Bring on the Burritos and Coffee!

Bring on the Burritos and Coffee!
Written by Kirsten Ahrendt

Maybe you’ve seen me walking around the Downtown location, wondering who that woman with wild blonde hair is…I’m the lucky new addition to the coaching staff at Invictus! I’m so excited to be here, allow me to introduce myself!

My Story:
I was born in Denmark, raised in Boston, and moved here from Denver. Prior to CrossFit, I was a competitive soccer and rugby player. I played soccer through my freshman year at Dartmouth College, then switched to rugby, where I became a two-time First Team All American in the sport. I moved to New Zealand after college to play there, and played for the US Women’s 7’s team through 2009. In 2011, I found CrossFit. The struggle to become better at all the stuff I was bad at was addicting, and I loved it. I’ve been a head coach for the past two years at York Street CrossFit in Denver, and was a member of the Crossfit 720 Regional team in 2016.

Why I coach:
The greatest aspect of coaching for me is instilling not just technical skills, but self-efficacy into every athlete that I work with. Sure, people come to CrossFit to lose weight, get strong or just look good naked. But physical growth is always accompanied by personal and emotional growth. Self-confidence, mental strength, patience – these qualities bleed into, and enrich all aspects of our life outside of the gym – personal relationships, career success, life outlook. I enjoy seeing the personal transformation that people experience through CrossFit, beyond the physical change.

Stuff I enjoy:
Food. Lots of it. I never met a burrito I didn’t like. I got married this summer to my partner of ten years. My wife is pretty wonderful. We CrossFit together, and it brings me a lot of joy that we can share that activity. I also love dogs, skiing, & coffee shops (I’ll take all recommendations for coffee places to check out).

CF Strength & Weakness:
I enjoy most pulling and gymnastics movements, in particular, muscle-ups and cleans. This year, I’m focusing on my weaknesses – squats and strict HSPU. Join me for some accessory work!

I’m so excited to be in San Diego, and work with such a talented team of coaches and wonderful community of members.