Spotlight on Invictus Youth: Nairobi Romero
Interview by Nichole DeHart
Nairobi Romero has been training at CrossFit Invictus since she was 11 years old … she is now 18 years old! I have had the privilege of working with Nairobi and have seen her incredible dedication to whatever she puts her mind to. She has an energy that is infectious and her love of training is evident. Here, she answers a few of my questions about training, competing, travel and life.
Tell me about your CrossFit journey. When did you start and what made you decide to stick with CrossFit over all these years?
I started CrossFit at the age of 11 (6th grade) as something to help me get stronger and faster in tennis. By 8th grade I quit tennis to just do CrossFit. Sophomore year is when I started to train to be competitive.
Why I have decided to stick with CrossFit is because of the constant challenge. I love the feeling of overcoming any fears or doubts and surpassing what I thought were my limits, physically and mentally. It just comes to show how limitless one really is. I think my favorite thing is being able to laugh at that little voice inside my head that tells me I can’t do something and then doing it anyway. Over the years I’ve learned to identify it and realize that it’s not really me. I am not the voice, I am the listener and by being conscious of that it’s become a whole new game. I feel it would be such a shame to go through this life not knowing what I am truly capable of doing. The human body is capable of much more than we can imagine and is powerful beyond measure. So, I’m going to use it while I can.
What was your athletic background before CrossFit?
Before CrossFit I was a tennis player for about six years. I do remember that the 30 minute fitness part before or after practice was my favorite. Sprinting, push-ups, core work and racing was something I looked forward to everyday. My aunt who was also a coach there would have me do extra stuff because she knew how much I enjoyed it.
How did you become a part of Invictus Athlete?
I became a part of the Invictus family when my dad found this gym right by my house which just so happened to be Invictus. Knowing how much I liked to workout he asked me if I wanted to go and without a second thought I said, “ABSOLUTELY!”
How do you find balance between Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit and school work?
I find that creating balance between school and training is a lot easier when I make little schedules for myself. Giving myself general time frames or lists to complete certain tasks helps me to stay organized. As well as making a weekly schedule of what I have going on certain days for training like gymnastics and lifting; swimming and strongman; CrossFit and running or rowing, etc.
Can you share your upcoming goals with us?
My next goal is to qualify for the American Open and then after that to go into the 2017 Crossfit Open fully confident in all of the work that I have put in.
In the meantime, gymnastics is something that has not been the easiest for me and has caused a lot of frustration in training and competition. This year I set out to focus on it a lot more and in turn I have made huge progress in it physically and mentally. My goal is to go into The Open feeling comfortable with not knowing what gymnastics will come up. I want to know for a fact that I can perform the movements without wondering or hoping if that day might be a good day for my gymnastics.
How do you mentally prepare yourself for competition?
When preparing mentally for a competition I like to write and meditate. When writing I remind myself of everything that I have done and accomplished to get to where I am at. I make sure to be fully conscious of where my mind is at. I notice any doubt that may arise, but do not allow myself to identify with it. This has been something I have been working on for a while and with time I’ve become more confident and calm.
The way I’ve come to see competition is that it’s 100% against yourself. Everyone else there competing is there to push you. You and everyone else will go as hard as their mental game will allow them to.
What is one tip you would give to someone who is looking to be a more competitive Teen Athlete?
What I would say is to always remember that you are a Teenager. You are young and this is only the beginning. Just have fun. If you’re not winning competitions or not doing as well as other teens or adults, it’s NOT the end of the world. This is the time to get to know your body and what kind of athlete you are. Learn to listen to your body, but also learn to differentiate when it’s your mind that’s trying to take over. Down the road it will help tremendously.
How do you stay focused during the season?
During the season I also like to write to stay focused. Writing short and long term goals, I’ve noticed, has helped me have a more positive mindset. I’ve got a big goal to work towards with little milestones to achieve in between and those baby steps show me that progress is being made.
With so much training happening, at the end of the day I like to reflect on what I learned about myself physically, mentally or both. For the physical part, I look back at where I lacked skill or strength and then where I did great. I celebrate my effort and then I jot down what I need to work on. For the mental part, I think back to where my mind was when training and I analyze what thoughts or emotions I was feeling. Was I listening to that voice that fills with doubt once the effort gets painful or did I ignore it and just trust my abilities?
In addition, I have begun to remind myself that my “best” or 100% will not be the same everyday. My best may not be as it was two days ago, but knowing that I gave my all today, I understand that it is still a step forward. This has perhaps been the biggest game changer for me in understanding my body and being able to stay calm mentally.
Writing it all down helps to clear my mind of questions, worries or frustrations. Not only that, but also to record my success, big or small, so when I look back I can remember those emotions and efforts.
I know that you travel a lot – where is your favorite place to travel to and why?
My two favorite places would have to be India and China. China is like my second home. Growing up my dad lived in China for many years so I would visit him during the summers and after 8th grade I moved in with him for a year. I have been to India once, but there was something special about the energy there. Not one day has gone by where I don’t think about going back. I think I like these two places so much because their culture is so different from the US. The culture, people, food, history I find all so intriguing and beautiful in their own way. It also has created within me a greater appreciation for everything I have in my hometown.