CrossFit Epping

It goes back to October 2015 when the original Pate walked through the CFE doors and joined the community.  Chip was so friendly and positive and quickly became well known over the years and as time went on the Pate’s began to multiply.  Cut to 2022, It’s now Chip and his three oldest kiddo’s crushing it at 5:30am classes.  The kids have grown before our eyes and are now into College (Molly) and their Senior years (Gavin and Ryan).  If you’ve been to early mornings you’ve surely seen the positive energy all the Pate’s radiate as well as the hard work they all put in.  We look forward to working out with you all in years to come and also watching the Kiddo’s grow into amazing adults.  Read on to hear more about the Pates!

What brought each one of you to CrossFit Epping?

Molly: Gavin, Ryan and my dad had all been going to CFE before me, and they all seemed to really enjoy it. Whether it was strategizing around the dinner table about how they were planning on going about tomorrow’s workout or feeling stronger/faster in their respective sport, all three of their positive reviews led me to decide that I had to try CFE out for myself.
Gavin: During COVID when there weren’t a lot of things to do, my dad recommended it as something to help stay in shape and get stronger for basketball.
Ryan: My Dad had been going and got Gavin to start going, and after watching how much they were enjoying the workouts and community, I wanted to also give it a try when I was looking for good cross training/strength building
for my sports
Chip: 2015 Memorial Day Weekend Soccer Tournament at Seacoast United in Epping. I was walking around with a 60# ruck on while watching games for then 12 year old Molly and 10 year olds Gavin and Ryan. Tobey pulled me out of a crowd because he recognized my ruck and said he needed another burpee competitor to win a free
month. The rest is history. 

What did you do for fitness before CFE and/or what sports do you play?

Molly: I like to run, used to play soccer and basketball, and was looking to try something new.
Gavin: I play basketball, and also played soccer previously.
Ryan: I play soccer, and before crossfit also played basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, and ran track and field.
Chip: Rucking and sandbags ended up being the thing for me for a long while, focusing on functional fitness and hiding the reps in my everyday life (adding weight to otherwise everyday tasks – like watching kids’ practices and games (and hence how Tobey found me), cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, etc).

Has CFE helped you in your respective sports and/or just in overall fitness?

Molly: I have started to feel stronger in the three months I have been at CFE.
Gavin: It has been great to work on strength, and also staying in shape for the basketball season.
Ryan: 100% I have noticed the overall fitness benefits and added strength for soccer.
Chip: Yes. On both.

Advice to someone who is hesitant to try CrossFit? 

Molly: Lean into the discomfort, because you never know if you will end up liking it or not unless you try!
Gavin: I would probably just say the hardest part is showing up. Once the clock starts there isn't much time to
think about it, and the workout is over before you know it.
Ryan: The hardest part is showing up – once you’re there it will be the best hour of your day! (The CFE community
is a special one, and every person is so supportive and makes being at the gym so much fun!)
Chip: The CrossFit games and the meme-ified public persona that CrossFit has is literally less than 1% of the actual experience. CrossFit at CFE is more about a community of hugely supportive people across a completely diverse set of backgrounds and ages coming together for an hour (or more) a day for a shared experience regardless of personal fitness levels and goals. Every exercise can be scaled up or down or substituted for another exercise altogether. You will almost certainly leave happier than when you showed up. The hardest part is showing up. Let CFE and the community take care of the rest. Do that enough times, and you will not only be in motion, you will become the force to help and inspire others. And then, Just. Keep. Moving. Oh, and don’t forget to smile and breathe.

Proudest achievement in or out of the gym?

Molly: When I didn’t die after doing a running partner workout with Ryan.
Gavin: Any workout in which I beat Mike (… you know which one).
Ryan: When I didn’t die after doing a push-up, pull-up, squat, and bike partner workout with Molly.
Chip: Being a dad was the best gift I didn’t know I needed, and then being able to be a continued part of each of their lives has been my most rewarding experience. CFE has been just one more experience for them on their journey, and one I am grateful to both be a part of and experience alongside them. It also doesn’t hurt that they still want to partner up with me for a workout here and there, even more so on the days they don’t want to take it easy.

Which Pate needs to be coaxed into going to the gym the most?

Molly: It depends on what the WOD is. Gavin is always happy to go and do unweighted farmers carries.
Gavin: Definitely me.
Ryan: You should ask Gavin about scaled scaled…
Chip: Not Ryan

Who is most likely to hit snooze in the morning and sleep in?

Molly: If you know, you know (just come to a 5:30am class).
Gavin: Me. Anytime before 7a is too early to get out of bed.
Ryan: Still working towards setting the Guiness Book World Record for “The time it takes to roll out of bed and catch the car before it leaves the driveway

Who is the most competitive Pate?

Molly: I don’t think it’s me…
Gavin: Depends on the day.
Ryan: Depends…
Chip: Wait … someone is keeping score!? I just want to come back tomorrow.

What are your favorite types of workouts at the gym?
Molly: The longer workouts are usually pretty fun.
Gavin: Anything with long periods of rest.
Ryan: Anything with running (or rope climbs)
Chip: The long format workouts… high reps and low rest. I love the combination of mental endurance workout with physical. Just keep moving. Oh, and breathing. Can’t forget that.

If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

Molly: Honeycrisp apples with peanut butter
Gavin: Probably cheerios (bottom half is regular cheerios and the top half are honey nut cheerios)
Ryan: Sweet potato brownies
Chip: Tacos. I think that hits all the major food groups. Wait, what? We don’t track food groups anymore? Oh, “macros”, right. I think it hits all of those, too. Win-win! Let’s be honest, anything with dark chocolate is delicious.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Molly: Australia/New Zealand
Gavin: Rome
Ryan: Somewhere on the ocean or in the mountains
Chip: I’d be game to go pretty much anywhere. There is so much to see, and the list of destinations is long.

What’s a fun fact about you that we should know about you?

Molly: I may or may not be able to see 3D objects.
Gavin: I play baseball left-handed, but shoot a basketball right handed.
Ryan: Gavin and I are not identical twins. You’d be surprised how many times I am asked that question.
Chip: My kids did not make me lose my hair.

Lastly, if you all had to come together and come up with a workout for us to do at the gym what would it be?
What would you name it? 

There is no Rx, Only Scaled Scaled – Partner Workout