Athlete Bright Spot: Karen Wright
The Supermom
By Coach Bethany Chan

Working full-time as a Dept. Administrator at a Kaiser ophthalmology clinic and looking out for her 2 kids and dogs singlehandedly is a feat that only Karen Wright can claim. She might as well have been faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, too. But when the pandemic hit, Karen collided with a wall. Working in healthcare turned upside down. Both her kids’ graduations had to be virtual. She lost her gym membership. She was in the worst shape she had ever been. In February, Karen came to Reason.

Karen told me that the most important things to her are her kids Evan and Alison. I could tell when she requested a song by her musician son Evan to listen to for her first workout.  She would do anything for them, including pursuing a healthier lifestyle that sets her up for longevity. She set her eyes on sending Alison to college up in the Bay while cleaning up her diet and getting back to exercise. To being a more functional, more resilient, hero mom.

So we got to work.  Karen had to make some challenging lifestyle changes – consuming more protein and vegetables than carbs, being consistent in her meals, and waking up bright and early for the 5:30 AM class. All of this she committed to, despite her wild schedule. At first, when she joined Reason, Karen said she felt sluggish. She modified the inchworms in the warm-up because she didn’t feel comfortable doing them. She felt weird lifting using a 15# barbell.

Fast forward to now – Karen is down 13 pounds, feeling agile, and playing tennis in addition to working out 4 times a week.  Not only can she do full inchworms, but she can also squat 100 lbs and deadlift 115 lbs. With all of these gains, it’s no wonder that you glimpse inspiration in Evan and Alison’s eyes when they see their supermom right at home during Open House. These days, I see her cycling power cleans and box step-ups during Saturday morning partner WODs like a hero, and my eyes shine, too.