Congratulations to our August Athletes of the Month, Kristina Meanley and Kristin Nierengarten! Kristina joined us in May of this year ahead of preparing for a physical law enforcement exam. Here is what we love about her: Gubby: I worked with Kristina Meanly before her big erg test and she blew it out of the water -- very committed -- and she has been working out since then...
I make a lot of mistakes. Most of the time, I’ve misplaced something: my wallet at an airport, my phone in my refrigerator, my master’s thesis on the day of my defense. Some of these mistakes are trivial, like I can just borrow a pencil that day. Some are funny, like getting briefly stuck in a bathtub, and some are a little more dangerous,...
This month we have two magical unicorns as our Athletes Of the Month: Drew Stever and Alicia Tatley. Both of these two super humans started with us at the same time and came in excited to get to work. Since then they have become an integral part of our community, both jumping head-first into the gym challenges and events, as well as using their extra...
I have a very simple tattoo on my left wrist. It reads “Inspire” with an arrow to remind myself to keep moving forward; especially when moving feels impossible. I’m reminded of this as I think about the strength that Solcana has brought into my life – mentally and physically. When I think about it, my path to Solcana has been a long, 33 year journey. The...
Congratulations to our June Athletes of the Month, Alyssa Ahlgren and Shelley Quade! We are so thankful to have you both in our community. Alyssa joined us in October last year, a former hockey player who was itching to get back into the gym. She made herself at home and got down to work, calmly crushing workouts left and right. Alyssa is up for any challenge...
I’ve been trying to think how my Solcana Story is different from so many other Solcana Stories I’ve read here. Haven’t come up with anything yet. I’m not a very athletic person. I hid in gym class, and shunned team sports all through, well, my whole life. (Love horseback riding, however!) I don’t feel too comfortable in my own skin most of the time, but I’m...
MY BIRTHDAY SUIT By: Lauren Anderson It's that time of the year again. In a few days it will be my birthday. I will have made another orbit around the sun. I've always been one of those annoying people that absolutely love my birthday. Maybe it's the springtime, maybe it's being spoiled as a kid, but I can't help it! I love my birthday, and I love this...
Congratulations to our April Athletes of the Month, Jeanne Schuld and Mary Souder! Jeanne Schuld is quiet, unassuming, and crushingly strong. She started at Solcana after relocating to Minneapolis from Rochester where she had been doing crossfit for a while. The first time I met her, she was the only person at my 5:30am class. The WOD was something long with a barbell and lots of burpees....
Ideally, home is comfort. It’s comfort and peace and relaxation. Home is escape. That being said, I’m not referring to the buildings where our mail is sent. As a high school teacher and a human being who generally tries to pay attention, I understand that many people don’t have the luxury of letting their hair down at the place where they go after school or...
I am quite pleased to announce our December Athletes of the Month, Lauren Hansen and Ben Capistrant! One thing they have in common is love of a stylish workout ensemble. Let's dive into the details. Lauren became a Solcanaut last May. The first time I met her, she said she was here because she wanted to work on getting stronger. I did not realize at the time just...
Hi, my name is Nick and I’m a runner. I’ve been a runner since 8th grade. I ran Track & Field from 8th grade through high school, adding Cross Country in college. I continued to run “competitively” until a few years ago when I was unable to recover from injury. I had that dastardly Plantar Fasciitis and it took me almost 3 years to completely...
Christina Gee has been quietly showing up to the 9:30am classes for over a year now. She is kind and quick to smile, and she is secretly very funny. When she started doing crossfit, she was pretty much starting from ground zero. She has been patient, open, and eager to learn and I have watched her change and grow so much since then. She has continued...
This is a free partner workout to bring a friend to introduce them to Solcana. All experience levels welcome. We will be doing a partner workout so you can truly support whoever you bring in! It's always a good time, and the bonus is that if your friend signs up, they will get 15% off their first month, and you, Solcana Member, will get $50...
So who is that guy that seems to think Zubaz are coming back in style . . . Hi, my name is Mike and I have an abnormal collection of Zubaz and an addiction to Crossfit! Now that I got that off my chest I can tell you about how Solcana has reignited my competitive flame! Let’s travel back a few years to where this journey...
October marks the start of a new cycle at Solcana, and it's also time to recognize our October Athletes of the Month, two incredibly consistent, dedicated athletes: Gina Sabbia and Garrett Hoffman! Since Gina joined us in July 2015, she has worked her butt off to master challenging movements, fine-tune positions in her lifts, and become stronger and more stable. These things have not always come quickly or...
Hey Friends, the fall challenge begins on the week of October 3rd, which is right around the corner. If you haven't already read Hannah's post on the challenge (and if you haven't, make sure you do!) then here's a quick breakdown of why you should sign up: you will be in the running to win prizes for most improved, spirit of the challenge, and best overall score you will...
Congratulations to our September Athletes of the Month, Jess Finney and Brianna Regan! Both athletes have been with us since December, and since then they have made indelible impressions on the Solcana community. Coach Hannah described first meeting Jess: "she told me 'I know I am strong and can do anything, I just need a coach that understands that I can do a lot with this body'. That alone is...
Solcana has helped redeem my love for fitness. Allow me to explain. I pursued and attained a degree in Exercise and Sport Science and began working in the fitness field while finishing that degree. It didn’t take long to experience how vain the fitness field could be. There were spoken and unspoken pressures to look a certain way, which was conveyed as “thin but toned” if...
I started doing yoga when I decided to take a long hiatus from a 12 year long competitive swimming career. My parents freaked out that I would lose the dedication and perseverance which a sport teaches. They introduced me to Yoga as a way to keep me physically fit and mentally sane. I started taking classes for 6 years under Dr.S.N.Omkar, a student of BKS...
Whenever I go somewhere new my internal monologue is always yelling at me: “What if you do something wrong? What if you don’t know where things go and someone yells at you? What if you mix up the times and you go really early and then it’s awkward and you just sit there?* What if? What if? What if?” The first time I went to...
I work in the mental health field as a clinical social worker/therapist. One of my most favorite things to do is sit down with someone in a therapy session, help them feel comfortable being vulnerable with me, and then attempt to untangle their history of anxiety, depression, and trauma. While I may love helping others battle their own struggles, I often don’t share that I...
It's time to recognize our August athletes of the month, Meghan Casey and Ray Ringer! Meghan Casey has shown amazing consistency and dedication to her own training and to the community. Her confidence has soared over the last year as she has thrown herself into not just exercise but nutrition, mobility, and mindfulness. Coach Ariel says "she never gives up. She keeps consistently showing up, trying new suggestions,...
THE SPACE IN BETWEEN By Lauren Anderson and Morgen Larsen Hi. Lauren here. You know, once in a while, there are some rare mornings when I wake up, without being prompted by my over-active bladder. I lie there nestled in my bed, and realize I am awake just moments before my alarm starts its round of annoying beeps and boops. And on these rare mornings, I am...
I don’t like CrossFit and you don’t have to either. Let me explain. It’s hard, sometimes painful. There is a lot of physical, mental, and emotional discomfort and just when you think you are getting stronger and faster, the discomfort increases. It sucks. I mean when does this get easier right? I used to think it was supposed to get easier. Now I don’t. Now...
July slogan at Solcana: Get Rad; Be Like Eik. Our two Athletes of the Month, Sara Radjenovic and Jen Eik, have a few things in common, including formidable reserves of strength. These two beasts both bench press like it's going out of style, have troublemaker knees that they've had to work around, and if you put their names together, "Eik and Rad" could be a dymanic duo from a superhero comic or a...
I was introduced to the snatch and clean & jerk in 2006, as a senior in high school. My girlfriend at the time was the captain of our Olympic weight lifting team, and she convinced me to give it a shot, despite the fact that I’d never intentionally squatted or tossed a barbell above my head in my life. I still remember my first practice:...
That's right, Solcanauts. Here's your chance to bring that crossfit-curious friend, family member, or coworker to the gym and show them what you love about this place. Bring a Friend Day is a free partner workout run by Coach Morgen, and ALL experience levels are welcome! It's a fun excuse to sweat a bunch, do some hard work with your friend, and show them some of the sweet stuff...
If you are considering trying a powerlifting or weightlifting meet in the next year, or you have been competing for a while but missed the chance to buy your own Solcana singlet last spring, or you just love one-piece spandex outfits and wanna flaunt your love for the orange and blue, here is your opportunity! We are re-ordering the exact same style. The cost is $70...
GET ACTION. By: Lauren Anderson There are facts about me that are hard to admit. I have blogged about a lot of them so far. If you are still reading along, (or you just started), thank you. It means the things I've disclosed didn't scare you away. Maybe it even brought us closer together? I hope so... I don't know about you, but I could certainly use...
June is a special month at Solcana as we celebrate our 2nd anniversary! We are also excited to announce our two Athletes of the Month for June, Kyle Andrew and Kaitlin Korbitz. These badasses diligently prepared for and competed in our Beginner Oly Meet (at which both of them went 6 for 6, making every attempt on the platform!!!) and are known for putting themselves out there fearlessly....
