I grew up in northern Virginia. Went to undergrad at Virginia Tech. Studied veterinary medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland where I graduated in 2014. My first job was in Salisbury Maryland after graduation. I married my now ex-husband in 2016 and we moved to the Baltimore area in 2017. I’ve lived in the city since 2019 and have been at my current position since 2020. I have a dog, Brew, and 2 cats- Talisker and Islay. All 3 are around 10-11 years old. I love to travel, try new food, and read Star Wars and Lord of the Rings!!
I am an only child. Random fun fact- I was a Girl Scout for 10 years!
What led you to try CrossFit?
All throughout college and grad school I ran for fitness. I have done 4 half marathons and would run around 15-20 miles a week. During my final year of grad school and first year of my first job, my running fell off due to stress and working nights/weekends. Adjusting to the overnight/3rd shift lifestyle was hard at first. At my first job in Salisbury back in 2015, one of my nurses spent about a year trying to convince me to try out CrossFit to help get back into fitness again. I went to 1 class and immediately joined the gym. It seemed so different than anything I’d ever done before, I felt accomplished and sore and it was fun! October of this year will be my 10 year CrossFit anniversary!!
Why do you continue to CrossFit?
The first gym I joined closed within a year or so of me joining, and by that time I was fully under the influence. I quickly joined another gym- CrossFit Salisbury, where I would eventually meet baby Coach Megan when she came to Salisbury for college!
I realized very quickly that CrossFit not only provided a great fitness experience but was also a place to make friends. This was the first time as an adult that I wasn’t in school and I realized that making friends outside of work is really hard. CrossFit made that so much easier. When my ex and I moved to Baltimore in 2017, the first thing I did was join a gym— CrossFit Mercenary— because I knew that I would find community and eventually friends in a new place.
Covid took a lot from us for a long time and Mercenary was a gym lost to the pandemic. I built out a gym in my garage but quickly lost steam working out by myself, especially when the weather got cold in fall/winter of 2020-21. Several of the members from my old gym, including my good friends Josh and Alexa, had already joined Titan. By January of 2021 I was ready to be back in a gym. I joined Titan and have been here since then!
Describe how your attitude towards health and fitness has evolved since you began your journey.
When I first joined CrossFit, I told myself that it was to get me back into running, the only real fitness I’d ever done in my life. That changed real quick. I decided I didn’t want to be “skinny” any more. I wanted to be strong and fit. I wanted to have muscles and look and feel strong. I wanted to lift heavy and do gymnastic movements I’d never even thought I would be able to do. And running sometimes was just a fun bonus for me!
CrossFit also introduced me to a different way of looking at nutrition— not to lose weight primarily, but to fuel my body to be able to accomplish my goals in the gym. I am in a much better place with my body image and health than I was when I started almost 10 years ago. I definitely have CrossFit (and therapy) to thank for that shift!
As CrossFit has evolved as a sport, seeing so many strong women both on the elite athlete level as well as on a daily basis in my gym, continues to encourage me to look past a number on a scale and feel more comfortable in my own skin. It’s a daily struggle still, but it’s gotten a lot easier knowing what my body is capable of in so many different ways. Strong and healthy is a much happier place to be.
Share a memorable CrossFit moment that makes you laugh or puts a smile on your face.
There are certainly big personal PR’s like getting my first pull ups in an open workout, getting my first strict pull ups, finally mastering double under, etc. Being able to attend the Games for the last 2 years in Madison was such a fun experience and helped create amazing friendships. But honestly, most of my favorite moments in CrossFit are related to the daily classes and community. Every day the gym is full of laughter and community that I continue to look forward to.
What are you proud of and why?
The timing of this is interesting as I’m recovering from my 4th knee surgery, 2nd since starting CrossFit. What I am most proud of is coming back from a very major knee surgery in 2017-2018 and knowing that I’m going to do the same in 2025. Nothing prepares you for an injury and surgery. But knowing that I have my friends and my gym/coaches behind me, supporting and cheering me on, keeps me coming in to get back to where I was and, hopefully, better. It helps that I’ve done this before and know I can do it again.
What's your advice for other CrossFitters or people looking to start?
Every single one of us has had our first day in the gym. Regardless of your fitness level/background, we’ve all started at day 1 and we’ve all kept coming in. Don’t be intimidated or scared. What I tell anyone asking me about it, is that CrossFit is infinitely scalable and adaptable to each person’s individual fitness level. I’m currently in the gym doing a version of CrossFit on crutches alongside members older and younger than me doing all levels of fitness. It seems scary but it’s so much fun and honestly one of the best things I ever did for myself.
Why the coaches chose Kelly as Titan of the month:
Kelly has been a valued member of Titan for years, adapting her class schedule to fit her work schedule. She’s a warm and welcoming presence, always eager to greet everyone with a smile. With a balanced perspective on fitness, she remains focused on progress while acknowledging the challenges that come with the journey. Recently, her coaches have been especially impressed by her commitment to staying active during her recovery from knee surgery. She consistently shows up, enthusiastically participating in classes and modifying movements as needed. Kelly exemplifies the idea that movement is both a privilege and a necessity.
