, my dogs and friends. Huge fan of horror movies. Hiking. Camping. And I just started getting into woodworking so I’m currently getting my little shop set up in the garage.
Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I was trying to think of something less depressing, but I was homeless as a child, but eventually found a loving home as a teenager.
Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
I am really glad to find such an awesome community. Lets all continue kicking ass and crushing goals.