Athlete of the Month

August 2019 Athlete of the Month: Lewis Noble
We have so much love for our community, and want to take the chance to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work – if you haven’t met Lewis yet (or even if you have), make sure to say hello and smile next time you’re at the gym!

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since beginning CrossFit?

I started CrossFit in 2012 while I was at FSU. I really struggled to keep any kind of active routine after playing sports in high school and wanted to make a change. I did it off and on for a few years until I joined Terminus and became much more consistent. I have seen a complete change physically and mentally. I am in the best shape I have ever been in and continue to push myself passed old mental barriers.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym?

CrossFit has made me much more confident in everyday life and that positive impact permeates everything I do. Other than that, I notice the mental strength of pushing myself in workouts when I’m working on any task that is difficult or I don’t want to do. That discipline of showing up and doing what’s asked of you has definitely been transferable.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?

I remember working out with Patrick at the old Terminus. Seeing the transformation he has made from there to now coaching is amazing. He is definitely a positive force in the gym and someone I can count on to push me when I hit that mental wall or begin to give up in a workout.

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?

I love sneakers and have more than 30 pairs.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?

Just try it and show up. When you first start, showing up is the most important part. You can handle anything that you encounter once you get there, but just get yourself in the door.

Q: What are your top 3 memories in CrossFit?

1. Puking after my first CrossFit workout ever

2. Completing Murph for the first time

3. The first time I truly looked forward while snatching and beat my old PR by 20 lbs.

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment?

Before I started my most recent project for work, I had gone 5 times a week for 13 weeks in a row.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term CrossFit goals?

My goals with CrossFit have always been centered on going consistently. Now that I’m traveling for work again, my goal is to get to the gym 3+ times a week while I’m on the road and 5 times a week when I’m home.

July 2019 Athlete of the Month: Brit Henderson
We have so much love for our community, and want to take the chance to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work – if you haven’t met Brit yet (or even if you have), make sure to say hello and smile next time you’re at the gym!

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since beginning CrossFit? 
I’ve been doing CrossFit for just over 4 months.  As far as physical changes, I’ve definitely noticed that my physique is becoming more muscular, my endurance has improved, and I’m getting stronger and faster. Before joining Terminus, I’d never been athletic or even physically active, but that has completely changed.  Now I LOVE working out and being active. I have a hard time sitting still at work nowadays. Mentally, I’m learning to ignore that little voice that’s always giving me reasons why I probably shouldn’t do something or why I should just quit. I’m learning to take more risks and to make more commitments to myself.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym? 
CrossFit has changed my life in so many ways. Seriously.  Since Day 1, my amazing coaches and classmates here have been pushing me to step way outside of my comfort zone, and that’s translated into other areas of my life. It’s given me the confidence and motivation to do scary or uncomfortable things like take swimming lessons, ending unhealthy relationships, and giving more presentations at work.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you? 
I’m really inspired by my classmates, veterans and beginners alike, who come in and challenge themselves day after day, week after week. Sometimes they do amazing feats of physical prowess, and I’m awed. Sometimes they fail, and in those moments, their courage and strength really shine.

Q: What is something that we may not know about you? 
I work from home, which definitely has its perks (e.g. lots of stretch breaks) but can also be really isolating, so I’m extra grateful for having such an amazing community at Terminus. I’ve enjoyed meeting so many interesting people, and I hope to get to know you all even more.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time? 
Just try it! You have basically nothing to lose and soooo much to gain. Sure, the thought of taking that first class might seem a little  intimidating, but there will be a whole community of people cheering you on, and you WILL get through it and feel good for having done it.

Q: What are your top 3 memories in CrossFit? 
hmmm, I’d have to say my first box jump was pretty big. I remember staring at that big foam box wondering how bad it was going to hurt when I wiped out. The next thing I knew, Coach Patrick said “jump,” and I was standing on top of it, fully intact.
Carrying a barbell through a thunderstorm (and surviving) was also pretty memorable. And who can forget their first Murph!

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment? 
I have to go with the 10K run this year. Before joining Terminus, I was allergic to running.  I had never even run a mile before.  I didn’t realize how enjoyable such a simple exercise can be when you’re doing it with the right people.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term CrossFit goals? 
In the short term, I have a TON to work on. I want to become proficient at all of the different skills and movements and also work on my (utter lack of) mobility and flexibility. In the long term, I’d like to compete with a team and/or individually in some local competitions (and maybe even beyond).

We have so much love for our community, and want to take the chance to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work – if you haven’t met Matt yet (or even if you have), make sure to give him a hello and smile next time you see him at the gym!

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since beginning CrossFit?

I’ve been doing CrossFit for nearly three years now, starting in early Fall of 2016. If it wasn’t for my former roommate, Jon Wilson, waking me up every day as he left for Terminus, I would never have signed up. Physically, the changes are nice but, more importantly, the mental transformation has helped tremendously – greater energy, more productive professionally, better mood regulation, etc.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym?

CrossFit has helped me enormously professionally as I’ve seen a direct correlation between joining Terminus and moving up the corporate ladder.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?

The 7 a.m. crew. I’m inspired by their consistency and positive attitude each morning.

Q: What is something that we may not know about you?

I’m getting married on May 31st (Last night)!

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time?

I tell people there’s “working out” and then there’s CrossFit. If you want to see a profound change in your physical and mental well-being, just start going every day and make it a routine.

Q: What are your top 3 memories in CrossFit? 1. 10 x 400m sprints at the old Edgewood location during the first month of my membership. 2. The 10K run completed in an hour last year. 3. My Don Junior-esque, half-hour Murph time 😂

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment?

Never quitting in the middle of a WOD.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term CrossFit goals?

Short-term goal: bar muscle ups. Long-term goal: “Fran”, 95lbs, sub-6 mins.

Our May athlete of the month has been at CrossFit Terminus for 3.5 years!  Introducing Allison Bear… thanks for being a great member of the Terminus community! Get to know her a little better here.

We love taking time each month to highlight an invaluable member of the Terminus family!  This one has been with us since the very beginning… in fact, long before Terminus ever existed! Introducing our April Athlete of the Month, Tommy Greene.

Q: How long have you been doing CrossFit? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since beginning CrossFit? 

I will hit my 11 years of CrossFit in July of this year. I have trained the entire time with Ben as my main coach. The difference I have noticed in my body over the years has been amazing. I went from barely exercising most of my life to starting CrossFit at age 36 and have never looked back. CrossFit also provides a great stress relief for my extremely busy life. I am able to check out from the daily grind when I make it to the gym.

Q: How has CrossFit helped you outside the gym? 

When I started CrossFit, I was overweight with no muscle and on the verge of needing to start medicine for cholesterol levels. After almost 11 years, I have never had to take those meds and continue to maintain my health goals outside of the gym.

Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you? Jennifer Eastman inspires me at the gym. She and David got me to try CrossFit in Decatur when it was still “Sonz” and her drive and desire to work hard and maintain her fitness make me want to continue to come to the gym every week. We have worked out together many times over these 11 years and continue to do so today.  I am also inspired by Ben Benson. His care and dedication to make people better and live longer healthier lives is second to none.

Q: What is something that we may not know about you? 

I am a licensed residential contractor in the state of Georgia and have a passion for renovation of historic homes. Last year we did a 1929 Mediterranean that was inhabited by a hoarder and I am currently working on a French Normandy Farmhouse designed by famed architect, Philip Shutze which had 175 year old oak tree fall through it last April. My wife of 20 years and I work on these projects together and it is great to see the finished product.

Q: Any advice for someone considering trying CrossFit for the first time? 

Don’t be afraid. I still seem to hear from people all the time that CrossFit is dangerous and people get hurt. This is so not true. I am almost 47 and have never had a serious injury (except for the one I will mention below) and before CrossFit, I never worked out.

Q: What are your top 3 memories in CrossFit? 

1. 4 months in, I had a box jump mishap, which resulted in 20 stitches to my knee. I have a nice scar to show for it. 2. Completing Karen with a 20 pound Wall ball in under 12 minutes. I missed this mark during one of my early CrossFit Opens and it was nice to do it finally a while back. 3. My recent memory is finally starting to string together kipping pull-ups. I find myself able to get 8-10 pretty regularly lately.

Q: What’s your proudest accomplishment? 

The fact that I have done CrossFit for almost 11 years. I really had never exercised before and it has changed my health and my life.

Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long-term CrossFit goals? 

My long-term goal is to get that handstand pushup that I missed during the open this year. Short term is to maintain the consistency that I have had in 2019. I have spent more time in the gym this year than all of last year and that is the key to my goal of living a long healthy life.