Member of the Month: Shane Lasher

Shane Lasher: Before & After

I’m currently a Sales Engineer at SAS. When I’m not at the office or Athletic Lab, I’m riding either my mountain or road bike. I also enjoy running and I hope to PR in the City of Oaks half marathon in October.

How did you first hear about Athletic Lab?

My co-worker, Keri Ackerman, kept talking about how I should check out her gym and how it’s not a regular gym. I went in and met with John and signed up for 3 months to test it out. That was 9 months ago and I haven’t looked back.

Favorite class/time to workout

6 am CrossFit. There is no better way to start your day than with the 6 am class. Everyone is both supportive and competitive; they all want you to push your hardest, but they want to beat you at the same time.

What’s your favorite exercise? Least favorite

I really enjoy doing box jumps. It’s amazing how tried you can get from jumping a couple of times. I have seen a lot of improvement in both my height and explosiveness over the past few months. My least favorite exercise would be any of the animal walks. Nothing humbles you more than long WODs with any of those in it.

If you wouldn’t mind, could you share a bit about your amazing weight loss

At my largest I was just over 320 lbs and very depressed. I had been a very active teenager. I ran track and played hockey. While browsing the internet one night late in December 2014, I came across a diet called Keto that looked like it was something I could do. The idea was that you get 95% of your macronutrients from Fats and Proteins. I gave it a shot and I soon found myself losing weight and feeling better. I began drinking only water instead of soda and sweet tea. I went from light hiking at Umstead to mountain biking and running. Seeing the progress each week became my motivation to keep going. That next September, I found a sprint triathlon in Wilmington and I thought it would be a fun challenge for me. Soon after crossing the finish line, I knew I wanted to push further. I researched and found the Raleigh Half Ironman. I changed my focus from weight loss to building endurance. I began running longer distances and found a local road bike group to join. I knew I was going to need help staying motivated to train during the winter months. This is when my co-worker Keri suggested signing up at the Athletic Lab for a couple months to stay focused. After winter was over, I was so pleased with my progress that I kept the CrossFit and Endurance workouts as a part of my training plan. I would do CrossfFit and/or Endurance in the morning and run or bike after work, 5 days a week. Two and a half years later, I have lost 130 pounds and I am the fittest I have ever been.

You recently competed in a half Ironman! Would you mind telling us a bit about your training for the competition? How did you keep your mind occupied during the competition

I took a different approach to triathlon training than most. I didn’t want to spend long hours running and biking. With the help of the coaches, I was able to modify the CrossFit workouts to focus more on upper body and core and I saved my legs for 20 mile bike rides or 5 mile runs after work. Any lower body work I did in the gym was geared towards quick and explosive movements. When I ran the Half Ironman on June 5^th, I had only ridden my bike over 50 miles once. My longest run in the months leading up the race was 6 miles and I didn’t swim once in the two months leading up to the race. My focus was to use CrossFit to get as fit as possible, then run or bike with tired legs and see what happened. Thankfully it all worked out.

During the race, I had to focus on staying positive. There were a lot of times I found myself making excuses. The morning of the race, my alarm didn’t go off and I was awoken by the doorbell of my ride coming to get me. I was over an hour behind schedule. The breakfast of eggs and bacon I had planned to eat turned into Fig Bars and almond cookies that were supposed to be my nutrition on the bike. I had to convince myself that I couldn’t use these as an excuse to do poorly. The heat was another factor during the run. I started getting heat exhaustion (chills, headache and cramping). I started a conversation with my running partner to take focus away from how I was feeling. I had also pre ordered a frame for my medal that came with an engraved plaque with my split times. Every time I wanted to walk, I reminded myself that my run time was going to be “carved in stone” and I needed to keep moving.

What was your first meal after the Ironman

Everything! I had been on a very strict, low carb diet for a long time leading up to the race, especially the 6 weeks during the last Healthy Living Challenge. I had three slices of pizza, two doughnuts, a chocolate cream pie and some ice cream. Lucky, I had burned close to 4,600 calories during the race, so I was able to enjoy it a little bit.

What motivates you

Seeing progress motivates me- whether it’s a new PR, the reflection in the mirror or completing a new distance. Each time I reach a goal, I already know what the next one is going to be.

Any advice for new members just starting out or those wishing to start their own weight loss journey

I took a week off between my first two CrossFit classes because I was so sore. I had questioned if I had made a mistake in joining. I went back for my second class and it has gotten easier each time since. Keeping with it is key. I found support in some of the more senior members and the coaches. Everyone is working hard towards their own goals, but they are all just as happy to see your meet your goals as well.