Mother of Six Uses CrossFit to Take on 50-Mile Race
Shannon Jurden has loved running for almost her entire life.
As a high schooler, she ran cross country, and that continued over to college, too. As a young adult, Jurden kept running but was struck with boredom and frustration as her progress slowed. She started doing Beach Body workouts, but as she added more children to her family, fitness had to take a backseat.
Enter CrossFit
It all changed in 2020 when she and her husband showed up to their first CrossFit classes after years of suggestions from her brother. She instantly fell in love with it, which changed her outlook on life.
- Now, at 35-years-old with six kids (four of them under 10-years-old) to wrangle, she’s at her fastest, fittest, and training for a 50-mile race that takes place in just two on August 19.
Interestingly, Jurden isn’t taking the typical route when it comes to training for an ultra marathon. She’s only doing one long run each week and otherwise is letting her CrossFit training do the talking. She says that just from the added strength and muscle stamina, she’s able to nearly match her times from years ago when she was solely running.
- “It’s interesting to see what I can do, running-wise when I don’t hardly ever run,” Jurden said. “Crossfit has definitely helped (mentally), I know that when I go out, I can do it. It’s helping me be able to hold onto (paces) longer.”
Finding Balance
However, it’s not always easy to get a workout in with so many kids running around. Especially with all six at home for the summer, Jurden says she’s constantly breaking up tiffs and getting distracted. And while she admits that she would much rather get her workouts done without this obstacle in her way, she says it’s cool to watch.
- “They’re going to join or they’re just going to play,” Jurden said. She hopes that her kids see her fitness regime as a positive influence on their lives. “It’s fun having them join in and seeing (me workout). Whether they do it in the future or not, they know it’s the healthy lifestyle.”
Jurden has definitely made an impression on the young eyes around her. She says that her kids will at times join in on her workouts, and one even brought home a crafted dumbbell from summer school, explaining to her teacher that it was for her mom “who works out all the time.”
Jurden knows that CrossFit has made a big impact on her life and athletic journey. And, with her longest run to date coming up in less than a month, she’ll have the perfect opportunity to prove her fitness to herself and her children.
Get the Newsletter
For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.
"*" indicates required fields
