By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Editor

ALABASTER — Molly Spicer knows a thing or two about pushing her body to the limit. Spicer recently wrapped up a trip to the CrossFit SouthEast Regional games in Jacksonville, Fla., where she finished 27^th out of 39 competitors in her first attempt at competing.

The 20-year-old University of Mobile student and Alabaster native said she got started in CrossFit through a family friend.

“I was introduced to CrossFit by my friend and Gym Mom, Shannon Rumley,” she said in an email interview. “She knew that I had been doing gymnastics for 14 years and that I missed it, so she thought I would enjoy CrossFit.”

Spicer said she missed the competitive nature of gymnastics meets, so she saw the CrossFit games as a potential outlet.

“I have always been competitive in gymnastics, so I decided to pursue competing in the CrossFit Games,” she said. “Of course, I have had a lot of support and encouragement from my coach and CrossFit family at CrossFit Sky Soldiers. They saw my potential and pushed me to compete.”

Spicer said the staff members at the Sky Soldiers Gym in Alabaster were as important to getting her to the regional round as anything else.

“Both of my coaches are good at helping me keep my body healthy,” she said. “The toughest part(s) of the competition (were) the intense workouts and physical strain it puts on your body. By the time Regionals were over, I was physically and mentally drained and it took about a week for my body to fully recover.”

Despite the strain put on her body, Spicer said she “absolutely plan(s) to compete again.”

“Training for next season has already begun,” she said. “I plan to compete in some smaller competitions and then qualify for Regionals again. After that, I hope to make it to the (National) Games.”