Molly Godby commits to a lifelong fight against the disease that took her mother.
When people ask me why I do CrossFit, I can give the standard answers: “It’s addictive. I love the way it makes me look and feel. There is an awesome community built into CrossFit.” And all of that is true. Another reason, perhaps the main reason, I CrossFit is to fight the disease that is stealing my mother away from me bit by bit.
My mother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, and I cannot avoid the reality that someday I may have my mother’s disease. My plan is straightforward: I will do everything I can to combat the chances of becoming a victim of Alzheimer’s. CrossFit is part of my commitment to my present physical health.
For me, this is a lifetime commitment not just for myself but also for my family. Each time that voice creeps up in me that says, “Take the day off,” I think of my mom. Then the sad yet completely pissed-off warrior of a woman inside me takes over and says, “Hell, no. We are doing this.”