Tell us a little about you…
Here’s a little bit about me, Danika Lawson. I’m a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend, a firefighter, a coach, a Mom to 3 fur-children & one tiny human. I am fueled & inspired daily by helping other people chase their passions.
Were you an athlete in college?
Yes - in college my main sport was basketball. I also ran Cross Country & competed in Track & Field during the off-season. My main event in Track was the Steeplechase. After college, I picked up the sport of Muay Thai. If I wouldn’t have found CrossFit in 2013 there’s a good chance you would have found me fighting in a ring somewhere instead of throwing around weights.
You have a pretty robust background, what are your athletic aspirations looking like now?
My goals now include qualifying for a Sanctioned event & someday making an appearance at the CrossFit Games. These aspirations simultaneously help me to be mentally & physically prepared to be a Firefighter.
What is something, or some things, that motivate you every day?
- How am I making myself a better teammate today for our Team (Am I working on a weakness? Am I helping others with their weaknesses)?
- How am I helping my body become a better firefighter & what am I doing to best prepare myself to serve our community. This is huge for me. My job requires me to be ready to serve every time I’m on shift & I use my CrossFit training to always be ready – both physically & mentally. If I can achieve those two goals every day that I train then I know I am working towards my athletic aspirations & that I have a true purpose to my training.
If I can achieve those two things every day that I train then I know I am working towards my athletic aspirations & that I have the true purpose of my training.
Tell us about the first time you ever did the CrossFit Open.
The first time I ever did the Open was in 2014, however, 2017 holds the most memories. During the 2017 Open I was in the middle of a 12-week Fire Academy. I was only able to train CrossFit about 1x per week. When the Open came around every person I talked to had a reason why I shouldn’t do the Open. “You’re not in CrossFit shape.” “You could get hurt.” “You’ll only be disappointed in your results.” I signed up anyway. Despite all the odds being against me I somehow managed to pull off 34th place in our Region. I was asked to submit a video of 17.3 in case 14 people turned down their Individual invite. This did not happen but I am extremely proud of myself & the courage it took to sign up knowing that Firefighting, not CrossFit, was my main focus at the time. I think everyone should do the CrossFit Open – it allows you to dig deep & accomplish things you didn’t know you could do.
How does CrossFit fuel your competitive spirit?
Competition fires up my soul & every time I complete a workout it gives me a chance to test my mental grit. That’s the part that keeps me coming back.
What is your favorite SWOLVERINE product?
It’s hard to choose a favorite but if I had to pick only one I would say Vanilla Milkshake Whey Isolate. I love the taste & that I can blend it into almost anything! I’m also a huge fan of Kre-Alkalyn & L-Glutamine. After giving birth & focusing on getting back into “fighting” shape I already have seen a HUGE improvement in my energy and recovery while using these products.
