Every weekday morning at 7am, Sarah Delgross takes part in a challenging fitness session before she heads to work.She did the CrossFit workout in the months before the death of her boyfriend Chris Spencer in October — and she returned to it two weeks after his apparent heroin overdose.“It was important for me to get back into routines,” says the 35-year-old. “I’m a firm believer in that connection between physical and mental strength.“CrossFit is more than physical fitness. I think the emotions and thoughts that I experience in moving through a challenging workout build mental strength to move through challenging life situations.“I think, hands-down, CrossFit has helped me to have that clarity and commitment and dedication to my health, in terms of the grief process.“Just like when there is a super challenging CrossFit workout, where you think there is no way you will get through it, but then you do, grief works that way too.“You do survive and it’s powerful. I’ve been able to leverage the same tools and mindset that I use to complete tough workouts as I cycle through the grief process. CrossFit builds strength and resilience on many levels. And just like in life, it offers the importance of community.”Global fitness trend CrossFit, a strength and conditioning programme, is available at several gyms on the Island.Ms Delgross is a member of CrossFitBDA — a training facility owned by Derek Hurdle and Mat Macdonald on Mill Creek Road — and the organisation has helped in another significant way too.Earlier this year, CrossFitBDA asked participants in its free Saturday morning community classes to make a $5 donation to charity, with the first month of giving in memory of Mr Spencer.The gesture raised $675 for PRIDE Bermuda, a charity which helps young people stay drug-free.Ms Delgross said she was hugely touched that CrossFitBDA opted to raise money in Chris’s name — especially as he didn’t attend classes with her.“When Chris died, I e-mailed Derek several days later to let him know what had happened because I figured he might wonder why I wasn’t showing up to class,” she said.“His response was just so heartfelt. He said ‘if you are thinking of CrossFit at a time like this, we must be doing something right’. It really impacted me, the way he responded.“CrossFit moved to a larger facility in January and Derek sent an e-mail to all of us members asking for ideas for organisations and charities which could benefit from the community classes.“I replied right away and suggested PRIDE. He chose it as the first one. It was right at the time of Chris’s birthday on February 11. It was just very respectful and graceful.“Not only had he picked PRIDE but he made the donation in memory of Chris Spencer. It was really, really touching.“Derek asked how Chris had died and I said from addiction. It was really nice to see that there was so little judgement, if any.”CrossFitBDA plans to keep raising money for charity with its Saturday classes, which are aimed at giving newcomers a chance to try the programme without making a financial commitment.Autism charity Tomorrow’s Voices is the latest to benefit, with $507 raised so far.Mr Hurdle said: “Since we opened our doors on May 28 we have had what we call free Saturday sessions at 9 and 10am, where people don’t have to be members.“It got to the point where it’s really popular, with 30 or 40 people in class. Instead of having it free, we decided to have a $5 donation from any non-member.“We went out to our members and Sarah came back and we thought it was perfect.”Last month, CrossFitBDA also held a dedicated fundraising day to raise cash for the daughter of Major Chris Wheddon, a Regiment soldier who died in a road accident in the UK last year.“We collected in excess of $1,500,” said Mr Hurdle.PRIDE executive officer Judith Burgess said the charity was grateful for the money it received — and hoped to include CrossFit as an activity in a future camp for young people.Emma Martin, senior verbal behaviour therapist at Tomorrow’s Voices, said the cash it received would be used to provide children with applied behaviour analysis therapy.“We are just very grateful that they decided to support us during Autism Awareness Month,” she added.Ms Delgross sees CrossFitBDA’s actions as indicative of its community spirit. And she says it’s fitting it raised cash in Chris’s name, since he viewed exercise as a way he could get his life back on track.In one of the journals he kept during his last drug treatment programme, he wrote: “I am leaving this afternoon. I have a lot of work to do. I am scared.“Who knows how my life will turn out? I am genuinely concerned about my future and I am worried about all the work I will have to do. I can do it. Hopefully everything will fall into place. Meetings, therapy, exercise.”Ms Delgross said Chris was “gentle and kind and smart” — not the “typical image” of a heroin addict.“Every day I think of Chris during my workouts,” she added. “Maybe, if there is the spirit world, maybe he can actually see what I’m doing here and feel proud and honoured.”l Useful websites: www.crossfitbda.com, www.pridebermuda.bm and www.tomorrowsvoices.bm.ends