tom nummy: January member of the month

Tom’s consistency, hard work, and positive attitude do not go unnoticed. He shows up ready to train, cheers on those around him, and stays fully engaged—asking questions, applying coaching cues, and always looking to improve. That mindset is exactly what makes the CrossFit Sanitas community so strong, and we’re proud to celebrate him as our January Member of the Month.

Here are some questions I have for you so the community can get to know you better!

1. Tell us about yourself! Family, hobbies, where did you grow up?

   I grew up in Newburgh, NY with my 3 siblings. Eventually I moved out west to teach high school and ski in South Lake Tahoe, CA before moving to Boulder in 2012 for grad school to study physics at CU. During grad school I joined a local co-ed ultimate frisbee club team started by some friends where I met my wife Julia. This July we welcomed our first child Luca!
   

   I’ve been doing CrossFit and have been a member at Sanitas since summer 2022. Outside of the gym I like being active outdoors: Ultimate frisbee, trail running, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, some climbing. I have a goal of hiking every trail in Boulder with Luca before his first birthday. When I'm not outside I'm usually playing guitar, woodworking, or cooking, but really mostly dad stuff these days.

2. Whats your favorite thing about being a member at Sanitas?

   I really enjoy the camaraderie during our workouts. Seeing others push themselves inspires me to push myself. I also appreciate the thoughtful coaching and programming from our coaches. It makes me feel like I'm getting the most out of my time in the gym. It's a great community!

3. What’s one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day, knowing everything you know now?
   Finding a "beginner's mindset" in the gym has helped me throughout my time here. There's always more to learn about how to move well and what I need to focus on in order to unlock the next level for a given movement. Sometimes I need to hear a cue dozens of times after I “already know it” before I actually incorporate it.

   Also, keeping up on the mobility and accessory work really does help avoid injury. When I've slacked on that stuff I've ended up with shoulder or hip pains. (Big shout-out to Dr. Hannah for fixing me up when this happens!)

4. What’s one challenge you’ve overcome recently, and how did you push through?

   Recently I’ve been challenged by a lack of sleep with the new little one in the house. I know, I’m kind of a wimp but getting to the gym and then finding the energy to push myself while I’m there after only getting a couple hours of sleep has been tough for me lately. What seems to work for me is reminding myself of how much better I feel after moving my body and getting my heart rate up. I'll still feel tired but at least I'll have more mental clarity throughout the day.
   

5. 3 or more favorite movements and some numbers that are meaningful for you!

   The movements I like are running, gymnastic movements (muscle ups, handstand walks or push ups, toes-to-bar, pullovers, etc), and oly lifts.

   The longer and grindy-er the workout, the better!
   

   Being a math/physics nerd I’m partial to prime numbers but here are a few others that come to mind:

   22 - Luca's birthday
   28 - My birthday, but also a "perfect number" whose divisors sum up to itself (1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 = 28)
   137 - The “fine structure constant” from physics, a fundamental constant of the universe.