Outside the Box: CrossFit + Triathlons

It’s time to get OUTSIDE THE BOX again! This is the story of two friends who agreed to swap sports! Allison Zurcher has a long history of running (triathlons, ironmans, marathons, half marathons) and Kim Lake has been a dedicated CrossFitter for the past six years. After working together at Kaminski Pain & Performance Care, the two became friends. After realizing how much they had in common, they agreed to give each other’s sport a try. Nine months of CrossFit later, both ladies were excited to get outside the CrossFit box to do the 2017 Quad Cities Triathlon!

What is your backstory?   

ALLIE: “I battled with my weight a lot as a kid and teenager. Running, triathlons and now CrossFit have helped me to see my body differently. I use it to do amazing, crazy things. I know to treat it well so that it will repay me with big gains in speed, strength and endurance. CrossFit has been such a great addition to my fitness routine, not only to change things up but I feel stronger. I’m overall pretty bad at it but that’s one of the things I like…I get to see a lot of improvement! Everyone at CrossFit OC3 has been so helpful and patient with me, too. With CrossFit incorporated, my new goal is PRs in everything this year – 5K, half marathon and hopefully marathon!”

KIM: “I broke my arm pretty bad as a child. For the most part it didn’t inhibit my life until I started CrossFit! I quickly noticed that there was no way that I could do a front rack due to the lack of elbow flexion I had. There were a lot of frustrating days but with the help of my coaches and the internet, I was able to develop ways to get around it. I was able to learn how to do a one armed clean. The best things about CrossFit are that it is scalable and it pushes you to properly work through your weaknesses.”

What is your sport/activity/hobby?

ALLIE: Running, triathlons and now CrossFit

KIM: CrossFit and now occasional triathlons 🙂

How did you get started in it?

ALLIE: This is a funny story because running happened completely by accident for me. I was interested in a guy who was training for an ironman, so logically, I lied and told him I was a runner! To make it credible, I’d just sprint the last block to his house and tell him I ran all the way there. I was finally busted when he nailed me down to go on a run with him. From that point, I started to actually run and the obsession grew from there. I also married him!

KIM: A friend introduced me to CrossFit several years ago, and I did my first triathlon last year after Allie agreed to start CrossFit. A true friend!

What have you noticed since adding CrossFit to your routine?

ALLIE: Since adding CrossFit, I can run, bike and swim faster without putting as many training hours in. Last year, I was actually working out 20+ hours per week (not including getting equipment ready and travel time to bike routes and lakes) in preparation for a big race, and this year I am able to cut back greatly, especially with swimming. I feel much stronger and more efficient all around.

KIM: For the sprint distance triathlons, my CrossFit training keeps me in shape enough to go out and do it on any given day without as much training. The longer triathlons would require more sport specific training.

Allie snatching less than 2 months in!

What is your favorite CrossFit workout or movement?

ALLIE: Clean & Jerk (snatch pictured)

KIM: Snatches for sure, with pull-ups a close second

Why is health/fitness important to you?

ALLIE: I used to be on anti-anxiety meds and was able to get off all of them by incorporating a regular fitness routine. This ld to a big spike in confidence!

KIM: Educating people about health is a huge part of my job as a chiropractor.  If I am going to talk the talk, I figured I better walk the walk and lead by example!

Just for fun, what are some of your quirks?

ALLIE: I can whistle really well! Also I have to check to make sure things are locked about four times, and, at least once a week I ask someone to drive by my house and make sure the garage is shut! (Another benefit of working out, which helps with this anxiety as well!)

KIM: I do RAGBRAI every year with my 73-year-old dad. People would describe me as intense but I like to think I am passionate. I am also extremely anal about having a nice lawn and a clean car!

Kim biking with her dad.

Prepping for their first tri together.

Kim at work at OC3.

Post-tri blast from the past.

Photo cred: Nicholas Zurcher