FEATURED MEMBER: Sarah M.

This week's featured member is Sarah.  I had heard about her from my friend Laura, who had recently taken up running and raved and raved about this girl Sarah who worked at Gazelle and was so helpful.  If you haven't met her yet, you may have at least noticed she always has the coolest gym shoes (a perk of working for Gazelle, I bet!). 

Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm married with a 14 year old step-daughter and a few furry kids, too!  I enjoy being active and crafty and photography.  I love being outside and most of the summer you can find me in my garden.  About a year ago, I left the job that I had for over 14 years to pursue a new path and I couldn't be happier.  I now work at Gazelle Sports and I love the positive, healthy atmosphere.  I am so thankful for a job that I want to go to every day (well, almost).  I also work part-time at Little Sprout Children's Boutique.
I am the kind of person who likes to stay busy!  In addition to two jobs, I coach Girls on the Run, Gazoom (a 5K training program) and Summer Safari (a 1/2 marathon training program).

What is your usual weekly workout routine?
I aim for 6 days a week, but I don't beat myself up if it's only 5.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday I do Body Pump @ 6 a.m. and then hit the treadmill for some speed-work. Tuesdays and Thursdays are my shorter run days and Saturdays are my long run days. If I'm training for a race, I usually add another run into the mix when I can find time.  I try to take Sundays off for recovery.

What are your go-to snacks and meals?
I like to snack.  I eat a lot of fruits & veggies throughout the day.  I always keeps some cut up in the fridge so they are easy to grab & go (and so I'm not tempted to grab a bag of chips!).  Because we have a garden, it's nice to be able to hop out there and decide what's for dinner based solely on what's ready to pick that evening.  I love to try new recipes, so meals are always fun & different at our house. 
 
How do you balance being active with the demands of your daily life?
I am a big fan of the quote 'If it is important to you, you will find a way, if not, you'll find an excuse'.  I get up early and get my workout in first thing, that way there are NO excuses when life gets busy.  Running is like therapy for me.  I run with a group 3 times a week, so in addition to the accountability of meeting them, we get to socialize and before we know it, 5 miles is done & we're on our way!

What is a fitness or healthy living goal you have for yourself?
My goal is really just to stay healthy for the rest of my life so that when I am 70, I will still be able to do the things that I love.
 
What do you like about being a member at SWAT?
Everyone is so friendly and helpful.  The instructors are motivating and fun and there is a great variety of classes to accomodate everyone and every schedule.
 
What is your favorite class at SWAT? Why?
Body Pump!  I get cardio and strength training in one hour!  I really enjoy Body Attack, but Pump just seems to fit into my schedule the best.

 Do you have a person who is your healthy living/fitness inspiration? Who and why?
Just about everyone that I work with at Gazelle is an inspiration to me. We all set goals and work really hard to reach them. We are all passionate about what we do and keep each other motivated on a daily basis.