The Garage Games
Leah Polaski has been to the CrossFit Games as an individual as well as on a team. She is a well rounded athlete at the absolute least, and has proven that fact repeatedly in many competitions. She will be competing at Garage Games 1 in Suwanee GA on February 14th-16th… and she has some valuable things to say.
1. When did you start CrossFitting? Why? What caught your attention?
I started CrossFitting in May 2009 (the 15th to exact… yes, I know the date). I was bored out of my mind with running and doing the whole globo gym routine. I had moved to Atlanta about 6 months prior and drove by CrossFit Atlanta almost daily. I always wondered what it was and kept telling myself to google it; I kept forgetting. One day I finally did it and I think the WOD on the site that day was Grace. I didn’t know what a clean and jerk even was, but something made me email to set up my free trial. I went in early on a Monday morning and met with Dan, the owner. He told me my squat would take some work and put my through a 10 min Cindy. I was sore for days… and I was hooked.
2. Who has influenced you on this fitness pursuit, and what in your past made this a good fit for you?
Well, first, I have to credit all the amazing women at CFATL. I remember watching them doing pull-ups while I struggled on the band and “guy” push-up (yeah, that’s what I called them). They moved barbells with apparent ease, and I remember thinking “I will NEVER be able to do that!” The bar was and is set high, and for that I love CrossFit Atlanta. As far as it being a good fit, I think my soccer background and apparent competitive nature that I never knew I had are helpful, but really the reason I love it is CrossFit gives you the opportunity to continually better yourself. You reach one goal, then you set a new one. There is a constant quest for improvement and growth, which is tough to find as an adult, especially in an athletic arena.
3. You have competed a lot over the years, tell us about those that had a big impact on you outside of the CF Games, and in the CF Games what was the biggest deal to you?
Well, when I started CrossFit I didn’t know it was a sport or something you could even compete in. I went to my first competition in Franklin, TN about 5 months after starting (Oct 2009). I had zero expectations, but thanks in large part to some programming that lended itself to my strengths, I somehow managed to win! That lit the fire and I was a competition junky after that. I went to every local competition I could and certainly had my sights set on the Sectionals and Regionals in 2010.
In the Games, of course it was amazing to qualify as an individual, I’ve enjoyed even more being able to compete with some of my best friends on the CFATL team over the past few years. I find the atmosphere of the team competition to be so supportive and I find I perform my best when I know others are counting on me.
4. You have found romance via CrossFit (or so it seems to us outsiders), would you say that there is any particular reason why you are with a crossfitter?
This one’s easy… CrossFit guys are hot! Ok, maybe that’s not the whole story, but it certainly helps. Seriously though, I think there’s something to be said for having common interests in any relationship, and for me personally, I spend so much time training, coaching, watching, talking about and thinking about CrossFit that I don’t know if anyone other than a CrossFitter could handle that!
5. What goals to have for yourself in crossfit going forward from here?
Going forward, I know I’d like to make one more run at the Games with our CFATL team. After that, I certainly plan to continue coaching both at my gym and with CrossFit HQ, to compete locally and would love to one day do an Olympic Lifting meet… something to take me completely out of my comfort zone!
6. What is your favorite healthy food to eat? How about a cheat food? Do you approach your diet like that (meaning strict, but then some cheat days), or do you take a different approach, such as an 80/20 (good/not so good) ratio all the time, or something completely different?
Ah food, one of my favorite topics… ask anyone who knows me well, and they’ll probably tell you I’m pretty neurotic about my diet. I weigh and measure my food during the week and stick predominantly to meats and veggies with a lot of fat (coconut, avocado and some nuts occasionally). I loosen it up on the weekends when I typically have to eat out due to travel, but I still stick to meats and veggies as much as possible, I just can’t weigh and measure. Saturday night… cheat night! LAME ALERT: my cheat is typically a Lara Bar (PB cookie) and some, ok, way too much, almond butter. I can’t stop with that stuff!
– Thanks Leah, we love your attitude, your demeanor, and your potential! We look forward to seeing you in February!