This is the first in a series of personal reflections penned by Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis athletes about the mental, physical and emotional changes experienced since joining our health & fitness community. Have a story you’d like to share? Email your reflection to karen@eadperformancecenter.com

Amy Pi was inspired to drop us an email after jotting down her thoughts on the 30 Day Paleo Challenge, which concludes February 13 at midnight. If you’ve ever trained with Amy, you know that she’s focused, committed and loves lifting heavy. Her results — thanks to a complete lifestyle change — are dramatic, although far from overnight; Amy’s transformation has been two years in the making. Keep up the great work, Amy, and thanks for sharing your reflection with us. We’re proud of you!

I celebrated my second anniversary with EAD in January, and looking back, I’m amazed at how much has changed since those early days.

Those first workouts seemed so daunting and exhausting, and the warm-ups absolutely brutal. Who would have known that I would one day consider 70 – 90# Deadlifts, 60 Burpees, and 60 – 30#KB swings a good workout?

I remember the day I learned Josh would be our coach. Who would have known that the person that I so vehemently did NOT want to be our group’s leader would become such a trusted, inspiring and supportive person on my journey?

I remember the first time there was a barbell in a workout, and how I felt when the initial fear of picking it up turned to pure power and confidence. Who would have known that I LOVE to lift heavy?

I remember being petrified about my first Saturday morning class, and the “fit guy” who said I was motivating because I kept going the whole time and stayed rep for rep with him. Who would have known that I would be the one convincing women friends to not be intimidated by the guys during a WOD?

I remember joking about eating pebbles and berries as part of the Paleo diet and fighting the idea of leaving behind pasta and cheese.  Who would have foreseen that my own foray into and success with Paleo would get others to try it?

I remember being so intimidated and embarrassed to have to struggle in front of people. Who would have known that I would feel such a sense of challenge and welcome that slight sensation of fear when reading about tomorrow’s WOD?

People always ask me, “How much weight have you lost?”  And while I definitely do care about the shift of the number on the scale, it has become so much more than that. The measure of success is more about what I have gained. The community of supportive people, the confidence that I can do things I thought were once impossible, and the control over how to fuel my body to work and play the way I want are priceless.  While I am far from being finished with this journey, I am so pleased with the path so far, and I am ever so thankful that I had EAD as my vehicle to get this far. Thank you for seeing in me that which I was unable to see.  Thank you for helping a more healthy and empowered me come into being.

I am thankful for the guidance, tough love, encouragement, celebratory spirit and pride that the EAD performance coaches have for us. Thank you for all the work you do and Happy Anniversary!

The Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis Community will once again have an excellent showing at the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships Saturday, Feb. 25 at Chicago State University.  As a result, there will be no classes Saturday, Feb. 25, so please plan your training schedule accordingly. Apologies for any inconvenience this schedule change may cause.

If you’d like to cheer on our crew, carpools are available from EAD North – CFAH. Please email Coach Karen for details.

Since we’re closed Saturday, why not give the Sunday, Feb. 26 CrossFit Boot Camp a try? Join Coach Josh at 10:30 a.m. Register today.

Registration is now open for Elite Training Camp.

The nationally-certified health & fitness professionals at Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis are pleased to add Elite Training Camp to our Class Schedule effective Monday, Feb. 6

This innovative class is a mix of essential movement instruction, cardiovascular conditioning, and strength training. The class is perfect for the athlete who loved our Fitness Boot Camp, wants to shake up their training schedule, or is new to our health & fitness community.

Elite Training Camp will initially be available at Elite Athletic Development North – CrossFit Arlington Heights, with plans to launch at Elite Athletic Development Downtown – CrossFit Axis in the coming weeks.

Also effective the week of February 6 is New Athlete Orientation, an opportunity for folks just starting with our community to meet with a senior performance coach to learn more about the EAD / CFAH / CFAX training philosophy, gain insight about our community, define health & fitness goals, ask lots of questions, and build a quarterly training program.

Photo courtesey of The Daily Herald, Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Coach Karen’s original Paleo- and family-friendly recipes landed her as a recent Daily Herald “Cook of the Week”. Check out the article featuring her recipes at Arlington Heights Mom Eats Like a Caveman, or catch the video of her in action.

The good folks at the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships have added the CrossFit Challenge to the 2012 event, Saturday, Feb. 25 at Chicago State University. The CrossFit Challenge combines the scored of two, four-person team events — the Quad 1000m and the 2000m relay — and may be just the event for you! See Coach Karen, Josh or Jim for details and to register. Registration closes Friday!

Join us every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. for a Mobility & Recovery class. EAD senior performance coach, certified athletic trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and performance enhancement specialist Becky Rivard will lead a one-hour, hands-on class targeting a specific area to help improve performance and prevent injury.

As if celebrating your birthday wasn't enough. February also features the following holidays: Groundhog Day (02.02), St. Valentine’s Day (02.14), President’s Day (02.20)., and the conclusion of the 30 Day Paleo Challenge (02.13).

Happy Birthday to all the EAD / CFAH / CFAX athletes who share a February birthday, including: Enrique, Vit, Andy W, Austin, Khortni, Kerry L, Karen P, Agnit, Tim J, Gitte, Catherine M, Kathryn S, Nicole Y, Licia, Dave K, Kim R, Jenn F, Elizabeth C, Linda K, Dawn V, Nolan, Ania, Andrew N, Jennifer H, Heather R, Katie S, Andrea N, Linda P & Cindy K. Did we miss you? Please let us know!

It’s a dream scenario for every employer: a program that encourages employees to work harder, increase productivity, decrease absenteeism, and perform better. Yet according to a recent survey of American workers at growing businesses with 10 to 1,000 workers, employers need to wake up to the power of offering employees a fitness center discount.

Elite Athletic Development offers custom fitness programs for work groups of all sizes.

“Employees in the survey cite a fitness center discount as their top wellness benefit, which differs from the more passive online wellness information, educational tools and resources employers tend to offer,” said Jim Inman, owner, Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis. “Investing in the health and wellness of your employees is simply good business, and promoting wellness in the workplace is something every company, regardless of size and budget, can do.”

The nationally-certified health & fitness professionals at Elite Athletic Development work with area companies in a variety of ways to create a culture of wellness. Elite Athletic Development offers companies—large or small—discounts and incentives for employees to participate in the programs.

“We bring our award-winning group exercise classes to your work location, host work groups at our North Arlington Heights or Downtown Arlington Heights locations, develop hands-on workshops, and work with company leadership to structure incentive and reward programs to encourage sustainable participation,” said Inman.

Inman says the benefits of custom wellness programming for work groups is well worth the investment, a statement supported by Lee Dukes, president of Principal Wellness Company, a subsidiary of survey sponsor the Principal Financial Group.

“Employers who embrace a culture of wellness in their workplaces can benefit in return with not only costs-savings but healthier and more engaged employees,” said Dukes.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 52 percent of workers (up from 37 percent last year) said they have more energy to be more productive at work by participating in a wellness program
• Another 35 percent (up from 28 percent a year ago) said that they have missed fewer days of work by participating in a wellness program.
• 41 percent of the workers surveyed agree that having a wellness program encourages them to work harder and perform better at work.
• 45 percent of workers chose better overall physical health as the top benefit to participating in a wellness program.

The Elite Athletic Development training program is inspired by CrossFit and forged by work during more than 38,000 athlete visits since 2006. Steeped in a functional fitness philosophy, Elite Athletic Development programming helps the “every day” athlete achieve their health & fitness goals in a supportive community-based setting, and under the guidance of nationally certified performance coaches. For more information on Elite Athletic Development’s Workplace Wellness program, contact karen@eadperformancecenter.com or call 847.394.8110.

Congrats to EAD / CFAH / CFAX athlete Al W on his amazing performance against the fastest cyclocross racers in the world. Al finished in 15th place in the grueling and grimy event staged January 13 – 15 in Louisville, KY. Great job, Al! Now it’s time to hang up the bike and wheel your way back into CrossFit training … you’ve been missed.

January boasts almost 30 observances including Prune Breakfast Month, Oatmeal Month, Soup Month, Fiber Focus Month, Diet Month, Fat-Free Living Month, Lose Weight & Feel Great Month and Bath Safety Month.

Happy Birthday to EAD / CFAH / CFAX athletes born in January. Many happy returns to Maggie, Amanda T, Ann Marie N, Terry K, Erika B, Nathan S, Mark K, Dave B, Charlotte O, Wendy Re, Kristen B, Tamara P, Danine P, Vince S, Bryan B, Sandy G, Erin M, Fernando, Mike Di, Patti K, Michelle S, Michael W, Emily E, Elizabeth N, Ryan B, & Karrin. Did we miss someone? Please let us know!

You’ve seen the positive changes eating Paleo — even for just 30 days — has made for athletes throughout the EAD / CFAH /CFAX Community. Start 2012 with a clean plate. Sign up for the Winter 2012 30 Day Paleo Challenge. Etch your name on the virtual wall today. Email karen@eadperformancecenter.com

The votes are in and Coach Karen’s Paleo Poppers with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce ranked as one of the top three original recipes in the inaugural Robb Wolf Paleo Holiday Recipe Contest.

Coach Karen’s recipe puts a Paleo spin on a traditional tavern favorite, stuffed jalapeno peppers. The top three dishes in each category are now on the plates of contest judges Mark Sisson (Mark’s Daily Apple), John Wellbourn (CrossFit Football), Loren Cordain (yup … the Loren Cordain), Chris Kresser (Integrative Medicine guru) & Shannon Ford(Mrs. United States). Each judge will prepare and taste one recipe category; Ms. Ford has the “Best Party Dish” category and will sample Coach Karen’s creation.

Watch for details in the coming weeks about a chance to taste-test the Paleo Poppers, as well as other healthful-eating recipes at Elite Athletic Development North – CrossFit Arlington Heights.

The 2011 EAD Ragnar Relay Team at the finish ilne in Motrose Harbor. Registration for the 2012 team is now open. See Coach Jim or Coach Alida.

Ask members of the 2011 EAD Ragnar Relay Team and they’ll tell you running from Madison, Wis. t0 downtown Chicago relay-style with 12 members of our community was 200 miles of crazy, unexpected fun.

Registration for the 2012 Ragnar Relay / Team EAD is now open. The 2012 event is June 8 & 9. We’re looking for at least 24 people who find enjoyment in running three times over 26 hours (distances of 3 to 10 miles per run, with a total distance per runner of 10 to 20 miles), riding in a 15-person passenger van, operating on little (if any) sleep,  and sharing a memorable experience with your fellow EAD athletes. Plus, when else will you run with a headlamp? Not a runner, but still want to get involved? We also need at least four drivers, and other support personnel.

Secure your spot on the 2012 EAD Ragnar Relay Team with a $100 deposit (made payable to Elite Athletic Development and due no later than February 19.) Additional charges for race support — van rental, gas, food, etc. — will be assessed after the event, and should run less than $100, based on 2011 figures.

Want to learn more about the Ragnar Relay? Checkout the event main site, or ask Coach Alida, who is a 2012 Ragnar Relay Race Ambassador for Chicago.

A few -- but not all -- of the competitors from the 2011 Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis Chicago Indoor Rowing Championship.Trainng begins December 5 for the 2012 event.

The Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis community will kick off its 12-week training program Monday, Dec. 5, for the 2012 Chicago Indoor Rowing Championship. No previous indoor rowing experience is necessary. The 2012 Chicago Indoor Rowing Championship is Saturday, Feb. 25 at Chicago State University.

Register to row for Team EAD / CFAH / CFAX for $35 (or less; we’ll confirm as soon as pricing is posted) and receive one free rowing class, professional coaching & skill development, an event t-shirt, and your event entry.

EAD / CFAH / CFAX performance coaches have developed a proven training program to prepare for the indoor rowing event.

The 55-athlete strong Elite Athletic Development crew was the largest non-rowing specific organization at the 2011 Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships. Team members ranged in age, ability and fitness level. Even though most competitors had no previous indoor rowing experience prior to joining the Elite Athletic Development training program, the team logged impressive results, including:

• The Mens’ 2000 meter relay team placed third, narrowly edged out by a storied Chicago rowing club; the Women’s team placed team fifth
• Six athletes earned medals
• Seven athletes placed top 5
• 12 athletes placed top 12
• Multiple athletes logged personal records in the 2000 meter, 500 meter and the 500 meter relay split

Training for the EAD / CFAH / CFAX Crew for 2012 Chicago Indoor Rowing Championship includes:

• Technique Work & Sprints incorporated in to the MetCon and Strength & Power WODs on Tuesday & Thursday
• Skill Development & Training — Monday, 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, 10:30 a.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.
• Open Row(suggested workout provided) — Wednesday, 5:30 a.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. & 8 a.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

CIRC 2012 training is included in the convenient, flexible EAD / CFAH / CFAX class card system. That means the monthly unlimited class card just became an even greater value with four different class types options — MetCon, Strength & Power, Mobility & Recovery, and Team EAD CIRC 2012 Training.

Cast away doubt and climb aboard … your boat awaits. Register today for the Elite Athletic Development / CrossFit Arlington Heights / CrossFit Axis 2012 Chicago Indoor Rowing Championship team!