We are very excited to announce our August Member in the Spotlight as none other than our very own… Picca McDonough!
Picca just recently celebrated her 5 year anniversary with us here at The Port and is officially a member of the Rising Tide! She has always displayed qualities we look for in a Member in the Spotlight; positivity, an encouraging classmate, an incredible work ethic, and dedication, and also, she simply lights up the room. But over the past few months, we feel Picca has gone above and beyond as an athlete and a member of our community. She’s consistently been at the top of our Most Dedicated list, both at home and when the gym opened back up. She also participated in our latest Endurance Program. Picca is so inclusive and makes sure others are getting their fitness in and is one of the best accountability buddies.
BUT, we will take a quick break from bragging about Picca, so you can read a little more about her below!
1. First, tell us a little about your CrossFit story! How long have you been with the Port and how did you get started?
Wow, for starters, I am extremely honored and humbled to be recognized as this month’s Member in the Spotlight. The Port has continued to provide resources that have been so invaluable for me, all while creating an environment that I truly love coming to every day. I am genuinely grateful for a place like this. It’s more than just a gym to me. It’s the camaraderie and the people of like-minded goals that drives my motivation daily and inspires me to try my hardest the moment I walk through those doors.
I was a member at a local Portsmouth gym for several years before joining The Port. There, I attended group classes, hit the weight room and I even committed to training for a fitness competition in order to stick to my goals and break up my boring gym routine. Something I had loved doing so much and had so much passion for eventually became an obligation and something very uninspiring for me. A couple of times I even stopped working out completely simply because I didn’t enjoy it anymore. I knew Justin and Sophie well before their CrossFit career began, so when I started seeing photos of them competing in CrossFit competitions, it inspired me to reach out. I knew I wanted to try something different and the combination of endurance, strength training, and gymnastic movements piqued my interest and was the catalyst behind my motivation to see what the CF hype was all about! I remember walking through those doors 5 years ago, and it was the most intimidating experience I had ever encountered, but also 100% life-changing, and I couldn’t be happier.
2. What has changed for you since joining? What change are you most proud of?
Since joining, The Port has significantly increased my strength and endurance. The dynamic programming has allowed me to target my weaknesses and become a more well-rounded athlete. Believe it or not, I really dislike competing. It gives me anxiety and when I first started CrossFit, I said I would never participate in The Open or ANY CrossFit Competition…EVER! I’d say, I’m most proud of overcoming that fear and having more confidence in myself and my ability as an athlete. All while remembering that it’s about having fun, it’s a privilege to get to do this every day, and feeling excited about it, not nervous!
3. What are some things you love to do outside of the gym?
I love spending time with my 9-year-old daughter, Mila. She just makes me laugh so much and brings out the little kid in me and reminds me not to sweat the small stuff! In the summer we love biking, camping, hiking, picnics in the park and all the ice cream! Acadia is our favorite place to go when we road trip it to see family up north. I also love art and sitting somewhere quiet and just drawing whatever comes to mind.
4. If you were shipwrecked on a deserted island and all of your human needs were met- food and water and shelter- what are two things you would want to have with you?
Definitely a hammock and a good book. I’m currently reading Untamed by Glennon Doyle (thank you Cash;)
5. What are your three most-used emojis?
6. What’s something we might not know about you yet? Perhaps a talent or skill, something awesome you’ve done or participated in?
Gosh, I’m ashamed to admit this question took a lot longer for me to answer than it should have because not a lot came to mind as far as skill or talent. Haha. I guess one thing most might not know about me is, I lived in a psychedelic school bus for a stretch of time while my mom traveled the country with me and toured a bunch of Grateful Dead shows. Through all of our traveling, I’ve attended 6 different grade schools, 3 different high schools, and some homeschooling in between! So yeah, I guess you can say I have a little hippy in me at heart (insert peace sign emoji here).
