Client Success Story – Denny Heath

Meet Denny: A Comeback Story of Resilience and Health

In July of this, I got a message from Denny. It was short and to the point: “It’s time to get moving again.” That message held so much weight. You see, 10 years ago, Denny was in his prime. He was competing in CrossFit events, walking around at maybe 10% body fat, and crushing workouts on the regular. He was the embodiment of fitness and athleticism.

But then, life happened. A car accident set off a series of health challenges that derailed his fitness journey. One setback led to another, and over time, his health began to spiral. When you’ve been at the top of your game, it’s not just physically tough to take steps backward—it’s emotionally challenging too. The idea of starting over can feel overwhelming, so time just ticks away, month by month, year by year.

Denny finally realized that it was never going to get easier to start again. It had to be now. He reached out and asked for help. This time, he didn’t want to dive into the hardcore training that once defined his approach. Instead, his focus had shifted: health and longevity took priority over performance and competition. He wanted a sustainable pace, something he could stick to for the long haul. At HybridX, our workouts are scalable based on your current fitness level so I told him of course we can help! 

Fast forward to December 2024, and what a difference five months have made. Denny is down nearly 30 pounds. He’s kept things realistic—still enjoying meals out but swapping certain items for healthier choices. Most importantly, he’s been able to maintain his muscle mass while cutting fat. No crash diets, no extreme measures—just doing the basics really, really well.

What makes this journey even more inspiring is Denny’s consistency. He shows up to class regularly at HybridX Fitness, committing to the process and trusting the plan. He’s proof that with the right mindset, support, and sustainable habits, it’s never too late to start over and make progress toward better health.

Denny’s story is a reminder for all of us: setbacks happen, but they don’t define us. What matters is having the courage to take that first step, no matter how far away the finish line might feel.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to get back on track, let Denny’s journey inspire you. The best time to start was yesterday. The second-best time is today. And we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Client Spotlight: Dona Pederson’s Marathon Journey with HybridX Fitness

Client Spotlight: Dona Pederson’s Marathon Journey with HybridX Fitness

Dona at TCM

At HybridX Fitness, we take pride in helping our clients achieve their personal fitness goals, no matter how big or small. One of our standout members, Dona Pederson, has shown extraordinary resilience and determination in her fitness journey. Today, we’re excited to share her incredible story of perseverance and success.

Dona’s Fitness Journey Begins

Dona started with us in the early days, joining our masters-only (55+) fitness on-ramp program. From the beginning, she’s been committed to her health and fitness, becoming one of our longest-served Custom Programming clients. Over the years, she has consistently put her training to use outside of the gym, but there was one significant challenge that remained on her bucket list: running a marathon.

A Dream in the Making: The Twin Cities Marathon

Dona had always wanted to complete the Twin Cities Marathon—a full 26.2-mile race. While she had never tackled such a long-distance event before, she was determined to check it off her list. Having run several marathons myself, I was excited to help Dona prepare for this monumental goal.

We took a strategic approach, steadily building up her stamina and endurance through custom training. The plan was simple but effective—slow, steady progress toward the finish line. However, as with many big challenges, the road to success wasn’t without its bumps.

Facing Setbacks with Strength

Marathon training is tough. It’s a step above preparing for a 5k or 10k, and the physical demands can be extreme. It takes careful planning, proper fueling, recovery, and dedication. Despite her best efforts, Dona faced setbacks not once but three times before she could even make it to the start line.

• One year, a back injury from yard work sidelined her.

• Another year, plantar fasciitis threw a wrench in her training.

• Last year, when we were both planning to run the marathon together, the event was canceled due to heat.

Each setback could have been discouraging, but Dona wasn’t ready to quit.

Turning Setbacks into Wins

Where others might see failure, Dona saw opportunity. Instead of letting these challenges stop her, she adjusted her goals and kept pushing forward. In the years when she couldn’t run the Twin Cities Marathon, she completed three other races, earning finisher medals from the Milwaukee Marathon, Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, and the Whistlestop Marathon in Ashland.

We tweaked her training schedule, focusing on what she could do while allowing time for recovery. Her dedication to the process was unwavering.

The Big Finish

Finally, in 2024, after years of perseverance and hard work, Dona crossed the finish line at the Twin Cities Marathon—at 64 years young! It was a proud moment for her, and for everyone at HybridX Fitness who has supported her along the way.

Dona’s story is a powerful reminder that fitness is about more than just the destination. It’s about the journey, the challenges, and the persistence to keep going, no matter the setbacks. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishment and her commitment to her long-term goal.

What’s on Your Bucket List?

Dona’s marathon success is just one of many inspiring stories at HybridX Fitness. Whether it’s running your first race, completing a challenging hike, or simply getting stronger and healthier, we’re here to help you reach your goals.

What’s on your bucket list? We’d love to hear about your fitness dreams and help you achieve them. Get in touch with us today and let’s start your journey.

Click the Free Intro button to schedule your no-sweat intro. You’ll be able to meet with a coach, tour the gym, and chart a course for YOUR success!

Hybrid Farm St. Cloud is now HybridX Fitness

Nearly 9 years ago, Rob and I opened Hybrid Farm Saint Cloud, the second Hybrid Farm location, as one of the first dozen or so OPEX Licensed gyms in the world.

I’ve never been scared to try something new and this was a pivot from our original model. It was a huge risk at the time and the Individual Program Design model proved to be an amazing way to train. But we couldn’t get it to scale the way our group model did.

A few short years later we separated the gyms to ensure the long-term viability of the original location in Rice Lake, Wisconsin and I set out to convert St. Cloud to match our original concept.

That was: Professional fitness coaching, small CrossFit class sizes where everyone could get coaching, and supporting programs, like Custom, Personal Training and Nutrition coaching to ensure results for anyone willing to put in the work.

As we have evolved our primary offering, our CrossFit program, and our gym community alongside but independently from the original Hybrid Farm for the past 6 years, it is time to also evolve our brand.

Hybrid Farm St. Cloud is now HybridX Fitness.

The X comes from a multitude of influences. First to some extent, it’s a throwback to our OPEX days which launched our gym into existence. Having been trained and mentored in program design by original CrossFit games champion, James Fitzgerald, is something I am proud of and will always be part of our gym’s heritage.

Next, in our primary training methodology, there are 10 domains of fitness: Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Strength, Stamina, Flexibility, Power, Speed, Coordination, Agility, Balance and Accuracy. The X represents these ten domains of fitness.

Finally, X symbolizes the unknown. Training in functional fitness, the way we do it, as opposed to most other methods is not specific training but general physical preparedness (GPP).

Building a broad fitness base, not only prepares you for the unknown and unknowable outside of the gym, it gives you the FREEDOM to be able to pursue life to its fullest. So you can be ready to go on that hiking trip with your buddies, go pick up something heavy in a powerlifting meet, or just help a friend move, you could sign up for that 5k, or participate more actively in your kids or grandkids lives. HybridX Fitness helps people replace health and fitness problems with better movement and lifestyle solutions.

by Ryan Avery

Coach Ryan has been practicing fitness coaching for nearly 30 years. He has worked with clients of all ages and backgrounds to help them discover their potential through better nutrition, physical and mental practices. Industry Credentials: OPEX CCP, [Assessment, Program Design, Nutrition, Lifestyle Coaching, Business Systems] Precision Nutrition L-2, CrossFit L-3, USA Weightlifting L-1, USA Powerlifting CC, 4th Degree Black Belt, Taekwondo. He also holds a Masters Degree (MBA) from St. Cloud State University.

The CrossFit Ethos

Click the video to learn more about who we are as a Licensed CrossFit Affiliate

The CrossFit ethos was born out of what we do and how we do it. We say: You just have to show up and do the work and you’ll get the results. This rewards and develops work ethic and discipline. Your effort is measurable and you’re going to share your results with us, and with each other, with visible scores on the whiteboard. This fosters accountability and courage. And because it’s infinitely scalable — that is we scale to meet you where you are but we do not change programs — everyone knows the challenge you faced and you're respected and welcomed for your effort no matter who you are or where you land on the scoreboard. These are key ingredients that build genuine camaraderie and belonging. Find a CrossFit Gym: map.crossfit.com Learn More About the Magic of CrossFit: http://bit.ly/3Fzg85o CrossFit - (https://www.crossfit.com/)

What is Fitness?

When setting out to begin a new fitness program, it’s important to first define what fitness means to you. This can help you set specific, achievable goals and guide you in choosing the right program or training plan. It can also help you stay motivated and focused on your fitness journey, as you will have a clear understanding of what you are working towards.

For example, if you define fitness as being able to run a marathon, you may choose a training plan that focuses on endurance and long-distance running. On the other hand, if you define fitness as being able to lift heavy weights and increase strength, you may choose a training plan that focuses on strength training and weightlifting.

Overall, defining what fitness means to you can help you make the most of your training and achieve the results you desire.

Having sat down with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people over the years to discuss fitness goals I’ve realized most people want it all. They tell me they’d like to lose lose weight, gain strength, and have better cardio. And, not surprisingly, they typically find that moving toward one goal often takes them away from the others. Additionally, if the only thing they are tracking is their weight, they tend to get discouraged early on. We hope to change that.

At CrossFit St. Cloud, we utilize CrossFit training to move clients toward a goal of Increasing Overall Work Capacity. This helps us deliver a fitness program that is broad, balanced, and highly effective at achieving an array of fitness goals. We incorporate skills, drills and exercises to help you improve:

• Cardio Respiratory Endurance

• Strength

• Stamina

• Flexibility

• Power

• Speed

• Coordination

• Agility

• Balance

• Accuracy

This gives us the ability to measure fitness improvements in nearly unlimited different ways: more pullups, bigger squats, faster running, higher jumping and, as common side effects, more energy, fat loss and muscle gain.

Need some help defining your goals or creating a plan to achieve them? Head to our get started page to book a Free Intro with one of our coaches.