Going Back to Cali…

20 double-unders
8 muscle-ups
40 double-unders
6 muscle-ups
60 double-unders
4 muscle-ups
80 double-unders
2 muscle-ups
100 double-unders
(retest from Feb 2nd)

When having to decide between living in Boulder or Santa Cruz, life is not too shabby!
When having to decide between living in Boulder or Santa Cruz, life is not too shabby!

Going Back to Cali…

We write to you with some sad news! Our beloved Zac Pine has decided to move back to Santa Cruz, California where he and his wife Heather’s families both live. This is a great thing for their family as they will have grandma support as they take on life with two young kids. It is less great for us as we lose a dear coach and friend!

Zac, we wish you and Heather all the best and thank you for all that you have contributed to Roots over the years.

Zac heads out July 15th. Be sure to give him a hug or high five before then!

And a note from Zac:

To all the Roots crew!

I was driving to work this morning and I already had that feeling of missing Boulder, Roots, the coaches and all of you beautiful people I have made awesome squatters in the last few years. There are many of you who will stick out in my mind for decades to come some with movement faults, others with pure determination, but most of all your enthusiasm for life and the ones around you and thank you thank you for that!!!

Myla and Kyra’s grandmothers are extremely excited for us to return to California as well as the sand and salt water.

I leave you with squeeze your butt, dip DRIVE, tight belly and keep your knees out ohh yeah get your ass below parallel and have a shit ton of fun it is truely one of the best if not the best gym in the world!!!

Thank you N & EZ

18 Responses
  1. Bia

    Zac, we will miss you, your coaching and amazing energy so much!
    Very best wishes to You, Heather and the Babies! I can imagine how excited the Grandparents are to have the family reunited!
    Thank you so much for all you have taught me, I will get those head stand pushups!
    – Bia

  2. CAL

    Ohhhh ZacAttack! This awesomesauce decision for your family is hard to hear….your patience, good humor, and ability to help this card-carrying AARP member actually feel like a bad-a** athlete on numerous occasions will be remembered with great LUV! 3-2-1 GO West Young Man, Heather and bambini!! 3 breath HUG, your pal, CAL

  3. MollyMo1982

    NOOO!! Zac you can’t leave! Thanks so much for making classes fun and for supporting me during WODs. You will be missed. Please come back and visit us! Good luck with the move and take care of those beautiful girls!

  4. Killer

    No words 🙁 Just sadness. Although happy you will have some grandparents around to help with the little ones…that is HUGE. We will miss you terribly Zac!

  5. Zac!
    You were my foundations coach and taught me how to do so many new things. Thank you for screaming at me when I couldn’t get out of a max back squat so I could PR.
    Good luck!

  6. lisa p

    Zac, I am so sad that you won’t be with us at Roots any longer. I would share my top 5 all time Zac anecdotes, but all of them contain language completely unsuitable for the blog. I second the request for a Hamburguesa throwdown! We haven’t done that since the old shop, have we?

  7. Grandpa Mojo

    Grandpa Mojo here – Zac – thanks for pushing me to greatness. I will always remember you fondly. Have fun back in Santa Cruz. Grab some yellow tail sashimi from Pink Godzilla for me.

  8. Paul

    Duuuuuuude…really? We’re really going to miss you. Secretly I have been training for another round of handstand competitions. Remember all those attempts hash marked on the wall at the old shop? You had something like IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII and me, a blank space next to my name. That said, you were always up for a rematch when asked with plenty of humor and encouragement along the way. This is your general coaching style we’ve all come to love. Anyway, I guess I’ll see you in Santa Cruz for a 2014 handstand redux. Until then, all best of luck and happiness to you as you head west. You ‘da man…

  9. Sampo

    I am lying here in bed recoverying from surgery and trying so hard not to get depressed. Now I am depressed.

  10. Diana

    But who is going to scream me into a HSPU? A “Crossfit-approved” WB? A skin-the-cat thingy? And I think I’m getting closer to my first kipping pull up. Can’t argue with NoCal . . . best to you and your family!!

  11. Christine Suchor

    you will be missed!! thanks for all your encouragement, coaching, humor and empathy! Sincerely wish you and your family the best!

  12. John Helson

    Zac. . .don’t know what to say buddy. I owe you so much for your exacting coaching style, intuition to push us. . .but just enough, and the perennial trademark grin. As our Foundations coach, you always showed up with a a big smile and words of wisdom. Wish you all the best in The Cruz, buddy. Don’t go changin’. . .

  13. Jessica Helson

    This is so not okay. Zac, you are such a huge and special part of Roots. I seriously shed some tears when I woke up to this news from John yesterday morning. Okay, I’m a little emotional these days but seriously, you will be sorely missed. Emphasis on sore. I wish you and your family all the best and sincerely understand the pull towards family and sea but we love you and this will take a while to accept!!

  14. Sarah Silver

    Zac, Your coaching enabled me to do things I never dreamed possible when I walked in the door at Roots two and a half years ago. Your enthusiasm, support, and all-around positive attitude helped me believe I could a) get below parallel b) go a little further on skin-the-cat c) complete one — make it two – toes-to-bar and d) not burst into tears when the white board indicated we had to do lots of burpees. Thank you for helping me get over getting old. Best of luck to you. – Sarah