Community Highlights: Meet Christine Pendon of Athlete Within

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Pendon.

Hi Christine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started playing softball at the age of five, and throughout my years, I played on various sports teams including competitive cheerleading, volleyball and softball. In 2005 ,I received a 4-year NCAA Division-1 student athlete softball scholarship from Florida Atlantic University and graduated with a BA in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Sociology.

In 2014, I left my career in digital ad sales, moved to London for love and traveled Europe. And in July of 2016, my engagement was called off; heartbroken and unsure of what my next move was, I was applying to any job in the fitness/wellness industry in LA. I was randomly sitting on my Aunt’s couch in Gainesville, Fl one Wednesday, and my Dad told me “Christine, just go to Los Angeles, I’ll buy the ticket, just go and if it doesn’t work out you can come home.” So here I am looking at flights when my phone rang and it was Natalie from Urban Med (a sports performance and rehab facility), asking me when I was coming to LA. I told her, “I’ll be there Friday,” she was like, “Great! When can we meet?” I told her Monday, and we set up the interview for 8/8/2016 at Starbucks. When we hung up, I said, “Dad! I gotta book that flight, I need to be in LA on Friday!” So, I packed 2 suitcases, bought that 1 one-way ticket, and met Natalie that Monday – she hired me on the spot and I started that Wednesday. I think at that time I was making $13/hr, so I picked up another job working for Speedplay, which was also owned by the owner of Urban Med, Ryan Pendon, who is now my husband. Crazy!!!! I would work 8 hours at Urban Med, get a 30 min break and walk to Speedplay to work another 4-5 hour shift. I never told my parents any of this cause I thought they may say it’s too much you should come home, but I told myself I would do whatever it took to make something of myself out here and if it took working two jobs, 6 to 7 days a week, I was going to do it!

I eventually left Urban Med, and Speedplay went back to digital ad sales which lasted a little over a year. I knew that working a 9 to 5 behind a desk just wasn’t for me. So, I went back to Urban Med to run the office as VP of Operations while also working as a corrective exercise therapist. I have experience ranging from postural correction needs to post-surgical rehabilitation, and I hold NASM certificates in Personal Training (CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES).

In 2018, I married the man of my dreams Ryan Pendon and became a stepmom to now, nine years old twins (boy and girl).

I love my life and where I am at. My husband continues to push me beyond my own comfort zone and that’s where Athlete Within came into fruition. First started as my personal training business to get paid, and evolved into what is now a private training and recovery facility offering personal training, cold plunge (ice bath), and Normatec Compression boots.

My long-term goal is to open up bi-coastal and bring Athlete Within to my home state of Florida.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I first moved to LA, it was tough. I didn’t know anyone, and making friends was hard. It’s taken me about five years to find that core group of friends. LA is definitely here to make you or break you, and there were are a couple of times I was ready to move back home to Florida, but my now husband had me stick it out which was the best thing that could have ever happened. When I first moved here, I worked two jobs 6-7 days a week just to make ends meet, and at one point, I was living out of my car and sleeping on couches cause I didn’t have a home (finally found an apartment after a month and half). But times like this, only make you stronger and I wouldn’t be here in this position if it wasn’t for these life lessons.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Athlete Within?
Athlete Within is a membership only private training and recovery facility. As a former D1 athlete, and knowing what it takes to compete (and recover) at the highest level. I wanted to give the people of Los Angeles a way to tap into what it’s like to train and recover at the collegiate level.

Our motto is “train like an athlete, recover like an athlete.” I truly believe that everyone has the athlete within themselves, you don’t have to play a sport to be an athlete – you can find that within yourself, your drive, your determination to be the best version of yourself.

We also offer in-house chiropractic and sports massage. So, the combination of training, recovery (Normatec compression boots and Cold Plunge ice bath), chiropractic and massage is what set us apart, also that all our trainers are former athletes – whether they played in college, pro or in the military they have that athlete mentality.

Me personally, I specialize in sports performance, strength training, corrective and postural exercise. I will push you, and will not allow you to give up on yourself. We are a team! I’m also a stickler on form, I believe it is so important to have perfect form when training.

I am just so proud to be able to give to the community what I got to experience as a D1 athlete, we are a small percentage of athletes that got to experience that level of competition, training and recovery, and to be able to give this to anyone in LA is just humbling in its self.

For all new clients, we are offering a free cold plunge and 20% off our Athlete Intro package that includes:
2 personal training sessions
2 Cold Plunge or Normatec Compression boots
1 guest pass
*to be used on Cold Plunge or Normatec Compression boots only when client is in*

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I couldn’t have done it without my husband, but the truth is, I fought to get where I am today and not for once did I give up, or stop believing in myself. You have to want it more than anyone else, even when other many try to bring you down, you have to block all that out or allow it to fuel your fire. I’m a hard worker, a believer, I have that Athlete Within mentality.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.athletewin.com
• Instagram: @athletewithinla
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/athletewithinla