M I R A M A R
Tamara “Tam” Vilaythong
Tam has been a member of CrossFit 858 since May 2019. She goes to school at University of California Berkeley and when she’s not away studying, she is one of our most dedicated and consistent members. Tam is every coach’s dream- she is coachable and focused. It’s apparent that Tam has an exceptional work ethic in and outside of the gym as we have watched her grow and improve so much in the past year.
We are always sad to see Tam leave to go to school, but she always comes back when she can to visit us and those visits are never long enough. Whether Tam is home or away, she is always a huge part of our community and 858 Family.
How long have you been doing CrossFit?
I’ve been doing CrossFit for around 1 year and 4 months now, with some months being on and off whenever I went back to college.
What got you hooked on CrossFit?
Definitely the community and camaraderie. There’s always people pushing you to succeed at the gym, and the fact that you can scale the workout to your level of experience/fitness makes it a great experience for everyone in the class.
What is your favorite movement?
Clean and jerk
Do you have any current goals you are trying to attain?
Currently working on getting consistent double unders that are more than 40 consecutive. Been trying to practice everyday! Also eventually a six-pack.
Do you have any advice for someone starting out in CrossFit?
Don’t compare yourself to others, you’ll want to lift heavy weights right out the bat, but sometimes it’s going lighter that will get you to where you want to be eventually. Make goals whether it be to get double unders, working on keeping your core engaged while lifting, etc., big or small goals – just make them and practice them!
Fun Fact:
I met and swam with Olympic gold medalist Jason Lezak (he helped secure Michael Phelps’ 8th gold medal at the 2008 Olympics — look up “4×100 freestyle relay 2008 beijing” and you won’t be disappointed)
M I S S I O N G O R G E
Hylene Valdez
Hylene has been consistent through and through, and it shows. She hits the gym regularly, and always pushes herself through each workout, even if she complains the whole time! But that is what we love about Hylene – she’s humble. No workout is ever too easy for her, Hylene always pushes her limits to get it done. And once she does finish, you’ll always see her cheering others on, pushing them to the finish. Hylene’s spirit and camaraderie is an amazing part of our community!
How long have you been doing CrossFit?
I started crossfit back in 2016, with Berkeley CrossFit up north. I really started looking into CrossFit because I hated spending at least 2 hours at a regular gym.
What got you hooked on CrossFit?
I was hooked after that first class! And I knew CrossFit was for me. What really got me hooked was the community surrounding CrossFit. Everyone was so supportive and I loved the competitive nature of crossfitters.
What is your favorite movement?
Snatches. Dropped the bar (I think it was 110#) on my upper back, really close to my neck, but still my favorite movement.
Do you have any current goals you are trying to attain?
Muscle-ups and hand-stand walks, but the world decided to blow up so I can’t even work on those muscle ups.
Do you have any advice for someone starting out in CrossFit?
Listen to your body! If it’s too painful, stop and recover. I tweaked my back doing deadlifts and I kept coming to gym, thinking I could push through the pain. It’s been a couple of years and I’m still recovering from it.
Fun Fact:
I can’t stick to a diet. I love food and wine way too much.