Athlete of the MonthJanuary

Travis Henry

How old / young are you?  47 What is your occupation?  Recovering Journalist & Digital Marketing/SEO Consultant  When did you join Widespread Fitness?  October 2019 Why did you decide to give Widespread Fitness a try?  It seems all my favorite neighbors and even friends from outside the neighborhood belong to Widespread. One of these neighbors, Brad Lingbeck, hounded me constantly about checking it out until I finally caved.   What was your athletic background before starting?  I played football and other sports through high school. In my adult years, there were periods where I would hit the gym hard, usually when there was a quality facility near my work. However, I usually concentrated on vanity muscles and not actual fitness.  What changes in your health, physique, and overall performance have you seen since starting?  For the first time since two-a-days in high school football, I feel like I am actually getting fit in a more complete way. I’m actually working on back, shoulder and leg muscles I ignored in the past. I’m doing cardio and running.  Besides Brad hounding me, one of the main reasons I joined was to improve my performance on the ski slopes. As my two older sons were getting better in the snow I was finding myself needing to make frequent stops to rest due to my lack of fitness. That isn’t happening anymore.   For the last couple of years, I was starting to feel “old.” Now, I don’t.  What advice would you give to someone with regards to starting?  Just jump in and give it a try. Don’t think about it. Don’t wait for the “right time.” Just do it.  I used to drive by CrossFitters sprinting out of their box and think, “I could never do that.” I now think, “I could never not do that.”  As Eminem once said, “You can do anything you set your mind too, man.”  What is your favorite and least favorite exercises / movement?  I still love vanity exercises like floor press and I still hate running and burpees. The difference is I do them all now. (Burpees should still be outlawed, I heard they cause disease or something)  What is your most memorable moment so far?  I have a lot of memorable moments, but the one that comes to mind right now is the first time I chose to run over row in a workout. That was a big accomplishment for me.  What do you like to do outside of the gym?  I love to coach youth sports, ski and attend outdoor concerts and sports events. I also love just to be with my wife and kiddos, whether it’s watching The Masked Singer or chasing our dog around the backyard. I feel very blessed. What is your favorite “cheat” food or meal?  I’m a sucker for Mexican food and will down many tacos and burritos smothered with delicious green chili. I also love chicken wings. And candy. And soda. I haven’t really tackled nutrition in a responsible way yet!  What is something people would be surprised to know about you?  In my younger days, I was a crime reporter and I just might pop up on your television some late night on a Forensic Files rerun or an old CNN JonBenet Ramsey investigation archive clip.   Who or what inspires you the most?  Literature and music. I am constantly blown away by the insights and revelations we can find in the written word, whether it be the divinely inspired Bible or the retelling of a courageous life lived through a biography such as Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. I also find inspiration in music and am in awe of these artists who create works that can un-peel and evoke emotions like no other medium.   What is one goal you would like to accomplish? I’d like to enjoy running once in my life.