Athlete of the Month: July 2020

Congratulations to Linda Ziemann, our Mischief Athlete of the Month for July 2020. Linda’s journey to the doors of our Aurora box began almost three years ago with a recommendation from one of her sons, who extolled the “communal vibe” he encountered while dropping in at a local CrossFit gym. This made Linda more willing to test the functional fitness waters at CrossFit Jacksonville Beach during a trip to Jacksonville, Florida. After returning to Illinois, Linda was prompted by a Facebook ad to join our 6 Week Challenge beginners’ program, which, at the time, was geared towards participants aged 50 years and over. A combination of her experiences in Florida, desire to start training with weights, and the age-specific structure of our introductory CrossFit course, brought Linda to CrossFit Mischief that fall.

Since joining the Mischief family, Linda has worked extremely hard, confronted adversity (via a shoulder injury unrelated to CrossFit), and shown a keen interest in the weightlifting and powerlifting movements she has been exposed to, always inquiring about the functionality of what she’s been asked to perform. Her training successes are far more valuable than the numbers and scores that go into the computer at the end of a session. In October 2020—when Linda became a Mischief Member—here bone density was rapidly decreasing; however, after two years of CrossFit training, her numbers have reversed direction, and Linda no longer needs medication. One of the ways Linda stays active away from the gym is through music. Linda’s relationship with music has been a lifelong commitment (Marching Band in high school and college), her passion for playing the trumpet evident by her involvement in the National Community Band, Windjammers Unlimited Circus Band, Naperville Municipal Band, and the church choir. We are fortunate to have Linda at CrossFit Mischief, and we are thrilled to have had a measurable impact on her long-term health. Keep it up, Linda!