It is my pleasure to honor Molly Zarba as our March Athlete of the Month. Molly is a daily representation of our vision at Island Park Fitness. Longevity has been her goal and continues to be. She probably has been doing CF style training longer than most of our members and even some coaches. If you get to know her, she is a smart, strong, selfless and dedicated person. Molly ran a Cf Kids program years back and continues to apply the functional fitness focus when working with autistic kids on a daily basis. Her drive and patience is incredible. You may not know until you read her Q&A that Molly was a top 10% Masters athlete a few years ago and quietly held her own. Molly is on a very short list of members who physically track all their workouts. This manual tracking is old school but so effective to making progress. I have coached Molly for the last 6 plus years and have seen her handle a few injuries to the most responsible way. She communicates with the coaches and Dr. Jeremy to make sure her road to recovery is always on the right track. Molly, you are a walking ad for
‘strength through adversity.’ It is a pleasure to be your coach and I hope you continue to enjoy the process in training so you can keep enjoying your outdoor activities.
Written by: Coach Rob Moloney
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Q&A
Why did you start functional fitness cross-training?
It was out of curiosity, actually. At my previous gym, two of the coaches were beginning to promote this program called CrossFit. Many of you know Logan and Tyler. It was probably 2008 or 2009. I was doing my typical cardio workout and out of boredom, I began asking them questions. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and I agreed to try it out. My first workout was Fran. Yikes! But that didn’t scare me. I loved it and the rest is history.
What’s your background?
Fitness has always been my thing. As a kid growing up in the country in PA, my friends and I biked everywhere. I loved soccer and played for a local club which was the only girls’ team available at the time. During college, I was one of the founding members of the University of Delaware Women’s Soccer Club. I’m proud to say the program is still going strong! Since those days, I’ve always had a gym membership. I started swimming and then triathlons became my passion for many years. Now, biking, hiking, kayaking and paddle boarding are my favorite sports.
When did you join the gym?
I became a member at this location when King of Island Park opened its doors after Super Storm Sandy in 2012.
What is your favorite thing about the gym?
My favorite things about the gym are the amazing friends I’ve met, the growth and evolution of IP Fitness, and the ability to walk into Vatra Spine & Sport to resolve any issues that crop up. Thank you, Jeremy! I also love seeing the growing families and the next generation of athletes.
What is the your biggest challenge in the gym?
I’ll never keep up with the incredible athletes here at the gym. You are all amazing. So great to watch. Sorry everyone – I’m not planning on mastering muscle ups! However, being able to climb a rope continues to impress my non-gym friends. It’s the scariest thing I do here!
What is your favorite gym moment?
I don’t remember the year, but I qualified to move to the next level of competition as a Master in the CrossFit Games.
What is your favorite Cheat Food?
Anything Italian
What would I say to someone thinking about starting at our gym?
Don’t think about it, just do it!
What drives you?
Being the best mom I can be for my kids, Peter and Mary. And being the best teacher I can be for my students.
What is your biggest fitness goal right now?
To keep moving well so I can do this until I’m 80.