Client Spotlight - Helen Garey and Len Brous

Client Spotlight - Helen Garey and Len Brous

July 8th, 2018

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Written by Helen Garey and Len Brous

Full Name (s) –  Helen Garey and Len Brous

Ages – 50 something

Years at Grassroots –12+

Favorite Food -

• Helen – rice with lentils and hot sauce

• Len - Cherries

Favorite past time - Jazz concerts, movies

Favorite exercise- Fence jumps – we both like them

A little blurb about you…..

Helen first learned about Grassroots more than 12 years ago, from a friend who was an early client. 

Growing up in Rhode Island in a distinctly unathletic family, Helen wasn’t encouraged to do anything too physical. She chose music and theater over sports and cheerleading. But on the occasional long bike ride toward the local reservoir, or skiing down a quiet slope in northern New Hampshire, she glimpsed a part of herself that found movement deeply gratifying. At Grassroots, she rediscovered the thrill of achieving something physical—and became hooked on the challenging small group classes.

Len had played soccer in high school and enjoyed physical activity; as an adult, his main form of exercise was running. A few months after Helen started at Grassroots, he followed her lead, and soon we were Grassroots regulars.

Over time we introduced our kids—now nearly adults—to the youth classes offered at Grassroots.  That experience helped foster their desire to make physical activity part of their daily lives.

 

With an empty nest now looming, and with both of us working full time—Len at Bloomberg, Helen at Columbia’s medical school—we find that we benefit from Grassroots more than ever.  The challenges presented in class help us 'recover' from sitting at our desks all day. Training is also good for our minds: the constantly changing program keeps us mentally engaged, requires us to stay focused, and gives us a sense of accomplishment. More importantly, Grassroots feels like home to us; Heather, Wil, and the other trainers exude genuine warmth and enthusiasm during every class and have succeeded in building a community of regulars and newcomers.

When we work out on our own, we try to recreate some of our favorite exercises. Fence jumps today, sit-ups with ball tosses, or some other exotic movement that turns heads at the gym or in the park. 

Whatever the challenge, keep it coming -- we're planning on another decade at Grassroots Fitness Project, one gritty workout at a time.