It is a true privilege to know this team member, and even more so, to call her a friend. She is a wonderful listener, but an even better advocate and cheerleader. Katie, we are grateful for your thoughtfulness and dedication to Fit4Mom Louisville and extremely excited for you to lead our Village as a new Run Club instructor!
Hometown: Bardwell, KY - ALL the way west, right before you fall in the Mississippi
How long have you lived in Louisville? 7 years here, Chicago was home for 10 years before that after undergrad.
Tell us about your family: John, my husband, and I have been together for 20 years (!) and married for 17. He's a consultant with Northern Trust, a Chicago-based bank. Our girls - Sara (7yo @Francis Parker School) and Leah (3 @Thrive Forest School) are our favorite. They both ask excellent questions, are really fun, adore playing outside and love to ride horses. Travel is something we all enjoy! My parents, Kristopher (brother), and Anna (his partner) are also amazing humans that I'm grateful are part of my circle.
Current/Previous career: Before babes, I worked in higher education at Dominican Unversity in Chicago. My role was within Student Affairs and centered around Leadership Development and Event Planning. Currently, I am a FULL time mama and a Manager with Fit4Mom Lou with a focus on DEIB (Diveristy, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging).
What did you want to be “when you grow up”? An equine veterinarian.
What is the furthest you have been away from home? Kochi, India. During college, we studied abroad for a month and traveled to several cities in India. It was truly an incredible, beautiful experience.
What is your favorite thing to do? Travel and explore new places. I especially love sharing new places with my girls. Reading and running are favs as well.
What is something about you that someone may not know? Growing up I rode and showed Quarter Horses. Reining was one of my favorite disciplines.
What is your favorite local restaurant to eat at? What is your go to order? I'm a big Con Huevos fan. I always think I will try something new but keep coming back to the Enchiladas con Huevos. I also REALLY love Full Stop Station. I'm a bit partial as my brother owns it. And it is so good. I rotate between the sausage breakfast sandwich, avo toast, and the beef burger!
What is the best thing about living in Louisville? The parks, green spaces, and trails are amazing. The restaurant scene is also pretty impressive.
What is your favorite color? Kelly Green.
What is your favorite song or artist? The Lone Bellow.
What TV shows are you currently watching? Sadly, none.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us: I think that just happened when I said I'm not watching any TV shows. Ha! Unrelated, I have a longstanding interest in vehicles and like to pay attention to different makes/models.
If someone had to describe you in one word, what would it be and why? One word!? So hard! Bright. Devoted.
How did you find FIT4MOM Louisville? I found F4M through an online search. Jess and Cass were co-teaching when I visited for the first time. It was both hard and fun and I was hooked.
How long have you worked for FIT4MOM Louisville? This is my 5th year!
How has FIT4MOM Louisville changed your life? Joining this community has brought many beatiful people into my life. I am truly forturnate to have connected with F4M at a time of transition in my life. Even beyond Strides, I have found some amazing friends through Run Club and have become a better runner. More recently, I appreciate that I am able to help guide our commitment to and work in the DEIB realm. Finally, the value of modeling moving your body and taking care of your health for our little ones cannot be overstated. This is one of the hallmarks of F4M and it continues to be one of my favorite aspects!
What was the first class that you attended and/or taught? What was the last class that you attended and/or taught? I first attended a Stroller Strides class at a church on Valentine's night in 2018 with Sara (about 9 months old at the time). Stroller Strides was also the first class I taught. The last class I taught was the Run Club preview last week at the Norton Health Sports and Learning Center on the west side!
What classes do you currently attend and/or teach? I'm so excited to kick off my first session of Run Club in a couple of weeks at the Norton Track. Now that I'm finished with this training cycle for the KDF half marathon - I'm planning to start coming to more classes - especially at Bowman!
What is your favorite workout move or class layout? What workout move or class layout makes you feel strong? I like combo moves in general (curtsy lunge and lateral raise is a good one!). I always feel strong hitting two (or more) areas with one move. Given my fondness for running - I think the layout of the RC classes are great with a mix of strength/core and running.
May questions:
Mint julep or a lilly for your beverage of choice? Tastiest appetizer recipe for a Derby party? A Lilly. It's hard to beat a tomato, basil, mozzarella salad.
Do you pick horses based on program facts or name/silks? I love to bet on the grey horse. If there isn't one - I toggle between fixating on the stats and picking based on something entirely unrlated to their record. I'm clearly just in it for fun.
You’ve got $10, would you bet it or save it? I mean, if it's Derby week, I'd bet it!
Best part about Spring in the Bluegrass state? All of the festivities that celebrate the lead-up to Derby are so fun! Thunder is incredible and all of the outdoor options for the city to come together are pretty special. We take the girls to the track for an early morning workout during Derby week to see the horses and that's hard to beat!
Photo credit to BluegrassBebe.