If you know long time member Darren you know he always brings encouragement and positive vibes. Besides being a stud athlete he is also a stud of person.
Tell us about yourself
I’m 33 years old and grew up in Ventura County for a majority of my life. Married to the beautiful former Athlete of the Month, June, and have an amazing 6-month old son Noah (future crossfitter, I can feel it!). I’m a short, simple, fun-loving man that enjoys the outdoors and being surrounded by positive people.
What do you do for a job?
I am currently a Federal Service employee working for the Navy as a Physical Security Specialist. It’s a not too exciting to be honest but I utilize my Systems Engineering knowledge to ensure physical security equipment such as locks, safes, vaults, etc. have the appropriate policy requirements to satisfy end user needs.
Tell us something people might not know about you:
In my family and at home, I’m known for having terrible gas, especially when I eat broccoli, cauliflower or pineapple. I mean, the 530pm class already knows my stomach is unpredictable at times as my bathroom breaks have delayed workouts on many occasions. But if you all really want to get to know me and experience my true power, I’ll eat a good amount of broccoli and pineapple before class (just not on a squat day).
What brought you to CrossFit in the first place?
The love of my life! My wife June began CrossFit first while I was just doing bro lifts at a global gym. She would tell me how amazing the atmosphere and workouts were (also, how much more fit she was compared to me) so I decided to give it a shot. After visiting a few boxes, I found that Beachside was the best fit for me which has led to immense happiness ever since. June still continues to motivate me by working out through a majority of her pregnancy and coming back stronger than ever after having our son.
What was your first impression? How has that changed?
First impression: “This gym is full of impressive athletes that have obviously formed a strong community that enables development”. To be honest, that still holds true but the only difference is that now I’m able to be a stable part of the community which I’m extremely grateful for.
What was your first “bright spot”?
Would have to be successfully hitting the snatch. The snatch is something that always seemed foreign to me but with the guidance of the coaches, especially Nate, Luis and Mee, I was able to successfully hit a body weight snatch relatively quickly. Now I love the snatch!
What are you working on now?
My major objective is to be able to Rx every workout, which may take a while. But I’m working hard on it. Also, I realized you advance a little quicker when you have a training partner to push you and grow with (shout out to Arturo Luna, but slow down please, your advancing too fast).
What’s your favorite Beachside Crossfit memory?
Not too long after joining Beachside, my newly acquired buddy (Mr. Eddie Cruz) and I decided to partner up for the annual Beachside Beatdown in the intermediate division. We didn’t have much expectations going into the event but just decided to give it a whirl. We had a blast competing and took third place! It was an amazing day that added motivation to continue in this world of fitness but also strengthened a bond with a person I still consider a close friend
