We've all been there. We know the health benefits that regular exercise gives our body, mind and spirit. But the motivation to actually get up and do something about it... meh. It's a challenge on the best of days. If you are anything like me, you know exactly what I am talking about. As a mother of two, a wife, working a full-time job, running from sports event to school event to church event and so on -- I was the Queen of excuses. But the day came when the versatility of my youth was lost and my desk-job and eating habits started to show; in my climbing weight, in my energy, and most of all, in my attitude.

Then I discovered Spartan races. In ancient Greece, Spartans were warriors who faced impossible odds with immense bravery. The name is associated with a "Never Quit" attitude and a die-hard philosophy. There is an organization that runs Spartan races with this mantra all over the world. I signed up the same day I hired Tiara as my personal trainer. There was no way I could do it on my own!!

With Tiara's coaching, both in grinding work-outs where I pushed my body to its limits and a strict diet regime, and with Jason's constant encouragement, I was finally ready for my first Spartan race in August of 2019 in Calgary. It took me 9 months to prepare but I completed it!! Did I run a perfect race? Absolutely not. I failed three obstacles out of twenty, which required 30 burpees each for my failure. But the adrenaline and satisfaction of persevering and completing the race and being handed my first Spartan medal was an accomplishment I will not quickly forget.

Exercise and health is not just for one type of person. It's not just for the die-hard body-builders, or for the Moms who want to lose a few baby pounds, or for the marathon runners, or for the elite athletes or for the young. It's for EVERYBODY. And that's who and what our gym is here to serve. Our goal is to meet you right where you are in life and fitness... and help you excel to where you want to be. To come along-side you and meet you burpee for burpee, push-up for push-up, mile for mile. You got this!!

Exercise to me isn’t just a passion, it’s a necessity. It’s a matter of life and death.

From a young age, I had known I had some sort of heart condition. A murmur, they told me. A bicuspid valve, they said. My endurance was supposed to be non-existent and activity was going to be a challenge. And yet, it wasn’t. I lived a life unimpeded by whatever this abnormally apparently was. I was active in hockey, weight-lifted, played tennis regularly with friends and had begun to run longer distances.

It was in this running that I found my new love for exercise. While camping, a friend challenged me to an out-and-back run in the Jackfish hills. It just about killed me. But by the time my muscles stopped hurting and I could catch my breath, I realized that it was one of the most exhilarating, and at the same time peaceful, experiences I had ever had. Since then, I have found a love for running in God’s backyard. It calms my nerves and helps me to put the chaos of the world into perspective.

But then, in January 2022, everything changed. After what was to be a routine doctor’s check- up and echo on my heart, I received a call from a cardiologist. After a quick set of pleasantries, she proceeded to tell me my heart was failing and I would need surgery within a matter of months. And that in addition to a worn-out valve, my aorta had begun to bulge and would need rebuilding.

Sam and I were speechless. I felt there was no way I could take her words for face value. After all, I was sitting at the top of my physical prime. I was 39. Had just finished a Spartan race. And was training for another half-marathon.

So we resolved for me to live cautiously as this news sunk in and we began to make preparations for the ‘what if’. By September, I was sweating while doing dishes and taking afternoon naps. It was suddenly quite evident that this surgery was going to be my reality.

After being blessed by a successful surgery and a supportive family during recovery, the question was once again: What now? You realize that these bodies we live in are meant to fail, but that while on earth God entrusts us to take care of them. With my cardiologist’s blessing and encouragement, I am now cleared to eat right, remove as much stress from my life as possible, and continue exercising.

I no longer take lightly the beauty of a weightlifting session. Or underappreciate the miracle of being able to run again. Or take for granted the amazing gym community we call family. This place is my second home and I am so glad to be back!

Hey! I’m Emily and I am the Fitness Operations Manager here at Prairie Strong Fitness. I’ve been in Langham since 2021 and working here at PSF since 2022, and I’ve loved getting to know the community here!

I grew up in Rhode Island, so half of my heart is still by the ocean! When I got married to my wonderful husband in 2018 I moved to Saskatchewan with him and have since learned to love the “endless sea” of fields out here on the prairies as well. My fitness journey began with a love for running – what an awesome way to decompress and let go of some stress! There’s such a sense of peace and accomplishment associated with a good run, and so many life lessons that can be learned from making it a habit.

Following high school, I spent a few years studying kinesiology and occupational therapy at the University of Michigan and working in a physiotherapy clinic, all the while becoming more enthralled at just how intricate and amazing our bodies are! I have since come to enjoy weight training and many other forms of fitness as well. We are capable of great things if we work for it, I’m looking forward to growing stronger with you!