Photo by Gordon Smith /gordonjsmith.com
AGE: 54 / LOCATION: Monroe, OH
GIG: Studio Owner / SPORT: Fitness, Bikini, Spartan
“It isn’t when you start that matters,” says Linda. “It’s about getting started.” Experiencing her very first fitness class at the age of 21 (“Jane Fonda methodology. Aerobics, leotards, leg warmers.”), Linda admits it was so strenuous that she thought her abs would never stop hurting. But she showed up again the next week, and the instructor saw so much potential in her that she asked Linda if she would take over teaching for her. Within six months, not only was Linda teaching the class, but she also found out she was pregnant with her second child. “I taught until I could teach no more, and that was the day I went into labor!”
“It isn’t when you start that matters. It’s about getting started.”
Then a mother of two and finding the strength to leave an abusive relationship, Linda decided she would pursue a career in fitness, and sought out her personal training certification. She says through good times and bad, fitness has been her mainstay, and credits her work as her reason for staying strong, and encourages others to do the same. At the age of 50, Linda set out to compete on stage and now receives impressive scores at national competitions. She’s also recently started competing in Spartan obstacle course races, placing first in her age group twice, and receiving the Spartan Trifecta medal after completing three courses in just four months. Up next: Linda is designing her own podcast, “The Sisterhood of SWEAT™.”
