Member of the Month – Shelby Young
Hi! My name is Shelby Young. I am a proud Ranger wife to my husband, Gerald, and mommy to Stella (4) and Sage (1). I have been SLAM’n in the HAM since March of 2016.
Here is where my story begins. Growing up I was just about unathletic as they come. It didn’t help my case that I followed behind two siblings who were so athletic and naturals at any sport. In the most loving way, it was almost a running joke about my unathletic abilities.
About the time my husband and I began dating, I wanted to begin working out with him occasionally. He was always so patient and helpful, but I always felt so intimidated in the gym. For me at this time, I still felt I wasn’t cut out for being “fit”.
Fast forward, we got married and about a year and a half later God answered our prayers and we were pregnant with our first child, our beautiful baby girl Stella Kate. My pregnancy was absolutely wonderful. Throughout my pregnancy with her I carried the “What baby wants, baby gets” mentality, which resulted in me putting healthy choices on the back burner. I occasionally walked and rode the bike, but that was about as far as it went with staying active with her. I even tried a Stroller Strong Moms class out towards the end of my pregnancy and loved it, it was exactly what I wanted to do to get in shape postnatal.
After our daughter was born, I didn’t join as expected. I held onto fears of not being as strong as those mamas and the fear of “sticking out” because I was not athletic, etc. My sister, Kayla who is now an instructor for our location, joined in January of 2016 at 26 weeks pregnant with her 2nd child. It was all she talked about! She was hooked and all I knew was I wanted that hype that she had, so March of 2016 I was an official member. Whoop whoop!
After a little over a year of being a member, I ran a race with some of our ladies and I became just as hooked on running as I did with SLAM. Right after my running journey began, I was pregnant with our 2nd baby, Sage Gunner, praise God for another answered prayer! Stella and I (with Sage in my belly) put in countless hours working out and many of miles running. Who was I turning into? I loved every bit of it. I could hardly wipe the smile off of my face after every class, run, or race I completed. I was so proud to be a toddler mom and pregnant while also reaching new fitness goals.
As great as my pregnancy, birth, and recovery went with our first child, it was 10x’s better with our second baby from being so dedicated to fitness and under the guidance of our instructors. I could hardly wait to get back at it.
I kept up with running after having Sage, our double stroller was probably one of our best purchases. I started signing up for any and every 5k around, but I was ready for a different challenge. I signed up for my first half marathon that I would complete just 7 months after the birth of our son, November of 2018. With the hectic schedule that comes with military life and a deployed husband at this time, about 90% of my training was done with the babies in tow and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. They are my “why”.
Thanks to the guidance of our amazing instructors and my sweet husband who ran it with me, I completed my first half marathon. Something I never thought I was capable of or cut out for. Since then, I have completed many more 5k’s, a couple 10k’s, and 2 more half marathons alongside some of SLAM sisters. And many more to come in the future!
Being an army wife, I have a tendency of sometimes being too independent, and sometimes that tendency leads me to keeping my circle very tight or thinking I’m “fine”. Stroller Strong Moms has brought so many wonderful women into my life who have now become the friends I thought I was “fine” without and now I couldn’t imagine my life without them. Because of SLAM and the mission behind it, I love myself more than ever and the pride I have in myself is something I never thought I could feel. I am a confident, strong wife and mother and love the woman I am striving every day to be, because of this group. SLAM has provided me a way to fill my cup so I can fill theirs. I carry the title of a Stroller Strong Mom with so much honor and I am always so grateful to be a part of the best mama tribe there is.
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