If you are part of the Arlington crew, you probably know Mary and Wes. No matter what happens outside of the studio, they always show up and pour their heart and soul into each class.
“I love seeing the exchange of the Perrys,” says Erica. ” They leave the weights out for each other & they show pure dedication & team work. One takes class while the other has the kids then they switch. They also both kill it in class! Wes is a beast on that rower! Both are strong AF parents.”
They are the power couple that literally has gotten stronger together.
“I always say ‘the couple that sweats together…stays together’ and Mary and Wes are the epitome,” says Greg. “I’ve had the pleasure to have Mary at my 5:30’s for quite some time and now I get the pleasure to work with Wes as well. Both are always smiling, but crushing it! They are both so sincere, kind, and Mary gives me an occasional WOO! We’re lucky to have you both part of the community!”
We are so excited to introduce you to our August Members of the Month – Mary & Wes Perry. Keep on reading to see what keeps them motivated both on and off the rowers.
How did you first hear about Sweat Fixx?
Wes was the one who found Sweat Fixx. He had seen signs in Arlington Center around the time it was about to open, Googled it and encouraged me to go. My first thought was “I’ll die within the first two minutes on a rower”, but when I saw it was more than just rowing and the rave reviews on the Arlington List I decided to give it a try and got hooked! In May, I got Wes to come to a Saturday morning class with me and he’s been going ever since.
What keeps you coming back?
The instructors, the people and that no class is ever the same. Where else can show up, get your butt kicked by amazing instructors and get to meet some incredible people who force you to be a better version of yourself! When you feel like you could have long-lasting friendships with the instructors and the people you work out with, outside of class, that’s a great feeling and a fun environment to be in!
What’s one thing that you look forward to every time you come to a class?
Being able to leave everything at the door. Once we’re in class we know that our kids are in good hands, our phones can’t distract us, and that we have 45 minutes to decompress, focus on our health, and work as hard as we possibly can pushing ourselves one second or one meter more.
What motivates you to be stronger?
The Sweat Fixx community, our girls, and each other. We are constantly reminded of the strength of this community, whether it’s the powerhouses we sit next to on the rowers, the insane videos Elise posts of the instructor workouts, or the good this community does with Karma Fixx and the recent 10K row. Even the personal strength of the instructors and what they willing to share publicly is absolutely inspiring. It’s this community that keeps us coming back. Our girls are also a source of inspiration, as we want to be an example to them of the importance of being strong and staying in good health, in addition to having the energy to keep up with them and our hectic lives. Lastly, each other. Even though we rarely workout together, Sweat Fixx is something we both can share in and get a little competitive about. Often we’ll compare times on our 100s (of course, Wes always wins), if we do back to back classes was hard or tough and that makes it fun too.
When you aren’t crushing it on the rower or mat, where can we find you?
Working (Wes – Boston/Billerica, Mary – Peabody) or with our 4 girls, but more likely chasing after our 2-year twins and trying to ensure they live another day by not running in roads, jumping off walls, thinking mulch and dirt are food, or teaching them that their sister’s nail polish and lipstick don’t enhance the look of our hardwood floors ,and that white sofas are not the appropriate canvas for their use.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Wes: I don’t really have a guilty pleasure but maybe a good beer or Cannoli from the North End
Mary: Definitely coffee and some type of sweet with peanut butter and chocolate
What are you most proud of accomplishing since you first came to Sweat Fixx?
Mary: That I consistently show-up and that I’ve become stronger doing it. Being a dietitian, nutrition is something that is incredibly important to me, but having 4 girls under the age of 8 I can see where my health has taken a backseat over the past several years in an effort to just survive the sleepless nights, juggling home-life and working full-time. I’ve always loved running and working out, but the fitness piece is where I’ve struggled to be consistent over the past several years. I’ve done at-home trainers, gyms by work, but nothing has stuck either because of time or feeling guilty for leaving the office or home-life to workout. When Sweat Fixx came along and I saw they offered the 5:30am class and I knew that might work for me if I could get up and slip out while the kids were sleeping. It’s been a long-time since I’ve run a marathon, but since starting SweatFixx I’ve shaved a minute off my fastest mile and Wes and I recently completed the Falmouth Road Race where I felt I had the stamina to keep going even after I finished which I owe all to Sweat Fixx.
Wes: Seeing the improvements I made in time or meters rowed since I started and getting in 4-5 workouts a week consistently.
One tip that you would give to someone who is coming to Sweat Fixx for the first time?
Just do it! When you walk through that door there is no judgement and no intimidation whether your standing next to someone whose been coming from the start or someone who started a few weeks back. You’ll always have people who are stronger and faster than you, and one day you might surprise yourself and be the first one to finish the set. You make your workout, so use others to motivate you to work your hardest – they can push your more than you might push yourself. And if you screw up, almost tip over balancing on one leg, can’t hold your plank, or feel as though the instructor is repeating the instructions because of you, laugh and just get back to it. This is more than just rowing, it’s a community, so embrace it!
