#MOTRstrong Stories: Meet Andie

One year ago, Woodbury Moms on the Run member Andie Christopherson committed to  bootcamp in the fall and HIIT training through the cold winter months in Minnesota. She hadn't been as consistent the previous summer and wanted to get on track. She's so glad she did. As the pandemic hit and classes went virtual in the spring, she saw improved gains in her strength, endurance and running —resulting in her ability to train for her first half marathon this spring and 10 mile this fall. Read on to learn more of Andie's story and why she credits her team for helping her through 2020.

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"​I first heard about MOTR when I lived in Eden Prairie and was looking for a group to help with accountability. When I moved to Woodbury in 2018, I’d heard great things about the group, and finally joined the summer session of 2019! I was returning to running after child #2 and I participated in the learn to (re)run group sporadically, as life got in the way. For fall 2019, I started making time and a way to show up much more regularly. I was still slow but my running endurance definitely had improved. We also did more strength work in fall Bootcamp which was very challenging and I usually couldn’t do all of the reps! Over the winter, I did a lot less running with the group (treadmills at home can be your friend!) but I showed up for HIIT every week. Again, a struggle but slowly, slowly I could tell I was getting stronger. When COVID hit, we switched to Zoom versions but those were the highlight of my week! Even running with the coach’s voice in my pocket and hearing others’ voices lifted my spirits. 

Setting Covid aside, I was completely amazed at how much stronger I felt in the spring, having done strength training and other cardio workouts over the winter. I made time in my schedule every week this spring and summer to come regularly (it was unusual that I’d miss a Tuesday or Saturday workout), showing up for myself — both physically and emotionally, having a supportive group of women to cheer me on when I hit milestones — and boost me up when I was having a pandemic kind of day. Woodbury MOTR keeps me sane, and I’m not sure how I would’ve made it this far through 2020 without this supportive, encouraging and AWESOME tribe! I also love being supportive of others. When I’m having a bad day, doing my best to cheer others on is a good way to lift my own spirits too!

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I trained for a half marathon this spring and successfully ran a 10 mile this fall, both at a faster pace than I ever would’ve managed without steady, consistent training.

Anyone who’s thinking 'it’s cold out, I’ll just wait to start until spring,' don’t!  I was amazed at how much easier getting out there in April was with stronger muscles and cardio endurance."

Andie is married and lives in Woodbury, MN with their two kids, 9 and 3. She's an executive at BCBS Minnesota in the finance division, loves cooking, baking, quilting and spending time with her kids and her year-old Bernedoodle. ​

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