The Sopris Sun is conducting a series of interviews with folks you may not have seen in the paper before – a sort of introduction to your neighbors. This week we caught up with Jonelle Luther, an instructor at the Carbondale Rec. Center and beyond — more info at summitconditioning.com.
Sopris Sun: Where are you from and how did you get here?
Luther: I am from Flagstaff, Arizona mainly and Southern California. I started with massage and fitness, then moved to nutrition and then kind of took a break for a while and moved to brewing — which is kind of neat because it actually has the same nutritional background — and finally made my way back to fitness and found myself in Glenwood Springs. It’s beautiful, I’d visited before and wanted to be a little more remote and close to the mountains. While I was here I found nutritional therapy.
Q: What does that entail?
A: It’s helping people on a different level of nutrition when they’ve found themselves with issues they don’t know how to fix. I dig to the bottom through a series of questions and functional testing. It’s the most incredible way of healing. I’ve always done healing and I’ve always done nutrition but I needed to connect them. To get people to sacrifice something for their health is a different animal. You have to guide them to their balance.
Q: How did you get involved with the Rec. Center?
A: I needed a job and they were hiring. It was really hard to restart here in Glenwood knowing no one. My business is about having clientele, so I had some time to put in. I came in to just work membership, but I was summoned into taking over a fitness class. It made me very nervous to work in front of a bunch of people — one-on-one was my thing. Six years later it’s like my staple.
Q: Tell me about the class.
A: Summit Conditioning is focused on people who don’t have too many holdbacks. It’s high energy, full body and we always use weights. Good form is important, so I try to keep the movements simple. The following has brought most of my clientele, and I love it. It’s functional fitness for survival outside.
Q: Are you an outdoor athlete yourself?
A: Yes! I really love my sport climbing. Trail running is my thing — dirt only; no concrete. I don’t particularly care to compete; I want to just enjoy it. I have to snowmobile home several months out of the year, but I take it out and have fun too. I like to skin and do some mild backcountry.
Q: What about other activities?
A: Cooking in the healthiest way I can. I like to share recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and show that they can be just as delicious. I love to play and write music and craft. I live in the woods, so you have to be kind of self-sustaining in your brain. I don’t get bored much.
Q: Do you have any family here?
A: I have a wolf-dog named Alpine. He’s very wild. I live with my boyfriend, and he works for Aspen Expeditions doing all-season backcountry guiding. We’re building a house come spring.
Q: Anything else coming up that’s exciting for you?
A: I have a lot of new programs in the works and a website being designed to take them. My goal is to offer priceless information on how to heal through six-to-10 week programs loaded with information to meet people where they are and educate them onto a healthier path. They can jump in and start putting the work in by learning how to help themselves.
Vital statistics
Birthday May 15
Favorite hike Babbish Gulch
First book you finished as a kid Ender’s Game
Pet peeve People not being aware of others and their surroundings (Also, loud chewers)
Something you’d like to do Work from anywhere
Words of wisdom The grass is only greener where you water it.
If you know of someone who should be featured in “Our Town,” email news@soprissun.com or call 510-3003.
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