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Project: How I Got This Body

How I Got This Body: Out of the pool and into the fire

Hans Early-Nelson fell in love with welding and sculpting at an early age, but swimming was a harder sell. Now, swimming and other forms of exercise are essential to his work. Updated May. 3, 2013
- Project: How I Got This Body

How I Got This Body is a regular feature about real people and their quest for fitness. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate to be featured in a future column, e-mail us at body@startribune.com. Include your name, age, contact information and an explanation of your fitness story.

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Fitness instructor Bonnie Oliver of Maple Grove enlists the support of her family and friends to provide moral and physical encouragement. She’s surrounded by, from left, Peter Villagomez Jr., Peter Villagomez Sr., Areanna Villagomez, Paul Herskind, Felicia Vill and Dre Oliver.

How I Got This Body: Pumping iron with Grandma
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED ,Special to the Star Tribune Publish March 24, 2013 2:00 AM / Update March 22, 2013 5:32 PM

SEW LONG, CARPAL TUNNEL “I went to vocational trade school to be a tailor and seamstress. I worked at Dayton’s and Neiman Marcus and had my own shop, and then I worked for Lossing Orthopedics, doing a lot of sewing and steelwork. I got carpal tunnel and at therapy they told me, ‘If you keep that up you’ll have to have surgery.’ ”
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Jewelia Wagner

How I Got This Body: Jewelia Wagner is one fit mama
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish March 11, 2013 2:00 AM / Update March 11, 2013 9:22 AM
Jewelia Wagner always knew she wanted to go to medical school, and she has always been active — the four-sport high school athlete and collegiate volleyball player helped coach high school volleyball during med school. She combined her passions by studying exercise and pregnancy in med school, and is now living them out: The new mom exercised throughout her pregnancy, runs regularly and is looking for a volleyball team to join.

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How I Got This Body: Back from back surgery
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish February 17, 2013 2:00 AM / Update February 15, 2013 4:08 PM
Jan Clymer, 63, Minneapolis, retired fund-raising consultant, walker

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Peter Hendrickson, an associate professor of music at Augsburg College, started biking when he realized it was the quickest, easiest way to get to his Finnish language class at the University of Minnesota.

How I Got This Body: His bike really sings
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish January 27, 2013 2:00 AM / Update January 25, 2013 2:45 PM
How I Got This Body: Peter Hendrickson, 58, St. Paul, music professor and director of choral activities at Augsburg College, cyclist

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Brandyn Negri

How I Got This Body: Through setbacks, yoga is her lifeline
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish January 13, 2013 2:00 AM / Update January 12, 2013 1:42 PM
Yoga has helped Brandyn Negri through a kidney donation, opening and closing her yoga studio -- and a car crash. The next stop on her yoga journey? Africa.

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Judy Cooper Lyle works out at the Blaisdell YMCA three times a week.

How I got this body: Dancing through life
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish January 1, 2013 2:00 AM / Update December 31, 2012 5:05 PM
Judy Cooper Lyle is a former chorus girl turned theater director/producer/fashion designer and fitness enthusiast.

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Fran Bell

95 and still in the swim of things
Article By: PEG MEIER , Special to the Star Tribune Publish December 23, 2012 2:00 AM / Update December 22, 2012 2:33 PM
How I Got This Body: Fran Bell of Chanhassen exercises six days a week. She loves the Marsh: A Center for Balance and Fitness, in Minnetonka.

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Kelechi Jaavaid

How I Got This Body: The runway routine
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish December 9, 2012 2:00 AM / Update December 8, 2012 1:41 PM
Kelechi Jaavaid started gaining weight after he hurt his shoulder playing basketball. He found a unique way to think of exercise to get (and keep) the pounds off.

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Tara Graff in her home workout room with son Nate, 14 months.

How I Got This Body: Workouts plus one
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish November 25, 2012 2:00 AM / Update November 24, 2012 2:59 PM
After putting on 52 pounds during her pregnancy, Tara Graff decided to lose weight by preparing for physique shows. Her son, Nate, 14 months, often joins her in her workouts.

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Cyclist Cindy Colon on a ride around Lake Calhoun.

How I Got This Body: Pedaling a dream
Article By: BY SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish November 12, 2012 2:00 AM / Update November 12, 2012 9:44 AM
When Cindy Colon found her dream bike in the summer of 2011, it didn't take long to go from an occasional rider to a serious cyclist: Over a 40-day period this summer, she rode to New York. When she got back to St. Paul, she set a new goal: add 5 miles a week to her longest ride until she could ride 100 miles in a day. She scratched that goal off her list last month. Next up? A 200-mile ride on summer solstice next June.

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Jodi Adkisson worked out at Sky Zone in Plymouth.

How I Got This Body: Jumping into fitness
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish October 28, 2012 2:00 AM / Update October 27, 2012 3:38 PM

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Erin Jane Pitsor, right, worked with personal coach Casey Stenhjem of Stteele Fitness.

How I Got This Body: Up to the challenge
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish October 14, 2012 2:00 AM / Update October 13, 2012 4:25 PM
Erin Jane Pitsor, 30, Mound, food broker, fitness challenge competitor

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Jenna Hanson, survivor of 2 near fatal car crashes, at age 11 and age 17 does yoga, weights and other workouts to stay healthy. Here she is doing a king pigeon pose.

How I got this body: Thankful every day
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish October 1, 2012 2:00 AM / Update October 1, 2012 8:42 AM
After two devastating car accidents, Jenna Hanson realized she could choose to take care of her body or live in pain.

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Signe Rudrud

How I Got This Body: Lifeguard is 'always rescue-ready'
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish August 5, 2012 2:00 AM / Update August 4, 2012 5:53 PM
When Signe Rudrud learned to swim at age 4, she remembers watching the lifeguards at Lake Nokomis and thinking, "Wow, they get to be at the lake all day." Now she's entering her senior year at South High School, and lifeguarding at Lake Nokomis is her job. Even as a longtime swimmer, her responsibilities have given Rudrud a new perspective on the water, and a new appreciation for the type of endurance required on the job.

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Gerry Uchytil

How I got this body: Taking to the skies
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish July 23, 2012 2:00 AM / Update July 23, 2012 5:27 AM
When Gerry Uchytil and a friend heard about a hang-gliding club starting up in southern California in the early '70s, they sent for a kit and built a glider. Uchytil has been flying ever since.

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Audrey Mundstock, center

How I Got This Body: Rolling on the river
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish July 2, 2012 2:00 AM / Update August 9, 2012 10:36 AM
Audrey Mundstock performs with the Twin Cities River Rats, a water-ski show team that wows crowds on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis every summer.

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How I got this Body - Annette Fragale, 75 years, teaches yoga and othe...

How I got this body: Still waving her magic wand
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish June 17, 2012 2:00 AM / Update August 9, 2012 10:37 AM
Annette Fragale, 76, shares her passion for fitness by teaching yoga, Pilates, Chinese Wand and hula hoop, and she hosts a TV show, "Yoga on the Go!" Oh, and in the summer, she works as a magician.

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Chuck Vavrosky

How I Got This Body: The stair master
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish June 11, 2012 2:00 AM / Update June 12, 2012 8:02 AM

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Jackie Bechtold is a mellophone player with Minnesota Brass.

She's marching her way to fitness
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish July 31, 2011 2:00 AM / Update August 1, 2011 2:23 PM
How I Got This Body: You'd be surprised at the physical demands it takes to be a part of a drum and bugle corps. Musical athlete Jackie Bechtold explains how she keeps fit by performing with the Minnesota Brass.

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Gene Kay uses roller skis to keep in shape.

How I Got This Body: A skier for all seasons
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish May 13, 2012 2:00 AM / Update June 15, 2012 10:42 AM
Gene Kay has been hooked on skiing since he was 6, when a neighborhood mom taught him how to glide down a hill near his home in upstate New York.

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Don Potter and his German Sehepard, Reina.

How I Got This Body: Happy together
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish April 22, 2012 2:00 AM / Update May 11, 2012 3:16 PM
For the past four years, Don Potter and his German shepherd, Reina, have raced up and down hills on an almost-daily basis. They are, he says, "a perfect match" as workout partners.

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Kathleen Cancilla enjoys watching TV while she hula-hoops.

How I Got This Body: Hula-hooping helps keeps her fit
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish April 8, 2012 2:00 AM / Update April 16, 2012 8:42 AM
Kathleen Cancilla recently rediscovered the hula hoop and adapted it to her adult lifestyle -- with surprising results. But the reason she keeps on hula-hooping, she says, is simple: It's fun.

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Karen Bushee

How I Got This Body: Care to dance?
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish March 25, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 27, 2012 8:32 AM
Inspired by her late brother, Karen Bushee is fulfilling her dream to dance around the world.

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Olympic curler Cassie Potter practiced at the St Paul Curling Club last week over her lunch hour.

St. Paul curler is cool as ice
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish March 12, 2012 2:00 AM / Update August 9, 2012 10:39 AM
Cassie Potter -- the daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of curlers -- picked up the sport at a young age and went on to represent the United States at the 2006 Olympics.

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Scott Smith takes time for a workout at St Thomas University.

Diving right in to fitness
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish March 4, 2012 2:00 AM / Update March 5, 2012 9:20 AM
How I Got This Body: Scott Smith's diving career began at 7, when he started jumping off houseboat roofs. Today, he coaches and competes.

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Trimming trees helps keep Paul Jirik fit and trim.

He's climbing to success
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish February 19, 2012 2:00 AM / Update February 18, 2012 1:32 PM
How I Got This Body: For 23 years, Paul Jirik has been climbing trees for a living. It keeps him physically and mentally fit -- and, he says, it offers a welcome respite from his day job.

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Twenty-month-old Matthew keeps his mom, Erin Arifin, busy and fit.

She's taking care of fitness
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish January 22, 2012 2:00 AM / Update February 15, 2012 8:27 AM
How I Got This Body: Before her son was born, Erin Arifin worked a sedentary office job. But staying home with her son, Matthew, now 20 months, has been a surprising fitness and wellness boost.

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Dave Hart

He's getting into the swing of things
Publish February 5, 2012 2:00 AM / Update May 14, 2012 8:21 AM
How I Got This Body: When the National Senior Games of racquetball come to Minneapolis in 2015, Dave Hart plans to be one of the 15,000 athletes competing.

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Mara Larson

She's on a year-round roll
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish January 15, 2012 2:00 AM / Update January 14, 2012 1:26 PM
How I Got This Body: Mara Larson is a year-round bike commuter who rides 17 miles to work. She credits exercise for keeping her mentally and physically fit.

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Jason Deavalon

Lots of miles behind the smiles
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish December 25, 2011 2:00 AM / Update December 24, 2011 1:54 PM
How I got this body: Salon owner Jason Deavalon's life was "a mess" until he learned about a friend's nonprofit organization, which eventually changed everything.

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Carol Markham-Cousins

Mpls. principal is tops in her class
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish October 23, 2011 2:00 AM / Update October 24, 2011 8:47 AM
HOW I GOT THIS BODY: Carol Markham-Cousins, principal of Minneapolis' Washburn High School, says, "Energy creates more energy." She shares her twice-daily workout routine.

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David Siskind

How I got this body: At 69, he's still on a roll
Publish April 24, 2011 2:00 AM / Update April 25, 2011 8:10 AM
Dave Siskind's "new" bike has 25,000 miles on it. Another that he saved from the trash has 40,000. An older road bike has 116,000. Altogether, he has logged more than 500,000 miles over a lifetime of cycling.

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Lori Keith finished the stretch run.

She's riding to good health
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish June 5, 2011 2:00 AM / Update June 6, 2011 8:44 AM
In this week's How I Got This Body, Lori Keith, a jockey at Canterbury, says people don't realize how physically demanding her job can be.

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Louis Hauser, had polio, but has walked for exercise everyday for near...

How I Got This Body: Fit for life
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish July 3, 2011 2:00 AM / Update July 11, 2011 1:26 PM
Louis Hauser, once afflicted with polio, started riding his bike around the lake every morning about 40 years ago and has rarely missed a day of exercise since.

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Mary Newstrom.

How I Got This Body: Fencing for fitness
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish July 17, 2011 2:00 AM / Update July 18, 2011 11:02 AM
After 15 years and one bout of breast cancer, Mary Newstrom still fences three times a week as her main source of exercise. She also rides her bike, does yoga and lifts weights.

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ONE TIME USE - DELETE FROM ARCHIVE AFTER PUBLICATIONJim Ogg attempt...

Edina man focused on plank record
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish August 21, 2011 2:00 AM / Update August 20, 2011 7:46 PM
How I Got This Body: If you've ever done the plank to strengthen your core, you'll appreciate Jim Ogg's accomplishment.

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Cal Schadel

How I Got This Body: Retired, but not from sports
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish September 4, 2011 2:00 AM / Update September 3, 2011 3:16 PM
From pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers farm teams in the '50s to flyfishing in the Rocky Mountains to skiing in Worldloppet races to winning a volleyball championship with his 75-plus team, Cal Schadel is rarely idle.

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A composite illustration of Jody Orfield who has completed 3 triathlon...

How I Got This Body: Jody's journey
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish September 25, 2011 2:00 AM / Update September 24, 2011 11:23 AM
Jody Orfield reconnected with her best friend from high school at their 25th reunion and got inspired to train for a triathlon. Now she has six triathlons under her belt.

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Dr. Brett Oden

How I Got This Body: Nothing but open water
Article By: CHRISTINA DESMARAIS , Special to the Star Tribune Publish October 2, 2011 2:00 AM / Update May 14, 2012 8:20 AM
A self-described nerd, Dr. Brett Oden wasn't athletic in the least until he turned 40. Now, he swims across Buffalo Lake nearly every day in warmer months and in the open ocean every winter in Hawaii.

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Michelle Gayer

Pastry chef now living the sweet life
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish October 9, 2011 2:00 AM / Update October 8, 2011 5:33 PM
For 20 years, Michelle Gayer nibbled her way through her work days as a pastry chef. Now, she's the mom who drops her kids off at school and runs around the lake before 8 a.m.

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Heidi Meyer

911 dispatcher makes a good call
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish December 11, 2011 2:00 AM / Update December 10, 2011 4:26 PM
How I Got This Body: For years, Heidi Meyer noshed on baked goods and fast food with her co-workers as a 911 dispatcher. But when two of her co-workers had heart attacks, she committed to getting in shape.

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Helen Lin practiced some of her moves as other members of the breakdan...

A student's twist on health
Publish December 12, 2010 2:00 AM / Update December 11, 2010 2:45 PM
Helen Lin arrived for her first year at the University of Minnesota from Missouri knowing exactly what she wanted to do in college: break dance. She helped transform the U's club from a loose group of six or seven students to a thriving group of more than 100 that performs all over the cities.

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While sons Josh Hayes, 7 worked an exercise ball and CJ Hayes, 9, ran a treadmill, Cullen did chest presses by lifting daughter Julia Hayes, 6 and son Jordan Hayes, 4 on a board.

Dad gets fit one step at a time
Article By: SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED , Special to the Star Tribune Publish November 28, 2010 2:00 AM / Update November 27, 2010 3:09 PM
A fluke membership to a gym provided the spark to Cullen Hayes' weight loss.

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Tiffany Sudduth

How I got this body: Shaking and showing the world her rolls of fat
Article By: PAUL WALSH , Star Tribune Publish November 27, 2011 2:00 AM / Update November 28, 2011 7:04 AM
Tiffany Sudduth, a bank employee by day, is showing and shaking her rolls of fat before the world at all hours while wearing nothing more than a two-piece bathing suit, a rainbow wig and a never-ending smile.

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Larry Teckenbrock went through his 19 minute yoga workout he created on Wii Fit Plus in his home in Eagan.

Taking it one game at a time
Publish November 13, 2011 2:00 AM / Update November 12, 2011 3:41 PM
How I Got This Body: Larry Teckenbrock had been avoiding scales since turning 60. Now 64, he has has lost 25 pounds, which he attributes mostly to plugging in to "Wii Fit."

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