Hear an Inspirational Fitness Testimony from a Charlotte Leader, Kathryn Martin. As you know, we are all about Christian Fitness and on Testimony Tuesday’s we like to honor and highlight Christians that are stewarding their temple well. People that are wonderful examples for the community.

Inspirational Fitness Testimony from a Charlotte Leader, woman in black dress holding a cup of coffee in front of a brick building

“Hi! My name is Kathryn Martin. I am a wife, mother, nurse, daughter, friend, and fitness enthusiast. I live at home with my husband, three daughters (ages 13, 10, & 4), and our 1 yr. old Goldendoodle. I love a good a challenge and have a desire to try almost everything at least once! I love to learn new things all while doing old favorites. I can imagine that I would like to learn a foreign language, teach a class, go to a concert, hike the Grand Canyon, bike the Virginia Creeper Trail, volunteer, canoe, and train for an Iron Man—all this week. Just kidding, not really. So this is the area I also need and am aiming to grow. Maintaining focus and allowing peace and presence to be foremost in my pursuits is a high priority that I am learning to harness. I have claimed the word ‘peaceful’ for 2017 and am using this as a guide to many decisions. I am passionate about my relationships both my very personal ones and the relationships I am fortunate enough to establish in my career as a nurse. My biggest goals in the upcoming year are: to finish my graduate degree in Nursing, care for my family well, and care for myself in the midst of it all.”

Kathryn and one of her best friends posing together during a 5K race

A little FiT-history:

  • 1997- Started lap swimming at college pool- would use the quiet underwater time to visualize the changes I needed and wanted to make both personal and fitness.
  • 1998- Started running at the encouragement of a friend. I started with a Walkman and a Bob Seager tape. I would set goals for distance based on songs (or part of a song as it may have been…)
  • 1999- Ran my first 5k. I had to register by mail and drive one town over to run it (they weren’t as popular back then). It was a small Susan G. Komen. I cried (and still do) at the beauty and diversity of the people able to run this!
  • 2000- Got injured and started strength training and cycling to diversify and reduce risk.
  • 2000-2003- Focused on distance running with Strength training 1-2x week.
  • 2003-2009- Began teaching group exercise. Taught Body Pump, Cycle, Strength Training, Athletic Conditioning classes. Continued distance running. Generally Half Marathons.
  • 2008- Started Triathlon: Half IronMan x 2, Olympic Distance, occasional Sprints
  • 2010- Tried my first CrossFit Class. Wow. Game changer.
  • 2010-2012- CrossTit, group ex, triathlon, running
  • 2013- Converted garage to home gym (CrossFit style), had third child, gave up triathlon, added more distance running.
  • 2013- Started Four-Fit, bootcamp based HIIT workouts, KB training, resistance and bodyweight.
  • Today: I’m all over the place! I do and enjoy a little bit of everything: Here’s a typical week:

 

Monday: Orange Theory

Tuesday: Four Fit Bootcamp workout in am   & 3 mile treadmill run pm

Wednesday: 4 mile run with barbell squats and/or Hot Vinyasa Yoga

Thursday: Four Fit Bootcamp workout

Friday: Driveway WOD with neighbors (often a Tabata!)

Saturday: CrossFit with women from church!

   Sunday: Run! Almost always alone☺

Rest: I always rest one day. Or move gently, like yoga or jog.

A group of ladies posing after a Crossfit competition

MissionFiT: When you think of your fitness journey, what 3 words come to mind?

  1. Essential

  2. Evolving

  3. Relational

 

MissionFiT: What ways have you implemented in your life to allow you to actively pursue wellness?

Kathryn: Accountability! At this point in my life I love, and need, to move daily. I am also in a place where the demands on my time are greater than at any other point in my life. Motivation is simply not enough these days. I make my movement an appointment. Sometimes I have to schedule someone else to meet me. And I almost always know ahead of time (a least the day before) how I am going to exercise on the following day. If I wait to see when I can fit it in, I won’t be able to. I don’t have that luxury anymore!

 

MissionFiT: Aside from personal relationships, what motivates you on your pursuit of wellness and your fitness journey?

Kathryn: Mental and physical well-being. It is not a concept to me that ‘I know I should do this to feel better.’ I am literally the best version of myself when I care well for myself in both movement and what I put in my body. I am able to do more, think more clearly, and honestly be more of who I was created to be. Life is often exhausting and overwhelming. When I care for myself well, I am able to respond in much healthier and effective ways. I am also much kinder and have more patience. Getting an adequate amount of sleep on consecutive days is a big contributor to my overall wellness. This is a lesson that I have been late in learning and still struggle to implement.

Family of five in the woods holding hands and smiling

MissionFiT: Among your personal support system, who do you find has been your biggest fan and given you the most encouragement to maintain your training? 

Kathryn: My husband, Seth, hands down without a doubt. I could tell him, in the midst of our incredibly busy lives today that I want to train for an IronMan and he would support me. He would create space and allow me to do it. Right after he rolled his eyes at me and called me crazy ☺

Inspirational Fitness Testimony from a Charlotte Leader, woman in black top with blonde hair standing in a yard, headshot

MissionFiT: What has been your experience of fitness training in groups and alone? 

Kathryn: I love both so, so much. My very best friends in this life have come from training. My best conversations and relationships have been built over miles traversed with my feet. The same is true for my relationship with the Lord. I love solitary time on the road to listen to Him, talk with Him, and just be. I love the space a run by myself creates within me. It is the thing I most want to describe about running and the thing that is most indescribable.

 

“FiTness builds self-efficacy. Achieving something in one area of your life (like that first push-up) transfers to the ability to overcome obstacles and reach goals in other areas! Exercise is like having a superpower. And it is available to anyone, regardless of experience. It’s not about quantity (though maybe that’s possible too), it’s QUALITY! Aging is a shared experience for all of us, one of which can be rife with loss of ability, health, and independence. Exercise has the power to help us move better, with less disease, for longer than we would otherwise.  It’s fun, well eventually. Starting, and sticking to, an exercise regimen can be really challenging in the beginning. But eventually our brain adapts and reward us for our hard work.”

 

“Movement becomes its’ own reward…”

Inspirational Fitness Testimony from a Charlotte Leader, a shadow of a girl jumping like a dancer, she's in front of a lake at sunset