Plus, my best half marathon time yet!
Happy 3-year Anniversary to Aspen Pro Fitness! I want to thank everyone who has helped Aspen Pro Fitness grow to what it is today. It is three years to this month that Aspen Pro Fitness has been in business!
How It Started
APF first started as a conversation among friends. The conversation was fueled by desire, passion, and a ‘too dumb to quit mentality.’ Soon after the dream was realized, I knew I had to pursue a career in fitness but was not sure how. They say mountains are built by pressure and shortly after my last meeting with my mentor, I was fired from a wonderfully consistent desk job. Pressure.
I began to study for my personal training exam. Making a dream become a reality appeared very daunting. The other option was the local grocery store which I respect but decided to follow an opportunity to do what I love. My mentor verbalized everything I needed to do but I still was uncertain how to make this dream a reality. I wrestled with questions like,
- How can I train consistently at 14 to 21-hour training a week and not have a steady job?
- Can I mesh my work and passion together without getting burned out?
- What if there are too many trainers in town and no one will hire me?
The Hard Work
I kept studying. If I loved training so much, I knew I could inspire and encourage others to do so and make a living doing it. I kept studying. I set my exam for three months from receiving the exam materials, learning the next day that one should set aside 6 months to successfully pass the exam. I kept studying. It was easy without a job to study, but scary as heck! Elon Musk’s famous quote came to mind during that season.
“Work like hell. I mean you just have to put in 80 to 100-hour weeks every week. [This] improves the odds of success. If other people are putting in 40- hour work weeks and you’re putting in 100-hour workweeks, then even if you’re doing the same thing you know that you will achieve in 4 months what it takes them a year to achieve.”
I kept studying. Then came time for the exam. I had 1 minute left during the proctored exam and passed! Now what? I put on my best clothes, had just enough gas in the car, and went to interview every club and gym in town. The rest is history. Of course, this is the abbreviated version, but many great people gave me a chance and I honored them well! Thank you again to everyone who has helped Aspen Pro Fitness succeed!
Three Years In
These days my mornings are early, the days are busy, and the clients are amazing. Thank you! To make this anniversary even better, I was able to achieve my best half marathon time since 2014. This was on October 16th during the 2021 Aspen Valley Half Marathon which I was sure to withdraw from the race due to the uncertainty of running in sub 30-degree weather. With the motivation of a great coach, I was able to succeed. This has been a recurring theme since becoming a personal trainer, which I encourage the same for all my clients: try, apply consistency, structure and you will achieve change!
Before Aspen Pro Fitness Existed
In the beginning, I fished and enjoyed a beer in between lengthy bouts of fishing (and catching). I did this consistently, caught a lot of fish, and drank beer. There was a time around my 31st birthday that I could tell something was changing- my waistline! Could it be those beers, bacon cheeseburgers, and little Debbie’s oatmeal crème pies that were having a cumulative effect on my body? My mom affirmed this and so began my fitness journey. I was never inactive thanks to her and her career in health and wellness. My mom, Regina Sachs, has been in the health and wellness industry for a few decades and taught and led me well. As a result, I never drank soda, overate, or ate cereal with marshmallows. I would get my one hour of workout at the gym 5 days a week, nothing too intense but rarely missed a day. At 31 years old, I was faced with the option of eating less or working out more. I decided to eat more, work out more, and fish a little less! The journey continued!
The Change
I signed up for the Glenwood Springs Triathlon in 2012. I trained the best I could with old sneakers, a GT mountain bike with road tires, and swam in 84-degree saltwater at the Hot Springs Pool with a snorkel. That year I achieved ‘fastest first-time triathlete at the Glenwood Springs Triathlon! A new season began! Fast forward, in 2014, I won the race overall and set a record for the fastest bike split in the 30-year history of the race!
I appreciate everyone and know that if you are reading this, you have helped me succeed in one way or another! I offer free 30-minute consultations 5 days a week after 12:30 pm to anyone interested in beginning a fitness journey and wanting results. Let’s connect and make a healthy change for your life.
A word from Casey about fitness seasons, cycles, and transitions.
