Name
Mary Battle
Personal Bio
I currently work in non-profit management, and am a certified Human Resources professional (CHRP). I also worked at BC Place for many years and spent 10 years teaching elementary school. I was born, raised, and have lived in Kits my whole life.
Length of time at Innovative Fitness
I’ve been at IF Kits (off and on) for six years. I started when I got a fright looking at the scale and my quality of life.
My best memory is an IF trip to the Grand Canyon with Bret (AKA Sherpa), and new and old friends.
Why do you CHALLENGE yourself physically?
I started challenging myself physically for health reasons and that paid off in many ways! I’ve learned that I feel better when I work out and the quality of my life is much improved. I’ve learned that I can do more than I ever thought I could — and that’s really fun!
What is your biggest ADVERSITY surrounding your fitness and what do you do to overcome it?
Sometimes the biggest adversity is just getting in the door at IF. Sometimes, it’s injury; other times it’s being “too busy.” But I know that when I make my fitness a priority and just show up, the skilled and enthusiastic coaches at IF will guide me through the hour and I’ll feel better when it’s done.
What has been your biggest VICTORY at Innovative Fitness?
Innovative Fitness was a key part of my concussion recovery. With direction from my doctor, we worked through a slow progression of training – my coaches had to be very patient and creative, and soon enough, it paid off!
My most recent victory was achieving the seemingly ridiculous goal Ben set for me. I laughed when he said we should do a 50 km bike ride in September. It was August and I’d only ever ridden 20 km in a day. But in September, I rode 50 km in a day — TWICE!
What advice would you give someone thinking of starting a fitness program?
Think about what you’d do if you could. As they say at IF, “No excuse.” And really, all the justifications and reasons you can think of are all just excuses! If you’re thinking of starting a program, just start — and show up everyday. Let the IF pros take it from there.
