Rachel Guilfoyle: 8 Years of Strength, Community, and Confidence
Say hello to Rachel Guilfoyle, our October Athlete of the Month! Rachel is a wife, mom to two awesome boys, and a professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at McDaniel College. She?s all about helping people get back to living fully after neurological injuries, and she brings that same heart and determination to the gym. When she?s not lifting heavy or cheering her kids on at their athletic events, she?s watching the Ravens and Orioles.
Rachel found CrossFit when she realized she needed something more than just going through the motions. She found that, and more, in CrossFit and never looked back. Since then, she?s run marathons, crushed Hyrox races, and hit lifts she never thought possible. What keeps her coming back? The challenge, the wins - both big and small - and most of all, the Blackbird community that lifts each other up every step of the way.
These days, her goals are all about staying strong, moving well, and being ready for anything life throws her way. She has put in a lot of extra work this year in the gym and in the kitchen. CrossFit - and a specific focus on nutrition - has given her more energy, confidence, and strength in everyday life. You can even see her running before and after class, and inspiring her friends to do it with her! For Rachel, it?s not just about fitness - it?s about showing up, growing, and doing it all alongside people who believe in you. Meet Rachel...
Tell us about yourself.
Hi! I?m Rachel Guilfoyle. First and foremost, I?m a wife to my husband Nate, mom to my boys Ryan and Owen, and a pet parent to our cats, Mace and Rocky, and our German Shepherd, Ford. Professionally, I?m an occupational therapist and currently a professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at McDaniel College. I?m passionate about working with clients who have experienced neurological injuries, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, and progressive neurological conditions. I earned my BS/MS from Elizabethtown College and completed my doctorate at Towson University, where I was grateful to celebrate this milestone with some fellow Blackbirds in 2019!
What was the turning point that led you to CrossFit? What keeps you coming back to Blackbird week after week?
The turning point for me was realizing I wanted a workout that actually challenged me, not just something I could coast through. CrossFit pushed me physically and mentally in a way I hadn?t experienced before.? Crossfit has allowed me to complete two marathons, multiple Ragnars, Hyrox and lift heavier than I ever thought I would be able to! What keeps me coming back week after week is both the community ? everyone cheering each other on, and having the confidence that I can lift heavy sh!t!
What is your favorite memory or experience from the gym?
Favorite memories are anytime someone is able to lift a weight, do a new movement, or finish something for the first time or what they once thought wasn?t possible - Friday Night Lights are electric!? For me, all the work in the gym allowed me to run a half marathon in under 2 hours with my running coach Justin was there to celebrate with me! (This also is a passive aggressive attempt for Justin to bring back Pacer.)
What is your favorite CrossFit movement, lift, or WOD? Least favorite?
Favorite: moderately heavy cleans paired with cardio, wall balls, thrusters, long chippers
Least Favorite: barbell snatches, pushups, sprinting anything, being upside down
What do you enjoy the most about Blackbird or CrossFit in general?
What I cherish most about Blackbird/CrossFit is the sense of connection and unwavering support by the coaches and members. Every workout challenges you, but it?s the people beside you, cheering you on and lifting you up, that make it truly meaningful. It?s more than fitness; it?s a community where you?re seen, believed in, and pushed to grow.? I?ve gained so many friends that have seen my potential even when I couldn?t, and hold you to a higher standard because they know you?re capable of more.?
Can you share a specific health improvement or positive change in your life that you attribute to CrossFit?
One of the biggest positive changes I?ve noticed from CrossFit is how much stronger and more confident I feel in my everyday life. A part of my job involves moving and transferring patients, so my physical ability to move and lift is essential.? CrossFit has genuinely helped me build both physical and mental strength.
What are your CrossFit goals and how close are you to reaching them?
My goals have evolved with time. I chased numbers ? a 300-pound deadlift and back squat. But now, it?s less about hitting a one rep max and more about moving well, feeling strong, and staying capable. My focus is on being able to run, jump, lift, and be fully capable of anything that I want to do ? not just now but for years to come.
When you are not CrossFitting what is your favorite thing to do?
I love to watch my kids do what they love - we spend lots of time on sports fields.? I am a huge Ravens and Orioles fan! We also love to travel to new places and find what makes each place unique.
What is one fun thing about you that we may not know yet?
I am adaptable! My OT brain has helped me be able to scan a room and use what is available to instantly think of different ways to adapt the same activity so that everyone can participate.
What advice would you give to someone who is hesitant to try CrossFit?
I was this person!? I finally made the decision to try it, and the first day I almost didn?t show up.? I?ve now been CrossFitting for over 8 years and it was the best decision I have made!? My advice is to just take the leap, YOU ARE stronger than you think. CrossFit isn?t about being the fittest person in the room; it?s about showing up and putting in the work at your own pace. Every movement can be scaled, every goal is personal, and you?ll always have a community behind you cheering you on. The first step in the door is the hardest, but it could be the start of discovering a version of yourself you didn?t even know was possible.? Also, if you are a runner, crossfit is for you!? You always hear of CrossFitters hating to run, but I assure you there are plenty of us that enjoy it, and CrossFit has made me such a better long distance runner!?
How has your approach to nutrition changed since starting CrossFit?
Since starting CrossFit, my approach to nutrition has shifted from ?eat what?s convenient? to really thinking about how food fuels performance. Working with Mary at Blackbird Nutrition was a game-changer, she helped me create a plan that?s realistic and sustainable. I?ve noticed changes I didn?t expect -? I am not starving at 3pm and reaching for Doritos, my body composition has improved, and my energy levels don?t wax and wane.
What about your favorite indulgence?
McDonald?s fountain diet coke!
FREE WRITE: Is there anything you'd like to add about your CrossFit journey, the coaches, the community, or your experience at Blackbird?
What I love most about my CrossFit journey at Blackbird is that it?s never just about the workouts?it?s about the people. I?ve met some of my closest friends there.? The coaches notice the small improvements and celebrate the big ones. The community is what really keeps me coming back week after week. Everyone cheers each other on, and there?s this shared energy that makes even the toughest WODs feel achievable. I especially love that my kids get to see me in this space and can show them that we can do hard things!? My youngest son, Owen, is a frequent at the Middle School Strength & Conditioning class with his teammates.? Blackbird is a place where challenges are met with encouragement, progress is celebrated, and you?re constantly reminded that growth, both physical and mental, is always possible.
