Member Spotlight - Erin Mulvey

MEMBER SPOTLIGHTIn the sixteenth installment of our "Member Spotlight", we're featuring an extremely talented athlete, a highly intelligent woman, but most importantly she's just a genuinely nice person. In sort of a "small world" situation, she actually got her start in CrossFit at a gym in Texas where I happened to know the owner! I reached out to him to ask a few questions and his answer was basically "the SHOP will be a better place with her as a member." Yep.

Erin Mulvey

First, give us a little background on yourself.I have a confession…I'm not a native Oregonian. In fact, I accepted my job at OSU before I ever stepped foot in the state, or ever even being in the pacific northwest! I grew up outside of Austin, TX and have always been pretty active. I focused more on cross country and softball, and went on to play 4 years of softball in college. I got my Masters in Sport Psychology, and after a career change out of that field at 25 I looked to fulfill my competitive drive through sports – road racing (running) and then eventually crossfit.

What got you started and how long have you been at the SHOP?I started crossfitting in 2010 and was quite obsessed for the next 4 years. I eventually shifted away from crossfit and focused more on Olympic lifting for about a year until I moved out of the country. When I moved to Corvallis in May 2016 I was looking to get back into crossfit to find a community and make friends. I tore my ACL a few months after moving here and underwent reconstruction surgery in December – I’m coming up on 1 year post surgery!!! After taking a few months off for rehab, I’ve been back at the SHOP full time since June. Drew, and the rest of the coaching staff, have been instrumental in my ability to function and move again.

With what movement(s) have you seen the most progress?Since knee surgery - I'd say ANYTHING that revolves using my knee! Squats, lunges, even pushups and planks. What do you like to do outside the gym?I love being outdoors – hiking, adventuring, and just enjoying nature. I’m SUPER competitive - I used to play rec softball, flag football, beach volleyball. If I ever play a game with you and I lose, it’s safe to assume I’ll instantly demand a rematch. I’m also a big reader, and lately have spent a lot of time doing various house projects (mostly painting).

What movement(s) would you like to improve on in the next few months?I love lifting heavy weights - so would definitely like to improve my squat, clean, snatch, and deadlift numbers. Handstand pushups and strict pull-ups tend to be my forever nemesis, so I feel obligated to say I want to improve on those, too. Favorite place to eat in/near Corvallis?In Albany - i LOVE LOVE LOVE Sweet Reds. The drinks are phenomenal, the food is delicious, and it doesn't hurt that I can walk there from my house.If I'm in Corvallis - I'd say probably Block15 Southtown simply because nachos and soft pretzels are some of my weaknesses. What advice would you give members just starting out at the SHOP?Have patience, and give it your all. You won’t see instant results, but trust the programming and the SHOPs coaching staff – they know what they’re doing. If something doesn’t feel right, speak up! The coaching staff has had to work with me on various modifications and have always found equally challenging (if not more) variations of the workouts. RAPID FIRE QUESTIONSFavorite BookThe AlchemistFavorite MovieUhh…I don’t have one. If I watch TV, it’s usually a tv seriesFavorite FoodEggs and mayonnaise*(Growing up, I was never a huge fan of mayo, something about the taste and texture was off. But then I participated in the Whole 30 challenge and would find myself dipping chicken breast into mayonnaise. To this day I have to monitor myself around this delicious condiment – it would be in every meal if I had my way.) Favorite Cheat MealI don't really believe in ‘cheat meals’ - I'm good with moderation so if I'm craving something specific I indulge that craving. As much as I love nachos and pretzels, I don’t have them all that often.Favorite Exercise/MovementSquats, cleans, snatch, deadlifts. I'm also keen on rowing (shorter distances) and wall ballsLeast Favorite Exercise/MovementAnything that requires upperbody strength. Wall-walks. The Assault bike is something I aim to avoid. Something Others Might be Surprised to Learn About YouI fractured my spine in high school and didn’t play softball my senior season. I already accepted/signed an athletic scholarship and my college honored their word. My freshmen year was spent rehabbing and I eventually transferred to Trinity University for my final 3 years of college. I went on to play for those final 3 years and did so pretty successfully - earning Pitcher of the Year in my conference for all 3 years, and setting records in single season and career both at Trinity and in my conference (SCAC).