Our July Members of the Month are Molly and Myles Aburto. Their story is one of commitment and a desire to be fit no matter the obstacles. Molly has been with the LAB since 2017. She began her training with Coach Lee before transitioning into Strength + Conditioning classes. She introduced Myles to the LAB as part of a Saturday day-date!! Everything was moving along smoothly until Myles suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm.
When it happened Myles and Molly had been training for the Cowtown Half Marathon, and were in pretty good shape. During the hospital stay and subsequent 6-month recovery process, the couple didn't exercise much while Myles regained his strength. Needless to say, it was a very emotionally and physically demanding time. At the end they got engaged, Myles got a new job and he moved to Fort Worth.
“Surviving a brain aneurysm really helped me get back in touch with my faith and reassured me how amazing my family is. The recovery process was very long, similar to a stroke, but I can thankfully say I am back to 100-percent and improving! ”
— Myles Aburto
One of the first things Myles wanted to do once everything began to settle down was rejoin the LAB. He was eager to improve his physical health, but also excited about getting back to a community of athletes. They had a blast getting into shape before their May wedding, and even postponed their honeymoon so they could participate in the Memorial Day Murph!
Myles and Molly are definitely a bright spot at the LAB, and we are excited to welcome them into the ranks of enduraLAB Members of the Month.
Molly Aburto
What brought you into enduraLAB? I started coming to the LAB after becoming a full-time nurse. I was experiencing back and shoulder pain and needed to strengthen those areas. I started with personal training and worked my way up to Strength + Conditioning classes. Then I invited Myles to a Saturday class on a date!
How did you exercise before enduraLAB? Before the LAB, I did a lot of cardio! I had never touched a barbell before enduraLAB.
What healthy changes have you made since starting enduraLAB? Since starting enduraLAB, we have tried to keep our diet healthier and work hard to avoid eating out as much—especially for dessert.
Tell us what you do outside of the LAB? I am a pediatric emergency nurse at Cook Children's Medical Center. I work until 3:00 AM, so I rarely make it to morning classes!
How have you grown as an athlete since joining the LAB? Since joining, I have learned how to lift properly and how to push myself mentally. I used to give up right away if I felt that the workout was too hard, or I was going to need to modify. Now I push through and am proud of every finish, even the ones with modifications!
What is a goal you have set for yourself in the next 6 months? The next year? In the next year I'd like to lift heavier, complete a single strict pull up and finish another half marathon without injury. Molly has completed three half marathons to date!
If there was a workout named after you, what would it consist of? If there was a workout named after me it would include 200 meter run sprints, wall balls, push press and push ups. Anything to avoid the ski erg!
What is your favorite enduraLAB event? My favorite enduraLAB event is the Memorial Day Murph.
What is your favorite enduraLAB program/cycle? The 9:00 AM Saturday eL FIT workouts because I love working in teams.
What advice would you have for a new person starting at enduraLAB? My advice for a new person would be to keep coming, even if you feel like the classes are above your skill level. No matter how slow you run or light you lift, the coaches and other athletes are so encouraging. Now when we bring friends to Buds-n-Suds, I am surprised at much I have grown in comparison.
Favorite cheat meal/restaurant in D/FW? My favorite cheat meal in Fort Worth is probably Rodeo Goat.
Where did you go to college? I went to Colgate University for my BA and to Duke University for my BSN.
Myles Aburto
What brought you into enduraLAB in the first place? My lovely bride Molly!
How did you exercise before enduraLAB? Sports, weight training, running/biking and swimming.
What healthy changes have you made since starting enduraLAB? Molly and I have decided to follow a Paleo-ish diet Monday through Friday with weekends free to help us keep our sanity!
Tell us what you do outside of the LAB? I work at a Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning firm called TBG Partners. There I help design master plan communities, urban parks/plazas, amenity spaces and multi-family developments. We recently bought a house, so I will be tapping into my residential design skills to make the most out of our yard. We also have a lot of home improvement projects lined up already.... so that will be my free time. Any small bit of time after that will be spent with our dog, Mila.
How have you grown as an athlete since joining the LAB? In general, returning to the LAB after my initial brain aneurysm and all the follow up surgeries. I always love coming back and working the LAB into my routine no matter how long it takes my body to adjust. It is more of a mental challenge to not get frustrated with down time. My most recent achievement was the Memorial Day Murph. I participated in the event for the first time and wore a 20-pound vest. Aside from that, I think I have been growing relationships with all my fellow LAB rats!
What is a goal you have set for yourself in the next 6 months? The next year? I would love to finish this Power Cycle with a better grasp on overhead work. I also want to start coming to morning workouts. Recovery will be a big part of my next six months to a year because I am undergoing orthopedic hip surgery this fall. I want to work on recovery habits in general.
If there was a workout named after you, what would it consist of? The MYLES would consist of an AMRAP of 18 minutes: 12 calorie row, 8 box jumps, 8 strict pull ups, 12 push ups and 3 burpees
What is your favorite enduraLAB event? The monthly Buds-n-Suds Community Workouts
What is your favorite enduraLAB program/cycle? The Power Cycle
What advice would you have for a new person starting at enduraLAB? My advice would be to try and make friends early. Everyone is so nice so it should be super easy! That way you can power through workouts with friends which is so much more fun.
Favorite cheat meal/restaurant in D/FW? Buffalo Bros Wings
Where did you go to college? Purdue University BOILER UP!
