Bethany Shadburne

We're excited to welcome Bethany Shadburne to Team O2! Read our exclusive interview to learn more about this O2 Athlete and incredible CrossFit Games competitor. 

How did you first get into fitness? How has that changed over the years?

I got into fitness and working out at a very young age. I am the baby of four, and we were all very wild children! My mom put us all in swimming and soccer at first, and then at age five, I went into gymnastics. 

The biggest change for me over the years is how I treat my body. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to take care of myself so that I could perform my best as an athlete. I just continually beat down my body without the right hydration and food, and I didn’t have a recovery routine. I went on crazy diets, and as a bodybuilder, I took fat burners and other junk that was really bad for me. I’ve battled a lot of GI issues as a result, and have worked hard to get my gut healthy. I’m really careful now about what I eat and drink.

Name one quality you learned thanks to your sport that you are so grateful to have learned.

With CrossFit, I have truly learned how my body works and functions and how to be in tune with it. I think I now know when to push myself and when to back off; unfortunately, that only comes through years of experience of doing it wrong. 

What’s your least favorite part about your given sport?

My least favorite part of CrossFit is the one-rep maxes and heavy lifting. I have been working on them a TON, but the progress is slow. I know I have to go into damage-control mode when those workouts come up at competitions!

Go-to music when crushing a workout?

Sadly, I don’t get hyped up by music in my workout anymore. I have gotten to the point in my career where my energy and output level is the same whether I listen to music or not. I guess that makes me either really boring or really intense (or both)! 

What does your workout schedule look like?

My workouts vary based on the season and competition ahead of me. When things are busy, I can spend 7-8 hours a day in the gym!

Right now, I work out six days a week, some days are doubles and some are triples! During my one day off, I focus on active recovery.

What does your recovery routine look like?

I have really enjoyed sitting in the sauna lately so I will do that post workout and stretch in there for about 20-30 min. I also enjoy my Hyperice tools a lot! And, of course, I do foam rolling as necessary.

I also focus on hydrating, drinking a minimum of one gallon of water and replenishing electrolytes with lots of O2. I choose healthy foods, but I don’t skimp on the carbs! Sleep is also really important for me - I get 8-10 hours of sleep a night.

Favorite flavor of O2 and when do you enjoy it most?

Blackberry Currant is my favorite! It’s so delicious that I drink it all day long!