HEALTHY LIVING
From left, Julie Diermeier and Renee Thies run with Moms on the Run Onalaska coach Lynn Frise. The coaching program welcomes women of all ages and abilities and has created a community of friends among the participants.
It’s Not Just About the Body
Exercise helps women of all ages build strong bodies, social connections and mental wellness. BY SAM STROOZAS | CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
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ometimes exercising can be intimidating. Older women may have even been discouraged from it in their youth. But no matter their age, Coulee Region women, their coaches and their doctors now understand the power of exercise to build not only strong bodies, but also friends and happiness. MORE THAN MOMS AND BORN RUNNERS Moms on the Run Onalaska coaches, sisters Chris Davis and Lynn Frise, work with their runners to build an environment of encouragement and community through practice, compassion and the power of friendship. Moms on the Run is a franchise with groups all over the country; Davis bought the franchise chapter for Onalaska in January 2020. Because of Covid-19, they couldn’t start classes until August 2020. Davis has been running since she was 10, and Frise
was a high school coach for cross country and track in the Onalaska School District. They are both personal trainers as well. A common misconception of the group is that it is only for moms, but Davis said that isn’t true: any woman can join. “You don’t have to be a mom to join. I feel like we have all become friends; we are in a group text and talk every day,” she says. Women join Moms on the Run Onalaska for myriad reasons— building endurance, getting out of the house or having a safe social activity during Covid-19. Regardless of the reason, the friendships the group has created are unbreakable. “The bonds I have watched form are incredible. Some of them were never runners and used this as a way to meet people or get in shape, but it definitely harbored friendships,” Davis says. Adapting their sport for Covid-19 wasn’t as difficult as others. www.crwmagazine.com JUNE/JULY 2021 17
