Rapid Fire with Tim Paulson

Tim Paulson is an affiliate owner, two-time CrossFit Games qualifier, and dedicated dog dad. Tim finished 2nd overall at the East Regional this year and has been training like a mad man in pursuit of Madison. We were able to catch up with him with only a few days left until the 2018 Games. Make sure to keep your eyes on him as we are expecting big things this year!

Wags: How did you get started with fitness? Tell us about your athletic background..

Tim: I was a hockey player all my life - went to prep school in Lake Placid to play. Then, went through the college process, and decided that I had lost my passion for the sport after getting burnt out - so i focused all my energy on academics. My junior year in college i found crossfit through a buddy of mine, and a few months later we opened up what would be the first iteration of our gym, Crossfit Pallas. That was in the spring of 2012. I did my first Open that year, and qualified for my first regional in 2013. I’ve been every year since then. 

Wags: Why did you decide to compete?

Tim: I decided to compete because I knew that my time playing competitive hockey was coming to an end (I was playing club in college still, along with a bunch of rec sports). More importantly, I quickly found that crossfit suited my OCD, type A, addictive personality very well - there are so many things to get better at all the time, and that really got me hooked. I also loved the very black and white aspect of it - numbers done lie. If you come in, do the work, you’ll see the results; and those numbers do or don’t qualify you for the next stage. It’s not often that black and white in sport. 

Wags: How do you feel going into the 2018 CrossFit Games? Any expectations/goals?

Tim: Honestly I feel fitter than ever - both mentally and physically. I’m really excited to see how this season ends. I always try and orient my goals around the process, because it’s the one thing that I can fully control; I can’t control how fit anyone else is or how they perform. So, as corny as it sounds, as long as I show up and perform to the best of my abilities in every single event, I will be genuinely happy with the outcome of my Games season. All that said - of course I have external expectations/goals in mind - and that’s Top 10. 

Wags: Tell us a little bit about your pup...

Tim: She’s the best. Her names Echo, and she’s a 4 year old Blue Heeler. This breed becomes really attached to their family, so as long as she’s within 5 feet of me she’s usually pretty happy. She’ll play tug of war for hours if you will. We live in a beautiful area in the Finger Lakes in NY, with lots of hiking and swimming, so we try and get outside as much as we can. She loves to swim as long as she can wade in - she refuses to jump into the water. 

Wags: Why do you think dogs & fitness fit so well together?

Tim: Well for me, being an affiliate owner, having a pup is perfect - especially a breed as active and job oriented as an Australian Cattle Dog. She comes to work with me at 5am every day and gets to coach with me, run around, and spend the whole day with people. It’s rare for dogs to get to spend that much time with their owner and be so active, which is what they are bred to be - so I think it’s a perfect fit for the pooch. It always makes me sad to see dogs who don’t get much interaction with their family or time to exercise, because that’s not natural for them. 

Because of her nature she also encourages my wife and I to get outside and spend more time there, which is incredible for us. We’re so busy (like everybody) that it’s easy to just want to stay inside and unwind during your free time. 

Wags: Favorite cheat meal?

Tim: Pork belly sandwich with fries and a beer at our favorite local spot Ithaca Beer Company...and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.  

Wags: If you could have a never ending supply of ONE thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Tim: Hmm...can I say energy? I’d love it if I didn’t have to sleep, but could still achieve the stage of recovery I need as an athlete and human. It’d give me more time to spend with my family, do the things I love, and run my businesses. 

Wags: One piece of advice for any aspiring competitors out there..

Tim: Be honest with yourself. About your goals, and the sacrifices and choices you are willing to make to get there. This is not easy. It takes a lot of time, effort, and concentration - especially out of the gym. Falling in love with the daily process and the reasons for it is the only way to be sustainable.