Hi Bev! Please tell us about yourself.
Hi Fig family! I’m Bev Craig, a lifelong Alaskan. I got married last December to Paul Craig, who lovingly teaches me every day the importance of continual communication. I’m the buyer for busy Providence Gift Shop and have been employed by Providence going on 14 years. I love what I do, there is a lot of creativity involved in buying for a gift shop along with more paperwork than you can imagine.
Curiously, one of the first things you learn as a buyer is how to select some merchandise you would never own! I’m a minimalist at home, I hate clutter, so choosing little acorn hat figurines or holiday light up prints –which sell like crazy, btw- can be challenging.
As a side note, I also haul the shop’s weekly freight from the loading dock to the storeroom – usually all in one day- sometimes as much as 600 lbs resulting in many trips back and forth.
I love that as a part of my job, rather than sitting stagnant at a desk all day.
Hobbies: I’ve never really had a hobby to claim my own. Believe it or not, I’ve wondered a time or two how my obituary might read regarding this. “She didn’t actually DO much, but we still liked her!” Not to worry, I don’t spend a lot of time on that issue but the thought has crossed my mind.
I suppose if organization/decluttering/purging is a hobby, I would say that. Sometimes I think my sense of tidy is actually a curse, just try living with me. When I was little I used to organize my mom’s shopping cart as she pushed it through the store #weirdo. In general, I truly like to do a variety of things but like to switch it up regularly.
How long have you been working with Figarelle’s Fitness, and what motivated you to start training with us?
I’ve been with Figarelle’s since April 2015. My mother was in declining health for years prior to me joining. I adjusted my after work routine to spend as much time with her as I could and gave up doing much else. She was a single mother and gave so much to my sister and me, it was time to give back. No regrets there.
After mom passed away in February 2015, it was time for me to refocus but as a result of so much inactivity for so long, I came into Figarelle’s extremely de-conditioned.
My niece Erin was always talking about her workouts and how much she loved them, so I decided to join her one Saturday. I nearly died! It was the first time I had ever done a burpee in.my.life. I could barely do three. Fast forward to the burpee challenge I participated in, roughly one year after joining, where I peeled off 97 in 15 minutes! Still proud of that! (although it seriously took me weeks to fully recover).
You regularly attend Boot Camp classes at least three times a week with us. What are a few of your favorite exercises and workouts?
I love anything on the TRX with a special shout out to the Pistol Squat. My absolute favorite workouts are Hurricanes. Up the ante to a continuous hurricane and I’m all kinds of excited.
You spent the summer hiking with the FF group to prepare for the Lost Lake race. How was that experience?
Our group summer hikes were the best, especially at two points: 1) When we stopped halfway for lunch and 2) When we were done!
Some of the more strenuous ones, Wolverine, Bird Ridge and Falls Creek were brutal during the climbs but felt great to accomplish!
What I loved most was hiking as a group, getting out early on a Sunday and getting to know everyone better. Truthfully, the hikes were great and I’ll do them again next summer for sure. They made my first Lost Lake race so doable, I was pleasantly surprised and have signed up again for 2017.
How did you like participating in your first Lost Lake race? Any highlights?
I loved the Lost Lake experience! My sister Pam and I hiked it together and had a great time. Not knowing what to expect prior, we planned to rest for roughly 10 minutes every 5 miles, but found we didn’t need to!
We have all of our training hikes to thank for that. It was an awesome, gorgeous day filled with lots of Figs camaraderie!
It’s been inspiring to all of us to see you accomplish big goals like climbing the rope in the gym, and working on mastering your pull-ups and push-ups. What and who inspires you?
I am inspired by so many at Figarelle’s, I don’t even know where to start. We all have days when we are tired or not up to our full potential. When I see others around me working hard, that pushes me to try harder. When I see others accomplish their goals, it inspires me to keep working on mine.
I’m inspired by those who struggle with certain limitations, but keep going. I’m inspired that you, Lela and Charlene work so hard to keep Figarelle’s going, continually make it better and that you add new exercises. I admire that you three continue your training and always better yourselves in the process.
You recently participated in your first Transformation Challenge over the summer. What are a few things you learned from that experience?
My first Transformation Challenge was a really positive experience for me. When others were getting measured at the halfway point, I chose not to for a couple of reasons.
This was my first time logging MFP consistently and I wasn’t sure if I would see any results. I truly didn’t know what to expect. I either wanted to be surprised at the end or I didn’t want to be disappointed…I’m not exactly sure which, maybe both. My goal wasn’t to lose weight but rather to lose fat and firm up, which happened. I was pleasantly surprised at that!
You attend Boot Camp with your sister, Pam, and your niece, Erin. What’s it like to work with your family?
I love working out with my sister Pam and my niece Erin! Before Figs, I actually didn’t see them as often as I do now with our mutual boot camps, and it’s great. We also all hiked together this summer and enjoyed that time, too. Our routine on Saturdays is to get coffee after Boot Camp and debrief about our lives…cheap therapy!
You consistently have a positive attitude and a smile on your face when working out. Any tips for cultivating this awesome mindset?
I think a positive attitude is an active choice you make every day. With some obvious exceptions, you can choose and control how you respond to your environment and those around you.
As the saying goes, life is a gift and we are lucky to be here. Make the most of it. I would rather leave a positive mark on those I come into contact with. That feels good to me. I always try to remember we are here for a finite period of time, not knowing when it could end or change abruptly. Enjoy the ride the best you can.
What new goals do you want to accomplish, and why are they so important to you?
New goals! I want to continue working on those daunting unassisted pull ups and head into my mid-late 50’s in the best shape possible! It feels good to feel good, and it doesn’t just happen accidentally. Working out with the Figs group helps me mentally as much as physically, and I plan to continue for years to come.