Pippa Alford
How did you get into the sport?
I used to do adventure races (off-road running, mountain biking and kayaking) and did a couple with Ollie Mansbridge. He went on and set up Crossfit Bath and suggested I gave it a go. At the time, I was living in Milton Keynes and there wasn't a box for miles. As soon as I moved to Bournemouth I signed up straight away and haven't looked back!
What are your proudest achievements to date?
Before I joined the box, I completed two marathons (London and Jungfrau) and raised money for Help for Heroes.
My proudest achievements also include qualifying for a few events as an individual (TAG, French and Italian Throwdowns) and I finished 102 in Europe in lasts years Open (with a top 30 place in one of the WODs).
I have also had a few awesome team results - team comps are my favourite. With Bournemouth, we came second a DWF and with Sarum we came third at Wild West. I also made the final of European Inferno with my little buddy 'Snatch'. I have done one competition with my fiancé too, and we finished fourth at Battle of the Gods.
Another proud achievement of mine is to maintain my training right through my pregnancy. I had a little girl in January and trained right up until 3 days before I had her! I then took part in the Open 5 weeks after having her, completing all the WODs RX.
What are your goals for 2016?
2016 is all about regaining as much fitness as I can. I lost a lot of strength during my pregnancy as I didn't push too hard with max lifts, particularly in my third trimester.
I also had a good five weeks off after having my little girl, so coming back feels hard! I have reset all my PBs - so am looking forward to seeing how much progress I can make.
What's your favourite WOD/movement?
My favourite movement is definitely burpees - I love them! Such a simple but grueling movement, particularly bar over / box over burpees. I also love Fran as a WOD.
What's your least favourite WOD/movement?
My least favourite movement are snatches. I find the technique really tough to get consistently right. I know I need to keep my shoulders back and head up but for some reason that hardly ever happens! Every now and then I get it perfect and the bar flies up, and it's such a good feeling!
What's the best piece of advice you have to give others?
Be the best you can be. Give every training session your best shot and listen to your coaches because they are there to help you.
Have you got any competitions planned this year?
Yes, I have a few 'comeback' competitions. I am doing the Athletika Games in June with the DBA girls, Wild West in July with Sarum and European Inferno with a training partner in August. After a break of competitions I'm really looking forward to getting back into the swing of competing again. Depending on how it goes, I will look to enter an individual competition later on in the year.
What are your gym kit essentials?
A decent pair of trainers - I love my inov8's. I have three pairs and find they fit really well, are lightweight with plenty of support even when doing movements like box jumps that are really hard on your ankles and feet.
I also couldn't live without my JAW grips. I find my hands are really prone to ripping, so always wear them if I have high rep bar work. I love that you can chalk them up, too.
A spare hair band is also essential, there is nothing worse than trying to workout with your hair all over your face!
A bonus would be a decent pair of lifters. I love my inov8 fast lifts and they really help me get into a good overhead squat position to help my snatches.
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