"I want to inspire and empower people to be healthy."
After nearly six years of CrossFit, Jane Holgate noticed something about women over 40.
“(They) often become invisible and often underestimated,” she says. “Not forgetting that for many years they have become accustomed to putting others first: husband, family, career.”
The 53-year-old set out to change that with a goal of helping other women her age become more confident in CrossFit.
In January, Holgate started a blog called Ladies Raising the Bar, which encourages women to compete at the masters level. Since then, the blog has had 15,000 views from people in 30 countries.
“The women I write about have nearly all … found a new self-worth and pride — either through CrossFit or other achievements such as walking (Mount) Everest, significant weight loss,” she says. “I have also discovered that although sometimes women might be a little reluctant at first to share their story, they then discover that by doing so they have inspired others, which becomes apparent by the feedback we receive.”
In April, Holgate led efforts in hosting a Raising the Bar European CrossFit Masters Competition.
“I received a few emails from nervous women, asking if they were good enough to compete and I encouraged them to join,” she says.
The end result was a success, as all participants enjoyed themselves, Holgate adds.
“I think the masters community in the UK is much closer and stronger than anywhere else,” she says.
For Holgate, the best thing about blogging is finding so many inspirational women.
“Everyone’s story of how they overcame struggles, like bad health and family commitments, has helped others do the same,” she says.
These efforts all began when Holgate herself found new self-worth through CrossFit. Today, she is a member of CrossFit 3D.
Up until the age of 47, she wasn’t particularly athletic. A scuba-diving instructor who participated in the occasional charity run — including a few half marathons — Holgate was slow when it came to endurance.
Today, Holgate CrossFits four to five times a week and has competed in CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting and indoor rowing competitions.
As she progressed in CrossFit, she began making discoveries about herself.
“I am physically strong and I had no idea,” Holgate explains.
In previous gyms, she only worked with dumbbells as heavy as 6 kg and did cardio-based workouts.
“I also didn’t realize how being strong physically can help you become stronger mentally,” Holgate says.
During her first year of CrossFit, she competed in the British Masters Weightlifting Competition.
The community, Holgate says, has been a catalyst to her progress.
Through her blog and her own achievements, she says she hopes to encourage other over-40 women to compete.
“I want to inspire and empower people to be healthy,” Holgate says.
