Murfreesboro’s Terry Coulter, a personal trainer at Avalon Athletic Club, took first place honors at the Ms. Senior America Tennessee pageant, held April 5 at The Palace Theatre in Crossville.

This year, for the talent portion of the competition, the contestant learned how to jump rope again, something she has not done a lot of since childhood.

“I sang a version of the ’80s hit song ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and then it went to the original version of ‘Eye of the Tiger,’” Coulter says. “When I put the mic down, I took off my robe and was dressed like Rocky Balboa in red, white and blue.”

She then executed some boxing moves and broke into a jump rope routine, with tricks performed to the “Rocky” training song.

“To train, I hired a jump rope coach, who came to my gym and taught me,” Coulter said.

Following her victory at the state level, News Channel 5 ran a segment on the Murfreesboro trainer, in full red, white and blue, running up the stairs at the State Capitol Building in Nashville “doing the Rocky thing.”

“I am so thankful to my younger self for making fitness a priority, so I can enjoy this now later in life,” said Coulter, now 64.

She will go on to compete at the Ms. Senior America Pageant, to be held in October at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, an event celebrating women from across the country who have reached the “Age of Elegance” (open to those ages 60 and up).

“My story is that perseverance pays off,” Coulter said. “This has become an awesome, incredible experience. Fitness and exercise have been a priority all my life as far as taking care of myself goes, trying to be healthy and active so that I can live long, and have a life of vitality instead of frailty.”

While she has been into sports and athletics for much of her life, Coulter said she never considered herself a “pageant girl” until recently.

“Someone told me I ought to do the pageant, and I said, ‘Are you kidding, they do stuff like that for senior women?’ Then I thought and prayed about it. I was 61 years old at the time . . . It was way out of my comfort zone.”

But Coulter did decide to enter the Ms. Senior America Tennessee pageant. The first year she got second runner-up, the next year she got third runner-up.

“I tried again a third year, thinking the third time is a charm, right? Second runner-up,” she said. “Then I started grasping what this was all about and I came back again, and I won.”

Coulter said she was tempted to quit because she thought she is not what the judges were looking for, but then the perseverance and hope kicked in and the competition became even more meaningful.

“It is easy to quit, and it is easy to give up. But don’t quit, don’t give up, don’t throw in the towel.”

For the pageant’s competition portion, called “Philosophy of Life,” Coulter explained where her motivation comes from.

“My philosophy is hope. It is a passion of what is possible. It fuels our drives to reach our goals and gives us the strength of persevering during tough times. By sharing our stories of hope, we spread optimism and create a sense of purpose in life,” she said. “So spread hope wherever you go and when the world says quit, give up, throw in the towel, hope whispers ‘try one more time.’”

Something inside her, her faith—because God had led her on this and other journeys—is what kept her going, she firmly believes.

“I call it GPS—God’s Positioning System. I was positioned at just the right time with just the right person for me to hear,” Coulter said.

Coulter became a personal trainer when she was 52 years old, after being a runner and then moving into strength training and weightlifting following knee surgery.

“The simplest way to get started on a fitness journey is put on a pair of shoes and get moving,” she said. “Start walking and do some sort of activity, maybe something that you enjoy. Then do it. Just move.”

She has a concern that technology is leading our society into unhealthy lifestyles.

“Ever since the remote control with the TV came out, everything is ‘push the button.’ We don’t even have to walk into the grocery store anymore. We have taken motion out of our daily activity,” Coulter said. “That’s why I say just get up and move. Take 10 minutes; even if it is just 10 minutes, studies have shown that those 10 minutes of exercise a day can improve your health and well-being. You are going to be more energized.”

Her Instagram bio proclaims: “Over 60? Lift weights!”

“And simply drink more water, she says. “It is a simple thing people can do every day to get started on a more healthy, fit lifestyle.”

Coulter, who is also raising her granddaughter, said she gets great support from her husband, Terrell.

Keep up with her @terrytc3fit on Instagram, Terry Hale Coulter or TC3Fit on Facebook, or find her most days at the Avalon Athletic Club, located at 710 Memorial Blvd. in Murfreesboro.