What type of change did you make in your life? Or what goal did you set out to achieve? When I started my job at Mayo Clinic, I made a commitment to run a 5k with my colleagues. I hadn’t seriously run since I was in middle school, and had disliked it even back then. Using the Mayo Clinic’s 5k running guide, I was able to build up enough stamina to run the whole 5k without stopping. That experience led me to wanting to exercise more consistently and after signing up for the DAHLC, I found that I really enjoyed strength training. I have now successfully completed a half marathon, and exercise 3-5 days/week where a little over a year ago I hardly exercised at all.

What are some challenges you faced that elicited that change or that made you want to go for that goal? What barriers did you run into while pursuing your goal? I wanted to start being more intentional with my physical health-coming out of the pandemic I rarely exercised, and knew that I wanted to do more. I had completed some online exercise challenges, but found it hard to stick to them and exercise regularly in the long run. Lacking motivation and structure was a big challenge, in addition to the inclement weather of the Midwest, which makes outside exercise somewhat challenging.

What are some factors that helped you make that change or that helped you achieve your goal? List any specific services you used at the DAHLC. Regularly attending classes at the DAHLC, such as Strength, Boot Camp, and Barbell Club, really helped me stay consistent with my exercise goals. Having great instructors who were knowledgeable about and happy to answer my questions after class really makes a difference, and makes me feel comfortable when working out. The class routine that I follow and all of the gym buddies that I’ve met during classes help me to stay motivated and consistent.

What would you tell or encourage someone with who is in your old shoes and doesn’t know where to start? Anything in particular that inspired you throughout your journey? If you don’t know where to start, start small, and more importantly stick with it. A workout can become something that you look forward to instead of dreading. Seeing incremental physical and mental improvements over a relatively short period of time (a year) keeps me motivated in my fitness journey.

How does the future look different than it did before? My future looks (and feels) a lot brighter! I now have proof that I can achieve any goal I set my mind to. My fitness journey has truly given me a lot of confidence and I’m excited to see where it takes me next!

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