18 Years Stronger: My Fitness Journey

In January 2007 when my daughter Sarah was just 4 months old, Aaron asked me if I could come downstairs and count his reps for his workout. It was a circuit of 5 stations, repeat for 3 rounds, and your score is the number of reps you do. At the end, I said “that looked like fun, I want to try that sometime!” That sentence changed my life, and this is how I was introduced to CrossFit. I actually started as a New Year’s Resolution (and stuck with it!) Aaron taught me the movements and I did the “workout of the day”! This was in Saskatchewan. We started a little basement gym for friends. I put out a jar and people would drop in a toonie for a workout. Then they could put in a twenty dollar bill and be good for 10 workouts. The point was to have a bit of money to invest in more equipment. This is how CrossFit Regina was born!

I fell in love with the barbell and really enjoyed getting stronger. We used to have a heavy vacuum cleaner that I would ask Aaron to carry up and down the stairs for me, and now I could carry it myself no problem. I once asked my dad if he could help Aaron move a couch and he said “why don’t you help him, you’re as strong as any man!”. I remember my first time deadlifting 60 pounds and I complained it was so heavy, then deadlifting 200 pounds, outside on the driveway that first spring. And also running 5km without stopping, without any running training. 

Aaron and I decided we wanted to get our CrossFit Level one (L1) certification. We signed up for the L1 in Denver, Colorado in June 2007. Both Grandmas came to stay at our house with our kids, and we left on a road trip, studying all along the way! Google maps told us the drive would take 12 hours but it ended up taking 17 hours! When we thought we would get there around 6pm, have a nice dinner and settle into our hotel, we got there around 11pm, and had to be up early the next day! Our L1 was 2 full days and there were 50 people signed up: 40 men and 10 women. We had a great weekend and we were known as “The Canadians” since we were noticeably nice. We got to meet some of the CrossFit OG greats.

When we came back from our training, we did the work to become an official CrossFit Affiliate, the first in Saskatchewan, in July 2007. We were very quickly bursting at our seams with people curious about this new methodology, and bothering our neighbors with all the cars parked on the street. So we decided to move to a small space: a truck bay that was 1200 square feet. We added equipment as we could afford to, and had a local welder make a pull-up bar for us! We had the trademark overhead garage door and high ceilings for rings and ropes. We added a few part time coaches as people were willing to go for the training. We quickly outgrew our space and moved down the street to our next space that was 3000 square feet. We got a bigger pull-up rig and started to get more official CrossFit equipment from Rogue. 

Over the next few years, we went to many training weekends, often renting a big van and traveling with groups to Calgary and Edmonton, getting to meet training experts like Mike Burgener and Mark Rippetoe. We also traveled for competitions! My first ever was in 2009, where 5 of us girls competed in Calgary in the Canadian Regionals. When I was driving to a venue for a 1K run race on an indoor track, I told Aaron I was the most nervous I had ever been in my entire life. After that event, I told Aaron I was in love with competing and wanted to do more! We actually qualified a team for the CrossFit Games in 2010 and got to travel to California and compete on the field with the big names! I remember the pull-up bar being so hot, and competing being so thrilling! I got my picture taken with Annie Thorisdottir! It was always exciting to be a part of the CrossFit community. 

Back home, the real thrill was helping people. We have always been in this industry to make a difference in peoples’ lives. We get to walk alongside people in their journeys to better their lifestyle, both physically and mentally. We love to see them changing their life for themselves and their families, increasing their confidence, getting stronger and fitter, and living healthier into their later years.

We ran CrossFit Regina for 7 years, spending a total of 10 years in Saskatchewan, while Aaron worked for the Regina Fire Department. We really enjoyed our time there, our kids got to be involved, and we made lifelong friends. In the end we moved back to Manitoba to be closer to family. Both sets of parents are in Steinbach, and we wanted to enjoy time with them while they are still able-bodied. We sold CFR to 2 sisters, Kim and Aimee, who are still running it and going strong! 

Back in Steinbach (now 2014), we purchased a home and set up a basement gym. We started training family and friends (sound familiar?!) and grew to 40 members in our basement (4 at a time). Our name comes from: Stone Brook for the meaning of Steinbach, with Strength because we believe life is better stronger. The horse in the logo represents the strong draft horses in the Pioneer Days parade. In 2016, we decided to move the business out of the house (again!). It was thrilling to go through this process again, knowing we could help even more people live a better, stronger life. 

Fast forward to 2020, and everyone knows what happened then. We went through a few rough years with 3 Covid shut downs. To survive, each time we let our members take home a dumbbell or kettlebell and we ran zoom classes. We created daily videos with instructions, and members could do the workout on their own or with an instructor and other members on zoom video. We allowed our members daily access, hoping this would create some light in the dark times – seeing familiar faces, and staying active to help our mental state. When allowed, we did outdoor workouts at parks, the track, and even the gym parking lot! In 2022, we had the opportunity to move to a bigger space on the same lot (we didn’t have to change our address!). This gave us the chance for a fresh start, without any covid restrictions, like taped squares keeping us 10 feet apart. We really felt like things were back to normal!

We have built a wonderful team of coaches, who really care about our members as much as we do. And we continue to grow and expand what we offer: spin, yoga, mobility and more! We have classes for all age groups, from kids to seniors, with an age range of 5 to 83! 

For myself personally, there have been ups and downs along the way. I have seen steady improvements in my strength and fitness, but with some interruptions like moving provinces, going through covid, minor injuries (not from the gym!). The PRs (personal records) slow down, but they still happen! My most recent PR was shoulder press for 2 reps. It’s amazing to know that after 18 years, I can still keep improving. I am now 47, and my main goal is to maintain my muscle and bone density, and my level of fitness as I go into my later decades. I love being useful in everyday living, able to help someone if they are moving, etc. All the while, lifting with correct form that I learned in the gym. I plan to keep living this lifestyle as long as possible. I am proud to say I am 18 Years Stronger! 

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