06 Jun An exceptional trainer, a better friend
I first met Kathy Murray in 2012. She was actually referred to me by my Soft Tissue Chiropractor who understood what I was looking for in a trainer. This included a trainer that was more understanding of the fact that I was +40 years old, had a history of osteoarthritis in my upper and lower spine and was still suffering from a tender right knee after my right knee meniscus repair in 2007. I needed a person that was sensitive to the fact that I was no longer 20 or 25 years old anymore . So, I introduced myself to Kathy at the gym she was working at off of Piedmont Road. We hit it off immediately. Her exuberant personality and her own overall physique convinced me that she was the right person to take on the difficult task of getting me into shape.
Another aspect of her personality which is very endearing is her insatiable curiosity about new people and ideas and what makes them who they are. She just didn’t want to know about my health history or medical background. She wanted to know about who I was as a human being, which was very unique and we became fast friends. As a matter of fact, after our initial meeting and first training session a fellow trainer walked up to me and said, “Hey, Kathy is very very special. And, she’s good people. Be good to her .“ At that moment I wasn’t sure whether I was hiring a trainer or asking her to the prom. (But I digress…)
The following year was a difficult one for me because I was told some very unsettling news and Kathy was then and continues to be very compassionate and understanding of my limitations. She’s always treated me the same and I can’t say that about a lot of people. She’s a true friend, as well as, an excellent trainer. (I think I should probably listen to her more often.)
She encouraged me to take on new challenges and I decided in 2018 that I was going to take on the challenge of doing the Peachtree Road Race on July 4 where it’s held annually. During this time she was recovering from her own health challenge , however, she felt good enough to walk the entire Peachtree Road race with me to give me support. She gave me a plan to get myself into the best condition possible for the race and I followed it to the letter. She also did a trial run a week or two prior to the race just to see where I was physically and to give me some perspective on how the race was going to be run . On the day of the race I arrived at the starting line sleep-deprived, hungry and emotionally distraught because of a fight I had with a former female friend the night before. When Kathy found this out she was livid! But, she was determined that I was going to walk this race and so she loaded me up with these energy chews and we began to walk and boy was it exhausting! But… We got to the end and we accomplished what I never thought I could accomplish …actually finish a 10k race!
Kathy is an exceptional trainer, but an even better friend. And she continues to be in my corner and I’ll always be in hers.
– Doc