I work with some great people on a daily basis and have for years. The type of people that make me realize how fortunate I am to do what I do and get paid to do it. Oftentimes, I drive home from work and reflect on how much I enjoyed the day.

"If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life." - Marc Anthony

It's gratifying to surround yourself with others who are constantly striving for improvement, whether that be recovering from injury and/or working towards a specific health & fitness goal. That is why I wanted to create this new series called 'In the Spotlight'. Essentially, it's a way for me to highlight my clients so that you can see first hand some of their struggles, victories, and lessons throughout the process.

Without further ado, let's shine the spotlight on...

Carol Rolfes

Q: First, tell us a little bit about where you are from and what activities you have been into over the years.

A: "Born in VA, grew up in NJ, lived in Texas, GA and now TN. Over the years I would do a strength class and jog a little now and then. In my 40's (in GA)  I started running seriously with my best friend. Back then it was only 5K and 10K races which we did often and for fun. Our pace was between 8:30 and 9:00 but at the time we were doing it for fun and never realized that it was a pretty good pace. The Atlanta Thanksgiving half was the first time we ran over 6 miles and we both came in under 2 hours. A few years later I lost this best friend to cancer and for many years I just could not run without her. At 60 (now in TN) my then oldest late 30's son asked me to help him start running. We started walking together with me figuring I would leave him on his own once he started jogging. But I found it felt good again and stuck with him. That fall we joined a Fleet Feet training group and started training seriously. Needless to say my pace was slow due to injuries sustained in car accidents, falls and my mature age but I was having fun and staying healthy. Over the last 9 years I ran a lot, worked at Fleet Feet for a while, received my RRCA certification and coached both the No Boundaries and Half Marathon training for Fleet Feet."

Q: What caused you to change from running to walking?

A: "have had a herniated disc in the lumbar area for a long time but this past fall it started to cause me a significant amount of pain. Couple that with some osteoporosis in both hips I received a recommendation from my Doctor to cease running and start walking. As he said...."I would be happy if you walked the soles off your shoes". "

Q: What are the main reasons you enjoy running/race walking?

A: "I enjoyed the freedom, comradery and high running gave me.It took me a while to get used to walking and not running. When I realized I could easily do speed training and increase my walking speed I started to enjoy it more. Walking also allows you to really enjoy the scenery and notice more around you on your route."

Q: Do you have any goal races coming up?

A: "I have now walked 2 half marathons, The second race I did 20 minutes faster than my first. I would like to take some time off my next race which is on September 2nd."

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: "Having lived several places and traveled 47 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Where I am at any given point brings me joy. That is currently TN where the majority of my children and grandchildren live."

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: "Increase balance, reduce ongoing pain from arthritis, strengthen and balance my muscles (better mobility), reduce future injury risks, increase bone mass. With these improvements I have been able to increase mileage without pain and pick up my speed."

Q: What motivated you to work with someone like Garrett and start making changes in your routine?

A: "I signed up for his email and watched his videos for almost a year before I decided that he was an expert in the field. I truly feel like I am working with a Physical Trainer, Physical Therapist and Chiropractor (I say that because my Chiro does ART also)."

Q: What are some of the improvements that you are most proud of?

A: "Increased balance. I am finally able to do one legged dead lifts, bench step ups and lunges without losing my balance."

Q: What is your favorite part about the group functional strength & mobility sessions?

A: Garrett's workouts are challenging but he always makes it fun. He helps you understand why you are doing certain moves and encourages you as you improve.  I love the group atmosphere and way we each motivate each other."

Q: What is that one thing you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: "Anything to do with balance. It is a slow process at my age, you don't see immediate improvement like you would with pull-ups or other weight training."

Q: After your first session you received an individualized corrective exercise program... How important do you think this has been for you?

A: "I still do the corrective exercises as I found they help when I have completed long walks or overdone myself and I know they were developed specifically for me."

Q: If you had to give someone similar to you a piece of advice, what would it be?

A: "Start working with Garrett asap, but I say that to everyone I meet now."

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: "I have been to Physical Therapists and Chiropractors and good ones. But the corrective exercises they give you pertain only to the point of injury or pain. Garrett works with the weakness that is causing the pain and directs them toward improved overall function."

Thank you for reading the first ever In the Spotlight. And, a big shout out to Carol Rolfes!! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.