Mountain girl at heart

Hi, I'm Kimberly.  I grew up just outside of Philadelphia and fell in love with the mountains at the age of 14.  I spent many summers with my family, especially my aunts in Wyoming  hiking, backpacking, fly fishing, and dreaming of cowboys.  This love for the West & a running scholarship brought me to the University of Montana in Missoula.  I spent a glorious 5 years majoring in hiking, running, beer drinking, mountain boys, and finally getting a degree in Organizational Communications.  My first love in life was Wyoming, then Montana stole my heart along with a boy from Butte, but it would take us 16 years to figure it out....  

After college I moved to Colorado for more mountains and started my career in the fitness industry.  

I have always been an athlete.  I started with gymnastics at the age of 4 and continued for 8 years, then I played field hockey & lacrosse and finally found my niche in running.  Being an athlete your body eventually breaks down and injuries happen, this is how I found pilates.  I have been teaching pilates for 12 years. I ran the University of Pennsylvania Pilates Studio for 6 years and was a Teacher Trainer for 4 years for Power Pilates, NYC.  I have studied yoga, ayurveda, and I'm a certified health coach.  

So, how does an endurance athlete/pilates instructor become an Olympic weightlifter?  I moved to Seattle 3 years ago to finally be with my Butte, Mt mountain man.  During this time, I was struggling starting a pilates business and I had a lot of free time on my hands so I finally tried Crossfit.  I found Crossfit Belltown which has the most amazing training staff.  They focus on the basics with their athletes and drill the technique of the lifts while pushing you to your capability.  With Crossfit, I have become stronger inside & out, feel and look healthier, and it's really awesome lifting heavy weights and doing pull-ups.  During this time I was introduced to the Olympic Lifts, the Snatch and Clean and Jerk.  These lifts are all about technique and its just you and the barbell.  I have been working with a coach for a year and competed in my first weightlifting meet on my birthday.   It was a great way to turn 37!

I have moved a lot in the last 15 years and lived in many amazing places such as Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Washington.  In a month, I will be finally settling down with my husband in Big Sky Country.  It was worth the wait and its where we belong....