We have so much appreciation for our community, and love to highlight one athlete each month that exemplifies hard work and commitment – but this month, we have TWO! Meet John and Sarah! A married dynamic duo, John and Sarah joined the Terminus family a little over a year ago. Embracing both the discomfort of workouts and the comfort of friends, their time at Terminus has shown them what the power of consistency and community can do. Let’s dive into their journey at Terminus a little further, and make sure to give them a high five the next time you see them in the gym!
Q: How long have you been going to Terminus? What changes have you seen in yourself (physically or mentally) since joining?
John: I started a little over a year ago, and honestly, if you had told me back then what I’d be doing now, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m very much your average Joe when it comes to athleticism, but this past year has really shown me the power of consistent effort. I’ve gotten stronger, more confident, and a whole lot better at embracing discomfort in and out of the gym.
Sarah: I’ve been at Terminus since March 2024. I’ve gained new gymnastics skills, upped my weights and tapped into a mental toughness I didn’t know I had.
Q: How has your journey at Terminus helped you outside the gym?
John: The programming here is tough. It forces you to show up mentally just as much as physically. I’m nervous every day as the timer counts down to start to WOD because I know what I’m about to do is going to be hard. That challenge scratches a mental itch for me and keeps me grounded. There is a part of me that really enjoys the pain and suffering of it all in some weird if you know, you know kind of way. Knocking out a workout gives me a ton of confidence throughout my day.
Sarah: I hate (and love) the really short sprint workouts. They challenge me to fully tap in with complete presence and effort. I always get scared right before they start. The ability to lean into a metcon like that helps me to take on challenges personally and professionally; I can do them scared and come out the other side tougher for it.
Q: Who inspires you at the gym, and how do they inspire you?
John: Sarah, my wife, is hands down the strongest person I know. She gets up at the crack of dawn while most folks are still in bed and attacks the day with a level of grit and consistency that blows me away. She somehow balances that with being an incredible mom to our two kids. CrossFit is tough I guess, but is there anything harder than labor y’all? Honestly, she should be Athlete of the Month all on her own. Huge shoutout to the Terminus moms making it happen every day.
Sarah: While I *am* inspired by John as well, I gotta say my OG gym besties Jenna Lombardi and Caroline Trawick keep me coming back! These women and I have been working out consistently together for over 2 years. I love watching them unlock new skills and hit PRs. Long live the Barbie dream house carpool!
Q: How would you describe what it’s like to be a part of Terminus?
John: It’s a place where you suffer with people in the best way possible. That shared grind creates a bond that’s hard to describe but very real. I’ve also really appreciated the coaching and have enjoyed building friendships with each of them. It’s clear everyone here genuinely wants to help you get better, and that keeps me showing up as well.
Sarah: It’s such a high quality experience on all sides. The coaching is excellent – a great balance of having someone push you to new levels while keeping you safe with your form. The members are top notch- everyone is really welcoming, goes out of their way to introduce themselves and help you find whatever you need. Really hard to replicate a place like this.
Q: Tell us about your first day of class at Terminus.
John: My first class was an “active recovery” day with Coach Patrick. Sarah, as well as our friends and neighbors, Caroline and Shaun Trawick, came to encourage me for my first class. I want to say it was rowing and some sort of box jumps? Coming into CrossFit, I was running 40 miles per week and I thought I was in pretty good cardio shape, and let me tell you, I was quite mistaken! I got my butt absolutely handed to me and barely could move from the couch for an entire afternoon. For Sarah, it was just a casual workout, for me it was a deeply humbling experience.
Sarah: Caroline, Jenna and I dropped in for a class together. Patrick was coaching and we had wall walks and hand stand holds in the workout. I had never been upside down in a workout before so I was really intimidated. But Patrick made it approachable while challenging. I thought “oh, if they can coach me through this I’m going to learn a lot here”
Q: What is something that we may not know about you?
John: I’m a dad of two awesome kids and I play the drums when I get a chance. For work, I’m a veterinarian and also own a consulting firm that helps veterinarians make the leap from being clinicians to business owners. I like helping people bet on themselves.
Sarah: I’m a nurse at Children’s! I help teach new nurses about pediatric heart conditions.
Q: What are your top 3 memories or proudest moments in CrossFit?
John: Top moment has to be getting my first bar muscle-up recently. Second would be completing Murph for the first time. Third, and maybe the most meaningful, is getting to share all of this with Sarah. CrossFit has been something we chat about daily, and it’s been awesome sharing something we both love.
Sarah: Completing my first Murph in 2024, unlocking kipping pull-ups and just crushing John every time double unders are involved- ha!
Q: Moving forward, do you have any short term or long term goals in the gym?
John: Short term, I just want to keep showing up consistently and stay healthy. Long term, I’d love to hit workouts at the Rx level more often. And next year, I’d like to give it go with the weighted vest for Murph.
Sarah: Short term I wanna get a #150 power clean. Long term – a bar muscle up!