Miami University Recreation Blog

I started as a Jazzercise instructor at the Rec center my junior year of college, then I eventually transitioned into instructing Kickboxing classes my senior year, and then I became a Pilates instructor, and I taught classes throughout my Master’s work in history. While I was in Graduate school, I was a counselor at the Rec Center Kids Camp during the summer of 2006. Throughout those years, I also checked in participants for classes.

For me, health is paramount for well being physically, mentally, and socially. I have made some of my greatest friends on a long run or a long ride, and my family has made some of our greatest memories on hikes, out swimming, or riding our bikes around town. I am grateful for my time in the Rec Center at Miami for instilling this love of fitness.

I love to be active and am working to help my family develop healthy habits. Personally, I have become really involved in running and triathlon. Since graduating from Miami, I have run 10 marathons, completed 12 Ironman 70.3, and 2 Ironman 140.3 races, and I now serve on the Board of Directors for Kids Tri for Kids, which is an organization that puts on the only kids-only triathlon series in the country. My kids and I have gotten involved in Tae Kwon Do, and I earned my Black belt in December 2023.

When I went to Miami, I didn’t have a regular exercise regimen, but once I started my freshman year, I started going to one kickboxing class a week, and my interest in fitness only grew from there. I loved the feeling of being strong and fit, so I started taking multiple Jazzercise, Kickboxing, Pilates, Step Aerobics, and Spinning classes each week. I also started running regularly on the track at the Rec Center with my CD player and then early iPod, and that love has become part of who I am. I spent 15 years of my professional life as a high school teacher ten years of which I coached high school Girls Cross Country. Miami got me the start I needed to create the healthy, active lifestyle I have today where I can pick up and run a half marathon or take my kids for a bike ride for ice cream because I have that fitness. My time taking and instructing kickboxing classes inspired me to join my boys in studying Tae Kwon Do, which has created a bond I couldn’t create anywhere else.

Go out and find a way to move your body that makes you happy, then make it a priority to do it more days than you don’t. You won’t regret building those kinds of habits into your life.

When I was a camp counselor at the Rec Kids Camp, we decided to have a Pirate Week, and we had a blast organizing lots of pirate-themed games, activities, and contests for the kids. However, I’m pretty sure that we as counselors had more fun than the kids planning, dressing up, and pretending to be pirates.