dog obsessed
tooth nerd
new mama
Fallout Boy's #1 fan
leftie
book devourer
Xx, Jess
I’m Jess — a dental hygienist, run and strength coach, podcast host, new-ish mama, and someone who has spent the last decade figuring out what it actually means to build a body and a life that lasts.
It started with a half marathon in 2012 and an immediate obsession with what my body could do. Then an injury in 2014 taught me the hard way that strength wasn’t optional. Then came coaching, the podcast, and eventually the Sturdy Girl Method — a framework built around one simple idea: you don’t need to be perfect, you need to be sturdy.
Sturdy looks different in every season. Some seasons you’re training for an ultra. Some seasons you’re lifting in your garage in slippers during nap time. Both count. All of it counts.
If you’re an active human who’s tired of programs that don’t fit your actual life — you’re in the right place.
there's a difference --- and figuring that out changed everything for me.
you don't need to be perfect, you just need to be sturdy.
Credentials
UESCA Certified (Ultra) Run Coach
UESCA Certified Triathlon Coach
NSCA Personal Trainer
Bachelors Health Science
Health Mindset Coaching Cert
Precision Nutrition Level 1
UESCA Performance Nutrition Cert
NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
sturdy girl
everwild
The Podcast
The Coaching
Launched in 2023, Sturdy Girl digs into body image, self-compassion, and resilience with research-backed, practical episodes. No clichés — just tools you can use. Join us for little life chats.
Play this episode first.
EverWild started as run-first coaching and grew into a full practice: 1:1 coaching, the Grit membership (3×/week strength for runners), and the Starting Line PDF
for new runners. I write programs that prioritize durability, progressions, and habit change — not short-lived fixes.
Learn More.
Wanted honest, evidence-backed conversations about body image that didn’t make listeners feel bad. The show is equal parts research, real talk, and practical tools.
launched the sturdy girl podcast
2023
The reality that training doesn't exist in a vacuum and there are so many other components that go into ''health" - that's what led to adding behavior change and habit coaching into the general framework as well as performance nutrition + duh, strength.
Added in and integrated strength, Performance nutrition and habit coaching
2018-2020
Went from coaching friends to running online programs for everyday athletes. Learned to write plans that fit busy lives. What later turned into EverWild was first called Form In Focus because I was also doing portrait and lifestyle photography at the same time.
BEcame a certified run coach and started coaching (more than just family)
2017
Turns out, strength training is really really important in the endurance world. Learned this lesson the hard way by overtraining and running a marathon on a tibial stress fracture. Shoutout to my PT for introducing me to the barbell.
injury taught me how much strength matttered
2014
First half-marathon and immediate obsession. Running showed me what my body could do and started a decades-long habit of experimenting.
jess starts running
2012
How everwild and sturdy girl came to be.
a little timeline
To better serve you and streamline the entire process, we brought Sturdy Girl and EverWild together under one umbrella - everything in one place to work on that sturdy body and sturdy mind.
the marriage of sturdy girl and everwild coaching !
2026
Erica A.
Going through life as a sturdy girl is just easier. I can lift a 50-pound bag of dog food without help, keep up with my demanding job, and I never take that strength for granted.
My fiancé is jealous of my upper body muscles.
Lexi B.
I’ve finished my first triathlon, marathon + 50k while becoming genuinely consistent with exercise for the first time in my life. What I love most is her ability to be both a dream enabler + a reality check.
Jess has completely transformed not just my fitness, but my relationship with training + my own capabilities."
Sarah C.
With Jess, I found a coach who got to know me, my goals, + tailored my program to fit where I was in my fitness journey. She’s been my guide through half-marathon training, 50k prep, + even recovery from an elbow fracture and surgery.
Jess has made me comfortable in my body, and embrace what I can do.
Libby C.
Brandie F.
Thornley M.
I trust her programming and feel confident candidly sharing what’s working… Together, we co-create training that flexes with my life while building toward my goals... I feel fully supported in every training cycle.
With Jess’ coaching + guidance, I’ve become a more confident + self-directed athlete.
Before coaching with Jess, I struggled with managing loads and volume while transitioning from powerlifting to running. Jess helped me enjoy the process, adjust for real life, and maintain my sanity with lifting and running. Game changer!
I was thrilled to finish my half marathon + keep my strength in the process.
Jess pushed me to set new goals I thought were unachievable, and helped me fulfill every one of them. I feel stronger overall than I ever have before.
I’ve been able to accomplish things on my life bucket list under Jess's training.
ready to train sturdy?
join grit
Coaching that builds strength, confidence, and resilience — without the BS.
