We are beyond excited to announce our April 2022 Athlete of the Month is Shannon Mahoney! 
Shannon has been with us for exactly one year, and is a beautiful example of growth and progress throughout her journey. Shannon’s first ever workout was a benchmark, one of the more challenging things we do at Tradewinds; however she didn’t miss a beat. She powered through that first day and a true athlete emerged. Since then Shannon has only progressed and made strides in her capabilities. From wanting to be challenged on form, to hitting countless PR’s, to even signing up for her first partner comp (with former AOM Abbie Love shoutout), Shannon has shown grace and resilience through it all. She has a strong work ethic and is dedicated to bettering herself each and every day. It doesn’t matter what the workout is, what day it is, what’s going on out there in the world, you can always count on Shannon to be at the 7am class grinding, pushing herself to be better. Shannon’s strength, hard working nature, and humble kind personality are what makes her our Athlete of the Month, congrats Shan!
TW: Where are you from?
Shannon: Winthrop
TW: What do you do for work?
Shannon: I work as a Caregiver for the elderly population while I also take classes in order to pursue Occupational Therapy.
TW: How long have you been at Tradewinds?
Shannon: Exactly 1 year!
TW: What motivated you to try Tradewinds?
Shannon: When I first started out at Tradewinds, I was at a place in my life where I was craving a change. I reached my lowest point mentally and I came to a realization that I no longer deserved to feel that way. Luckily enough, I have Dan, not only as my brother but as my biggest supporter and somebody who I can confide in. I expressed these feelings to him and this is when he suggested Tradewinds. I wanted to give it a try but I carried a lot of anxiety about the unknown. I was not familiar with Crossfit-style workouts and I questioned if I was capable of completing them. However, this fear quickly faded after my first class here. I say this because of how welcoming everybody was, along with the overwhelming amount of positive emotions I experienced afterwards. I was able to quiet my mind for once and only focus on what I was doing. Without question, I knew this would be something beneficial to my life, not only physically, but mentally as well.
TW: What group class do you usually attend?
Shannon: 7am <3
TW: Did you have a fitness background prior to starting at Tradewinds?
Shannon: I would say I have been pretty active my whole life. I grew up playing sports such as basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse. I also ran cross country.
TW: If you could program your dream WOD, what would it be?
Shannon: Deadlifts
Deadlifts
aaaaaaand.. deadlifts!!!!
(hint hint, wink wink meredith)
TW: What is your proudest accomplishment since joining Tradewinds?
Shannon: I am proud of myself simply for showing up every day, especially on the days where it feels impossible to. Until recently, I would attend classes somewhat inconsistently. One week I would do four classes, while the next week I would do two classes, and so on. I made it my goal to become more consistent and now I am doing 5 days a week! My next goal is to hit a 200lb deadlift
TW: How has Tradewinds helped you in your everyday life?
Shannon: Tradewinds has helped me in my everyday life in more ways than one. It is so much bigger than just the physical aspect. The coaches along with other athletes have allowed me to gain confidence by pushing me to do more than I ever thought I was capable of. They have believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and they have helped me put an end to the constant doubts I had once carried. Through this, I recognized that I am fully capable of doing things that I thought I could “never” do. Tradewinds has pushed me way beyond my comfort zone, and continues to do so everyday. When I am forced outside of my comfort zone in the gym, my life outside of the gym is being benefitted as well. I am more willing to do things that scare me because I know I have it within me to accomplish them.
TW: What do you like to do outside of the gym?
Shannon: Outside of the gym I like trying new restaurants, baking healthy desserts, going to the beach, and running “errands” (errands = going to starbucks and target). Another thing I recently have been enjoying is yoga & I am looking forward to exploring that more (thank you trish!!). And lastly, my favorite thing to do is spend time with my nieces and nephew. Even on my worst days, they still have the ability to make me smile.
TW: What is your favorite song to workout to?
Shannon: Big bootie mixes
TW: What’s one thing you’d tell someone who is curious about trying Tradewinds but not sure if they could do it?
Shannon: I would want them to know that nobody is there to judge you. They are only there to offer encouragement and to see you succeed. We truly are our own worst critics, so I can guarantee you that everybody there is too busy focusing on themselves to care about what you look like, or how you are doing a certain movement. The group dynamic is fun and it pushes you to not only be a better athlete, but a better person as well. Along with this, I would say that it is important to not compare yourself to others in a negative light. If anything, use that individual as a source of motivation and someone who pushes you to be better. We cannot compare our page one to someone else’s page one hundred. Everyone is on their own journey at their own pace.
AOM Closing Thoughts…
It’s crazy to think that I joined Tradewinds a year ago. My time here has absolutely flown by, yet I feel as though I have been here forever with the amount of comfort I feel. I have never been in such an environment where I feel so supported than I do here. I have met so many amazing people who have truly become a huge support system for me, both inside and outside of the gym. Receiving their support in the gym is one thing, but carrying that outside of the gym is a whole different aspect. This shows exactly the type of people who are a part of Tradewinds- encouraging, caring, and uplifting. I can’t thank everyone enough for the endless support!
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]