In the Spotlight: Kim Pettit

We are back at it with another edition of the 'In the Spotlight' series. This month we have Kim Pettit, aka 110%. Kim earned this nickname in the Group Functional Strength & Mobility program where her effort is always top notch!

Over the past year it has been a pleasure working with Kim. She always bring with her a positive attitude and superb work ethic. Despite some obstacles throughout her marathon training (see below), Kim stayed consistent with the basics and was able to overcome. The result was a well-deserved first marathon completion this past November.

With 2018 being well underway, I am excited to see what Kim accomplishes this year!

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

Kim Pettit

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I was born in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and lived there through a lot of my childhood.I've lived in the Nashville area since my 30s.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I’m a program manager in software development and have been with my company for 18 years.”

Q: When you aren’t working, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: “Hiking, spending time with my daughter, white water rafting.”

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

A: “I don't really have an ideal "location" in mind, but it would definitely be somewhere in the mountains, and nearby waterfalls would be a must. Great views to see the sunrise and sunset, feel the crispness of a cool morning, watch the birds and animals, and just being in the beauty of this world.Being out in nature makes my heart happy!”

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running?

A: “It keeps me active and challenges me. I have a pretty stressful job and am tied to a desk all day long.Running gets me up and out the door.”

Q: Recently, you ran the Marine Corps Marathon... How did that go? And, do you see other marathons in your future?

A: “The Marine Corp Marathon was my first marathon and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. 6 months of training (most of it the TN summer heat) meant getting up at 4am each day to get my runs in before work. I still look back on it and can't believe I ran 26.2 miles, but I was successful because I put in the work, including incorporating Garrett's strength training into my routine.As for future marathons, probably not.Running the race wasn't really that hard, but the training was pretty intense. I think I'll stick to half marathons- still challenging, but not near as time consuming.”

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

A: “I had signed up for Garrett's emails quite a while ago and had also been Facebook stalking him for a while and was really impressed with his knowledge plus his willingness to share things.I had been having some nagging hip pain off and on for several years and finally decided to contact him in the hopes he could help me (see below for more details).”

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

A: “I started seeing Garrett in Feb 2017 due to a nagging ache on my right side. After a functional evaluation, he quickly diagnosed my problem and set me up with a plan to help me get things back aligned.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: “After just a few one on one sessions with him, I could tell a big difference in my running and my pain was gone. I now do a dynamic warm up before my runs, which was never part of my routine. I have since joined his Monday strength training class, which is the highlight of my week. He is wonderful to work with, listens well, and alters things as needed, especially if you are training for a race. His ART sessions are FABULOUS and I am 110% positive his assistance helped me have such a good marathon experience.”

Q: What is your favorite part about the sessions?

A: “The Monday night class is a small group which allows Garrett the ability to watch everyone and ensure we are doing exercises correctly.Doing them incorrectly doesn't add any value and could actually do more harm.We also laugh a lot, and I really look forward to this class.One on one sessions give us the opportunity to focus on those 'trouble areas' and to put together some exercises to strengthen those areas.Garrett is not just a physical therapist who gives you exercises and then walks away while you do them (that has happened to me when working with other PTs), he is also a trainer, and he wants to make sure you are successful, so he is fully engaged when working with you.”

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

A: “I am super weak in my core- I still can't do a normal side plank (have to do a modified side plank) and often can't finish all of the core stuff, but I keep plugging away.”

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

A: “After a functional assessment, Garrett designs a plan to specifically help with whatever you need. It's not a cookie-cutter 'here are the standard exercises for your type of issue'.As a runner himself, he understands our aches and pains and addresses concerns with compassion. His individualized plans incorporate strength training, mobility, and flexibility. He really does care about each of his clients- we are not just the next appointment of the day.”

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any new goals/races you are working toward in 2018?

A: “I haven't run a half marathon in several years so plan on doing at least one and maybe two this year. I've also signed up for a part road/part trail half marathon just for fun.”

Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Kim Pettit! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.