AGE:  49

PROFESSION:  I run the content team for ConsumerTrack, a personal finance company.

HOMETOWN:  Sydney, Australia

COLLEGE:  Barnard (I was born in Sydney, but my mom’s American so I’ve got dual citizenship and have spent a lot of my life in the US)

FAVORITE FOOD:  Tacos and oysters. Not together.

FAVORITE PLACE VISITED:  Montalto – a tiny Italian town on the Adriatic coast, half way between Rome and Florence.

PLACE YOU WANT TO VISIT:  Japan

FAVORITE MOVIE:  It’s a Wonderful Life

FAVORITE SINGER:  Right now loving Hannah Joy – Middle Kids lead singer. But Ryan Adams is a very close second.

HOBBIES:  Reading and travel. I love a good road trip. Also volunteer work for the Democrats, but is that a hobby?!

BACKGROUND:  I’ve never enjoyed exercising. It’s always felt like a chore. It took my impending 50th birthday and a frozen shoulder that had me in pain for 10 months to really figure something out. With the help of my dear friend Anne-Marie, I kick-started a solid exercise routine and Sonki Fitness is at the center of that. I used to regularly have a sore back – it would go out every couple of months – a result of sitting for my work and not having a strong core. I haven’t had a single problem with my back since I started Sonki. 

What is your current routine?  Sonki three times a week. And a run and/or hike on Saturday or Sunday. Also a yoga stretch at least once a week using the Yoga Studio app (which is hooked up to my phone and the TV). Sitting a lot means I’m really tight – the stretch helps a lot there.

What is your motivation to stay in shape?  My kids – they are both so fit and healthy. My son runs cross country and track, they both play basketball. I want to make sure I can keep up! And my husband – we run together on the weekends, and I like that we have that connection. And my age! I want to be strong as I get older. I want to be able to travel with ease and not worry if I can lift my bag into the overhead storage.

What is your greatest challenge to staying in shape?  Discipline. Getting and staying fit is so relentless. Exercising is not something I love. Sonki has made it a lot more fun but it is still a challenge for me.

What is your key to success?  Keep going. Just keep going. I’ve messed up in the past – not gone to the new gym I joined or missed a yoga class or two and then just dropped out completely. This time around I am committed to returning – just keep on showing up – even if I have missed a class. I am in it for the long haul now.

What do you like about Sonki Fitness and how has it affected your life?  I love that I get to do it with my friend Anne-Marie. That’s a real treat. But also the community Sonki nurtures is really special. We are all very different – I am definitely the least fit of the team! But I feel supported. There is no judgement – Sonki pushes me but not in a way that makes me uncomfortable or demoralized. He is running a boot camp with heart. What more could you ask for?

What advice would you give to others about fitness?  Do it, just do it. Whatever you can, whenever you can. I keep reminding myself that my body is not my enemy. It’s a friend, that will be there right to the very end. And the kinder we are to that friend the better our lives will be. Kindness right now means getting fit and strong.