i am stacey

In 2015, I hit a breaking point. My health collapsed under the weight of cumulative years of working multiple jobs with unpredictable hours and running ultra-distances up to and over 100 miles. As a nurse, I knew that the body can compensate until it can’t, and unless measures are taken to ease the burden on a system, you are out of luck. I told myself the rules did not apply to me. I thought I could grit my way through it all. I was wrong.

That’s me in the picture crossing the Keys 100 finish line in 2018. It was a beautiful and fun experience that tested my skillset as a ultrarunner. But, I hadn’t fully recovered from my burnout, and the effort came at a cost. At the time, I didn’t realize how my approach was still unsustainable and primarily relying on grit.

Rebuilding my health was a challenging process. Even with my nursing background, finding the right support to get back to sport was overwhelming at times. I immersed myself in learning about recovery, resilience, and the fundamentals of training for running and strength. I focused on how to nurture health and athletic durability. Over time, I came to understand realistic health resilience as simple yet complex - a dynamic blend of mindset, habits, and recovery strategies that prioritize longevity without sacrificing joy.

Now, I am on a mission to support others in finding their own path to defining their own versions of sustainable health and performance. “Joy Before Fear” is more than a business name, it is a movement, a way of living, a guidepost for sport and life.