More than Fitness

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David Shorunke — Enjoying the Highs and Lows of His CrossFit Journey Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

“I think because of how much of a grind it’s been to get to this point and the hurdles that I’ve had to overcome … when it comes to qualifying and everything that happened in 2020 and then also following Emma to the Games those two years and getting to see it from her perspective … getting to see that experience and combining that with what it's taken to get here, my only focus for the next period running up to the Games and including the Games is just to enjoy it. … Enjoy it as much as I can.”
Two-time CrossFit Games athlete David Shorunke joins host Adrian Conway on the show to chat about his Semifinal performance, qualifying for the Games after a long journey, and balancing life as a full-time athlete.
Shorunke grew up playing basketball and also rowed while studying exercise science in university. He was interested in joining the Royal Marines in the United Kingdom and began CrossFit as a way to test himself and prepare for the demands of the military.
After qualifying for the 2014 Europe Regional and finishing 10th, Shorunke decided to pursue CrossFit competitively.
Despite competing at the Games twice — once on a team in 2016 and once virtually in 2020 — Shorunke will make his first individual, in-person appearance at the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games this August.
In today’s episode, Shorunke reflects on his Europe Semifinal experience and his seventh-place overall finish. He describes the highs and lows, adapting to challenges during the competition, and bouncing back from less-desirable performances as he reviews the tests.
Looking ahead to the finale in Madison as a recent full-time athlete, Shorunke shares how he’s using his Semifinal experience to focus his training, opening up about the benefits of having dedicated time to work toward achieving his goals. He also gives insight on the differences between training as a competitive athlete and an everyday athlete as well as the importance of recovery.
Tune in to learn more about the ups and downs of Shorunke’s CrossFit journey, finding the “ultimate” companion in Games athlete Emma Tall, and what he’s looking forward to after his professional CrossFit career.

Kelly Baker Shirley — The Switch to Individual CrossFit Competition and Creating Balance Jul 14, 2023

Show notes

“To be honest, I prefer going out as an individual. Sometimes it hurts a little bit less.”
Two-time CrossFit Games team athlete Kelly Baker Shirley joins the show to talk about her Semifinal experience, achieving balance as a competitive athlete, and the pressures of social media.
Shirley — more familiar to fans as Kelly Baker — recently qualified for her first individual CrossFit Games by finishing 10th at the North America West Semifinal. A competitor for many years, Shirley was an elementary school teacher prior to starting her CrossFit career. In addition to being a competitive athlete, she is also a nutrition coach.In today’s episode, Shirley reflects on her Semifinal performance, gives her take on her execution of the tests, and describes her decision to pursue individual competition.
She opens up about punching her ticket to Madison, Wisconsin, and gets candid about the reality of being a competitor in CrossFit, highlighting the physical and mental demands, and sacrifices athletes make to pursue their endeavors. Shirley also gives her opinion on the importance of maintaining balance and shares how she creates space to be present, nurture relationships, and stay grounded.
Later on the show, Shirley and Conway discuss the challenges and perks of having a social media presence, how to navigate negative comments and detractors, and the influence of social media on younger athletes.
Tune in to hear from Shirley about her “fulfilling” role as a nutrition coach, why her recent wedding and honeymoon came at the perfect time, and her CrossFit beginnings.

Dallin Pepper — Keeping the Competitive Fire Lit By Finding Balance Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

“I’m not gonna work out for fun. That sounds kinda dumb.”
Three-time teen CrossFit Games champion and 2022 individual Games competitor Dallin Pepper joins the show to share his inspiration for starting CrossFit, pursuing individual competition, and qualifying for the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
Despite encouragement from his father, uncle, and other members of his family, Pepper decided to start CrossFit after watching the teen division at the 2015 CrossFit Games. He started working out of the family garage with his dad and in 2017, he became the champion in the Boys 14-15 division in his Games debut.
He repeated that feat in 2018 and 2019 in the Boys 16-17 division and qualified as an individual for the first time in 2022, placing 19th among the fittest men in the world.
After a third-place finish at the 2023 North America East Semifinal, Pepper will return to Madison for his second individual Games appearance.
In today’s episode, Pepper dives into his Semifinal experience and performance. He describes his approach to executing his plan — created with the help of his coach Matt Torres, owner of Brute Strength — to maximize his performance and run his own race.
He also talks about focusing on growth, working on weaknesses, and trusting the process as a competitor.
As a former teen athlete, Pepper gives insight into his continued effort to find balance in his life and keep his competitive fire lit as he pursues his individual CrossFit career.
Tune in to hear Pepper’s thoughts on training for the Games in Naples with other Games-bound athletes Danielle Brandon, James Sprague, and Emma Cary, managing expectations as an athlete, and the lessons he’s learned over his CrossFit journey.

Rebecka Vitesson — Qualifying For Her First Individual CrossFit Games Jul 07, 2023

Show notes

“The way that we always approach if you want to go to the Games is, ‘You need to work hard. You need to be head down and just grind,’ but I figured out what works best for me is just be playful with things. Be more laid back and see things as … ‘Let’s have fun.’ For me, it was about finding which kind of pressure works for me.”
Two-time CrossFit Games team athlete and first-time individual Games qualifier Rebecka Vitesson joins the show to share her Semifinal experience, how she became a competitive CrossFit athlete, and how she came to work with coach and two-time Games athlete Andre Houdet.
Vitesson — a former basketball player and gymnast — started CrossFit at the recommendation of a friend after incurring an ACL injury. After participating in local competitions on a team and as an individual, she decided to pursue CrossFit competitively.
Vitesson competed at the CrossFit Games on a team from 2017-2018 and most recently punched her first individual ticket by taking 11th at the 2023 Europe Semifinal.
In today’s episode, Vitesson gives a detailed description of her Semifinal experience and the mental training she’s put in to optimize her chances of qualifying for the finals. She describes her performance in each test, offers her opinions on the programming, and opens up about enjoying the journey and leaning into the pressures of competition that fire her up.
Vitesson also talks about working with Houdet — who qualified for the Games this year with team No ShortCuts CrossFit — and the benefits of working with a coach who is also a competitive athlete.
A former affiliate manager, Vitesson explains why she decided to leave the position to focus on being a full-time athlete and how that decision impacted her performance and allowed her to better manage the demands of being a professional athlete.
Tune in to learn more of Vitesson’s story, her expectations for the 2023 season, and the impact she hopes to have on the CrossFit community.

Jake Douglas — Consistently Showing Up in Life and CrossFit Jul 05, 2023

Show notes

“I’m not the guy who (came) in and bust the door down overnight, but I’m the guy that kept showing up.”
Affiliate owner, father, and first-time CrossFit Games qualifier Jake Douglas joins the More Than Fitness podcast to chat about his Semifinals performance, fatherhood, and the challenges of being a business owner.
Douglas was introduced to CrossFit by his high-school physical education teacher who encouraged him to train together. Douglas eventually began training alone, but was joined by some friends who ultimately out-grew the garage. Some years later, Douglas — who was a full-time plumber at the time and loved the sport — decided to lease the space next to his job and opened up Snake CrossFit.
In addition to being an affiliate owner, the Australian native is a dad, a multi-year competitive CrossFit athlete, and recently punched his first ticket to the CrossFit Games after placing third overall at the 2023 Oceania Semifinal.
In today’s episode, Douglas reflects on his Semifinal experience and the moment he knew he was headed to Madison. He also touches on the balancing act of being an affiliate owner and a competitive athlete, and details how relinquishing control of parts of his business helped him focus on his athletic pursuits.
Douglas also opens up about his relationship with his daughter and being a role model for her through his actions, not his words.
Also in today’s show — one of host Adrian Conway’s favorites — find out Douglas’ opinions about the Semifinals tests, which Open workout he did four times, how he’s grown with HWPO, and why he continues to show up and be resilient in life and in CrossFit.

Kelly Kelly — All In Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

“I very quickly realized that coaching wasn’t something that was taking extra energy away from my ability to be an athlete, but it was enhancing it. It was giving me more reasons to love what I was doing.”
CrossFit Level 3 Trainer and three-time Semifinal competitor Kelly Kelly joins host Adrian Conway on today’s episode to talk about the balance between competitive athlete and coach, her CrossFit beginnings, and preparing for the CrossFit Level 3 Certification.
Kelly was a competitive collegiate soccer and water polo player, and she found CrossFit in 2010 when she walked into a larger gym that was running an affiliate within the building. She was immediately drawn to the class atmosphere when she saw the members laughing and high-fiving each other, despite being hesitant about the barbell work.
Kelly’s competitive CrossFit career started after she decided to compete in a team competition “just for fun.” After realizing she wasn’t “capable of competing ‘just for fun,’” Kelly made the decision to pursue competitive CrossFit.
A lifelong learner, Kelly eventually took the CrossFit Level 1 Course, began coaching, and is now a Certified CrossFit Level 3 Trainer, coaching at CrossFit UP in Santa Cruz, California.
In today’s episode, Kelly opens up about her athletic background and working through injuries before and after finding CrossFit. She explains how her mindset has changed over the years, highlighting the importance of rest and recovery, and finding balance.
Kelly also details her road to becoming a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer. She tells the story of why and how she pursued the certification, and shares how her experiences as a coach and an athlete have helped her be a better coach for her members, and in turn, a better CrossFit athlete.
At the recording of this episode, Kelly was weeks away from competing at the North America West Semifinal. She gives her perspective on the Semifinals tests, details how she prepared for the competition, and explains why even CrossFit coaches — who are also athletes — need coaches.Kelly — formerly Kelly Clark — placed 38th among the fittest individual women at the North America West Semifinal.

Austin Malleolo — Finding Purpose Through CrossFit Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

“I look at the opportunity to have done so many seminars, to have traveled the world into so many gyms, and meet so many people — it is something that has such a profound impact on my life in the sense of what I learned, the people I was able to interact with, and the other trainers. … When you’re around people that chase excellence, that want to be the best, that want feedback, that are willing to give you feedback, you cannot be complacent. You have to be better.”
General Manager of Global Affiliates Austin Malleolo joins the show and shares his journey discovering CrossFit, joining the Seminar Staff, and helping CrossFit affiliates grow and flourish in his current role.
Malleolo was introduced to CrossFit while working as a personal trainer. He took on benchmark workout Fran and was drawn in. He began researching and learning more about the sport, wanting to be more involved and ultimately became a competitive athlete, affiliate owner, and coach. While coaching, finishing his degree, and training for the Games, Malleolo made his Games debut in 2016, placing sixth overall.
After emailing Dave Castro with a request to intern, Malleolo eventually joined the Seminar Staff and began teaching CrossFit seminars worldwide, while also balancing his competitive career. He has taught over 400 Level 1 and Level 2 seminars, and at one point averaged 40 seminars a year.
In today’s episode, Malleolo opens up about finding his purpose through CrossFit and explains his path to becoming the General Manager of Global Affiliates, sharing stories, experiences, and wisdom he’s gained along the way.
He also describes his role in growing, developing, and better-serving affiliates and the community, and gives insight into CrossFit’s vision and trajectory for the future.
Learn more about Malleolo’s CrossFit career, as an athlete and a staff member, and don’t miss his answers to the Final Five at the end of the podcast.
In addition to being a husband and father, Austin Malleolo is a seven-time CrossFit Games athlete, a former multi-affiliate owner, a CrossFit Seminar Staff Trainer, and holds the highest CrossFit coaching certification — Certified CrossFit Level 4 Coach (CF-L4).

Will Moorad — Facing Adversity Head On Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

“I still have that fire to compete with the best in the world.”
Four-time CrossFit Games athlete Will Moorad joins the show to discuss his evolution in CrossFit, facing and learning from personal challenges, and his life-long commitment to sports.
Moorad competed at his first Regional in 2013 and made his Games debut in 2014. In 2017, when he was 27, he was diagnosed with a kidney disease and stepped away from the sport as advised by his doctor. Over a year later, Moorad learned he was misdiagnosed and returned to competitive CrossFit. He competed at the Games three more times since then.
In today’s episode, Moorad reflects on his 10-year CrossFit career and his growth as an athlete. He dives into his kidney disease misdiagnosis, explaining how his use of over-the-counter pain relief medication caused acute kidney failure, and explains how his experience led him to seek healthier ways to recover. He also draws attention to the lengths athletes might go to stay competitive in a sport.
Later in the episode, Moorad opens up about his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis which came after competing at the 2021 CrossFit Games. He offers perspective on the emotional toll of dealing with adversity, how that shared experience with his wife created a stronger bond between them, and how he used that emotional and mental challenge as fuel and motivation to continue training — a request from his wife.
Learn more about how Moorad faces personal challenges in and out of the arena head on, how he came to train with Tia-Clair Toomey and the PRVN crew, and how he’s preparing to qualify for his fifth CrossFit Games.
Note: This episode was recorded prior to Moorad’s performance at the 2023 North America East Semifinal. He finished sixth overall in the competition and has qualified for his fifth CrossFit Games.

Lazar Đukić — Putting Serbia On the CrossFit Map Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

“It was a real struggle coming from a small country that didn’t have a single CrossFit box when I started. … As I progress through the sport, the community and Serbia progress also. I feel very blessed to be somebody that is charging the way, making it easier for everybody else.”
Two-time CrossFit Games athlete Lazar Đukić joins host Adrian Conway on the “More Than Fitness” podcast to share his CrossFit start, the impact he hopes to have on the youth in Serbia, and preparing for the 2023 season.
The six-time Serbia National Champion and former water polo player started CrossFit during a student work trip in the United States. His roommate was familiar with the sport and invited him to do CrossFit Hero workout Murph.
Đukić was hooked. When he returned to Serbia, he bought some equipment and started training at home.
Đukić qualified for the 2019 CrossFit Games as the National Champion of Serbia but declined his invitation. He instead made his Games debut in 2021, finishing ninth place overall, and returned in 2022 after winning the CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown Semifinal.
In today’s episode, Đukić opens up about the struggles he faced as the first CrossFit Games Serbian athlete to pave the way for others in the sport. He hopes his success in CrossFit will serve as inspiration for others in his homeland and plans to coach Serbian athletes at the Games in the future.
Vying for a ticket to Madison, Đukić describes how his training has changed for the 2023 season to avoid burnout early on and discusses the benefits he’s seen in working with specialty coaches. He also shares how his performances in off-season competitions fueled his drive to come back mentally and physically stronger this year.
Listen in to learn how to properly pronounce Đukić’s name, why Open Workouts 19.1 and 20.5 stand out, and why 2023 will be his best year yet.
Watch Đukić — currently ranked fifth worldwide — compete at the Europe Semifinal in Berlin, June 1-4.

CrossFit East Nashville PRVN — Pursuing the Affiliate Cup May 29, 2023

Show notes

“We’ve got one goal in mind.” — Tim Paulson
Andrea Nisler, Taylor Williamson, and Tim Paulson — three of the four members of CrossFit East Nashville PRVN — join the show to chat with host Adrian Conway about their pursuit for the 2023 Affiliate Cup.
Team PRVN — Nisler, Williamson, Paulson, and Tola Morakinyo — came together for the 2023 season. While all of the members have years of CrossFit Games experience, this is Paulson’s first season as a team competitor.
Nisler and Williamson have previously won the Affiliate Cup with four-time Fittest Man on Earth Rich Froning and Morakinyo is a four-time Games team athlete, most recently competing with two-time Fittest Woman on Earth Annie Thorisdottir and CrossFit Reykjavik at the 2022 Games.
In today’s episode, the crew tells the story of how the team came together. Paulson explains why he couldn’t pass on the opportunity despite feeling like he hasn’t hit his potential as an individual athlete and the group sheds insight on how they have been preparing for the season to execute their goal of winning the CrossFit Games.
The group also gets candid about the demands of being competitive athletes, and finding and creating balance in their personal lives. Nisler and Paulson explain their decision to make 2023 their final competitive season, and Williamson opens up about the trade-offs and sacrifices she has made over the years as a student and competitor.
Tune in to hear the team’s opinions on the 2023 season tests, the evolution of team competition in CrossFit, and how they stay focused to beat their competition.
This episode was recorded prior to the 2023 North America East Semifinal. CrossFit East Nashville PRVN won the competition with three first-place finishes.

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