Blyth DelBene

My CrossFit journey started on January 8, 2011, and has been the driving force and motivation of who I am today. January 8, 2011, is the day I gave myself a second chance to renew my life. I refer to it as my second birthday and it's the day I walked into a CrossFit gym by myself to start CrossFit classes during the darkest time in my life. I've never done something like this before. That day as part of the WOD, I did 278 squats. More like quarter squats and yep, I counted every single one of them. I thought I was going to die. But I didn't. I left completely elated that I did something that I thought was "hard". I will never forget where I started all those years ago, not just physically and emotionally but also mentally. I was an exhausted 43-year-old mom of four incredible kids (ages 10,7,6,3 at the time) and I was in a very unhealthy, controlling marriage. CrossFit was the first time I did anything for myself since before having my kids.
After a year of CrossFitting, I decided I wanted to pursue becoming a CrossFit Coach, a completely different career path from the 15 years previously in banking. In that 1st year of CrossFit, so many coaches and people poured into me and helped me more than they ever realized. CrossFit taught me I can do hard things and it helped me gain my confidence back to stand up for myself. In February 2012, I earned my CrossFit L-1 certification and began coaching at a nearby CrossFit gym. I coached as many classes as I could, gaining as much experience as I could, and climbing my way to becoming a highly respected CrossFit coach. In between classes, I would also do personal training on the side. I would also attend seminars, study, and learn as much as I could to become the best coach I could be. I continued to stay healthy and active and set the best example for my kids. Over the years, I participated in numerous CrossFit competitions, 5 and 10 K's, a half marathon, 2 full marathons, a couple of relay races, and the Spartan Super Race, and participating in the CrossFit Open each year since 2012 and in 2017, placing 38th in my region in my division of the 2017 CrossFit Open as a master athlete.
In November 2012, I earned my CrossFit Kids Trainer certification and in October 2016, I earned my CrossFit Level-2 certification. I coached adults, kids, and teens. I love coaching! I discovered what ignites my passion. Helping others. It lights me up and I get to share that with other people. Nothing is more rewarding to me than to see my clients smashing their goals, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally getting stronger, fitter, more confident, and overall happier. Although I had built a great reputation as a coach, it was my dream to open my own CrossFit gym one day, to pay it forward and provide a welcoming space for people to feel comfortable working out. After 6 1/2 years of coaching, on August 6, 2018, I opened CrossFit 3 Strands. My mission every day is to strive to maintain a welcoming environment with the highest quality fitness experience, provided by a team of caring and committed coaches who empower people to become the best version of themselves all the while achieving a healthier lifestyle, long-term. To provide a platform giving competitive athletes the facility to stay engaged while empowering kids to grandparents with a level of functional fitness that enables them to have a fuller, longer more independent lifespan. I couldn't do any of this without my coaches! They truly are an extension of me. And the most caring, simply amazing human beings you’ll ever meet! I’m thankful for the effort, commitment, energy, preparation & professionalism that they put forth into every class. While we may be a CrossFit gym that provides the space for workouts daily, it is also a place where we value the building, nurturing, and sustaining of new relationships and friendships with one another. Your physical, mental, and emotional well-being are so tightly woven together. One impacts the others. When you physically do things, it will also improve you mentally and emotionally and it will transfer over to all the other areas of your life outside of the gym walls. Every day my coaches and I are surrounded by the most caring and thoughtful group of individuals I could have ever wished for. Our athletes have created an atmosphere and a community in which I am extremely proud. The drive, the push, the defeat, the struggle, the power, the warriors, the cheerleaders, the laughter…all intangible yet wonderful aspects of my gym that completely embody the mentality and spirit of CrossFit 3 Strands. Magic happens at CrossFit 3 Strands; my athletes do things they never thought possible and then in return show others what they too are capable of. As our community grows our bond becomes stronger, and for this, I am ever so thankful.

Building this gym was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.