November Athlete of the Month: Erica Cuellar

State your Name and/or Nickname please.
Erica Michele Cuellar

Occupation?
On my journey to pursuing a new and exciting career in health and fitness. 

Words to live by?
Strong Body, Strong Mind, Strong Soul

What is your fitness background?
Since childhood my family has always been involved in fitness activities. As a young child, I remember being outside jump roping and hitting the punching bag with my dad or in the weight room with my mom. I also played volleyball, basketball, and ran track in middle school and most of high school, but I can honestly say that I was not very good at any of them. However, running is what I have always loved to do. I have ran two half marathons and I’m currently training for my first full this coming February.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
I came across CrossFit about 8 months ago.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit?
I LOVE everything about CrossFit but I truly enjoy the feeling of completing such intense and at times painful WOD’s alongside such AWESOMENESS!! CFA’s community provides such a unique environment and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such strong, positive, and motivating individuals on a daily basis.

What are your training goals?
I definitely want to reach my goal of being on the Chic’s with Chin-ups Board and I also want to continue setting PR’s on my lifts.  Plus, I want to get to the point were I can perform muscle-ups and handstand push-ups.  Ok, really, this list can go on forever so bottom line is I have a lot of fun, hard work ahead of me. 🙂

Favorite sport or activity?
CrossFit of course but I must say, I am also a runner at heart.

Recent adventure you’re planning?
Nothing currently planned but my husband and I usually do an annual beach vacation somewhere in Mexico.

Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I have a 115 lb, 20 month old son named Sumo … Our fun and loving Rottie

Longhorns or Aggies?
If I have to choose, Longhorns. In all honesty, I am really just one of the girls who likes to watch championship games or live games when my husband and I have the opportunity to attend one.

Best quote that you’ve said within the walls of CFA that was never recorded on the quote board!?
None that I can think of.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words?
I am so excited and happy to have been chosen CFA’s athlete of the month. CrossFit has provided me with so much more than I could have ever imagined. I joined with the simple goal of losing weight but have walked away with so much more. CrossFit has not only reshaped me in a physical sense but it has also reshaped my life. I have gained the foundation to start living a “true” healthy and fit life. CFA has allowed me to conquer my fear of failure, which has given me a sense of confidence that I have never experienced before. And for that, I am so thankful to all our CFA coaches and to the wonderful community I am surrounded by, you have all inspired me and have made an impact in my life in one way or another.

~ Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear ~ Mark Twain