Kelly Young reconnects with college friend Beth Novy for a warm, free-ranging conversation about Beth’s career in communications, her family’s experience when her son Zach developed transverse myelitis, and the routines and values shaping life after major change. Their memories of college and enduring friendship lead to a practical closing message: reach out when someone comes to mind.

It all started with a Friday tradition at Ithaca. Fridays were Beth’s time to herself, and every week Kelly would ask if she could come along anyway. Years later, hearing about her daughter Lindsay’s Fridays with friends at Syracuse made Kelly think of Beth and send her a text. One quick call turned a planned solo episode into a conversation between old friends. Beth reflects on leaving Paramount after nearly 20 years, what helped her family get through Zach’s recovery, and why motherhood comes to mind when Kelly asks when she’s had to start before she was ready.

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Let’s connect!
IG: @kellys_bootcamp
My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/

In this episode of Start Before You’re Ready, I’m joined by Rebecca Weaver, a mom of two, IT executive, and member of our KBC community for 11 years. Rebecca shares how her relationship with fitness has evolved through different seasons of life, including a lupus diagnosis that challenged her identity as an athlete. We talk about learning to focus on what you can do, surrounding yourself with people who help you grow, and why someone who seems confident can still struggle with imposter syndrome. I love her reminder that success can mean finding ways to keep going as your life and body change.

From signing up for her first triathlon while holding her baby at 2 a.m. to adventure racing with her sister and renovating a neglected lake house with her family. Rebecca has plenty of experience starting before she’s ready. We also talk about friendships built through fitness, the shift from chasing a lower number on the scale to protecting muscle, and building strength for the life you want to live. This conversation is full of honesty, humor, and reminders that we can do hard things, even when we’re figuring them out along the way.

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Let’s connect!
IG: @kellys_bootcamp
My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/

In this episode of Start Before You're Ready, I'm joined by longtime KBC member Kjersti Oliver, whose story is an incredible reminder that life doesn't have to be perfect for us to keep moving forward. Kjersti is a wife, mom of two young boys, assistant principal, and former competitive swimmer and triathlete. In 2024, while helping open a brand-new school and raising her young family, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She shares what it was like navigating chemotherapy, surgeries, and radiation while trying to hold on to the things that made her feel like herself. One of my favorite parts of her story is how she reached out to me to start exercising again, even when she wasn't sure what her body could handle. She literally started before she was ready.

We also talk about the power of community, raising kids with healthy habits, making fitness a part of your life without becoming obsessed with goals, and why consistency matters so much more than perfection. Kjersti shares some great practical advice about meal planning, involving kids in the kitchen, and supporting someone going through cancer. Her biggest takeaway is something I think we can all learn from: sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do for someone is simply keep showing up. This conversation is about resilience, perspective, and finding your way back to the things that bring you joy, even when life looks nothing like you planned.

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Let’s connect!
IG: @kellys_bootcamp
My website: https://kellysbootcamp.net/