2021 Member of the Year: Glennon Kraemer
We are excited to announce that Glenn Kraemer is our 2021 Forward Fitness Member of the Year. Glenn has been an amazing Forward Fam member since he joined in September of 2020.
Glenn owns GR Robinson Seed & Service Company. Even though running a company can be a lot of work, Glenn has prioritized his health and wellness. He shows up consistently and is always ready to put in the work, even if that means 5AM workouts! He has created habits that have made him stronger, leaner, and happier. He has become a regular of the 5AM Club!
Glenn shows kindness wherever he goes. He will greet you with a smile and genuinely care about your conversation. He is also extremely thoughtful. One day Mike was coming back from a run in Maplewood and saw Glenn cleaning up the pile of leaves on the sidewalk in front of our building. This is just one example of the many random acts of kindness his does without ever seeking recognition.
Here is a little about Glenn’s story. Glenn was born the 5th child of 8 in 1962 and grew up in Richmond Heights. He worked at the Esquire movie theater as a teenager. After attending Bishop DuBourg High School, he joined the Marine Corp Reserves and served for 8 years while attending Meramec CC and SIU-Carbondale. He married his wife Liz, who is the youngest of 10, in 1988. His son Ben is married to Maggie and they have a 3-year-old son and an 18 month old daughter. Glenn’s daughter Claire was married this past May. Glenn says there is “no greater join in the world than walking my daughter down the aisle”. He also considers himself a coffee connoisseur, so if you have any good coffee recipes or recommendations for coffee shops, he would appreciate them.
When asked why health/fitness were important to Glenn he said, “After my Marine Corp days I let my body and health go. Children and work took over my priorities. Substance abuse, poor eating habits and a knee injury was a formula for weight gain and a spiral into bad habits. Something had to change and that something was me. Kicking old habits and adopting better ones took me 20 years. My routine now includes exercise, better eating and a program designed on living a better life.” When it comes to challenges Glenn says that “Challenges come every day. My faith in a God of my understanding helps me handle my challenges and has helped me overcome my addictions.”
Glenn credits his wife for being a good example of how fitness helps them both physically and mentally. He found Forward Fitness through his friend Stephen Davis, Coach Cati’s husband. Since joining Forward Fitness, the Forward Fitness newsletter and accountability meetings have become part of his routine. He also gives a big shout out to the 5AM Class, “The 5AM group has motivated more than I could have ever imagined”.
The accomplishments Glenn is most proud of, include 33 years of marriage and 2 healthy and productive children and grandchildren. Also realizing and accepting that the definition of “success” is an evolving thing.
What advice would Glenn give to someone considering add a fitness routine to their life? “Start slow, have low expectations, but start! If you stop, start again. Give it 6 months and if you don’t feel better…. get back on the couch”. Glenn’s favorite saying is, “If you are happy …tell your face.” He believes that smiles tell the tale of our souls.