@candace_woj

What can I say about nine incredible women, three 4,000-foot peaks, 15 miles, and 3,600 feet of elevation? We laughed. We celebrated. We hiked. We cried. We pushed through doubt and showed up for each other every step of the way. Hiking with ten women means ten different inner journeys, different paces, personalities, motivations. And yet, somehow, we moved forward together. We made space for each other to be exactly who we were in the moment. That’s the power of this community. I’m so proud of every step we took and so grateful for the love and support that carried us through. This isn’t just about hiking, it’s about connection, resilience, and choosing not to give up. If you’re looking for a group of women who lift each other up, hold space, and find joy even in the hard moments, come join us. We’ve got a fall foliage trip in October, spots open for Patagonia in January, and we’re dreaming up Sedona for May 2026. Message me if you’re interested, we’d love to have you with us. @kj_backa @candace_woj @until_jessnow @_sharkclark_ @jillacrow @stabbeyadventures @lisa.healthelife @heidispargel @a.f.wolfe, Jen Weeks.

2025-08-19

Backstage Workout Sticking to a fitness routine can be hard especially with touring, kids, vacations, or a busy schedule. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Here’s how I adapt and why it works: Shorter, More Frequent Sessions If you can’t do your usual 1-hour workouts, try 20 minutes more often. Research shows consistency beats intensity over time. Quick, focused sessions help you stay active without overwhelming your schedule. Plan Ahead, Stay Flexible At the start of each week, look for small windows of time to train. Your schedule may change daily, so build a plan that adapts with you. Use a Program or Coach When life is hectic, decision fatigue is real. A coach or pre-planned program removes guesswork and keeps you progressing without having to think about what to do next. ? Prioritize Mobility, Joint Health, and Unilateral Strength When traveling or under stress, focus on movements that improve balance, protect your joints, and support long-term performance. Sample Workout: Warm-Up (8 sec x 8 reps/side): • McGill holds (core stability) • Rolling side planks (lateral core + spine health) • Bird dogs (coordination + control) Main Strength: • Single leg step-downs (balance + knee strength) • Prone swimmer x12 + YTW wall slides x12 (shoulder health) • Copenhagen side marches x8–12/side (hip stability) • Down dog single-leg knee taps x12 + double knee taps x12 (core + mobility) • Single-leg hamstring curls x12 + double x12 (hamstring strength + symmetry) Finisher: • 100 glute bridges (posterior chain activation) Lastly, some decompression, 2-5 min! The goal isn’t perfection—it’s momentum. Stay healthy. Stay strong. Keep moving. ?

2025-06-25

Quick strength & mobility session before the show. No weights, no problem. Just bodyweight, grit, and good energy. Gotta keep getting ready, trails, peaks, and long summer hikes are coming in hot. Keep it moving, keep it simple. Let’s go! Warmup • McGill Curl-Up Hold – 8 sec x8 reps (each side) • Side Plank (Dolan style) – 8 sec x8 reps (each side) • Bird Dog – 8 sec x8 reps (each side) • McGill Squat – x12 each side Work x4 rounds: • Pushups – 10–15 • Single-Leg Squat to Knee Tap/Balance – x10 each side • Crab Walk (forward + back) – x10 total • Duck Walk – x10 each side Core + Mobility Finisher x3 rounds: • Tricep Pushups – x10 • 90/90 Shinbox Transitions – x10 each side • Supported Headstand Hold – 60 sec No gear. All go. Stay strong!

2025-06-21

Wellfleet Sprint Triathlon: Complete(ish) ✅ Technically a DNF, but that was the plan. I’ve been managing some L4-L5 issues in my back, and running just wasn’t on the table for this one. But I still showed up, did what I could, and had an amazing time doing it. The water was beautiful and calm, and I finally found a quiet mind in the swim, a personal victory in itself. Thank you @adina_oneill_real_fitness The bike course was a relentless series of ups and downs (x2!), both challenging and stunning. My legs learned how to conquer hills not just out of the saddle but in, and I was proud of the strength I brought to every climb. I even managed to get in a finish-line-style baby-kissing moment. Honestly, not sure it gets better than that. Best part? Starting the day alongside a dear friend @elisejortberg who absolutely crushed the course, facing down her own challenges like the brave badass she is. So proud of you, and so grateful to have you in my corner. All in all: a wildly successful race. Already looking forward next year. Hopefully we will have a few more friends join us @christinemackinnon705 @a_kuny @coachbuck_tps @kmacking . Shout out to the best partner, photographer, and friend @coachbuck_tps

2025-06-17

? Big love and huge thanks to @adina_oneill_real_fitness for helping me work through my open water anxiety! ? The past couple years I’ve done sprint triathlons, but the open water swim has always been the mental hurdle holding me back from going longer. I didn’t grow up swimming in deep water (if my toes couldn’t touch, I turned around ?), so venturing into the unknown really messes with my head. But working with Adina has been a game changer. She’s been helping me build confidence, find calm in the chaos, and learn tools to feel more at home in the water, little by little, I’m going further and getting more comfortable. She even went out of her way to meet me at a location that felt safer for me, at a time that worked with my schedule, just so we could get in a couple open water swims before my race this weekend. ? That kind of support means everything. Progress over perfection every stroke counts. If you’re ever looking for a swim coach, just saying… she’s pretty rad. Also, can we talk about wetsuits? Because I swear I feel like I’m in the X-Men every time I zip one up. ? #OpenWaterJourney #ProgressNotPerfection #XMenVibes #trainingforadventure

2025-06-13

Dealing with Chronic Pain: You’re Not Alone Living with chronic pain isn’t easy. Truth is, most people I’ve met are carrying some kind of long-term physical struggle, whether they talk about it or not. You can manage it for years, and then one day, it spikes. It pulls you out of your rhythm, tests your patience, and demands more than what you feel capable of giving. That’s when you have to lean into your support network, trust your resources, and most importantly, be gentle with yourself. Sometimes the hard path means pulling back, not pushing through. Sometimes it’s moving less than you’re used to. Other times, it’s moving more than you want to. And sometimes… it’s not even clear what to do. The only thing that helps is remembering: you are not alone. I have to remind myself of that too. If you’re hurting, my advice is simple: do what doesn’t hurt. That “no pain, no gain” mindset? Leave it behind. It’s outdated and, frankly, harmful. You don’t have to stop moving, but you also don’t have to push through pain. Working through it too aggressively can drag out recovery and do more damage. Chip away at it. Piece by piece. Let go of what you can’t do. Focus on what you can. And know that all pain-free movement is good movement. Find a way to stay in your game even if it looks different for a while. Explore something new. Use the time to shift focus, learn, and grow. Sometimes that’s the most healing thing you can do. Here’s a little light full-body session I did the other day while navigating some of my own stuff: • Sumo squats : higher reps, lightweight, focused on glute activation and clean movement. • Corrective squats assessing if my ankle mechanics are feeding into dysfunction. • Incline dumbbell bench: because hey, sometimes I’m still a meathead. • Deficit curtsy squats: lit up the glutes in a good way. • Half-kneeling lateral hip shift + overhead press: working stability and control. • Fun little complex: staggered swing → clean → half-kneeling windmill. Keep going, keep learning. And remember, you’re not doing this alone.

2025-06-10

Today was both wonderful and challenging. Wonderful because I got to be present, to reflect, to feel. Challenging because I’m realizing just how unprepared I feel for the upcoming triathlon. The truth is, I’ve been slacking on my training. I know I’ll make it through the race, I’m in good enough shape for that. But I also know I’m not physically prepared enough to thrive in it. It’s a hard pill to swallow realizing that I’m my own biggest obstacle, and that my lack of dedication has brought me here. But I’m also learning to give myself a little grace. Because the time and energy I didn’t spend training wasn’t wasted. It was invested elsewhere—in more moments with my daughter, in honoring my body with gentleness, in pouring myself into the work I love. Life is about choices, and those were mine. I’m learning that being gentle with yourself is just as important as being disciplined. Especially when time and energy are finite. So I’ll go into this race not with disappointment, but with gratitude. Gratitude that my body is still capable. Gratitude for the ability to move, to try, to show up. I want this race to be a reminder that I don’t need to demand more from my body, I need to thank it for all it already does. I’m endlessly thankful for the friends who support, encourage, and inspire me to keep moving, to keep showing up, and to never take for granted the gift of movement. @adina_oneill_real_fitness your helping me build the confidence and mental resiliency I need in open water. You're a wonderful swim coach and motivator. @tinavmorin you're the best cheerleader and friend, so glad we do hard things together! @kj_backa and @_sharkclark_ thanks for keeping me buff and accountable. @coachbuck_tps for consistently being the best, and helping me strive for that anyway I can. Stay strong and keep moving on!

2025-06-01

Banff: The trip that might just change your life… or at least your calves. We’re talking hiking, camping, via ferrata climbing (aka clinging to cliffs for fun), biking, and the Nordic spa to recover from all our “great decisions.” This is a level 3 out of 5. Comment BANFF below to get in on early bird price. This isn’t just a getaway, it’s a full reset for the mind, body, and soul. Grab your BFF, or come make some new ones, your best fleece , your favorite trail mix, and let’s get lost (but like, safely) under the stars.

2025-05-27

Mobility refers to the ability of a joint to actively move through its full range of motion with control. It’s different from flexibility, which is more about passively stretching muscles. Mobility combines flexibility, strength, and motor control, so it’s not just about how far you can move, but how well you can control that movement. For example: • Flexible is being able to pull your leg behind your head with your hand. • Mobile is being able to lift your leg high on your own, without using your hand. In the context of training or sports, good mobility means you can move efficiently, avoid injury, and generate force in various positions, like doing a lateral lunge all the way to the floor while staying balanced and in control. Comment MOB below if you would like a simple 4 week mobility program to help you improve the movement I'm demonstrating.

2025-05-25