JULY AOTM: Robin Gillette

Robin (she/her) joined Solcana back in 2022 to take care of her health despite not seeing herself as an athlete.

"In fact," she shares, "I've spent my entire life actively resisting any sort of sporty activity because I'm not an athlete."

But after turning 50, Robin knew she wanted to prioritize her physical health. With Solcana just a block from her house, she figured she couldn't use distance as an excuse.

At first, she kept her new gym routine a secret.

"I figured I would fail soon, so there was no point in sharing," she mentions.

From day one, Robin found a welcoming environment that made it easy to keep showing up, even as someone completely new to the gym. Before long, her classmates became more than workout partners, they became a community.

"There are so many things to say about Robin! She started at Solcana just over 4 years ago with no gym experience and also didn’t do “sporty things”. Fast forward to now and she is so strong, she participated in Drop Deadlift Gorgeous and has a beautiful squat. She is always open to feedback and works hard to get stronger. When she returns from trips she often comments that she could not do the adventures she goes on if it wasn’t for strength training. As part of the masters class Robin is also the glue that builds friendships outside of the gym. With her involvement in the local theatre community she plans outings and tells us about local shows that we might not otherwise have heard of. She is always quick to welcome new members and make them feel at home. I feel so fortunate to know Robin, call her a friend and have her as a part of the Solcana community." -Coach Traci

"Solcana was completely welcoming for a gym novice, and my fantastic classmates quickly became a family with built-in accountability. So I never failed." Robin also hit a deadlift PR of 155lbs during the 2023 Drop Deadlift Gorgeous event! (see cover image of her amazing PR!)

"I love Robin!!! She's such a fun presence in the gym and is SO consistent!! Such a joy to watch that consistency pay off over the years as she's gotten so very strong!! I love any chance I get to see Robin!!" -Coach Cate

When she's not at Solcana, Robin enjoys cooking, reading, and working as a consultant for performing arts organizations.

Thank you Robin for being such a great part of the Solcana community, especially Masters! You're such an inspiration!