Bethany Shadburne has become a bit of a household name in the sport of CrossFit.
Her breakout year was in 2017, when she placed 22nd in her rookie year at the Games. Since then, she has continued to improve each season, placing 16th in 2018 and 8th last summer. She qualified to her fourth Games this summer through the SouthFit CrossFit Challenge Sanctionals event in Argentina.
Since then, Shadburne has been battling some injuries, but is on track to get healthy and compete at her fourth consecutive CrossFit Games this summer in Aromas, California, pending the global pandemic.
10 Questions with Bethany Shadburne
BarBend: You have improved each year at the Games. What have your focuses been since last summer in order to be even better this summer?
Shadburne: The number one thing is strength. It’s a huge weakness of mine, but also just building on endurance. It’s always a good idea to build on your strengths, as well. I’ve had a few setbacks this year, unfortunately, with injuries, so right now it’s just about survival mode and keeping myself healthy.
It must be a bit disappointing with how things have unfolded this year because of the pandemic. How have you kept focused on your training?
Shadburne: Honestly, not much changed for me during the quarantine, other than having to lug equipment down from the second floor of my apartment building, and not having all the equipment needed, but I’ve been able to train a lot, which is good.
What does your home gym look like?
Shadburne: I have a makeshift home gym. I personally don’t own any equipment other than a barbell, but my gym—Streamline CrossFit—graciously gave me what I needed to workout at home. I have rings that I hooked over stairs, an Echo bike, rowing machine, plates, a wall ball, dumbbells, kettlebells. It has worked for the time being.
Do you still work, or are you a full-time CrossFit athlete?
Shadburne: I work part-time as a CrossFit coach, but luckily with the help of my awesome sponsors I have been able to be basically a full-time athlete.
Do you count your macros?
Shadburne: I usually don’t count my macros, but sometimes I’ll get a hunch to see where I’m at as far as calories goes.
What is your food vice?
Shadburne: I love fruit, so I have to slow my roll sometimes on how much I eat of it. And coffee. I love coffee with all the creamers in it so I have to make sure I measure that stuff out, or I’ll take in way too much.
If you had to eat the same dinner every night for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Shadburne: Well, luckily I do. I eat the same thing pretty much everyday: Ground beef, jasmine rice, some veggies—greens, beets, butternut squash—and avocado.
How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Shadburne: Before COVID, it was around eight hours, but since COVID I have been able to hit around 10 hours, which has been amazing.
What does a day in your life look like right now?
Shadburne: Wake up, take my dog Bella on a walk. Make coffee. Read or journal. Workout, coach, make dinner, shower, relax and watch some TV. Then do it all over again.
What are your goals for this summer’s Games? How are you feeling about competing at the Aromas, where the CrossFit Games began?
Shadburne: Before all the injuries occurred, my goal was to creep up even more and place in the top five at the Games, but right now it’s just about getting healthy and doing my best that I can with what I’m working with. (Competing in) Aromas sounds like a ton of fun. I’m a big runner and endurance fan, and I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of that out there. As far as (not having any spectators goes), it will definitely be different, but getting to surround myself with the best athletes in CrossFit will definitely get my adrenaline pumping, and it will be a ton of fun just to be around them again and compete next to them.
Featured image: @bethanycf on Instagram
