August Featured Athlete - Sarah DeFrank
1. Where are you from?
Northern California and Southwestern Montana
2. If you aren’t from here, what brought you back? If you’re from here and moved and came back, what brought you back?
My mother-in-law lived on Seneca Lake. We would visit in the summer and loved it--and her--so much. We'd been entertaining the idea of moving here for awhile. Northern California fires and the cost of living was rough. When the pandemic hit, it was time to go so we packed up, drove across the country, and landed at the lake in July 2020.
3. What’s your fitness background prior to Pallas?
I've always been up to something. As a kid I played lots of sports, as an adult mostly running/jogging and a couple seasons of rec league softball, spin, weights... I started CrossFit in 2016 at a place called Hale in Richmond Ca and loved it. I was talked into giving open water swimming a go by my friend and coach Heidi in the San Francisco Bay and eventually swam from Alcatraz. I didn't keep up with CrossFit during the pandemic and had an ankle injury that benched me for awhile--I'm calling this phase at Pallas my comeback.
4. Did you or Darcy start first? Or did you start together?
Darcy and I had been talking about CrossFit while I was still in California--I was recruiting a gym buddy for when I moved out here. I told her it wasn't as scary as it seems. If I remember right, she took a foundations class, and another class that didn't have barbells and had paused her membership during COVID. So it worked out well that I had rehabbed my ankle post-surgery and she was ready to come back in December 2022. She'll be back again next month ((YAY!))
5. Can you tell us a little bit about your job and how awesome you are at it?
lol. Yes, I work at the Food Bank of the Southern Tier as the Director of Policy, Programs & Partnerships. Our policy work focuses on advocacy and education with a focus on food insecurity, federal and state feeding programs, and the root causes of poverty. We engage with community members, legislators and their staff, and state and countywide coalitions. I work with a really great group of people and we run all of our internal programs (Mobile Food Pantry, School Food Center, BackPack and Kid's Farmer Market) and the relationship with our partner pantries in our 6 county service area (Broome, Chemung, Tioga, Tompkins, Schyuler, Steuben).
6. What are some CF goals you’ve crossed off the list?
Well, 'show up regularly' and 'go 4x a week' has been a realistic goal that I’ve achieved. I could probably stand to make some more goals at this point.
7. What are some future goals you have?
I want to do a pull-up before I’m 50
I want to deadlift 300#
I want to get back to T2B
I want to improve my mile time
8. If you could write a workout, what would it look like?
4 Rounds for Time:
8 push press (medium)
60 jump rope
200m farmer carry (heavy)
12 wallballs
1 minute rest
9. What’s your favorite movement?
I like clean and jerks, back squats, push press and slam balls
10. What’s your least favorite movement?
Thrusters
11. What do you do for self care?
I swim, go for walks and hikes, hang out with friends, cook, and occasionally get massages.
12. 2 parts:
What’s your favorite restaurant in the area? Eat Creekside Cafe, Dryden Taqueria, Saigon Kitchen and Cafe Cent-Dix.
What’s your favorite thing to cook/bake? I like making posole, handmade pasta, and being creative with what I have and what’s in season.
13. What’s your favorite season and why?
I like Spring because things are coming alive there seems to be more energy and optimism.
14. If you could only use 1 piece of equipment for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Dumbbell
15. What do you like to do for fun?
I love going to the lake—any season—and getting in the water. I love music, I’ve been pretty lucky lately and have seen some great bands.
16. If someone was hesitant to try CF, what would you tell them?
Check it out. The coaches at Pallas and last gym I went to are great. They’ll help with scaling and pacing so you can build strength and endurance while keeping you safe. It’s a good balance of community and individual goals—people encourage you and push you but not beyond your capacity. There’s always someone who will say hi and make feel welcome or help you figure out what’s going on until you get the terminology and programming.