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Hilary Achauer reports on a Reebok CrossFit Games Open athlete who’s competing after doctors told her she would never do strenuous exercise again.
Elise Metts was just out of college when her life changed. A competitive cheerleader in high school and college, Metts spent most of her life training for three hours a day, seven days a week. One night, when she was riding in a car with friends, a drunk driver hit the car. The driver of Metts’ car died, and Metts herself ended up in the hospital with serious injuries.
Metts didn’t walk for six months. Once she started walking—slowly—she found she couldn’t walk or sit for more than 30 minutes without severe pain. Doctors told her she would never run again, she could never do strenuous exercise, she could not lift anything over 15 lb., and if she got pregnant, she would not be able to carry a child to full term or deliver it naturally.
Still in a fair amount of pain and 30 lb. overweight, Metts started working out about a year after the accident. She followed the advice of the doctors and stuck to slowly pedaling on the stationary bike and walking on the treadmill.
Even though she was exercising, she wasn’t satisfied. Then she heard about CrossFit.
