Coaches
Adam Eidson – Founder / Head Coach
adam@rarecrossfit.com
Adam is the co-founder and Head Trainer at RARE CrossFit in Fredericksburg, VA. In April 2008, Adam and his good friend Tony Rogers opened RARE Soccer, an Elite Soccer Skills academy. The primary goal was to develop youth soccer players into competitve athletes. With that goal in mind they have combined CrossFit with their soccer skills academy to produce phenomenal athletes. Thus, RARE CrossFit was formed.
Adam is a Certified Level 1 CrossFit Trainer and competitive ultra-marathon runner. Adam brings his comprehension of teamwork, motivation, and goal accomplishment to his coaching with outstanding success. He will help you define your goals and provide knowledge, focus, and support to achieve your health/fitness potential.
“My motivation: knowing that I am helping others get fit and healthier each and every day!” Growing up, lifting weights and working out was a part of every day life. At the age of 30, I was coerced by a friend to run the Marine Corp Marathon. Though I had never run more than 13 miles in preparing for it, I finished my first Marine Corp Marathon and was hooked. The next challenge was to run an Ultra-Marathon, The Great Eastern Endurance Run in Charlottesville, VA. I successfully finished the race and focused on bigger challenges. 2007 was a great year, I ran 5 ultra-marathons and in September was introduced to CrossFit by a fellow ultra-runner. I was immediately fascinated by the challenge of the WOD (workout of the day). By early 2008, I wanted to put CrossFit to the test for myself. I had been running 6 days a week to prepare for my ultra’s and at times my body was breaking down. I had IT Band issues, fatigue, and other problems that started to make my running more of a chore rather than something I enjoyed. So, I started only doing CrossFit workouts and ran once per week. 2008 was my best year yet. I ran 12 ultra-marathons, including multiple 50K’s, 50 milers, and attempted my first 100 miler. I completed 11 out of the 12 races. The biggest highlight came when I finished the MMTR 50 Miler. The race is 54 miles long with 9,200/7,200 feet of elevation gain/loss. I finished in 10 hours and immediately after the race I bench pressed my body weight 20 times. CrossFit has definitely transformed me into a better athlete and into the best shape of my life.
Certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1 Tested & Certified
- CrossFit Endurance Assistant Coach
- CrossFit Kids Coach
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certification
- CrossFit Gymnastics Certification
- CrossFit Rowing Certification
- CrossFit Mobility and Recovery
- CrossFit Powerlifting Certification with Louie Simmons
- CrossFit Nutrition Certification
- CrossFit Mid-Atlantic Regional Games Qualifier Judge 2009
- CrossFit Games Judge 2009
- CrossFit Games Sectionals Judge 2010
- Wilkes Weightlifting 2010
- BEAST Series Finisher – 2010
- CPR Certified
Additionally, Adam has his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington and is working towards his Master’s Degree.
Lee Walchester – Web & Graphics Design / Coach
lee@rarecrossfit.com
Had I been told two years that I would be doing CrossFit, let alone instructing it, I would have said no way. After trying a few CrossFit workouts with Adam in our garage during the summer of 2008, I soon began to feel and see amazing results. Before long, I was hooked. Initially, I would incorporate 2 days of CrossFit with 2 days of 4 – 5 mile runs. After the cold weather set in and I became bored running on the treadmill, I decided to commit to 4 days of CrossFit per week.
Beginning in late October 2008, I started working out at our RARE CrossFit facility with our clients. Workouts are a lot more intense in a group setting, and being competitive by nature, I love the challenge. I can’t begin to express how great I feel after discovering CrossFit. After my horse rolled on me and broke my collar bone when I was a teenager, I have always had issues with pain during workouts and lacked upper body strength as a result. When I started CrossFit, I could only do jumping pull-ups and push-ups from my knees. I now do regular push-ups in all of my work-outs, and can do kipping pull-ups and have no shoulder pain.
Every day at RARE CrossFit is a new challenge. Helping our clients to excel far beyond their expectations is extremely rewarding. I look forward to sharing the knowledge I have gained to propel our clients into the best shape of their lives.
Certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1 Tested & Certified
- CrossFit Running & Endurance Coach
- CrossFit Rowing Coach
- Wilkes Weightlifting 2010
- CPR Certified
Additionally, Lee has 2 Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of Mary Washington, one in Business Administration and the other in Studio Art.
Rise Wood – Class Coach / Instructor
rise@rarecrossfit.com
My gymnastics background has fueled my fitness journey. This background, first as a competitive athlete, and later as a gymnastics coach has allowed me to lead an active lifestyle throughout my life. Gymnastics has been my passion for 35 years.
When I was introduced to Crossfit in 2008, my passion for fitness and a healthy lifestyle was rejuvenated. Although I had always lead a generally healthy life, Crossfit allowed me an avenue to grow both physically and mentally. Crossfit challenged me like no other fitness program and reminded me of my training as a gymnast. I work hard daily to improve myself as an athlete and continue to work on my weaknesses. The element of Crossfit that now intrigues me more than ever is nutrition. Living the Crossfit lifestyle allows me to study nutrition in an unconventional way.
As a Crossfit trainer at RARE, I hope to lead by example and continue to motivate our RARE athletes to better themselves. I want to pull greatness out of others. I want my work as a RARE trainer to have an impact on the health and fitness goals of all of the RARE athletes. I believe even small changes have the power to save the health of the world.
You can follow Rise on her blog at: http://stronger2day.com/
Certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1 Tested & Certified
- CrossFit Gymnastics Certification
- Gymnastics Facility owner – 12 years
- Elite Gymnastics Coach (Levels 4-Elite)
- Preschool & School Age Gymnastics Instructor
- Wilkes Weightlifting 2010
Additionally, Rise has her Bachelor of Arts in English/Pre-Law from Kent State University 1993
Jim McCormack – Class Coach / Instructor
jim@rarecrossfit.com
I grew up playing sports and had been into the Globo-gym scene since high school. I had become really bored with the same old gym routine and didn’t enjoy working out the way I once had. I first discovered CrossFit while working out in Adams garage in the summer of 2008. I quickly discovered that this was unlike anything I had ever done before and over the next few months I became hooked. I decided to get my Crossfit Level 1 certification in November of 2008 and the rest is history. I have gained more fitness and nutrition knowledge as well as experienced more personal gains from CrossFit in less than one year than all my years combined in the gym. CrossFit has shown me what fitness is really about.
The camaraderie at RARE and in the CrossFit community is second to none. It is very rewarding to train in a place with such a great atmosphere and an awesome group of people. As an athlete and trainer I am always trying to better myself. I take everyday as a new learning experience and feel there is always room to improve. Training athletes has become another passion of mine. There is no better feeling than helping someone to recognize their hidden potential. My goals for the future are to continually strive to be the best athlete and trainer that I can be as well as achieve CrossFit Level 2 status some day.
Certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1 Tested & Certified
- CrossFit Gymnastics Coach
- Wilkes Weightlifting 2010
Additionally, Jim has his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington.
Lauren Bradley – Class Coach / Instructor
In November of 2006, I tried Crossfit on my own in a dark and crowded co-rec at Purdue University. It obviously wasn’t the ideal place for Crossfittery, but it worked. I did the best I could with little guidance and a small amount of knowledge and moved forward. Little did I know, this decision to try something new would change my life. A while later in June of 2008, I was fortunate enough to get to go to a Crossfit Level 1 Certification in Twentynine Palms, California with the promise that I would take the knowledge I gained and keep Marines and their families healthy and moving. I spent that summer training Marines and their wives at Crossfit Ripper in Twentynine Palms, I didn’t get paid a dime but it was the best job I’d ever had! This new knowledge and experience made it REALLY hard for me to return to college that fall, but fortunately I did.
Fast forward to current, a lot has changed and a large part of it has everything to do with my decision to Crossfit and implement the Zone and Paleo into my lifestyle. If I had continued on the road I was on, I truly believe I would be fighting off Type II Diabetes and in a constant battle with weight loss by now. Thankfully, those concerns have been prevented and I can focus on the more enjoyable things in life.
By day, I am a high school special education teacher in the trenches of Stafford High School. I really enjoy the opportunity to encourage and guide my students as they figure out who they are and become young adults. Outside of school I enjoy; cooking, reading, gardening, crafting, blogging, spending time with my husband, and of course, working out at RARE. There is no job I would rather have than helping others improve their health and ultimately improve their lives.
You can follow Lauren on her blog at: http://nobsnutritionandfitness.wordpress.com/
Certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1 Certified
- CrossFit Nutrition Certified
- CPR Certified
- Wilkes Weightlifting 2010
RARE CF Instructor Training Program
Phil Rice
Gabe Beltran
RARE CF Yoga Instrucor
Branden Garnett
Branden started doing yoga in 2006 after discovering how well it complimented marathon training and helped with stress relief. Yoga also provided a place for balance and peace after combat tours during his service in the military. Shortly after starting yoga he enrolled in a teacher training program beginning the journey of learning and teaching this ancient practice. He is now a Master Trainer for the largest yoga school approved by Yoga Alliance and trains Yoga Teachers around the country.
Branden has been a CrossFit Athlete at RARE since 2011 and tailors his classes specifically to what we do here at RARE CrossFit.
Certifications:
-Group Fitness (AFAA) 2011
-Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500) 2012
-Personal Trainer (AFAA) 2012
-CPR Certified
