S03E29 STACEY MARINO FACING CHALLENGES IN SPORT BUSINESS AND HEALTH
Special guest @staceymarino_cf201 Stacey Marino is a rising CrossFit star, but the ascent was not without many challenges. Coming off her best season ever, Stacey finished in her age group 34-39 last year 10th at @wodapalooza, 2nd at @_legendschampionship, and narrowly missed going to the @crossfitgames by four spots. With her new coach @mattdlugos of @underdogsathletics, a well known elite athlete in his own right, Stacey has revamped her training and mindset. Fresh from a win at the 1st Phorm Monster Games @themonstergames in Joplin, Missouri, Stacey is looking for even more success this year.
In addition to talking about her successes, Stacey talks frankly about the challenges, including an eating disorder from childhood and related health issues, as well as dealing with negative body images and self doubt. Stacey has put her best foot (and the rest of her body!) forward recently with @jfzphotography in a series of photos for the Body Positive Project.
If that was not enough, Stacey owns CrossFit affiliate @crossfit201 in Oakland NJ as well as @201nutrition, a nutrition coaching business. Find out more about how Stacey juggles her many roles and yet is poised for even more success in the sport of CrossFit in the future.
@crossfittraining @crossfit #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness #nutrition #bodyimage #bodypositivity #selfcare #edrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #anorexiafighter #mentalhealthawareness #selflove #eatingdisorderawareness
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S03E29 STACEY MARINO FACING CHALLENGES IN CROSSFIT SPORT BUSINESS AND HEALTH
[00:00:00] Sam Rhee: I'm here with my guest Stacy Marino. I know she doesn't say she wants to be called this, but she is, she's an elite CrossFit athlete. She is also owner of CrossFit 2 0 1 here in Oakland, New Jersey, where we are. And what else would you call yourself here? You're an athlete. You're a gym owner.
[00:00:16] Stacey Marino: I'm also a nutrition coach. So I actually own another business, which is 2 0 1 nutrition two. I'm a coach here. I mean, I don't know what else to call myself. That's a lot of labels right there. So, I mean, I could say I'm the janitor, I'm the, the programmer, the
[00:00:32] Sam Rhee: everything that is true. When you're a gym owner, you, you are the Jack of all trades for all of that.
Yeah. And one of the reasons why I'm really excited to have Stacy on is because you are, one of the most accomplished CrossFit athletes in north Jersey. And we were just talking about this before we started. And I wanna go back and take a look at your open. Like, let's talk about you as an athlete first.
So you've been in CrossFit. I, I saw at least since 2014. Yep. That's when I started. Yeah. And I, I don't want to go into your origin story yet because we always, everyone always starts with, how did I start CrossFit? And I wanna get into what you're doing right now first, cuz I think that's very exciting.
But you started at 8728th in your rank in the world at that time. But this year in 2022 in the age group 35 to 39, you are ranked 40th in the open mm-hmm and you got to the age group, semi-finals where you finished. 14th. You also have been a regionals competitor in just once in 2018.
Yeah. Back in the day. And you've been competing for many, many years at this point. Yeah. I would want, let's get right into this year's CrossFit. Okay. Open be. So you, you crushed the open, you did great in quarters, you got to the semis. And when I look at it, you finished 17th, 12th, 11th, 10th, 13th, and then ninth in the events mm-hmm cutoff was 10th.
Yeah. And I remember looking, cuz I, I know some 35, 39 year olds and I looked at the cut line after the last event and you were in and I was like, oh my God, there's someone in New Jersey. Who's going to make it. And then it changed. So how did that play for you?
[00:02:16] Stacey Marino: So, I mean, I was really excited.
I saw I was in ninth, but I tried not to really celebrate because it wasn't official. And on, I think it was a Tuesday morning, I get an email that I received a major penalty for my wall ball workout, which was the death by wall balls. And they said that I was in shooting above the target. Of course I emailed right back and I said like I took a screenshot of the rules and I was like, it says center of the ball at or above target.
And then I took a screenshot of every single rep, every single last rep, even the ones that my judge gave me no reps for. And, and I was like, just for my peace of mind. Can you please tell me where my no reps are? I sent them a PDF file through Dropbox and they didn't reply until literally like the next Saturday night.
And they said I'm sorry, but we can't look at your PDF file. We only judge the original video. Our decision is final. We're not gonna change it now. We're sorry to see anyone's season end like this, but good luck next year. So yeah, I was, I was crushed and like, I felt robbed, but the number one thing I felt like when I got that email, I just, I felt like, like I cheated at first and, and I was like, oh my God, what are people gonna think?
Like, I'm letting everybody down. And then I was like, actually, like, I, I honestly, I don't care what anyone else thinks. Like I just let myself down. And yeah, it was, it was rough.
[00:03:46] Sam Rhee: You know, when we saw the list of penalties come out, every elite athlete gets penalties. Yeah. It's not, I mean, Matt Frazier gets penalties.
Yeah. This is not something new. This is just something that happens. And, These are typically not intentional penalties. It wasn't like you set your wall ball line short yeah. On purpose. And so at this point that could be crushing for anybody. Especially when any elite athlete, any competitive athlete, their goal is to get to the games.
I assume your goal has always been and will be to get to the games. Yep.
[00:04:21] Stacey Marino: It was my goal. Like the first month that I started CrossFit, cuz I, I started it and that was during the time of the like CrossFit games and I, I watched it and I was like, oh, I'll be there next year. Like I'll just try and really hard.
And I couldn't even do a push up. So yeah, it's been my goal. It's still my goal. But obviously there's a lot of other fun competitions while I work towards that
[00:04:46] Sam Rhee: goal. I assume that this was this the first year you felt like you were capable enough that you were fit enough to get to the games, or have you been feeling that way for the past couple years?
Like how did have you, how have you felt about that? I mean, obviously you moved up into an age
[00:05:02] Stacey Marino: group. I mean, I always have a lot of self doubt and even this year, I, I didn't feel like I could make it. Like my goal was to get into semi-finals cuz I couldn't do that last year, but that's I had some health issues and we can go over that later.
But it was just like, I noticed how I talk to myself and, and just I'm like, just get through this workout. You're fine. It doesn't matter. And then I'm like, what am I doing? Like I'm so close. I, and everyone tells me, you need to believe in yourself. And that's just, I feel like I wasn't ready to. Be at the games this year because of my mindset.
And that's just something that I need to work on this year.
[00:05:44] Sam Rhee: We were talking about this beforehand. Your coach is Matt Lugo. Mm-hmm who is a very elite athlete. Yeah, he is. He probably should have gone. He should have gone to the games he should have if he wasn't tall and they, or at least adjusted the pullup bar for him at the granite games.
[00:05:59] Stacey Marino: Yeah. I was sitting right behind him. That was awful to watch. Yeah. He had his like legs bent doing chest the bar pullups so he
[00:06:07] Sam Rhee: finished seventh and then he made it to the last chance qualifier. And then he had some sort of health issue or he didn't finish it. He,
[00:06:13] Stacey Marino: Got like, re-injured like an old injury or something.
So he just dropped out.
[00:06:18] Sam Rhee: Mm-hmm he's a really dynamic guy. I, he came on my radar when I first saw him at watching Waal with Newberry and a Coner like, that's a trio right there. Yeah. Like very, very charismatic. Like there's a lot of Good. Looks there with those three. Yeah. How did you get involved with Matt Lugo's and how long have you been training with him now?
[00:06:36] Stacey Marino: So I reached out to him. I think it was last August or September. I've never had a coach before. I was always either doing my own programming. And when I was doing that, I always ended up over training. Cuz you feel like you're not doing enough and then you add more and more and more. And all of a sudden I wake up and I'm like, okay.
I feel like crap I was following like template programming and then I realized that I'm not getting better. I'm getting overtrained and I'm having health issues. And I reached out to him and he, he took like 90 minutes to talk to me like that first time. And then he's like, okay, I'm gonna let you think about it.
Get back to me. And I was like, I'm ready, let's do it. And from then we just started training together and, and I love it. We've been together almost a year and he. Got to know me as an athlete, like physically, but also mentally. And I'm the type of athlete who, who does tend to not respond well to volume or a lot of heavy weight, especially as I get older.
And that's something that we have to watch out for
[00:07:41] Sam Rhee: now. He's out of Las Vegas, out of underdog athletics. Yeah. And what made you choose him out of all the coaches you could have chosen?
[00:07:49] Stacey Marino: I, I mean, I looked into a few programs and that's just the first one that I reached out to because I, I love Bethany Chadburn and Danielle, Brandon, and they were following underdogs and I was like, okay, well I wanna be like them.
So, he was honestly the first person that I reached out to. What is
[00:08:07] Sam Rhee: your training philosophy like now? You know, you said a lot of it is mental. Yeah. But it also sounds like he's changed some of your programming with. Matt Lou goes. Yeah. What are the biggest changes you've instituted in your training at this point over the past year?
[00:08:24] Stacey Marino: There's a lot more focus on like mono structural conditioning and a lot of zone two. I really don't do Metcons all that often. And before it was like two, three Metcons a day. And the pace that I would hold is like unsustainable for training. And that's what I would do every single day. Just crush myself.
And I'm like, this is how you get better. Like, if you're not testing yourself now, then when are you gonna do it? And with him, like, he, he knows that about me. So he gives me paces. Like if we're doing intervals, for example, like the other day, it was like four, six minute am wraps. And he's like in the first am wrap, I want you to hold a pace.
Like you could do this for an hour. And then the last one, this is where you go balls out. Just so. It's a lot of that, like pacing a lot of imams, a lot of technique work, a lot of like muscular endurance work. Like I have like I'm working a lot on my gymnastics, like my pulling cuz that tends to fatigue a lot.
My lots and my triceps.
[00:09:27] Sam Rhee: You said you had a health issue last year. What was it and how have you been able to deal
[00:09:31] Stacey Marino: with it then? So it, it was actually a few years that I've been dealing with that and it's adrenaline sufficiency mm-hmm so I, I wasn't able to get my heart rate up without feeling fainted or, or even like passing out.
And that's due to the large amount of stress that I was under and it's honestly, over the past three years it's been on and off. And I think that's also why I doubt myself so much because I'm like at any moment I could get this again. And I mean, a lot of it has to do with the fact that I used to have an eating disorder.
So, you know, I'm paying for it now, but a big part of that was because my husband, he injured his back and he's had six back surgeries. Oh, wow. Over the past three years. And he's just, he's in debilitating pain, like he's in bed. He can't do anything. And you know, it's just really stressful for me.
And I mean, obviously owning two businesses is also pretty hard and last year not LA. Yeah. We had to move the gym. Yes. And, and that was, oh my God. That was like the most stressful time of my life. Just like I thought, that's it like, I'm losing 2 0 1. I can't do anything about it. And then. We were able to move it with, I mean, I, I didn't do it myself.
Like I had so, so, so much help from my members, from my friends, my family. But just the whole transition was so stressful. But yeah. So when you are, you know, stressed every single day, your cortisol levels are so elevated mm-hmm and then your body just stops producing it. Mm-hmm and I felt like crap, like I was, I was bloated, like I was losing muscle.
Like I couldn't get my heart rate up. And yeah.
[00:11:19] Sam Rhee: Now I think Sarah Sigma's daughter had something similar to that after her injury, she was just all stress, hormone depleted, maybe more of acute situation, rather a chronic situation. So how do you deal with that condition and how do you manage it then?
So, cause you just can't take more cortisol and help yourself. That's not an answer. Yeah.
[00:11:40] Stacey Marino: so I like, I coach nutrition, but like every coach needs to coach. So I actually reached out to a nutrition coach last. I think it was April when, when I was at my lowest it was after actually doing quarter finals last year.
Mm-hmm and it's Mike Malloy from MTU nutrition. He coaches like a lot of games, athletes, like Noah Olsen Katherine, everybody you could think of mm-hmm and, and he told me he's like, stay saw, you need to take a step back. And like you have to stop CrossFit at least for a few months. And like, if you want to do something, you could go out for walks.
You could do some body building. And that's what I did. It was how
[00:12:23] Sam Rhee: much time did you take off from CrossFit?
[00:12:25] Stacey Marino: I, it was like about two months. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Was that hard? Yeah, like I, I mean, I'm here coaching classes and, you know, I'm. Like I'm telling everyone to push themselves and I'm, and then in the back of my head, I'm like, is that good for them?
and uh, I mean, I was doing what I can, like during that time, like, I was just focusing on building nutrition and just expanding the gym and just all the background work. And that's when I, I was like, oh, let's do some landscaping. And you know, like you have time for a lot of other things that I normally don't have as much time for, because I am I'm training a lot.
[00:13:06] Sam Rhee: so how do you manage, so then you came back, you probably felt better. I assume I did. Yes. And then you are also now very aware of managing so that you don't get adrenal insufficiency again. Yeah. So how do you manage the stress? Keep your cortisol levels down and, stay
[00:13:23] Stacey Marino: healthy. Yeah. So, number one I had to eat more food.
Okay. At the time I was eating about like 27, 2900 calories a day. Now I'm up at like 35, 3600. Wow. So it's like a full time job to be eating. Wow. That's a lot of food. It's it's I mean, for an athlete you have to though, right? Yeah. Right. But I, I love food, so I'm, I'm happy to be eating all that much. Um, But with stress levels, it's it's just something that I keep working on and it's focusing on what is within my control and kind of letting go of things that I don't have control of.
And like, for my Michael, my husband, it's, it's a constant stress there. It's like, it hurts a lot. And like, I see him like crying and I can't do anything about it. Um, And. Taking a step back and just being grateful for what you do have. So, I'm really big into journaling now, every single night I'll journal and write three things that I'm grateful for in, in some nights it's gonna be like three minutes and I'm like, oh, I'm grateful for my bed.
I just wanna get to sleep. And then other nights it's like Shakespeare. I'm just like, like reflecting and, and just really feeling that gratitude. Like I'm, I'm very high strong, so I'm, I'm trying to not be as high strong. And another big part that I started doing was just getting help cuz all these years I was running the gym by myself, nutrition and I mean my friends here, like you met Joe.
Like everyone just wanted to pitch in all the time, but I finally was like, okay, okay. I need the help. So now I have, I have a girl who's doing our social media. I have a girl who's doing the website. Like Joe is helping me with reporting and, and ideas for advertising and marketing. And, oh man, I'm gonna forget so many people.
Like I have like members helping me like build stuff and like repair equipment because I don't know how to use tools. so it's just like, every, everybody wants to help. Like I hired nutrition coaches that are working under me. So like at one point like in February I had 80 clients. Wow. For nutrition and it.
Like all of my time. And, and that's when I got adrenaline sufficiency again, mm-hmm and I, I took a step back. I went to Vegas and I was like, I can't, I can't be doing this. Like, I'm, I'm like this, like going up and then bam, I crash. So instead, like find something where I could be consistent. Like, I feel like I'm putting in work and I'm not being lazy.
But I'm not overworking. And yeah, just like my recovery. It's like, like I focus on sleep. I focus on nutrition. Mm-hmm like, I focus on, on what I'm saying to myself. Like fighting the negative voices in my head. And the biggest thing is just being kind to others because like how you talk to others is a reflection of how you talk to yourself.
So it's just a lot going on, but it. It's
[00:16:29] Sam Rhee: helping, you know, it's amazing. Well, the first thing I took away from that is now I'm gonna remember if I ever have that or feel that I'm gonna go to Vegas as my solution, and that will help me. So thank you for that. I will keep that in the back pocket. The second thing is, is that it's amazing how many accomplished people feel so inadequate and they, they battle with their self-esteem constantly regardless of what other around them see, right?
Yeah. Because they'll see a successful business owner, they'll see a successful athlete. They'll see someone who, has done amazing work, who is dialed in on their nutrition and their life and, and you're seeing in the mirror totally different image. Yeah. But it also sounds like you've had the maturity now to sort of realize that and grow and deal with it, but it still sounds like for everyone, honestly, it's a daily struggle to maintain it is
So at this point you've owned CrossFit 2 0 1 for, since what? 20,
[00:17:23] Stacey Marino: I took over in January of 2016,
[00:17:26] Sam Rhee: in 2016. And you had just been CrossFitting for like two years at that point. Yeah. And you just said, listen, I just wanna own a CrossFit box. Is that right? Yeah. Is that right?
[00:17:36] Stacey Marino: that's I mean, like I was I was working with my dad.
He owns like a few companies mm-hmm and I realized I don't want a nine to five job. And like at one point he fired me and then he took me back and then like a month later I quit we were butting head heads all the time. And then I was like, you know, I am happiest in the gym and I got my NASM personal training.
Mm-hmm and then I found CrossFit. We'll get into that later, I guess, but uh, I just, I fell in love with it. Mm-hmm and. It, it just, it saved my life, like at the time. I don't know where I would be now, but it, it helped me with my eating disorder. Mm-hmm and I just saw how much confidence it built in myself, because I, I mean, I still have some of that which I'm working on, but like, I was very insecure, very shy no belief in myself at all.
And just just being there and in a community where I finally felt like I fit in, it was just such a big impact on me. And I'm like, this is what I want to do. Like, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. I wanna live at the gym and I wanna pay it forward and I wanna help transform other people's lives.
Like especially women. Well, let's get into that.
[00:18:49] Sam Rhee: So how did, what was your first workout? How did you get involved in CrossFit then?
[00:18:52] Stacey Marino: Let's start. Uh, So my first workout was actually at CrossFit 2 0 1. It was, and it was in 2013 and it was like, kind of like a hero type workout. So very brutal. And I remember I hated it.
I was just like, what's the point of all of this? Like I was, I was a distance runner and there was like a total running of two miles and I'm like, so I, I run like, like 10 miles every day. Mm-hmm like we did like a few pull-ups and this and that. And then I remember coming home and feeling so sore, like swollen.
I stepped on the scale the next day, you know, the eating disorder tendencies. And I'm like, oh, I should have lost weight. And I was like up by three pounds because your body's retaining so much water. So inflamed mm-hmm . I remember key field owner. He emailed me and he's like, oh, you, you might be sore, whatever, whatever.
And I'm like, yeah, I don't wanna do this. it's not for me. But I like, probably six months later I ran the New York marathon mm-hmm at the end of that year. And then I saw an ad on Groupon and it said burn calories, like, like get ripped. And I was like, okay, I wanna go here. Like, I thought it was a bootcamp, but it was a CrossFit mm-hmm
And like, I went there and like something, something clicked and, and I just wanted to keep going there. And uh, yeah. And then I got my level one, like a few months later.
[00:20:15] Sam Rhee: So you had an eating disorder? Yeah. And you were using exercise obviously as part of trying to manage it, I suppose. Oh yeah. And how long had you had it for and what were you doing and, and how did you feel?
What were the biggest issues
[00:20:32] Stacey Marino: with that at. So, I mean, I, I had it for 15 years and I think it stemmed from I was a ballerina and like at an early age and we were living in Brooklyn mm-hmm so I was going to a Russian ballet school. Mm-hmm and like, this would be so illegal now, but like the instructor would go around with a wooden stick in like my stomach.
It just tends to stick out because that's my body mm-hmm and he would like go and like hit my stomach with the stick. And then I just felt like I never wanted food in there, like, cuz like you eat and obviously your stomach like is gonna stick out more. And like that created like a downward spiral. Like I, I was scared to eat.
Like I was scared to have, I, I would've rather been hungry than have food in my stomach and that went on for years and years and years. And like at my lowest I was I was one 15. And I'm five eight, like I'm one 60 now. Wow. Yeah. So like my, my, I mean, my family, they tried to take me to a psychiatrist, but you know, when you wanna hide something you're really good at hiding it.
Sure. And I, and I was like, no, I just, you know, I run a lot. And like the day, like the day of my marathon, I ate a watermelon, like a few slices of watermelon because I was like, I need to carve up. And then I came home, I ate a, a salad with some chicken and went to sleep
[00:21:56] Sam Rhee: after 26 miles. Mm-hmm 26.2 miles.
Yep. How did you finally realize this is something that you have to do something about? Like where, what, when did it get to that
[00:22:07] Stacey Marino: point? I feel like it didn't really hit me all that much because I was young and, you know, you could like drink a bottle of wine and then the next day go and work out and you'll feel it.
So same thing here. But as I started getting older and especially when, like the first few years of CrossFit, like I still had it. Um, I realized that like, like I was like, I was Pring all the time and then it plateaued. And then I was feeling like shit going into workouts. And it was just really getting to me.
And um, that's when I realized I was like, I have to do something about this. Like, like I can't be doing this for the rest of my life. I can't be hiding this from my husband. And I mean, he, he was well aware of it, but a lot of the time, like I, I would lie and yeah, it was like, I didn't want to be that person anymore.
Especially that. Open my own gym and, and, you know, I'm preaching one thing mm-hmm and I'm doing something else. Mm-hmm behind closed doors. Mm-hmm and I didn't feel honest. So I that's the first time that I actually got a nutrition coach and I realized that it's okay to eat.
like, like I remember he like had me all the way up to like 300 grams of carbs. Like I was eating like a hundred grams, like before, and, and I actually looked better. Like the scale was going up and it was scary, but like I noticed, like my body composition was much better. My performance was much better.
like at the end of the day, I wanted to perform well, because my goal was to CrossFit games. Right. But there's always that thought in the back of my mind. And even now that, you know, I, I wanna be ripped, I wanna be shredded. I wanna be lean. And like I wanna be small. And, and like, I hate that, but I'm much better now, but some days those thoughts still come into my head.
[00:24:07] Sam Rhee: Now at this point when you bought CrossFit two or when you became an owner of CrossFit, 2 0 1. Yeah. Now what were the biggest challenges when you first started? I mean, you said you had to move, which was huge, but when you first started. What did you find easy? What did you find hard about being an owner at, across
[00:24:25] Stacey Marino: the class?
Everything was hard. Everything I made, I made, so, so, so many mistakes and I mean, I've never owned a business and like going into it. I just, I wanted to help people and, and I wanted to be a gym owner. And then when I took over, I'm like, oh crap, what do I do? Like, I, I mean, I had no help. Mm-hmm like, I mean, my husband, he does his own thing, so I was a solo owner.
Mm-hmm um, of course the transition happened and we lost a lot of members and like, it was scaring me. I was like, okay, I might go out of business and I don't wanna, I don't wanna do that. And I was, I was trying like every, everything possible. I was like two for one memberships mm-hmm and you know, like I did Groupon and everything.
Just, you know, I was, I was. Learning and, and trying new things, cuz I didn't have a mentor mm-hmm and um, yeah, I mean, I definitely made a lot of mistakes and, and just the leadership, like on my end and the way I was talking to my coaches mm-hmm
[00:25:30] Sam Rhee: but they were all learning experiences. It sound like. Yeah.
And you've learned a lot from it. So basically your lease was up, like they did not renew your lease at that in Franklin lakes. And that's why you were forced to move or what was the reason why they made, they
[00:25:43] Stacey Marino: made you move? So, so no, I mean the lease was coming up, but we were supposed to resign a five year lease and it was right after C I remember I was training by myself in the gym mm-hmm it was the end of October mm-hmm and my landlord walks in and he's like, he's like, Stacy, we're not reupping your lease.
We want you out of here by December 31st. And I was like, Jim, I that's. Two months. I, I need to find a location. I need to move. I'm like, can you, can you extend it by maybe six months? Mm-hmm and he's like, no, no, no. I have someone moving in um, January 1st, which is a lie because I still pass by there some days and it's empty.
Um, But his reasoning was, I don't feel comfortable with a gym being here after COVID, because I feel like gyms are gonna be obsolete. Wow. And I mean, I paid all my bills. Right. Even through COVID he didn't give me any like leniency. I, I still that's crazy. Yeah. I, I still had to pay everything in full.
So I, I was just, I was in denial mm-hmm and I told Joe Gordon who's an OG. Just met him. Mm-hmm he's been here like since day one mm-hmm . And he was that same night. He went out with his current fiance, Heather, and they found this place. And he sent me a photo of it and he's like, Stacey, you should go check this out.
And I mean, I was depressed at that time. Like I, I scheduled a, an appointment to see it the next day. And so I walk into the gym and it was like, all the walls are white. This was covered in turf and I'm really bad at picturing what it could look like. And I was like, this is awful. I, I hate it. I don't, I don't see what I could do with it.
And then, like I had a few other like friends who are members like come in and they're like, Stacy, there's so much possibility here. Let's let's do it. So it took like two months to negotiate a lease. And I signed it on December 23rd. Oh my gosh. December 24th. We had a family Christmas Eve on Christmas day.
I was here with my husband. um, And one of our members, Jay cuz like my husband, he wants to do stuff, but he just can't right. Like he, you know, his back and we were, I mean they were tearing up the turf. I was just, you know, getting them food and stuff. like keeping them entertained. Um, And, but the very next day that's when, like I told all my members, like in our Facebook group, listen, we're moving.
If you could come pitch in, it would be very helpful. And more than half of my gym showed up. Wow. The day after Christmas at like seven in the morning. And like half of them were at the old location, half of them were here. We were packing up the box truck, like putting everything on pallets and you don't realize how.
[00:28:29] Sam Rhee: Stuff you had. I know, right. I mean, I know just for moving a regular house, but a gym, like that's crazy and
[00:28:35] Stacey Marino: everything's heavy and like we had platforms there, so they had to come up and like, all the mats were like fitted a certain way. So like, like we had to cut the mats to like, and you could kind of see it on the floor.
Like we had to cut the mats to make well, Jay did to make them fit. And like everyone put this up and like, like it took us until I think we opened January 7th of this past year. No, no, no. The year before it was like, it was literally like, like two weeks later. Oh, wow. We opened our
[00:29:05] Sam Rhee: doors. Wow. So in two weeks you moved the entire gym yeah.
And opened up again.
[00:29:10] Stacey Marino: Yes. And, and it, it, I mean, initially I was like, January 3rd will open and then, you know, nothing was up yet. It just felt like I was, I was like crying every day. Wow. And it. I think this is why this place is so special to so many of us now, because we all had a part in building it.
Like there were like people coming in and just painting, like on their own time. Mm-hmm, , like helping me with everything, like cleaning and, and being supportive. And my father-in-law was like helping with like electrical. And
[00:29:41] Sam Rhee: how long have you been in this place now for? Like one and a half years.
Yeah. One and a half years. Yeah. And so how has it been since then at this point
[00:29:48] Stacey Marino: now? I mean, the transition itself, it was, it was pretty flawless. Mm-hmm like we didn't lose anybody. Mm-hmm um, because it's only eight minutes from our old location, very close. It's actually a better location. It's closer to Wayne mm-hmm and Wayne is where I live.
So I'm, you know, whenever I go out, I always talk about CrossFit. So like, we're, we're able to get a lot more people in here. So, so it was, it was a blessing in disguise. Of course, like we're missing some things that we had there, like showers and, and a ton of bathrooms. Mm-hmm and like a bar, but mm-hmm, , overall, like I love this location more.
It means a lot more to me. Like we built it all together from the ground up and, yeah.
[00:30:32] Sam Rhee: Let's talk about your nutrition business a little bit here. So obviously you talk from personal experience, you learned everything. Personally in nutrition, which I think is honestly, one of the most powerful ways of learning.
You can't really, there's some knowledge bases, which you can learn by reading and, and absorbing intellectually. But I think honestly, nutrition hits hardest. Yep. When you know yourself and what works for you, which may not work for everybody else per se, but that gives you a very solid base on which to help others with.
Yeah. So what is it that you specialize in with your nutrition at this point? And what do you focus on? Like, what is, what are your big points for nutrition when you talk to your clients?
[00:31:19] Stacey Marino: So I think the, the most clients that I attract, like 75% of my clients are females. Okay. And I just feel like it's because of the message I spread and share like my story and, and it's surprising how many females have some sort of an eating disorder.
And I mean, I'm not an eating disorder specialist and that's the number one thing I tell them. But my number, one thing with women like that, like, like I have like females coming to me and they're like eating 1200 calories a day and they're like, I wanna lean out. And I'm like, okay, well that's, that's not gonna happen right now.
I'm gonna be honest with you. We need to get you healthy. We have to um, like your metabolism is down regulated your hormone function. You're probably sleeping like crap. Let's get you healthy first. So that. The first six months that we're together. And, and during the process, some of, some of them I tell 'em, I'm like, don't even weigh yourself, just look like, see how you're feeling and, and like, just go buy your clothes, how they're fitting you.
Because as we get healthier, yes, their body composition is gonna change. For the better they're gonna be sleeping better. Most of them are doing some sort of exercise, so they feel better. You know, once I get them there, then some of them change their mind about leading out because they just feel so good.
Um, Of course I have like, like male clients and their athletes or CrossFitters. So, you know, when I tell 'em I'm like, yo, dude, I eat more than you. like, you gotta up your calories. So, um, it's, it's just surprising how many people don't realize how much they need to eat in order to perform. So, yeah, I have, I have people who want to work on performance, people who want to lean out work on their health, but it's like, that's, that's mainly what I focus on and, and just helping women with body image and like, understanding that it's okay to take up space it's you don't have to be this like tiny person, if you are not meant to be that person by not eating anything.
And I just hope that I'm changing their lives.
[00:33:35] Sam Rhee: You're a CrossFit athlete now, which means you look different than 95% of the human female population in America. And I would say that the normal aesthetic for women in the United States is more like, unfortunately, the Russian ballerina than it would be a CrossFit athlete.
Yeah. And you've deliberately changed yourself to, as an athlete to look different. You know, you look different, everyone knows you look different, you don't look like the ordinary person. You might see walking down the street yeah. At a mall. That's not so easy sometimes, especially for some, for anyone, especially women struggling with their body aesthetic.
So what made you finally say, this is a look that I embrace. This is a look that I, I want, I, you know, muscles are fine and being muscular is okay. As a woman, where did that aesthetic come about? Where, where did it develop from, from where you were.
[00:34:37] Stacey Marino: Yeah, that, I mean, it took me years and years and I'm, you know, I still, some days I wake up and I'm like, you know, just doubting myself, but I think it was over the years where I was really focusing on performance and, and realizing that I have to eat and, and let my body adapt to the training that I put it through.
I mean, if, if I wanna be cleaning over 200 pounds, I I'm gonna have to be bigger. And I it's, it's still in my head. And, and I tell this to my nutrition coach that I, I want to be lean. I want to be lean. I wanna be shredded and I wanna perform well. And, and he tells me he's like, Stacey, It's okay. Pick aesthetics or pick performance.
And I'm like, I want both and, and he's like, okay, well, we're gonna run into those adrenal issues again. What do you wanna, do you wanna be healthy and perform, or you wanna look like a bodybuilder? Because then you have to train a different way and like, up until like when I qualified for semifinals, that's when I reached out to him like a few months ago, I'm like, Mike, I'm going to eat whatever you tell me, I'm gonna be as fluffy as I need to be, but you get me to get me to the games.
And, and I mean, it's, it's still a battle. Like I, I'm not gonna lie. Like, I, I love the way I look like 99% of the time, but there's gonna be days, you know, if I'm like going out or going to a wedding and I'm, I'm there trying on dresses and I'm like, well, nothing fits and. Back in the day I would, I would try to make my body fit into like an outfit or a dress.
And now I'm trying to have the outfit fit my body and it, it just takes a little bit more time to, you know, find something that looks good. I mean, but, but I mean, I live in gym clothes most of the time. Right.
[00:36:42] Sam Rhee: I mean, I think competitive athletes definitely have a different focus for sure. It's all about function.
You saw Matt Frazier when he was at his peak and you look at him now and he looks very different because he's not, he's not training and eating to perform. Yeah. He is not, he was, he was fluffier than he was bigger than yeah. He's way leaned out now. Yep. So you see that in, I think in all athletes too, that that's a thing.
But when you have clients, when you have athletes, when you have people who come into the gym and I get this a lot is, but I don't want to be bulky. I don't, I mean, I'm a woman. I don't wanna look. I don't wanna look like you. Yeah.
[00:37:21] Stacey Marino: Oh, I get that. Like, I get that straight to my face. Right. You're too big.
Yeah.
[00:37:26] Sam Rhee: So how do you manage that? How do you deal with that? What, what do you say?
[00:37:30] Stacey Marino: So I, I tell them it took me nine years to look like this and like, I train like three to four hours a day. so it takes a lot of work and, and then I eat 3,500 calories a day. It takes a lot of work to get there. And, and also, like, I know I'm blessed with good genetics.
Like I, I put on muscle like pretty easy and I'm able to stay like relatively lean. So like in order for you to do that, like that, that's not what we're gonna be doing in class. So, so if you eat at maintenance and, and you do a CrossFit, like one hour workout and you're active outside of the gym, you're gonna be fine.
Like you're not gonna get bulky. And like your definition of bulky is probably like very different from what it's gonna be. Once you're like six months into CrossFit, because most girls they're like, oh my God, I, I have shoulders. I'm getting try. And they get, they get excited because like most women they're like, I wanna, I wanna tone.
and I'm like, okay, well that means that you wanna put on muscle and they're like, no, no, no. I just want to tone. I'm like, okay. Okay. Let's let's do CrossFit. We'll we'll tone
[00:38:42] Sam Rhee: you. . I think that message has been so difficult, but I think it's starting to resonate more and more hopefully with more people.
We'll see how that goes when you recently did. I mean, for someone who has a lot of self doubt, who has always struggled and, and found solutions to self-esteem issues, you really put yourself out there. You have portfolios with um, JZ photography, a body positivity project, where you're wearing very little clothing and you are essentially doing exactly what someone you would not think had low self-esteem do is show off their body completely.
So what got you to decide to model, to show your body, to, to, you know, be part of this body positivity project?
[00:39:31] Stacey Marino: So Jose actually reached out to me like a year and a half before I finally decided to do it. And he told me about the project. I loved it, but I came back with him with, I feel fluffy right now. I, I wanna lean out like for that shoot.
And, and then I went through some health issues. So like, when you're going through adrenaline sufficiency, you, you tend to store a little bit more fat. Like you're always inflamed. And, and then when I started feeling better like I was working with a nutrition coach and I started working with Matt.
Like I was still not like where I wanna be in my head. And I mean, I don't think that's an attainable thing. Like whatever you imagine yourself to be like, you're not gonna be there. But I reached out to Jose and I was like, you know what, let's do it because the whole point of this is to be. Accepting of your body the way it is at this point in time, understanding that it's not always gonna be this way, like, especially as an athlete, like, like, I, I look different now than I did, like five months ago and you're always changing and adapting to the training that you're doing and that's a good thing.
And females, like, like we change every month, like, you know, it depends on our cycle. Like we're gonna feel fluffy before our periods and then after we feel lean and so I decided to, to just do it and I don't know, I had a lot of fun. It was, it was really fun for me. Not scary. No, no, he, it was um, like he made me feel really comfortable and like, we were joking and I mean, yeah, I just did it.
Yeah. And I, I like ever since then, like, I felt like. It was liberating and it gave me more confidence because like, I look at my body some days and, and like, I hate it. Like I see, I see like all these flaws. I'm like, okay, well, why is my neck so thick? Mm-hmm I hate it. And like my traps they're so big. And, and like, I don't have boobs.
Like, I'm like a negative a or like I have this like, like we're here. Muscle. Like, why does it, your OBLs? Like, why does it stick out? And, and like, my hips are so narrow and then my legs look so big compared to this. Like, I look like I look disproportionate and like that goes through my head and, and I hate to admit it, but that's when I catch myself saying this.
So then I'm like, okay, let me, let me rephrase everything. Let me think of this in a positive way. Okay. I have a big neck cuz I have a big head. So , I need a big neck to like, hold up my head and to catch like Queens um, like I, I have traps, which took me years to develop. So they're, you know, they're great for cleans and snatches and that's why, you know, I'm stronger and like fine.
I don't have boobs, but they don't get in the way of burpees and um, like, yeah, these are my O Bleaks. I have a thick waist. And it does bother me sometimes, but at the same time, this is what helps me be strong. And this is what helped me. Like I actually had a back injury like years ago herniated disc, it's still there.
I didn't get surgery. And they told me that I'll never be able to lift again, cuz it was really, really bad, but I went the natural row, physical therapy and a lot of core work, a lot of core strengthening and not just like, like sit-ups whatever, just like heavy carries and that's gonna make you wider.
And so in my head I'm like, you know, I it's keeping me healthy and it's allowing me to do what I need to do and yeah, my legs, like they're big in comparison to my hips, but like they're pretty damn strong so, you know, it's just like saying those things to myself. That like takes me back from that negative.
Body image issues, which it's getting better and better, like all the time. Mm-hmm . And I think that's why I also like, coaching nutrition and helping women because it's, it's something that I constantly keep telling to themselves to, to them. Mm-hmm and it reminds me like, to be graceful with myself as well.
Do you, you,
[00:43:46] Sam Rhee: I know you post a lot on your social media. Do you get negative comments or trolls or haters on your social
[00:43:52] Stacey Marino: media? Oh yeah. Yeah. I get like unsolicited comments all the time. And like, before it used to really bother me, like, like I would, I would cry. What would they usually
[00:44:03] Sam Rhee: say? Like, I know when I see most CrossFit women athletes, they're always like basically two major hate type
[00:44:10] Stacey Marino: of comments.
No, it's like, you look like a man, right. Or, or you are on steroids, right? Or you're disgusting.
[00:44:16] Sam Rhee: Yeah. Those are the two. Yeah. Or, yeah, basically.
[00:44:18] Stacey Marino: And like it. It, it literally made me cry before. And, and then at one point I was like, you know, they're probably saying that because they're insecure with themselves and they're projecting their insecurities onto me.
And I would, I would respond back and I was just like, are you having a bad day? and then I actually got a nutrition client that way. Oh, did you? I did. And, and she's like, you know, she's like, oh no, you just look disgusting. Why would you post this? Whatever? And then I'm like, you know, we get to talking and she's like, oh my God.
Yeah. I'm, I'm scared to eat and this and that, I was just like, let me help you. And, but now I, I honestly, I just ignore it because it's like, I realize it's a waste of my energy that I could be putting in elsewhere. And we, all of us. A limited amount of energy. So I have to use it wisely, but yeah, even, even this morning, like I, I'm doing my coffee walk around my complex.
I live in at town home complex and some guy pulls up next to me and I know this was like, he meant it in a good way, but he's like, I've been living here for four years and like, you always look great, but you look amazing now, like you look and it's just, you know, it's like, why are you calming on body? I mean, I guess because I was wearing booty shorts, off top typical CrossFitter but yeah, it's you just, I guess you just kind of ignore it and
[00:45:46] Sam Rhee: I hope that some day the CrossFit aesthetic, which is basically born out of function becomes more widespread.
And I really hope that, I mean, I see that as a plastic surgeon and then I see it as a CrossFitter just how, how different sometimes they can be. And I really, I really hope that. The message that you and all the other CrossFit affiliates and, and owners and, and, and people associated with CrossFit can sort of spread that word in.
Yeah, I know it sounds kind of culty, but I mean, I've seen it on the other side, cuz I deal with that all the time too. And yeah. And, and it's a challenge, but I mean, at this point you're an athlete you're focused on your function. You're looking to get to the CrossFit games and it looks like you're about as close as you.
I mean, disappointment aside in the, in the semis, you are on an upward track, you finished second in legends masters championship last year, which was in December mm-hmm . Um, So that was a couple months after you switched to underdogs and Angelos mm-hmm and uh, you, you know, so you didn't make the games, but as a consolation event, you decided to go out to, to Missouri and compete in the first four monster event last weekend which I was looking at the workouts were.
Pretty brutal for three days. Oh, they were and you finished first um, you didn't take anything less than um, third in any of the events, actually, there were 10 events , mm-hmm and even last year um, in waap Polooza you've finished in your age group 10th. So you've been on an upward track constantly at this point.
Well, let me ask you about the first four monster event first. So what was your experience like there and why'd you decide to do it, after such a disappointment and, feeling so down.
[00:47:28] Stacey Marino: Yeah. I mean, I was disappointed and, and then I realized that what I'm really after was to test my fitness where I am right now.
I did have a rough year again. I had adrenaline sufficiency earlier in the year after COVID and like, I actually did waza two weeks after I had COVID. I did, I did not wanna be there. Wow. I was like waiting to be time capped in my workouts. So of course I, I was dealing with issues again. My first Metcon was 22.1.
Oh, wow.
[00:48:00] Sam Rhee: yeah. Which was not a fun
[00:48:01] Stacey Marino: one. No, but that was what
[00:48:03] Sam Rhee: was it the wall walk one. Oh yeah, yeah,
[00:48:06] Stacey Marino: yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So like, I was like, Matt got me to this amazing level where I felt the fittest I've ever felt. And you know, I'm doing these. The quarter finals and semi-finals, and all of it is in the gym.
Like I had people watching me, but it's not the same as a live competition. I wanted to go out there mm-hmm and really test myself, like how far I've come, how I respond in a competition. And I reached out to the director because the, like the deadline was over. They had um, qualifiers before, and obviously I didn't do them.
And he was like, we'd be honored to have you. He sent me an invite and like I had six weeks to ramp up for it. And I just went there with a mindset. Like, let me see where I'm at. Like, let me push myself and just, yeah. Crush it. All right.
[00:49:00] Sam Rhee: Well, let's take a look at a couple events, just so I wanted to hear what your thoughts were.
The very first one was actually just a straight up 400 meter run. Mm-hmm how'd you feel about that as being an event and how did you do.
[00:49:10] Stacey Marino: So first of all, Missouri, it's like 105 degrees there . Um, But the real field was like 1 10, 1 15. But I like the heat, so , it was, it wasn't that bad. It was on the football field.
And my first thought was doubt. I was like, I'm not a sprinter. And like I told that to Matt, he's like, what do you think of these events? I'm like, they suck. I I'm so bad at all of this. Like, I can't believe this. And he's like, this is a great test. Then just like, see it as a test. And even like 3, 2, 1 go.
Like, I always like go into this. Like, I don't know this like hazy mode, like partially in a dream partially like there. And like, I, I remember sprinting and 300 meters in. I was like, I could slow down. It's okay. If I slow down and I'm like, what am I saying to myself? Keep going. And because there were like three girls ahead of me, but like, we all started like staggered mm-hmm like, basically it was a little bit more than a 400.
It was like four 50, because you had to run to your GD, tap it. And that's when it ended. Okay. And um, so they staggered us on the football field and in my head I'm like, okay, all these girls are sprinting the straight away. And they're gonna, they forget that we still have a whole lot to sprint on the football field.
So like, I, even though I was like, like three or four girls were ahead of me. Once we turned around that cone, I sprint it to the GD topped it.
[00:50:39] Sam Rhee: Ah, so that's why it says you finished second with the time of 1 28. And I was like for 400 meters, but it was actually more than 400. It was more, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay. Got it. I was like, alright. And then you went straight into a, it looked like a pretty awful. G D sandbag. Oh, you like that one sandbag carry you like that a hundred pounds for you guys?
[00:51:00] Stacey Marino: Yeah. Yeah, it was, I, I like that workout. Like I like GRAT work because it's just, how, how bad do you want it? How hard are you willing to work?
I mean, like I already, I already reflected on all the workouts. Mm-hmm and, and yeah, I finished that one first, but I know that wasn't the best of my ability. Real. You could have done more. I, I could have done better. I could have went faster and, and I was just, I was looking around, I'm like, I'm ahead of everybody.
Why. Why am I trying to go faster? And like, if it was, you know, here with like quarter final semifinals, when you don't know how anyone else is doing, you have to put your best effort there. But I guess in a competition mode, when you had like eight more events after, right. I'm like, let me save myself.
Right. But like, I finished the event and everyone's like congratulating me and in my head, I'm like, that wasn't my best. Like if this was Tia, she would've like made sure that she had nothing left and I'm like, well, I'm not Tia. And you know, I'm, I'm 36 and it's gonna take me a while to recover from this.
No,
[00:52:06] Sam Rhee: I think that's the difference between, like you said, online versus in person is, you know, what you have to do. Yeah. And, and, and that awareness of your competition is very important. You did um, a total, it, they called it the monster total. It was a bench squat clean. Yeah. Just two movements. Yeah. And you had 420 pounds.
So how much of that was squat clean and how much of that was a
[00:52:28] Stacey Marino: bench pressed? So I, Ben I benched 180 5. Wow. Like I, I did, I did three attempts, so it was I did 1 35, 1 55. Oh no, 4 1 75, 180 5. Yeah. And I still felt good and we were allowed to have a spotter. So the spotter was actually my friend Uhhuh and, and I go to him, I'm like, I wanna try 1 90, 1 95.
That felt good. And he's like, he's like go to the Squaw clean, make it up on the Squaw clean. And like, I literally stood there for 30 seconds, like, but that's not my best effort. And he's like go to the Squaw clean . So, like Squaw clean. I, I honestly, like I haven't lifted any heavier than like two 10 all year.
Like now when I lift super heavy, like, I, I mean, I do have that back injury, so I don't wanna aggravate it. Like my all time, one rap max is two 40, but that was after like an intense strength cycle. And like, like I was much bigger. I was much stronger. So my expectation was like, my goal was two 15 mm-hmm and I, I hit 1 75, 1 95.
I went to two 15, it felt great. I hit 2 25. That, that looked the best out of all my lifts. And then I was like, okay, I have one more lift. Let me go for 2 35. And I mean, I hit it, but like, it was, it was ugly. Like I, I dove under this arm like came down and then I'm sitting in a dead stop squat, like pushing it up and then I like, I'm dead stop.
And then I just stand it up. And everyone's congratulating me and I'm like, I'm like, that was so ugly. It doesn't even count. Like I can't use it. it's crossed the
[00:54:07] Sam Rhee: PR as a PR. So that's how I feel, but, okay. All right. I, I, I, listen, I admire your stickler for technique there. That's good.
[00:54:15] Stacey Marino: It's I mean, like, it doesn't count, like, I wouldn't wanna use that number for training purposes.
Yes. Like when I go off of percentages, understood, like it's not, it's not a real lift. Right. Okay. So like, I would probably use 2 25.
[00:54:28] Sam Rhee: Okay. At every gym, every athlete would use that as a real lift, but no, no, no. I understand what you're saying. Okay. And then you did uh, a let's see, there was a rope climb to, to bar a box jump over, which.
Yeah. And then oh, the one I actually wanted to ask you about was a three K run. Oh yeah. So what was that like? So they did a 400 meter run. Yeah. And then they did a three K run. Yeah. So how, how did you feel about that? And what did you do pace wise going into that? Like, what was
[00:54:58] Stacey Marino: your plan? Yeah, so, I mean, I was an endurance runner, but way back when, and I weighed like 50 pounds less.
Right. So it's very different running now. Mm-hmm that event was actually like I got up at like five 30 in the morning to eat. And the last event, the previous day was at seven 30 at night. Oh, late. So really no time to recover. But everyone was in the same boat. Like pace wise. I, I told myself I'm like, I wanna keep an eight minute mile.
It's it's a trail run. I, I have a, I have a. Broken toe. Oh, well, it's, it's like it's fractured mm-hmm but it really hurts. So, like I had it since they opened mm-hmm so some of like, when I was warming up, like some of the surfaces were so uneven and it, like, if I go like that, it would really, really hurt my toe.
But 3, 2, 1 go like, I just started off with like a six 30 pace mm-hmm because that's what everyone was doing. And then probably like 15 seconds in. I was like, Nope, Nope, Nope. Let them, let them go. Like, keep be true to what I know I can do. And like all of a sudden, like five minutes in, I just start passing, passing, passing girls.
And at one point I was in the front mm-hmm I was keeping about like a seven, like my average pace, I think was like 7 30, 8 mm-hmm
[00:56:18] Sam Rhee: You finished third? Yeah.
[00:56:20] Stacey Marino: So 1450. Yeah. So I was like, I had these it was Mallory and Lindsay. Yeah. They were behind me and we were like going back and forth. And like I remember the last, I think it was like 400 meters.
Both of them sped up and I'm just in the back and I'm like, eh, I was like, I don't, I don't wanna put myself through that. And I hate that. I did that. Like, I know I could have like dashed that as well. Mm-hmm but like in my head I was feeling really sorry for myself because I had really bad sleep the night before I took I take this prescription for insomnia and because of like every, everything I'm dealing with, it's a Trazodone mm-hmm and I took one pill and it didn't work.
Mm-hmm and I took another one. Ooh. And I woke up and I just felt zombie a zombie. Yeah. And like, it, it was just a really bad experience, but. Yeah,
[00:57:13] Sam Rhee: that's amazing though, that you still did that, but I understand the regret of not having left everything on the table. Yeah. I know what that means. Yeah. Like everyone does.
We all do. Yeah. There was a swim event. It was a 50 meter swim and then a skier eight
[00:57:27] Stacey Marino: cows. Yeah. It was five rounds, 50 meters swim and a Kowski.
[00:57:33] Sam Rhee: Okay. How did you feel about the swimming part of it?
[00:57:36] Stacey Marino: I was like, I'm not a good swimmer. So I was, I was definitely nervous. I mean, I've, I've trained it like all year, but I feel like I'm just not getting better.
I'm, I'm a little bit more comfortable in the water, but again, it was also like an hour after the run and I was still in that hazy mode. and like, we get there, like I put my goggles on. I literally learned how to dive the week before I, what, I didn't know how to dive, like even at guap, polou like, like I was the first girl off the rower and we go to the bay and they have those like docks, right.
That you run down into and jump in. Right. And, and I, this is what I did. I like sat at the end of the dock. I like went in like this , but, but, so I was like, okay, I can't be doing that at monster game. That's that's embarrassing. So I went to my parents' pool and I'm like practicing diving and my dad's sitting there and he's like, That doesn't look good.
You need to keep your leg. I'm like, dad, it doesn't matter if it looks good, I just need to dive in the water. Um, But like my first dive, like all this water gets in my goggles goggles and, and I felt like my eye was bleeding, cuz it was so much chlorine in the water mm-hmm but I, I like that one. I was like, I kept repeating to myself.
I'm like, this is my damage control event. Mm-hmm whatever, just survive through the water and don't choke but like I, you did great. I guess what'd you do
[00:59:03] 2022_0724_1136: first?
[00:59:04] Sam Rhee: No. Third. Third. Yeah. So, I mean, there you go. I mean, so you're a typical, CrossFitter like, I don't know anyone who is really good at CrossFit who doesn't have a swimming background who doesn't struggle with swimming.
I that's just part of it. Yeah. If I will remember watching wa Polooza and there was some ugly dives and swims, so it's not any different than anybody
[00:59:25] Stacey Marino: else in. Yeah. I mean, guap Posa is different. It's like an open water swim mm-hmm like there were girls like swimming over me. Mm-hmm I remember a girl was like pulling on my bottom mm-hmm someone like put my head underwater mm-hmm but here it's like, you are in your lane in the pool and you know, if you start to drown, you could just hold on to like those thingies,
[00:59:45] Sam Rhee: right.
The lane markers. Yeah. Um, Well I think you're, if you know, if, and when you get to the games next year, that's something you're definitely gonna have to uh, shore up games training there. And then um, yeah,, everything else seemed very solid. So now your plan for the future is to go now you already U podiums last year for legends.
So that does that automatically qualify you for legends cause you already, but the first form winner also qualified for legends. So did you qualify two ways?
[01:00:15] Stacey Marino: So I actually don't know if being on the podium at legends qualifies. Oh, I don't even know. I don't, I mean, I didn't get any emails about that, but oh, I see like last weekend like after I finished my day one, I get an email from legends saying that based on my performance at the semifinals I already qualified.
Oh, you did? Okay. And then I was like, okay, well that's great. But obviously I qualify it again and they're just waving the fee of okay. Of going to legends.
[01:00:40] Sam Rhee: So this year it's going to be in Cookville mm-hmm with maam mm-hmm last year, it was in San Diego. it is the premier masters event. That's off season.
Like not, that's not the games. Yeah. How do you feel about it? That's that's your next big goal? Isn't it at this point?
[01:00:59] Stacey Marino: Yeah. Yeah. I'm, I mean, I'm really excited for it. Like, I didn't hear about it until like last year when I did it first and, and it's just something exciting to be training for. I didn't do as well as I wanted to last year.
I, I honestly, it was my first big competition, like in person. Did you finish second?
[01:01:21] Sam Rhee: Yes. Okay. So what was it then that you didn't accomplish last year? Other than being first, I suppose
[01:01:27] Stacey Marino: again, the, the mental side, like, I, I hated my, my thinking throughout the entire, but to be fair like it was my first competition, like after everything that was going on and, and.
Like the day before like Michael called me with like bad news about his MRI. And I was just like, why am I even doing this? Like, like there's so much more that I should be doing right now. Like I shouldn't be here. And, but yeah, it was, it was like a lot of self-doubt. And I remember that last day I was, I was in first like going into the last day.
Okay. And it was a workout that I knew would be my weakness and, and I just slowed down. Like, I, I didn't, like, I didn't think I would finish it before the other girls. So I was like, I might as well just slow down and. My husband, he told me later that day, he's like, don't listen to the commentators.
Don't watch it. And of course I watched it and, and I heard them saying like, oh, Stacy, Stacy has no sense of urgency. Oh, she, she feels comfortable in first place. And you know, she's giving up and I'm like, yeah, well, it was true. wow. Yeah. So, I mean, I was, I mean, don't get me wrong. I was very proud of like my effort and, and like where I was, and I surprised myself in a lot of the events, but again, I, I hate my mindset in, in some of these events.
It's so funny because it always comes back to that because you
[01:03:02] Sam Rhee: finished all those events and you were in first place going in and then it's like, so your mindset is like 98%. Solid. And now you're beating yourself up over yeah. The
[01:03:16] Stacey Marino: self doubt. The 2%. Yeah. Which I feel like it was self sabotaged. Cause I'm like, there's no way that I could do this.
And so I didn't,
[01:03:26] Sam Rhee: it sounds like your coach has helped you with this a lot over the passion.
[01:03:30] Stacey Marino: It's helping me
[01:03:30] Sam Rhee: a lot. Yes. And what would be the biggest thing you would say over the past year that has helped you with that? Self-doubt at, because you know, you're right on the cusp of it and you hear that bad voice.
Mm-hmm so what is it that you are doing now to overcome that and say, listen, this is not gonna happen. I'm gonna finish with
[01:03:49] Stacey Marino: everything. Yeah. I mean, what he tells me is trust your training. Mm-hmm like fitness is always gonna win. Like I ask him to program like a few pieces where I know I would struggle, so I know how I'm feeling.
But the, the biggest thing for me in competitions is to stop looking around. Like when, when I start getting tired, like I, I tend to start looking around and I'm like, okay, well, it looks like they're tired. And and then I lose focus. Uh, So that's the one thing, like a monster games. Like I felt very focused mm-hmm and I knew like, from my peripheral vision that I was ahead and I was able to slow down, not because I had to, but because I was saving myself for the other workouts.
So even though like my mindset, wasn't where I wanted it to be. Like, it was definitely much better. And, and it's something I constantly keep working at. And like, he tells me like, fitness always wins and we're getting you fit. And like I told you, like the open was my first Metcon mm-hmm since waap Palooza and like, I remember reaching out to him the week before, I'm like, I'm like, I can't believe we haven't done.
Metcons like, all I've been doing is zone two and 60% lift. Like Matt, I am not ready. And he's like, Stacey, it's another day in the office. Like you have to be top 10%. And I'm like, I know, but I also wanna do really well and he's like, it doesn't matter. And I'm like, I know, but like, people are gonna be watching.
He's like, why do you care what they think? I'm like, I guess I shouldn't. But I think like the open, it does that to all of us. Of course it does. Yeah. And it's like, he's like no repeats. I'm like, okay. and then there's one workout. I was like, okay, I'm not telling Matt, oh, shoot. If he listens
[01:05:39] Sam Rhee: you, you repeated one.
Which one? Which open workout to be. Oh man,
[01:05:43] Stacey Marino: the, the thruster was .
[01:05:47] Sam Rhee: Oh, you hear, you heard it here folks. Sorry, Matt.
[01:05:50] Stacey Marino: But you know it, it's just, it's in your head. I'm not gonna do that next year.
[01:05:57] Sam Rhee: well, it sounds like first form was a huge confidence boost and it sounds like actually, everything was huge in terms of your improvement this year, over last, over the year before.
So I fully expect great things coming into legends in December the following season for the open and afterwards. And if you had to give anyone any advice, BA you know, like right now, based on what you've seen over the past year or two years, like, what is it that you would say that you've learned that was the most important, that would be really helpful for somebody
[01:06:33] Stacey Marino: like with training or overall your life?
So, just consistency make sure that you stay consistent and that you're having fun. Because consistency it's like everywhere. Consistency with your training, consistency with your nutrition, with work um, your career uh, relationships that's that, that's the building blocks and little by little, like you, you may not notice it day to day or week to week, but it, it does add up and, and with fun, like I'm, I'm doing this, cuz this is fun for me.
Like this is fun. It's yes. Like I, I don't get paid for it. like, it's not my career. Like it's, it's something that kind of gives me purpose. It, it keeps me fit and healthy and like I enjoy putting myself through those challenges, like showing myself um, a. That I'm able to do hard things. And like, I start my day every morning um, with a freezing shower.
Oh, you're one of those
[01:07:38] Sam Rhee: we have a crew and I do not believe in that, but go ahead. I
[01:07:42] Stacey Marino: understand why you guys it, because it scares me. And then, and then I could approach my day knowing that like I'm able to over like, yes, I'm scared. Like I'm scared to compete, you know, it's those nerves, but you do it.
And then it, it only builds more and more confidence. And like, if it, if it stops being fun for me, like, I don't really want to be doing this. Like again, it's, I'm not getting paid for this. And I mean prizes, but big deal. Like, yeah. Sometimes it's not fun. Like there's days where I'm here and I'd rather be at a pool party or, you know, there's days and I'm really hurting, but that's where the consistency factor comes in the discipline.
And you know, you know that you gotta do it, but most of the time it's fun.
[01:08:30] Sam Rhee: Well, congratulations, Stacy and good luck in the future. It's been a pleasure talking to you.
[01:08:34] Stacey Marino: You too. Thank you. Thank you so much.
