The Wrench Fitness

From a young age, my life has been defined by an unwavering passion for the natural world, particularly reptiles and amphibians. My passion & activities were equally pulled into the direction of sport, active movement & play outdoors in the “wild” forests of Orange County North Carolina. As a child, I spent countless hours exploring my backyard, turning over rocks and logs to uncover hidden creatures. My fascination with these animals led me to meticulously create terrariums and habitats, nurturing a budding interest in herpetology.

In addition to my love for nature, I was a passionately active child, with a particular fondness for Physical Education. I participated in a variety of sports, from soccer to basketball, and spent many weekends hiking through forests or playing games with friends. This blend of physical activity and a love for the outdoors became a fundamental part of my identity.

As I grew older, my interests evolved into alternative sports such as skateboarding, rock climbing, and mountain biking. These activities satisfied my need for adventure and physical exertion while fostering a deep appreciation for the natural environment. Simultaneously, my academic pursuits in biology and environmental science began to take shape. High school biology classes captivated me, and I eagerly absorbed every lesson, encouraged by teachers who recognized my passion.

Upon entering college, I chose to major in biology with a focus on environmental science and ecology. My courses combined classroom learning with extensive fieldwork, allowing me to study ecosystems and species interactions up close. Herpetology, my childhood passion, became a significant focus of my studies. I conducted field research on reptiles and amphibians, contributing to scientific papers and presenting my findings at conferences.

Around eight years ago, I did my first triathlon race and instantly fell in love with the sport. What began as a new challenge quickly evolved into a significant part of my life. I progressed from local races to competing in half Iron Man distance races, eventually becoming a sponsored elite athlete. This journey in triathlon has paralleled my academic pursuits, emphasizing the same dedication and perseverance that drive my scientific research.

My love for triathlon and fitness has also inspired me to help others find their own joy in being active, getting stronger, and discovering their own endurance athlete, both physically and mentally. I have dedicated time to coaching and mentoring aspiring athletes, guiding them to achieve their personal bests and fostering a community of health and wellness.

My academic career has been driven by a desire to contribute to the conservation of the natural world. Through research in herpetology, I have gained a deep understanding of the delicate balance within ecosystems and the crucial role that even the smallest creatures play. My work aims to develop strategies to protect vulnerable species and their habitats, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

Today, my journey from a curious child to a dedicated scientist and elite athlete continues to inspire my professional and personal endeavors. I strive to inspire others to appreciate and protect the natural world through education, research, and conservation efforts, while also encouraging a lifestyle of fitness and resilience. My goal is to make a lasting impact on the fields of herpetology, ecology, and environmental science, driven by the same curiosity and enthusiasm that has always defined me.

From this newfound enthusiasm from a peripheral hobby quickly, grew into a deep passion and drive for pushing that endurance edge, doing a little bit further a little bit harder. Accomplished physical and mental feats she fathom being capable of.  Competing in local sprint and Olympic distance triathlon I quickly begin placing first in my age group and placing in the top 3 to 5 overall among females.  My hard work culminated and my first 70.3 distance race in Wilmington, North Carolina where I placed fifth in my age group which alloted me a slot to the Ironman 70.3 world championship race in New Zealand.  Accomplishments in the sport of triathlon as well as pushing  through wall after wall of so many endurance events helps to not only improve my fitness, but immensely boosted my overall mood and mental well-being. As many endurance athletes experience, I suffered many injuries due to high training volume.  This caused my ability to compete to eb & flow; eventually leading to a devastating sacral stress fracture in 2021 after competing in my 2nd IM 70.3 world championship race in St. George Utah.  This injury completely halted in all training and most physical activity for me for an extended amount of time. Along with severe and chronic pain causing my entire point and relationship with fitness to completely transform. Moving onward and upward from the devastating injury I begin to renew my relationship with the sport of triathlon, and endurance sport in general.  My drive to come back stronger in a more sustainable body had me committed to strength and resistance training unlike what she had ever done before. This newfound aspect of fitness & my desire to become recertified as a personal trainer, and to commit to spreading my love, knowledge of, and experiences with fitness endurance and sports related injuries.
This lead to the present day pursuits as I began my work one on one with clients, helping them to find fitness,l more approachable, more fun and more sustainable. I am so excited for this new challenge and for building many new relationships with clients far and wide.

Triathlon

I participated in my first triathlon race in September of 2016. It was a super sprint distance, barely taking an hour to complete. It was after I realized I had placed first overall (including the male participants) that I was officially hooked on the sport & the competitive drive to push myself to succeed out on the race courses & in all of the workouts in between.