Hi, I’m Rachel. I go by Rae, for short.

I’ve always been a “jock”

I grew up playing sports such as track, cross country, soccer, and softball. I even danced and took baton lessons for much of my childhood. After a foot injury and subsequent foot surgery as a senior in high school brought my running career to a screeching halt, I spent most all of my 20s incredibly unhappy with my body and my health. I couldn’t run like I used to. I had convinced myself I didn’t “like” lifting (lol) and I was in an unhealthy headspace that ultimately led to some pretty lousy habits forming. I was a mess.

I wish I could say “One day, something changed. And I immediately fixed everything.” In truth, the journey was incredibly gradual, and not without it’s obstacles. In 2020, I got inspired to earn a Group Fitness Certification. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that I started the ACE certification program for Group Fitness Instruction. I earned that certification and started working part time as a group fitness coach at a local gym that year. In that same year, I realized how much I loved coaching, so decided I wanted to take the next step. I earned an ACE certification in Personal Training in 2023. In 2023, I worked as a full time personal trainer and group fitness instructor for about 8 months before taking a brief break from coaching. By 2024, I also was peer pressured (and by that I mean, it was suggested to me) into competing in powerlifting for the first time. I’ve been annually competing ever since!

Safe to say, coaching and fitness have changed my life. The fitness space has been a lifeline for me on more than one occasion. I’ve grown into a new person, both physically and mentally, thanks to coaching and training. I’ve even become a competitive athlete again, thanks to accidentally (on purpose) getting into powerlifting.

In summary: Fitness means a lot to me. But…

I’ve always been active in the “nerd” community

To nobody’s surprise, I definitely grew up the weird Star Wars girl, the weird goth/emo girl, and the, well, weird girl. Even though I was an athlete, I was the girl on the soccer team that would suggest things like Jurassic Park, The Crow, or Phantom of the Opera for team movie night… But, as an adult woman, that weird girl still lives on… She’s just evolved.

It wasn’t until 2024 that my nerd-world really entered a new realm: I started playing Baldur’s Gate 3 in an effort to learn Dungeons and Dragons. Why? Because I was volun-told I was going to be my group’s Dungeon Master.

I had only ever played one session before… many years prior.

Fast forward more than two years to 2026: My life revolves around it! Rolling dice, building characters, and creating stories started to seep into other areas of my life, such as into my other primary hobby: fitness.

I decided to merge my two hobbies and provide workout programs for people like me: the nerds who like to lift heavy things, roll dice, and play make believe with their friends.

Besides, who doesn’t want to roll dice in the gym?

Aside from dice and the gym…

I’m also an avid reader. (You can follow me on StoryGraph, but it’s mostly just vampire smut and some horror). I crochet, play boardgames and video games, attend the occasional comic con in cosplay, and care for my menagerie of pets.

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio, with my partner.