You Can Call Her Larrock!
December 2010
Name: Lorraine Browne
Age: 42
Occupation: English Professor at Nova Southeastern University
Lorraine is also a mother of two, a CrossFitter, and a Triathlete. I know, you're already impressed... but wait, there's more. Here's her story....
I found out about CrossFit in a pretty roundabout way. I’ve been at it about a year now. A couple of years ago, my daughter was diagnosed with a rare disease called Cholesteatoma. This is when cysts grow in the middle ear and in worst cases, can enlarge and become fatal by getting too close to the brain. Since Brie had a very large mass on her right side, something that was growing unbeknownst to us for her whole life, she lost her hearing on her right side and her ability to taste. Although we were extremely lucky we got it out in time, I was devastated for her.
During the year of her first two surgeries, which had to be done through the back of her skull, the only way I could think of to deal with the stress was to go to a gym. Prior to that, I had been pretty out of shape while raising my young kids in my 30’s. I began at Shondelle’s gym, which is right by my house. I worked out like crazy. The timed workouts there resurrected my old athletic self and made me want to compete at something again, so I began to train for triathlons. In 2009, I went from a size 16 to a size 8 and lost 40 lbs.
