From Struggle to Strength Coach

My career as a strength coach came about after years of on-and-off-again training plagued by injury, disappointment, and a lack of confidence in my body.

I fell in love with trail running in my late 20s, and when I moved to Amherst I used it as a way to explore all the mountains and trails in the Pioneer Valley. Trail running gave me everything I wanted at the time: The ability to be alone in the mountains for hours at a time while simultaneously challenging my body and mind. Once I started to have some success in trail races up to the marathon distance in length, I realized that running was something I could actually excel at if I fully committed myself to it. And that’s what I did.

I have never had trouble doing the work or finding the motivation to train. My undoing has always been exercising moderation, and being willing to change course and listen to my body when it is trying to tell me something. While my dedication brought me some short-term success, my relationship to running and training quickly became unsustainable and unhealthy. I had made the mistake of entangling my identity almost entirely in one thing, and in doing so I made myself fragile both emotionally and physically. One of the consequences of injury is the loss of identity, and feeling like you are lost and purposeless without the training and competition to which you are accustomed and that brought you joy and fulfillment. This was my experience when running was taken away from me.

Rebounding from injury and regaining confidence in my body has been a long process and is honestly something I still struggle with, especially when the inevitable setback or injury occurs. Along with diversifying my identity and redefining who I am as an athlete, I found that a commitment to learning about my body, how to move and train properly, and incorporating strength work (something I actually loved doing in my early 20s) all helped make me a more robust and well-rounded individual and athlete. And while I still like competing and getting the most out of my body and training, my main goal is to make sure it is part of a long-term, sustainable lifestyle, rather than an unsustainable pastime.

It has been through this journey that I decided to help others do the same.

I’ve spent my career working with a diverse range of clients, from athletes returning to high performance after an injury, to 80-something year olds who want to maintain strength and independence, and everyone in between. While I am especially fond of working with runners and cyclists, my ideal client is anyone with a positive attitude, a meaningful goal, and a willingness to do the work, regardless of your age, ability, or ambition.

Whether you choose to work with me or not, I hope that the ideas I share can be of value and help you get the most out of your training and life outside of sport. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have any questions or would just like to chat!