February's Athlete of the Month
Hey yall! SO, it is the middle of the month and we are just now announcing our athlete of the month. We are SO SORRY for making you wait. It won't happen again (I may or may not be crossing my fingers).
SO, with much anticipation, this month's athlete is Allie Mikels!
What makes up an Athlete of the Month? Not RX’ing every workout or lifting the most weight. This athlete exhibits consistency and a hard work mentality. Every time they come to the gym they have a good attitude and give their all. This person is also welcoming of others, helping make CFHD the best community there is. Each month we choose a different athlete and post some fun facts about them to help y’all get to know them better.
Allie went through our On-ramp program in September 2016 and hasn't skipped a beat since. She shows dedication daily as a full-time student who also works full time. We admire her for setting time aside to invest in herself and her health. She strives to get better everyday, focusing first on form and second pushing the intensity. She is such a great addition to the H Dub fam and we are lucky to have her!
Name: Allie Mikels Hometown: Stroudsburg, PA Age: 24 Occupation: Nonprofit/Community Development Tell us a little bit about yourself: I'm the Retention Services Manager at Project Return, an organization committed to the workforce development of the formerly incarcerated. I'm also a full-time grad student at Vanderbilt, pursing an M.Ed. in Community Development and Action. In my (almost nonexistent) free time, I enjoy hiking and being outdoors. And wine.
What were your goals when you started CrossFit? I was already leading a pretty active lifestyle, but I had reached a plateau where I wasn't going to improve without a new challenge. I hoped that CrossFit would push me to new levels and help me become stronger and fitter. (SPOILER ALERT: it does!) How long have you been doing CrossFit and how did you get into it? I just started in September 2016, so I'm still pretty new! I won a free On-Ramp course, and almost didn't take them up on it because of my preconceived notions about CrossFit. But I did! And thank goodness, because didn't take me long to get hooked. H Dub and its members made me feel welcome from Day 1.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing we do in CrossFit? I love weightlifting - you can catch me at the Oly class every week. My least favorite thing is handstands...and anything where we have to be upside down. But I'm working on it! How has CrossFit H Dub positively affected you? Trey, Lacee and all the members make me feel like part of a team. Everyone's invested in seeing each other improve and succeed. I've received lots of valuable advice about both fitness and nutrition. And I've come to learn that working out and socializing can be the same thing! :)
What advice do you have for newcomers? Let yourself be pushed out of your comfort zone - you're capable of more than you think! And don't cherry pick the workouts. It's tempting - trust me, I know - but you're only cheating yourself.
What is something no one at the gym knows about you? I tried out for Kid Jeopardy in middle school. I didn't make it. Their loss! Who are 3 people you would have a meal or drink with dead or alive? Lin-Manuel Miranda (if you haven't listened to Hamilton, stop reading this and listen NOW), Matt Damon, and Leslie Knope
If you had an intro song when you walk into the gym, what would it be? My Hood by Jeezy (I wanted to pick Booty by J. Lo feat. Iggy Azalea, but my boyfriend didn't think it was funny. Rude.) Favorite Sport? College football (WE ARE!) If you could have one super power what would it be? Flight What is your favorite cheat meal? Soft pretzels and beer cheese from Village Pub. I'm drooling just thinking about them!
