Our Power Source Team

We invited two outstanding women, Ruth Krongold and Lesley Shore, to be the experts on our Power Source team. Their full biographies are included at the end of our book. Click their names below for brief bios.

Ruth Krongold

Our Power Source Emotional Fitness Expert and Coach

Lesley Shore

Our Power Source Journaling Expert

Our Power Source Role Models

We also selected five women to feature in our book as our Role Models — women who have overcome adversity and achieved goals most women would only dare to dream about.

These women’s achievements have transformed their lives and given them the tools for ongoing success in physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Their achievements have encouraged them to develop a passion for fitness and a healthy body and mind and to mentor other women. They share their stories and fitness experiences throughout the book with hope, humor, and inspiration.

Claire Vandramini

Claire started cycling 11 years ago to get a little relief from the stress and hurt she felt when her husband was undergoing his many cancer treatments. As a result of this decision, she later found that her love of cycling and fitness took on a whole new meaning.

In July 2009 Claire completed her first Ironman 70.3 in Peterborough, Ontario (Canada), and finished second in her age category. In September of the same year, she traveled to Australia to compete in the World Olympic Triathlon. In April 2010 she competed in Galveston, Texas, and qualified for the 2010 World Ironman 70.3 Championships in Tampa, Florida.

To date she has enjoyed many different triathlons, both long and short. Her goal in 2011 is to complete in her first full Ironman and get her “finisher” Ironman tattoo.

Maureen Catania

Over a period of three years, Maureen lost 50 inches and 50 pounds. Her daily fitness program involves a combination of strength training and weights.

She has replaced her entire wardrobe and is now wearing sexy dresses and heels.

Abbey Smith

In her 50s, when her adolescent daughter told her there was “nothing she could do” to keep her off the streets at night, Abbey enrolled them both in a women’s self-defense class where they practiced awareness, alertness, and defensive actions. It was there that Abbey first heard about Aikido.

At the age of 67, after 12 years of training, Abbey received her first-degree black belt in Aikido (Shodan). The oldest female member of the Shugyo Dojo Toronto, Abbey teaches Aikido to children and adults and continues to train.

Gloria Jacobs

For the past seven years, Gloria has been a member of Dragon Boat Racing teams. In the summer of 2005 she participated at the World Dragon Boat Competition in Berlin. In April 2007, while training on the Canadian team for the World Dragon Boat in Australia, Gloria discovered she had breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy, underwent radiation, and continued to train. Her team won a silver medal and a bronze medal.

Sheila Rhodes

A fitness educator and a lifelong athlete committed to a healthy lifestyle, Sheila underwent emergency quadruple by-pass surgery in 2003. She recovered fully through a combination of cycle fit, weight training, running, and yoga.