There’s something to be said about these stories submitted by our wonderful Champ Community members. Inspiring, vulnerable, and authentic are 3 words that come to mind. This next spotlight belongs to Megan Pedruski (@megtorrance). What a story!!!
On July 7, 2017 I was biking home with a couple of friends on vacation and ran into a barricade. I was thrown off of my bike and hit my head, and my helmet broke off. I was unconscious and my friend performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. I woke up the next morning while my intubation tube was being removed. I was in ICU and I had suffered a major head injury and a skull fracture. I had lost my vision, was unable to speak, could only walk ten metres with two people assisting me, and could not eat or drink. I had no energy and slept for twenty three hours a day. I was kept in ICU for eight days, and then transferred to a medicine unit for another week. I had met with neurosurgeons who talked about brain surgery if things did not get better, which scared me more than I can explain. Each day there were improvements, but the recovery was slow and a I struggled mentally and physically. I was discharged two weeks later and told not to do any physical activity. My accident greatly affected my balance and I was not able to stand upright or walk for over a month without a cane and someone assisting me. My vision came back after a month and a half.
I hated not being able to be physically activity. I walked and used the indoor bike machine daily. Before my accident I had signed up for a half marathon in Brooklyn and was determined to go and still complete the race, even if it meant walking for thirteen miles. I completed the half and it was the most humbling experience I have ever had. And I swore to myself I would never walk another race.
In November I saw a specialist and was given the green light to slowly incorporate more strenuous physical activity back into my routine. I went right to the gym and slowly started running and lifting weights again, and quickly realized how much muscle and endurance I had lost.
By January I was getting bored of my gym routine and wanted to try Champs Boxing. I went to my first class and instantly loved it. After my first few classes of awkwardness I quickly learned the moves, and found it to be the best full body workout I have ever had. I started going to Champs seven days a week. The more I went, the more I loved the classes, the teachers, the work out and the community at champs. Quickly I saw the changes physically and mentally.
Now ten months later I am more in love with Champs than I ever was before. I am in the best shape I have ever been in. Throughout the summer I attended Champs class every morning at 6:15 and would run after work. This summer I got two personal best times for half marathons, and my time for my full marathon was thirty minutes faster than my fastest time previously. This only goes to show how the Champs workouts with the strength and endurance training has helped my running. Not to mention how punching a bag helped me mentally get through the hardest year of my life.
Every morning I am excited to go to Champs to see all the friends I have made there, spend time talking to the amazing teachers and sweat! The fifty minute classes go by so quickly, and I genuinely enjoy every minute of them. I always ask my friends and family to come to Champs with me and check out this amazing work out.
Huge thank you to Mel for getting me in the door to Champs, and the amazing morning teachers :Dao who always has the biggest smile and positive personality, Viet who has killer lower body workouts with amazing beats, Robbie for his amazing bag drill classes and Brooklyn for greeting me every morning with the biggest smile.