Riser of the Month: Bridget Lesko

If you’ve worked out alongside Bridget Lesko at Rise, you wouldn’t be surprised to learn about her long-standing commitment to wellness. An avid runner for 30 years, Bridget has completed countless 5ks and marathons and recently completed her seventh marathon, achieving her fifth Boston Qualifier. “I hold an undergraduate degree in exercise science and a doctorate in physical therapy, and movement has been a steady part of my everyday life for as long as I can remember,” she says. “After having kids, I began taking group exercise classes as a way to find community and extra motivation.”

Then, in 2019, a mom from Bridget’s kids' elementary school mentioned a barre class she loved. Bridget decided to check out Katelyn's class and was instantly hooked.  Today Bridget is loving Trish’s strength classes to focus on perfecting her form and tracking her progress as she lifts heavier weights and Lauren’s circuits for the fun, movement and fresh ways to move.

Bridget, no matter the class you choose, we’re grateful to have you Rising with us! Your strength and commitment make you our Riser of the Month.

Read on to learn more about Bridget.

What keeps you coming today?

Movement is key. As I've gotten older, I've realized I can’t run six days a week and need cross and strength training. Attending Rise lets me focus on building strength and conditioning beyond running, making me a more efficient runner and helping prevent injuries. Plus, the energy and positivity of the instructors and community make it easy to prioritize self-care.

What is your overall wellness mantra?

Keep showing up. Consistency-even on hard days-helps to achieve long term goals.

What are your short and long-term workout/wellness goals?

Currently, I don’t have a specific performance goal, as I’ve spent the past year focusing on staying injury-free while training for a half marathon and the Chicago Marathon. In the short term, I want to find a healthy balance between running and strength training, maintain injury prevention and dedicate more time to stretching and yoga to improve mobility and overall wellness.

What’s your biggest challenge in getting to class, and how do you combat that challenge?

Sometimes it feels easier to just lace up my running shoes and hit the prairie path, especially when class start times don’t line up perfectly with school drop-offs. Lately, I’ve turned that extra hour between school drop-off and class into productive time by meal prepping for the evening because we all know how chaotic the 3–9pm stretch can get!

How do you integrate nutrition into your life each day?

I’ve done a handful of Rise Challenges and learned a lot along the way. Being active has really shown me that food is fuel. Skipping out just doesn’t work. I like to start my day with a high-protein breakfast, batch-make salads on the weekends for easy weekday lunches and plan my meals ahead to avoid scrambling. Keeping it simple and consistent makes it more manageable.

What’s your best tip to find balance between nutrition, fitness and life’s fun?

I try to aim for the 80/20 rule – aiming to stick to my strength/run schedule and mindful eating about 80% of the time, making sure to include a rest day each week. I also try to give myself grace – understanding that some days won’t go perfectly and that’s okay. Balance isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistency and flexibility.