I realized early on that one of my passions is to help others grow, experience success and reach their goals. From captaining high school sports, teaching swim lessons, volunteer coaching in high school and college, becoming a middle school teacher and HS track coach, and eventually moving into my role as a fitness instructor and running coach, the common thread among all was a pure joy in seeing others succeed. It really fills my cup. I feel very lucky to have been a part of so many journeys over the years. My role has given me a front row ticket to some incredible displays of perseverance, dedication, determination, consistency, and grit. I am constantly inspired by those I coach. It’s not necessarily the magnitude of the achievements that inspire me, but the work they put in to get there and the attitude in which they take it on. I’m inspired by the person that shows up in inclement weather to take on their miles. By the person who struggled to run 30 seconds at the beginning of the season, but now can run several minutes or miles without stopping. The person who is presented with an opportunity to try a new format or exercise move and says “yes” even though that can be a scary thing to do. The mom or grandma that shows up to class with their kids in strollers/bikes/running alongside them – what an awesome example they are setting to the next generation about the importance of an active lifestyle. I think so many people underestimate the amount of inspiration they provide to others. I read a quote once: “You never know who you are inspiring simply by showing up,” and that resonated so much with me. I am constantly inspired by the “everyday actions” of people around me. The actual numbers of pace, distance, etc are not the inspiring piece, it’s the fact that they are committing to a goal and continuing to push outside of their comfort zone that is inspiring. People are capable of some pretty amazing things. Helping them discover the strongest version of themselves is such a privilege and I feel fortunate to be a part of that journey.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband, Nathan, and I will be celebrating 17 years of marriage this summer. We have two children: Addison, 13, and Paul, 11. As a family we really enjoy visiting with friends and extended family, camping, getting outdoors for hikes/bike rides/yard games, music, playing board games, and family movie nights. Our 3-year-old Vizsla, Blue, completes our family and keeps us entertained with his goofy personality and endless energy.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I never would have believed that I would be a fitness instructor, let alone a Franchise owner of a small fitness business. My entry into the industry came about by pure happenstance. A group fitness instructor at the gym had kids in the child care program at the same time as me. She would often invite me to join her class. After months of excuses, I finally agreed to give it a try and was instantly hooked. Not only was it a fantastic workout, but I had so much fun. I started rearranging my schedule so I could attend my favorite group fitness classes throughout the week. About 2 months into my new routine, both of the instructors whose classes I attended were injured and the classes were put on hold. I continued to show up at the scheduled time slots weekly and would just perform my own workout. Several other members from the classes were showing up too and asked if they could join me. Before I knew it, I was informally leading a group fitness class. Eventually those joining me encouraged me to apply for a formal position and that’s how it all started. I got registered as a certified Ace Group Fitness instructor and over the next few years gained certifications in Cycling, Boot Camp, Aquafit, Silver Sneakers, and several strength-training formats. In 2014, I was given the opportunity to become a head coach for Burnsville Moms on the Run. With my former track coaching and running experience, I was excited to move into this new role, but the group far exceeded my expectations. It was a piece of my life that I didn’t even know was missing. The community and support among this group of women was unlike anything I had been a part of in a long time. As a busy mom of young kids, I felt like I could fill so many of my cups in just one hour. It was social time and physical movement, and this community of women supported one another in and out of classes. It was everything the motto stated: “fitness, fun and friendship” and SO much more. In 2016, I was offered the opportunity to move into the role as the Franchise Owner for both Burnsville and Lakeville Moms on the Run. While I had never pictured myself as a business owner, I knew the opportunity to move into that role would allow me the flexibility and creative freedoms to continue to develop and implement new fitness programs for our Moms on the Run community. We have since expanded and diversified our regular class offerings from 2 x per week to up to 13 x per week, increased our year around offerings, and added a wide variety of ongoing social meetup and family programming options. To say we have a lot of fun while staying active is an understatement😊
I love so many things about what I do. Among my favorites are helping people discover the strongest version of themselves, making fitness fun, creating an environment where people feel supported and encouraged, and all the friendships, adventures and laughter along the way. Our kids program holds a very special place in my heart as well. I love seeing kids establish a positive relationship with fitness from an early age and it has been such a joy to be a part of that journey for so many kids since 2017. Some of our youth coaches this season are kids that have moved up through the program from our original season. It’s so fun to see them move into that mentor role for the next generation.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Oh, I’d have to say Lakeville Brewing Company. I love all of their food and they have a great atmosphere for outdoor seating too. My go-to items I typically order rotate between the fish tacos, French dip, or pork tenderloin. I usually match that up with the Hashtag or Fun Juice IPA and when my kids are with, I try to negotiate getting a bite of their ice cream…the ice cream is delicious.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
We moved to Lakeville in 2008. My husband and I are both from Iowa, and moved around the country a bit before settling in Minnesota. We absolutely love it here and can’t imagine “home” being anywhere else.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I would say crossing paths with “Stick Man” a few years back would be at the top of that list. I didn’t get a chance to chat with him, but exchanged greetings while we passed each other.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I would love to visit Norway. My mom’s family is from Norway, so it’s always been on my list. Would be so fun to see where my great grandparents lived and the Fjords look absolutely beautiful!
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
My favorite TV shows include This is Us, Friends, The Office, Yellowstone, and Parenthood. As for favorite movies, “About Time” is one of my favorites. I also love anything with Ryan Reynolds in it – he just makes me laugh.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
In general, my advice would simply to be kind. All interactions and relationships can be improved with kindness at the root. Be kind to others, the environment, to yourself…just BE KIND. Another piece of advice that I give all my athletes is to move toward a mindset of gratitude and positivity. A small shift in mindset can have a profound impact on your perception, and ultimately affect your reactions, performance and overall life experiences.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I would love to see the Northern Lights. If I could pair that up with a trip to Norway or Alaska or really anywhere with awesome scenery and some good hiking, all the better.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I love all music and have quite the eclectic playlist. Lately I’ve been rotating between Christian contemporary, 90’s country, and The Guardians of the Galaxy and Chris Stapleton soundtracks. I love to add in some Frank Sinatra, 80’s power ballads, classic rock, blue grass, old country and more depending on my mood.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
When we first moved here, I remember driving through the downtown and being so excited about there being a Ben Franklin. It brought back many memories of frequenting the Ben Franklin in my home town growing up in Iowa. I would say of the current businesses, Dairy Delight really holds the most nostalgia for my family. The first “long” bike ride we took as a family was to there. Have to admit, we may have used the “sweet treat reward” aspect a lot on that ride as motivation for the kids. Of course, once we got there and realized the ride home was pretty much all uphill, we were scrambling to think of other motivating rewards to get them to take on those miles. I am pretty sure in the end my husband rode his bike back to the house to get the car so he could pick us up as the kids and I ate ice cream…
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
Ellen DeGeneres. I love her sense of humor, positive energy, and heart for helping others. As for lunch options, I’ve read before that Ellen follows a Vegan diet so probably Chart House as they have a beautiful patio space and I’ve seen some tasty vegan options on their menu.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love all the parks and paths we have available. It really is an amazing gift to have so many recreational and green spaces right at our fingertips.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
It’s hard to even imagine how much will change by then. I would say spending time with family, staying active, and soaking up the beauty of nature is on the list for that phase of life. We bought a camper in 2020, and have really enjoyed our camping adventures. We have a goal of doing some longer journeys in the camper and visiting as many National Parks as we can as a family, hopefully hiking a ton of amazing trails and creating a lot of memories along the way.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Well, when you run/walk a lot of miles, you cover quite a few topics of conversation…not sure there is much my friends/family don’t know about me as a result. One thing I don’t think most of my Lakeville friends know about me is that I participated in a lot of intramural sports in college and managed to earn quite a few Intramural championship t-shirts over my 4 years there. The most obscure and definitely one of my favorites was Innertube Water Basketball. What a fun sport! And although not an intramural sport, being on the winning blind-fold canoeing team at ISU VEISHEA is among the top unique recreational sporting activities I’ve ever participated in. Essentially, a team of 3 in a canoe: the two members with paddles are blindfolded and you have 1 navigator in the middle with no paddle and no blindfold. It’s an interesting feeling to be paddling so hard and have no idea where you are going. Talk about an exercise in trust.
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
This is a tough one. I feel like there is so much beauty everywhere. Ask anyone that’s ever run with me, and they will confirm how much time I spend pointing out the scenery. It’s really amazing how much beauty exists in the simple, every day things. Being able to soak up and appreciate the intricacies of nature is one of the things I love most about being active outdoors. And living in a state that has multiple seasons throughout the year amplifies the opportunity for variety. What a gift that is! Of my travels, I would say Hawaii might be toward the top of the list of beautiful places. The fact that we left for our trip the day after a 16 inch April snowfall in Minnesota and landed in 85 degree tropical paradise might have given us even more “rose colored glasses” as we took in the scenery there, but pretty sure Hawaii is breathtaking all the time.
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
Favorite Month is probably September….more specifically, late September into Early October. I LOVE Fall! Especially when the temps return to the 50-70 degree mark and the leaves start to change color. Plus, it’s the absolute perfect running weather!
Favorite Holiday is probably Thanksgiving. Mostly because of all the family time. It’s the one holiday we are able to see all of our extended families in one weekend, which is always so much fun. Plus, it kicks off all of our holiday activities for Christmas. It seems like Thanksgiving through New Year’s is just one big celebration among various family and friend gatherings. And of course, the food throughout is always a big highlight.
I have two best days: May 8th and May 20th – the birthdays for my kiddos. I just love seeing their joy and excitement in celebrating their birthdays every year and have so much fun making the day special for them.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
Anyone that runs with me knows that one of my most favorite running gear items is my running belt – or as I like the refer to it, my fanny pack. Definitely one of my signature pieces of apparel. It’s been kind of an ongoing joke for years among my running friends, since I started the trend well before they made a fashion comeback, but now that they are back on trend, my purchase options have increased tremendously which has been fabulous! Of the styles I’ve tried over the years, my most recent find has held up the best. It’s the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag. It stays put as you run, it has lots of separate compartments which is nice to keep your credit card/insurance card and keys safely stored in a zipped compartment while you access your phone or other items, and it has been incredibly durable. I also like the flexibility of wearing it around my waist or across my chest. So yes, investing in a fanny pack is what I would call a 10/10 decision.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids are a constant inspiration for me to be the best version of myself. I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by so many incredible family and friends that help me find that best version through their role modeling, advice and support.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
Indoors: The smell of homemade baked goods; Outdoors: the smell of pine in the woods.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Family, Friends, Relaxing
To learn more about Moms on the Run in Lakeville & Burnsville, please visit: https://www.momsontherun.com/burnsville.html
