Our Story
Sometimes the best things in life are created out of pure necessity.
After having her first baby, Tess Partridge a once D1 athlete, med-school applicant and chemistry lab researcher realized that being a stay-at-home-mom might actually be a better fit. The desire to have a profession was imbedded in her yet she could not imagine sending her child to day care for majority of the day.
As a new mom Tess had personal struggles. Her social life, once bustling had drastically diminished. Between nap schedules, feeding schedules, and unsolicited crying from her baby, getting out of the house enjoyably was hard!
Tess did seek solace in an aspect of her life that was always important- exercise. She was able to remain active during her whole pregnancy by running, lifting weights and doing HIIT. She even ran 9 miles the day she turned 9 months! After having her baby, fitness became a daily outlet! However during all her workouts, there was one component that bothered her; She was always alone!
Tess tried a gym membership (Her baby cried every time and needed picked up from childcare.) and she even tried some other stroller classes (They just were not what she wanted workout or social wise).
And that’s when it hit her- utilizing her athletic background, schooling, and love of fitness Tess could start her own stroller-based workout AND make it the most affordable business model so other moms just like her could open one too! She could be a full time Stay at Home Mom. She could also have a career!
Tess went through the seemingly impossible and confusing process of starting a legal fitness business. She put on mock ‘classes’ for her husband, mom, dad, cousin, friends and strangers when and wherever she could while gathering as much feedback as one would give. She passed out flyers at the park. Put flyers under windshield wipers. Put handmade yard signs on the side of the road. Told friends. Told strangers. Then, on Jun 1, 2015 in Clarksville, TN Tess hosted her first iStroll class. A rainy, 3-person class in a wet parking lot. And moms and dads came back. Again. And again. And again.
From those days, with the support and guidance from an amazing-amazing-amazing tribe of moms, iStroll is where it is now. Tess is backed by the BEST team of smart women who gracefully lead communities in different cities and states to bring families together with the commonalities of health, fitness, kindness, strength, and compassion- because as we raise our next generation, Tess cannot think of any other way we should be.
Three kids later, Tess continues to remain fit and social by participating in iStroll. She runs a sub 20-minute 5k, a sub 44-minute 10k, and sub 1:40 Half Marathon. She can do the Manitou Incline in 29 minutes. She is a certified ACE group fitness instructor and CPR/AED certified by the American Heart Association.
What we do:
- Empower women and their families
- Support each other
- Network locally
- Include every fitness level
- Celebrate milestones and successes
- Encourage all
- Coach performance
- Teach knowledge
- Organize Events
What we don't do:
- Judge
- Stereotype
- Exclude
- Allow unfriendly BS within our communities