I grew up in the local area (rural Irene) interested in all things that would get me out of the house so I didn’t have to work around the small acreage my parents owned. I have been broken (I’ve had 2 children pass away), the depression was inevitable, I put on weight and became a couch potato. I felt that no one understood what I was going through, but I survived through God’s grace and the love of family and friends. I knew I needed to make some changes in my life and vowed to get healthy for myself, husband, kids, and grandkids. Here enters Empower Fitness. I’ve never been around a large group of people, let alone women, who didn’t care how I acted, how “fit” I was, or how old I was. In fact, they welcomed anyone and everyone who walked in the door exactly the same as they would a long lost friend. I finally found a spot I felt comfortable in, and was able to express myself fully without fear of ridicule or judgement. These ladies – coaches and members - make sure I know that I am never too old to try something once! Since then, I ran my first 5K at the age of 48, ran my first improv Ragnar race at 49, first time paddle board at 50, and 1st mud run at 51. I have found age is just number – my next milestone is to get up the courage to participate in a Spartan race – if you’ve never heard of it, look it up! I never thought in a million years I would end up in the coaching world, but here I am! I love learning and trying out new things. I love being able to share the knowledge I’ve gained by challenging our members with new moves and weights, or give the encouragement of “Yes you can, I have faith in you”. Be the Positivity and Be the Change in someone’s life!
