Melissa Marienau - coaching good health

Melissa Marienau started on a path that would lead to a career in dancing. But the reality of what that sort of life was like changed her mind quickly.

“I grew up dancing,” Melissa said. “I was dancing 37 hours a week by age 17.” She wasn't the product of a stage mother or anything like that. She was simply driven by her love of dancing. Jazz, tap, ballet – she loved it all.

Melissa Marienau

After high school, Melissa moved to Los Angeles. Her goal was to be part of the dance world. She traveled weekends for dance conventions, teaching and demonstrating a variety of dance styles. But within a year, she was questioning her decision.

“The dance industry just didn't feel right,” Melissa said. “It was a gut feeling. I was thinking, do I want to be with this group of people for my whole life? Choreographers don’t really get married and have kids. And I didn't want my entire life to be about one thing.”

Melissa made the decision to move to Lawrence and attend the University of Kansas. When she arrived, she said, she had no idea what she wanted to do with herself. She talked with a counselor, who steered her toward journalism, and she started finding a focus.

She was still sports minded. Besides dancing since she was a toddler, Melissa had run track in high school, and swam a lot in her youth. But she didn't necessarily understand how to take care of her body, how to eat properly, how to have a well-rounded physical routine.

Logan & Melissa Marienau

Right after her freshman year, Melissa decided to work as a lifeguard. At her first internal employee meeting, she met Logan Marienau. “He’s the one who kind of introduced me to lifting weights,” she said. “He got me back into running. He taught me how to be more healthy. I started strength training more, running more, swimming more, living a healthy life style.”

Melissa graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Strategic Communications, a field that taught her about technology, how to keep up with the changing future, and social media. She and Logan dated four years before getting married in 2012. After moving to Kansas City, Melissa started coaching at the Jewish Community Center. In one of the JCC flyers, she saw information about triathlons, and signed up for the class.

“I was the joke of the class,” she said. “I had this old bike, handed down from my brother. I didn't know what a wind trainer was.” Fortunately, her mother-in-law, who was a triathlete, drove up from Lawrence to give Melissa her wind trainer. The class lasted for 10 or 12 weeks, Melissa said. She spent hours bike riding indoors with the wind trainer, and alternated that with swimming and running.

Melissa - competing in the
Meshugge New Year's Challenge

It was through triathlons, Melissa said, that she realized many athletes had no body awareness, didn't take time to stretch, and were unable to know what their body was feeling. So she decided to use her dance background, as well as what she had learned in college about communicating and technology, and put it to use.

“I took my whole background and turned it into a way to help athletes,” she said. Melissa spent several months searching for companies that could help her find a way to do that, then went through an eight-month process to become certified as a Yoga Sports Coach. She works part time with a travel agency, but spends most of her time building up her new business, MVMNT for Athletes, LLC.

Though she and Logan lived nearby, they had never visited Holy Cross Lutheran Church. She had grown up in a non-denominational Bible church, and Logan was more of a traditional Lutheran. Or as Melissa explained it, “He went to church where they had all these specific lines you have to say.” (In the traditional Lutheran church, we call that liturgy.)

So the couple visited about 10 different churches, but nothing seemed to fit. Melissa continued to research congregations, then said, “Hey Logan, there’s a church right down the street!” Melissa said that they attended the 10:30 a.m. contemporary worship and praise service, in the fall of 2012, and said, “This is it! No way we’re looking for another.”

Since then they've been finding their place in this faith community. She and Logan helped with the snacks for the Blessing of the Bikes, and Melissa accepted Cathy Martin’s invitation to help with altar ministry. “I said I have no clue what that is, but sure, I’ll do it,” Melissa said.

Melissa competing in
Silverback Lawrence Triathlon

She also learned about Pastor Mike’s love for marathons through following him on Twitter, so it was a natural connection to want to be part of a training group for runners and walkers that Pastor Mike wanted to start.

The group’s purpose is two-fold. “Running is a great way to create community,” Pastor Mike said. In a recent blog post, he cited how runners, whether they realize it, support a lot of charitable organizations through the sport. The training group is a springboard as such for those who might want to participate in the May 17, 2015 Triple Crown Showdown, a benefit for the Myasthenia Gravis Association. The run was started by Holy Cross Mission Partner Allison Foss, who has battled the disease her whole life. Her story can be found in an earlier blog by following this link: http://sherriarmel.blogspot.com/2013/08/allison-foss-living-with-chronic-disease.html

Melissa is a coach for the new Holy Cross training group, which for now meets at 11:30 a.m. Sunday mornings through early May. It’s a win-win situation for Melissa. “Once you get there,” she said, referring to what she has learned through a fit lifestyle, “you feel so healthy, and you want to help others feel healthy.”