February's Athlete of the Month

Time to highlight one of our spectacular athletes! 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.

High fives for Miss Elise Krews for being such a bad ass! She is the definition of perseverance. Despite suffering a cooking injury at the start of the new year, she continued to push through and stay committed to her goals. You may have seen her around the gym doing 1-arm burpees! Her smile is contagious and we love having her positive vibes at CrossFit H Dub!

Name: Elise Krews Hometown: Shreveport, LA Age: 26 Occupation: Research Coordinator Tell us a little bit about yourself:

Spent the first 24 years of life growing up in and around Shreveport, LA, in the land of casinos, (good) seafood, and drive-thru daiquiri’s. Moved to Nashville in 2016 to start my M.Ed at Vanderbilt. Graduated last May, and have been working at Vanderbilt in an educational neuroscience research lab since then. Outside of the gym and work - I love to read, recently started a pottery class (though haven’t had much luck doing pottery with a splint on one hand), and travel whenever and wherever I can.

What were your goals when you started CrossFit?

To not be the girl that puked on Day 1 of on-ramp when I started at H Dub in July. It was a hot one. How long have you been doing CrossFit and how did you get into it?

I did Crossfit for about 6-9 months when I was in Shreveport to prep for a Tough Mudder. It was one of my best and smoothest races. While I was a grad student, I’d mostly relied on making up my own workouts and fitting them in where I could, which often meant not at all. I missed feeling strong, the extra push and accountability of coaching, and the community of being at a gym and in group classes. So, back to Crossfit I went.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing we do in CrossFit? Favorite is probably pull ups, because I went from being able to do ZERO to now being able to do a few. So now all I want is to be able to string more together. Gymnastics in general are some of my favorite movements.

Least favorite is probably rope climbs, because it just isn’t clicking yet, and rope burn seems to be a real thing.

How has CrossFit H Dub positively affected you?

I could write an essay here, but I’ll try to keep it shortish. I feel better, stronger, and more focused. That applies to everything I do in the gym, but also translates to a lot of my life outside of the gym too. Bonus, the community in this gym is stellar – there’s nothing like having people around you to cheer you on through the end of a tough workout. I always leave feeling better than when I came in, because the place is filled with good people and good vibes. Also, I might be biased, but I think we have the best coaches around and it shows.

What advice do you have for newcomers?

1) Don’t compare yourself to others.

2) Smart scaling is truly an important part of getting better.

3) Just do the best you can do consistently, and have fun with it!

What is something no one at the gym knows about you?

In high school, my parents signed me up for a week at SeaWorld’s Adventure Camp for Spring Break. At the end of the week, you get to shovel snow inside the penguin exhibit. The penguins were super friendly, so I got to hug a penguin. Who are 3 people you would have a meal or drink with dead or alive?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg – She’s brilliant and (still!) a badass in the gym.

Michelle Obama – Reading her book right now, loving it, and have admired her for a while now.

My mom, who passed away last year. If you had an intro song when you walk into the gym what would it be?

Titanium by Sia. Favorite Sport?

I tried pretty much everything from karate to competitive cheer growing up. So, I’ll watch almost any sport, especially in person. But I’ll own that I’m not super invested in following any team or sport closely. If you could have one super power what would it be? The ability to be in two (or more) places at once.

What is your favorite cheat meal?

Pretty much ALL pasta, but I’d definitely consider myself a mac and cheese connoisseur.