1)Tell us a little bit about yourself – including something we may not know about you and what brought you to Cayman.
- I met the love of my life in college (grad school). We got married in my hometown in Trinidad and moved to his hometown here in Cayman to live.
2) For those of us who have never been to Trinidad, tell us a little bit about what it was like growing up there, something that is unique to the area and a traditional dish you ate growing up.
- I think everyone knows about Trinidad because of its Carnival. But Carnival is just an extension of the Trini favorite pass time which is “liming”. Liming is when a group of family and/or friends get together to eat Pelau (a rice, pigeon peas and meat dish mixed in a single pot), enjoy music and “ole talk” (talk about past experiences, politics, sports etc). Trinis find any reason to lime, at home, at beaches, at sporting events or at a bar/restaurant. My fondest memories in Trinidad as a kid is having family and friends pop over to the house to lime. These gatherings were multi-generational which included my grandparents and their friends, my parents’ friends, my older siblings’ friends and my friends.
3)You have had some health issues over the last couple of years. How has that affected your workouts and how are you managing keeping things in check?
- I have a heart murmur from birth. This means that as long as I do not try to go from zero to 180 in less than 60 seconds my workouts are normal. Overtime, as I have aged and gained weight those numbers have decreased, exponentially in the last 5 years. From a mental perspective, I know that at the I can do a Level Method Red WOD but in reality, physically I can only do a Level Method Yellow (or White). The challenge is applying the discipline of completing a Yellow WOD and not going for Red or Black.
4) Motto or words to live by?
- This month’s (May) intention was: “Reject Nothing, Accept Everything”
5) Favorite thing to do on island?
- I love taking a cool afternoon drive from South Sound to East End (on a weekend). That drive which is partially costal, has the most relaxing green lush vegetation peppering the roadside. I can feel my muscles relaxing as I smell the saltiness of the air. This is when I truly feel that I am on a Caribbean Island.
6) When you see _____ in a workout, you think, “Whoop, Whoop!”
- Anything but Burpees/body builders!
7) When you see _____ in a workout, you think, “Uh-Oh!”
- Body builders. I hate these to my core!
8) What have you learned about yourself since joining our 7 Mile family?
- CrossFit has brought an awareness of how I deal with pain. Any sign of pain, I flip into self-care mode and convince myself it is okay to take the knee and rest.
9) What would you say is the best/favorite part of your day?
- 5:30am of course. It sets the best tone for the rest of my day. BTW I attend the 5:30am morning classes.
10) Anything crazy on your bucket list? (bungee jumping, sky diving, hiking?)
- Sailing to Cuba and back solo.
11) Favorite type of music to listen to.
- I love all genres of music. But Soca/Calypso is my favorite.
12) If you could write your own WOD, what would it look like?
- Any combination of barbell and strength movement (no cardio)
13) Would you recommend 7 Mile Strength & Fitness to others and if so, why?
- 300% The coaches at 7 Mile are the best! My first PT Coach got me socialized to the 7 Mile way of doing things, managing my physical expectations and also on occasion put on Soca during the workout to give me extra motivation! I am now working with Coach Dominic who is great. Cayman is quite social and friendly, but it was a culture shock on my first day at 7 Mile to have everyone in the gym greet me, that was nice. Also, the Level Method is quite empowering. My goal is to be better than I was yesterday, and the Level Method and the 7 Mile coaches gives me the tools to achieve this.
Congratulations again Cami! We are proud to have you as our June 7 Miler.
Wanda and the 7 Mile Crew