Meeting Elisabeth Akinwale

I have been in CrossFit for almost a year and as with all endeavors in my life, I look to see if there have been Black women doing it.   This is how I came across Elisabeth Akinwale.  She is celebrated in all my online communities devoted to black women CrossFitters!  She is trained as a trained social worker, and I especially loved seeing her in a YouTube video, "Happiness and Intellectual Pursuits."

I was in total amazement of her physical abilities and her storytelling style, but I was really happy when I peeped a copy of Making Face, Making Soul/Haciendo Caras on her bookcase!!

After one particularly awesome day, I sent her a note over Facebook to let her know how much I appreciate her and how much of a motivator she is for me.  She actually wrote me back!  I was really happy to get a note from her.  She was going to be in Boston in January for the East Coast Championship, and while I bought a ticket, bad weather (surprise!) kept me from attending.  I found out that she does seminars and as a treat, I decided to fly down to Baltimore to attend.  

 I was initially nervous because I wasn't sure what types of movements she'd have the class doing, but my excitement over meeting and learning from her won me over.  I had a wonderful time learning about nutrition, rest, the power of positive and intentional thinking, and the importance of working every day on movements that give me trouble.

She showed us how she does handstands.

This is the first step to me getting a handstand. 

Not sure what she was teaching us now, possibly handstand walks.

She showed us how to do pull ups at the end of the day.

I really need to frame this picture!

This is me with Brian and Curtis, the owners of CrossFit Laurel.  They were wonderful!