Hey, I’m Steph and I’m a wife to Tom, and Mum to two little girls Eva and Isabelle. As a military family we have faced many exciting and challenging adventures and I’m excited to embark on my newest one…..to become a SLAM BOSS!
My familiy and I are British, born and bred, and have been lucky enough to live all over the UK as part of the military but in 2015 we got to start our furthest posting to date….to Washington DC! We were so excited and loved it instantly, but as we settled into our new normal, I began to miss the close network of mums I had had here in the UK.
I stumbled across Stroller Strong Moms during the first weeks of our international deployment, at a trip to the Zoo of all places! I saw someone wearing a SLAM shirt and googled it when I got home….the wonders of modern technology! I had always tried to ‘keep fit and healthy’ (or so I thought) but never really made fitness a regular part of my routine especially since having my children. I was so wanting to meet other mums in the city, I was willing to try anything, so I went along to my first class having no idea what to expect. Apart from struggling immensely with the heat (it was August in DC – the humidity and heat is something totally alien to this Brit – let alone working out in it!), I was welcomed with open arms and made to feel part of the group instantly. I made SLAM a priority and soon became a much fitter and happier mum to my kids, and they ALWAYS had as much fun as I did!
Being part of Stroller Strong Mums DC, I challenged myself in ways I never thought I would and grew in confidence to take part in races and events I previously wouldn’t even have considered. This group of women built each other up and encouraged each other to push themselves in their fitness journey to become the best version of themselves, whilst having the love and support of other mums to help them through the motherhood journey and the kids making lifelong buddies! It was wonderful.
So when it came time to prepare to leave DC, I knew what I needed to do….I completed my fitness instructor certification and training with SSM DC before heading back to the UK. It’s taken a while to settle back to our UK lifestyle – the weather has been particularly tricky to adjust back to! But I am excited to start introducing women here in Portsmouth to the SSM ethos and build a tribe of women to support, empower and encourage one another through their fitness and healthy lifestyle journey!
To follow our first international SLAM spot, like them on Facebook here. Find out more about class locations and schedules on the Stroller Strong Mums Portsmouth webpage. We couldn’t be more excited about our very first International SLAM!
YAY!