#MemberCrushMonday: Justin Dennery
Before Justin tells you his story, I want to mention that we have an RX Plus crush on him because he is one of the founding members of Chuckwalla CrossFit, along with his wife Roseann! And here is his story:
"I was born in Easton, PA but have lived in PA, CA, NJ, FL and
now AZ. My wife Roseann and I met here in Arizona on a hike in
the Superstitions. We love adventure, exploring and international
work. It’s a big part of our story and is where we feel most alive.
We have a heart to go into the hard places of the world and be the
hands and feet of Christ. Before our two little ones Redding and
Wilder entered the scene, we worked as humanitarian workers in
Haiti and have either lived or served in Africa, Latin America and
Asia. Currently I work at the Alhambra intake prison facility as a
Nurse Practitioner, caring for the medical needs of the inmates.
Going into these places is a calling, and at times can be physically,
mentally and emotionally challenging. CrossFit to me is training
for life’s adventures. It allows me to become functionally fit,
preparing me for what life throws at me which can be very chaotic
in post-disaster settings or in everyday work here. For example:
unloading a flatbed semi-truck of IV fluids in Haiti in the middle of
the night that would literally save lives of those dying of cholera
the next morning, or working around the clock, moving and lifting
victims arriving by car and ambulance into the operating room at
an Ecuadorian hospital after an earthquake… or running to
respond to a fight between inmates and quickly assessing and
treating.
I remember the first time I did a CrossFit workout before
Chuckwalla came to be during the summer of 2015, in John
Hazdovac's garage. It was me and a lot of bros, sweating and
lifting weights. Definitely my jam. After each hot and exhausting
workout, I told myself,
"Man, I'm going to be sore tomorrow!" and
Man…I was. But I loved it!
One of my favorite things about CrossFit is how measurable it is.
This year during "The Open" South West region men's masters 35-
39 y/o, scaled, I was able to pull off 15th place and 549 th in the
world. I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish and to be part of
a dedicated gym that cares about its members. Next year I hope to
be able to Rx more of the workouts during the Open.
CrossFit has changed my view of overall fitness. Most
importantly, Chuckwalla CrossFit has allowed me to become part
of a community that cares about health, fitness and most
importantly its members’ life goals. I’ve met so many incredible
people I probably wouldn’t have otherwise, and have made some
friends I know will be lifelong. It’s been awesome to watch John’s
dream for this gym and the type of experience it would offer its
members come to fruition, and I’m thankful I get to be a part of
that each time I come."
#EveryoneHasAPlace #ChuckwallaCrossFitCommunity #ChuckwallaStrong
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