Dear Roots Crew,

Each season at the shop has a cool vibe, and summer is no different.

As we gear up for our Double Birthday Bash – 249 years of American grit and 16 sweet years of Roots badassery – Eric and I are pumped to celebrate with you on July 4th with a workout, burritos, and coffee.

This summer we welcome Ben Sisenwein as a coaching intern. And then there’s our guest coach (who could it be!?), who will make an appearance for a few days in June to help us out while Lindsay and Connor are off getting hitched (woot!).

Our summer front desk team is absolutely crushing it – be sure to say hi to Priya, Ben, and Nella. They’re a sharp crew who do so much more than tend to the front desk.

The Not a Challenge Health Challenge is in full swing, and we’re seeing great momentum. From improved protein habits to adventurous post-meal walks, you all continue to inspire each other and raise the bar for the longterm.

And lastly, don’t forget to preorder your Roots summer tee, grab a raffle ticket to support Jake Croxdale at the 6th annual Big Fish Foundation Fundraiser and Challenge, and keep logging those classes for the Great Attendance Challenge. 225 classes in 2025? We see you.

Don’t Be Normal. Do CrossFit.

Hugs,
Nicole

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QUICK HITS

• YOU’RE INVITED: Double Birthday Celebration: America Turns 249, Roots Turns 16!
• Summer Intern and Guest Coach (drumroll please)
• Front Desk Team Intros!
• Buy a Raffle Ticket >> Win a Prize Basket >> Support Jake Croxdale
• Not a Challenge Health Challenge Updates!
• Don’t Be Normal. Do CrossFit.
• Summer T-Shirt Preorder – SO HOT!
• Do You Want to Learn How to Use the Belt Squat?
• Historical Check-ins in the CrossFit Roots App!

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Double Birthday Celebration: America Turns 249, Roots Turns 16!

Mark your calendars! This year, we are celebrating two epic birthdays in one – America’s birthday and Roots’ Sweet 16!

Kick-off your 4th of July with an epic workout at 9 am. Stick around for coffee and breakfast burritos to celebrate Roots’ 16 years of CrossFit-small-business-awesome-athlete-epic-health-and-fitness vibes.

Sign up for the 4th of July class in the CrossFit Roots app.

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Summer Intern and Guest Coach!

Summer Intern: We are thrilled to welcome Ben Sisenwein (CF-L2) as our summer coach intern. Ben will be coaching alongside Nicole and coaching group classes throughout the summer. Ben is a rising sophomore at Ithaca College and a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer at CrossFit Vertical in Ithaca, New York.

Guest Coach: And, we are excited to welcome the one and only Connor McDonald BACK to Roots for three special days in June. Connor coached at Roots for five years before moving back home to Texas and opening his affiliate, BarX CrossFit, outside of Austin, Texas.

Connor is a CrossFit Level 4 Coach who once lost his manbun in a CrossFit Open sign-up bet. He enjoys reggae music, dogs, and changing his T-shirt multiple times a day in the Texas heat. He was also Ben’s Teen’s coach, when he was 14…

Connor will be coaching a handful of classes while Lindsay and Connor are off getting hitched!

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Summer Front Desk Team

We have a DYNAMITE team at the front desk this summer! Learn more about each of them below. You’ll see them at the front desk, around the shop, and in class all summer!

Priya Oza, CF-L1

Priya will lead our front desk team this summer and has been a staple at Roots since she was in middle school!

Priya is a rising junior majoring in molecular biology (on a pre-med track) and minoring in history. She’s worked in research, looking at DNA damage repair and bacteriophage isolation/usage in medicine. Outside of school, she volunteers at Avista Hospital and the Humane Society. She loves basketball and can be seen aggressively cheering on the CU Buffs or the Nuggets at any given time!

Ben Sisenwein, CF-L2

Ben is a rising sophomore at Ithaca College, majoring in film with a minor in mathematics. At school, Ben is a member of several TV studio clubs and participates in a rec league flag football team. Outside of school, Ben coaches part-time at CrossFit Vertical. Ben is also interning on the coaching floor this summer!

Nella Bieger, CF-L1

Nella is a health sciences major on a pre-med track, going into her sophomore year at (the) Ohio State. At school, Nella is part of the Army ROTC program, and within that, she is in Scabbard and Blade (ROTC’s Honor Society) and Converse Guard. This previous year, she played on the Army ROTC girls basketball team and an intramural soccer team, as well as being a part of the Girls Lifting Organization (GLO).

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Buy a Raffle Ticket >> Win a Prize Basket >> Support Jake Croxdale

Our very own Jake Croxdale will be representing the Army branch of service in this year’s annual Big Fish Foundation Challenge and Fundraiser. Jake will be taking on a 30-hour challenge alongside other military veterans to raise awareness and money

To support Jake and his fundraising efforts, we’ll be raffling off a super sweet prize basket filled with LOTS of goodies! 100% of the proceeds will be donated on behalf of Jake to the fundraising event.

Thank you to our generous sponsors who contributed wonderful items to the prize basket – Gloss Auto Wash and Detail, Jones & Co., and Unity Colorworks.

The prize basket will be on display at the shop and tickets will be sold June 13-20!

What is the Big Fish Foundation? 

The Big Fish Foundation creates opportunities for Veterans to form meaningful connections, grow as individuals, and serve others. They work to get ahead of Veteran suicide—encouraging “preventative maintenance”—by putting tools for thriving in Veterans’ hands before they experience crises that might lead to self-harm. The foundation hosts and supports small-scale events that impact Veterans through a proven combination of opportunities to forge meaningful connections with others, challenging activities that encourage psychological & physical growth, and acts of service. 

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Not a Challenge Health Challenge

We kicked off Phase 3 of the Not a Challenge Health Challenge two weeks ago, and we’re officially past the halfway point of the event! Fifty members have been trying new habits related to nutrition, activity, and lifestyle, and are seeing some great initial results!

With InBody scans complete for the halfway point of the challenge, members who have dialed in their habits are seeing muscle increases and lower body fat percentages, along with great performance during training at the shop!

Here’s what some of them have to say:

“I really feel a difference in a good way with more protein.  It’s helped me be more active and coincided with making progress on some injuries, which has also reinforced being more active, so it’s kind of all helping. The increased protein change is a huge eye opener.” Scott S.

Great work to all of the participants. We have 4 weeks left to crush these habits and keep them going for the long haul!

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Must Read: Don’t Be Normal. Do CrossFit.

At the shop the other day, I was talking to Anya, and we were speculating about what our lives and fitness might be like if we hadn’t found CrossFit. We also discussed the confidence that comes with being able to pick up heavy things and learn new skills.

In Stephane Rochet’s article “Don’t Be Normal. Do CrossFit,” he paints a vivid picture of what his life would be like had he not found CrossFit – from his daily habits, eating patterns, energy, longevity, and more.

It’s worth a read and a high five. What happens within the walls of the shop daily is not normal. And I hope you’re damn proud of that.

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The Summer Roots Tee with ALL the Summer Vibes

The hottest t-shirt of the summer is here, just in time for summer! Available in a few colors and printed on Comfort Colors tees and crops, these are some high-quality, fun-loving tees! Keep an eye on the front desk for pre-order sheets and sample tees!

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Do You Want to Learn How to Use the Belt Squat?

Join Nicole on Wednesday, June 11th at 6pm to learn the history, purpose, and how to use the new Rogue Belt Squat. We’ll see you there!

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Historical Check-ins in the CrossFit Roots App!

Did you know that your historical check-in TOTAL is now listed in your CrossFit Roots app. That number is the cumulative total of every group class you’ve ever checked into – from MBO days, to ZenPlanner, to the new app! What’s your number!?

The 2025 Great Attendance Challenge

The 2025 Great Attendance Challenge is off and running! Attend 225 classes in 2025 and be entered to win a FREE YEAR of membership at CrossFit Roots! Learn more about the challenge HERE.

Members who attend 19 or more classes each month stay on track to attend 225 in one year. Here’s who attended 19 or more classes in May!

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