Meet Traci, our most recent Member Spotlight. Traci has had a profound weight loss journey the past 3 years and we are just a small piece of the puzzle that has brought her fitness where it is today. We are proud to introduce you to Traci and know you’ll love her story.

Name: Traci Speer Harding

Born (where): East Bend, NC (Yadkin County) – yes I have been In North Carolina my whole life 😊

Job: VP, National Bond Program Administrator for Movement Mortgage (I manage the housing finance agency programs and down payment assistance programs we offer as a company to assist with home purchase transactions)

What are your hobbies and interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit? There are things to do outside of Crossfit and working out ? Really who knew…HA HA. Just Kidding. First and foremost I enjoy spending time with my husband of almost 6 years, and my two boys, 12 and 10. I love to travel and cook as well, but I have also over the last year started enjoying competing in crossfit competitions as it is the first time in quite some time in my life I have been competitive at something.

Favorite WOD/type of Movements: My favorite WOD has to be “The Chief”; however, my favorite movements are Deadlifts and Squats!! Those are two of my favorite lifts

Least Favorite WOD/type of Movements: Snatches and Burpees, I think that sums it up….OH WAIT…Running yep put that in there too. People tell me I will eventually love to snatch but that hasn’t happened yet.

How/Why did you start CrossFit? I competed for the first time in Goddess Game 2017 and I was not a part of the crossfit community. It was funny the event that day started me on wanting to learn more and that when I started to talk about it more and what it had to offer.

Take us back to your first day in CrossFit….It was funny Jill Rogers had been wanting me to come try it out for a while and after the Goddess Games and wanting to know more about crossfit. I decided to try it out on a Saturday morning. I walked in that morning and Jill had met me there so I wouldn’t be going by myself. It was a barbell Tabata and I was like oh this won’t be bad at all, I have done something similar. I now know in crossfit when you say “oh that won’t be bad” that usually is code for watch out this is going to be awful. But not awful bad, more like awful good, if there is such a thing. I was like I can do the weight prescribed, I remember Jill saying to me it will get heavy fast. I was thinking no, I’m good. Oh man was she right, that was so humbling like I knew what I was capable of, but I also didn’t realize how much it would push me. The day was fun, humbling, I thought I was gonna fall out and yet I came back for more.

What kind of changes have you seen in your body, health and fitness since starting CrossFit? Since making Crossfit part of my normal routine I can honestly say I have seen a lot of difference in my body, health and fitness. I have increased endurance, physical strength and muscle bring on the muscle gainzzzzzz 😊

Its funny when you start a journey you never know where that journey will take you or what will happen along the way. Looking back I would have never guess as a women in her 30’s 3 years ago at over 300 pounds I would be competing in competitions, scaled yes and a masters yes, but none the less competing and feeling strong. Since joining crossfit it I have seen the things I am capable of, the limits I can push and the boundaries I am no longer afraid to cross I test the limits of my fitness to see what I can do and what I still have to learn to do. I have feel stronger than I have ever have and do things in workouts I would have never attempted until the last year.

You know the funny part is looking back at pictures from a year ago to now the changes in my body have been drastic. I have gained muscle, lost body fat and truly gotten stronger by increasing my lifts in some cases over a 100 pounds. Crossfit has changed me its made me see I am capable or more than I ever imagined.

Have you experienced any changes in your life since beginning CrossFit that have been totally unexpected?

This one is hard for me, because there are so many emotions behind answering this question of the changes I have experienced that were unexpected since starting crossfit. Honestly, this one is hard because on this journey I am on and have been on things in my life were a constant battle with weight and physical appearance for me. In the last year, I went from being at my lowest weight ever, to now at my lowest body fat ever, but I have also went to being the strong physically I have ever been. I had this woman randomly stop me in an airport the other week and I thought she was going to give me a credit card off pitch, but instead she says to me if I wish can I have arms like yours? LOL I told if that worked I would have these arms a long time ago. Honestly, when other people tell me how great I look or how they like the muscle I have, I smile and say thank you! Part of me wants to cry because it’s so humbling that someone is telling me that when they are some of the same women I admire for their strength, endurance and tenacity, the other part of me wants to cry because I wish I could see myself the same way some days. It’s a struggle daily that I work on to be better at it, but the last year has helped showing me I am capable of more than I ever imagined.

Having people to say things to you like I want your muscles, I want to be strong like you, are things I never thought people would say to me. For me its with great pride I hear those things and that’s why when I can tell my story or share with them they can do this to I want to because you can it’s a journey that is never ending and one you only need to do for you.

Please share your favorite CrossFit Harrisburg moment(s):

I have had a lot of fun moments and laughs at the box honestly, probably one I remember the most and its one I remember because it caused me to end up on my backside. I learned the meaning of taking the J-hook off the rig during walls balls. I didn’t take it off and before you know it the ball bounced right off that JHook and hit me dead in the face. It honestly put me on the floor so fast I didn’t realize what had happened. Then someone said to me after asking if I was ok, take the Jhook off otherwise that happens every time. So guess who remembers to take that down and look for it when its wall ball time, this girl. Lesson learned.

Any advice for those just getting started?

If you are just getting started in CrossFit….Embrace the Suck! I have no better way to say. Honestly, the workouts will test you mentally and physically and that is good. Its meant to push you and make you the best version of you. This is meant to be humbling in way that shows you an opportunity or window to do more and be 1% better than you were the day before, the week before, the month before or even the year before. It’s not about seeing what you can’t do, it about seeing what you can, and pushing yourself to go further than you thought possible. There will be moments you want to quit, Don’t!! Keep pushing, focus on your why, focus on what brought you here, focus on you!!

There are many times, I have to stop breath and maybe even scream during a workout, but I will never quit! Neither should you.

I started a journey 3 years ago that has lead me here, I was over 300 pounds and in my early 30s, I would have never thought today I would be where I am, so embrace it as this is only the beginning of something beautiful for you. Trust me, every day I walk in and say I don’t want to do this, but I do and I am so proud at the end of what I did today, that I couldn’t do yesterday.

Go when you don’t like the workout, Go when you don’t want to, Keep going when you want to quit as this is your moment for you vs you to be better than you were.

Why CrossFit Harrisburg?

Out of all these questions “Why Crossfit Harrisburg” is the easiest one to answer.

Yes it’s a great place to work out with a great coaching staff who are supportive and encouraging and even work out alongside you.

However, I think for me one of the biggest things though is no matter what time of the day you show up for a class or come in just to work on other stuff its family and friend waiting to greet you with a smiling face. The sense of community, support and encouragement is amazing that you have with the amazing group of people here. I am happy to have joined the CFH family!