Renov8 Fitness

This Friday, June 19th, I’ll be lining up for the Ascent, and this one is no joke.

From the valley floor at Palisades Tahoe, we’ll climb over 2,800 feet in just 3.61 miles, finishing on the summit of 9,000-foot Washeshu Peak. It is a vertical uphill race, which basically means there is no easing into it. Just one foot in front of the other, lungs burning, legs working, mind negotiating, and the mountain reminding you exactly who is in charge.

This race is also part of the 2026 WMRA World Cup and the 2026 USATF Uphill Mountain Running Championship, so the energy out there is going to be incredible. I’m not going into this expecting easy. I’m going into it ready to challenge myself, stay present, and keep choosing forward movement no matter how uncomfortable it gets.

This is what Return to Strong™ means to me. It is not about waiting until everything feels perfect. It is about showing up, trusting the work, respecting the mountain, and proving to myself that I can keep climbing.

Friday morning at 8am, I ascend.

The sound you hear in the background is not me.

That is everyone else dropping barbells to the floor while doing fast power cleans, which was the prescribed workout that day.

What I’m doing instead is a slower, more controlled back squat because I know my body, I know my goals, and I know what I need right now.

I did not modify the workout because I was trying to do less. I modified it because I am training with intention.

My goal right now is to build as much muscle and strength as I can before my hysterectomy surgery, and for me, that means moving with control, creating tension, focusing on quality reps, and choosing the exercise that best supports where I am in my body and in my life.

This is why learning your body matters.

This is why having the confidence to make smart adjustments matters.

This is why blindly following what everyone else is doing is not always the answer.

Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is slow down, tune in, and choose the version of the workout that actually serves you.

Training is not about proving you can keep up with everyone around you. It is about knowing what you are working toward and making decisions that support that goal.

That is strength.

Coming back from vacation and whew… my quads have definitely been reminding me that I took a break. 😂 Between my race weekend and jumping right back into training, the soreness has been REAL. But honestly? That soreness is also a reminder that I’m rebuilding strength again, and I’m grateful for it.

A lot of people think taking time off means they’re “starting over,” but that’s not true. Life happens. Vacations happen. Recovery happens. What matters most is getting back into your routine and continuing to move forward.

Right now, I’m especially focused because I’m preparing for an upcoming hysterectomy. My goal is simple: Go into surgery strong so I can recover strong. At the same time, I’ve also got races coming up, including the Capital Odyssey Relay, so I’m balancing strength training with running and speed work too.

This is all part of my journey. Not perfection. Not punishment. Just continuing to show up, rebuild, and grow stronger one step at a time.

This was my first race since Thanksgiving 2025, and honestly, I was exhausted.

I went into this 4.5-mile trail race with one simple goal: Have fun and finish.

The race was harder than expected, but I kept going, I finished, and then .binns and I both ended up winning first place in our age groups.

Sometimes showing up really is the win, and sometimes life surprises you with even more.