In her former life, Dawn worked in information technology. You know, the nerds with the beepers that get called when someone's web site crashes at two in the morning. She spent her days sitting in front of a computer being either totally stressed out or completely bored. "Athletic" was one of the last words someone would have used to describe her – she’d avoided gym classes like the plague all through school, largely because she was always the last one picked for any sort of team. She was in decent shape, having grown up doing things like dance and cheerleading, but in those first few years right out of college she definitely spent the majority of her time sitting on her ever-expanding bottom.

Then she started running. She can't really explain why; one day in the summer of 2003 she found herself in a shoe store staring at a brochure for a local 5K thinking, "I'm going to run this." She’d never run more than a mile or two at a time in her life, and had, up until that point, considered it a creative form of torture. She couldn’t tell you why she thought it was a good idea. All she knew is that she had to at least try. That random thought would end up changing her life.

She ran that race and several more. She got talked into running a half marathon and never looked back. She experimented with triathlons. She discovered strength and endurance she never knew she had and it spilled over into the rest of her life. She eventually found the courage to kick her much-hated job to the curb and embark on a new career path that would excite and inspire her.

She’s now a certified running and triathlon coach working towards a degree in physical therapy and couldn't be happier. She loves helping people find ways to lead a healthier, more active lifestyle. She feels like if she can do it, anyone can.