These Houston couples met thanks to their shared affection for exercise
––By Allison Stephan ––
Tony & Reneé Spriggs
It was a cold day in Syracuse, N. Y. when bodybuilder Tony Spriggs first spotted his wife-to-be, Reneé. It unfolded like a scene from a movie. “A blast of cold wintry wind blew the gym doors open and there she was with her daughter Ali in a stroller,” Tony, 55, recalls. “She looked like a rock star.”
Tony got to know Reneé, a personal trainer, by taking her aerobics class. “She used to pick on me in class and tell me to come to the front so everyone could enjoy the view,” Tony, a premise technician for AT&T, says. “After she fell in class, I carried her to the car and took her to the hospital. She had torn her ACL. I never saw or heard from her for 10 years after that.”
Both were married and divorced in the ensuing 10 years, but each never stopped wondering about the other. While on a routine shopping trip in Syracuse, Tony ran into Cindy, who told him her niece Reneé, 47, had moved to Houston years before, so they reconnected by phone and then in person. “It was like time stood still,” he said. “She was the same beautiful woman and Ali was now a young lady.” Six months later, they were married on Grand Bahama Island and are living happily ever after in Pearland.
Photo by Doug Carter
Pete Boerner & Allison Stephan
As a writer, it’s not uncommon to find yourself far removed from a story and having to get acquainted with your topic. I was very familiar with this assignment, however, as I met my husband while training for the 2004 Houston Marathon.
I found myself divorced and starting over at 31. While Elizabeth Gilbert had not yet put pen to paper, I decided to “Eat, Pray, Love” and experience life my way. After finding a new job, I started my quest. I bought a Harley Davidson and registered to run a marathon.
I joined Houston Fit and met my now-husband Pete Boerner, 40, an attorney/recruiter, at a training run after being introduced by a mutual friend. I didn’t think much about it since it was five in the morning and I clearly wasn’t looking my best. As the weeks turned into months, we spent many Friday nights eating pasta and countless Saturday mornings chatting while logging miles. Pete became my best friend. It’s funny how much you can talk about on a 20-mile run.
After dating for a year, we were engaged in Paris in 2005, and married in Canada in 2006. Canada in February might not be ideal for most, but it meant a great ski honeymoon for us. I’m 39 now, and after many ski trips, road races and mountain biking adventures, our son Jack arrived in 2008. We still love to workout together, as our weekends are usually spent on bikes with Jack in the Burley.
Photo by Delise Ward
Jon & Lidia Bruckbauer
As it turns out, the gym really might be a good place to meet someone of like-minded interest. That’s how it turned out for Houston personal trainer Jon Bruckbauer and wife Lidia, a realtor, who met at Houston’s One2One Training Center.
“Lidia was training to get ready for an Hawaiian Tropic competition,” Jon, 38, said. “I heard that she liked me, so we exchanged numbers.”
Lidia, 29, invited Jon to the swimsuit competition that night. She took first place and after a short post-competition visit, they went their separate ways.
“I called and invited her to a movie the next day,” he said, “and she hasn’t left my house since.” Jon and Lidia were married in 2003 and welcomed their first son Bryce Michael in May of 2009. “We still love fitness,” Jon says, “and remain a true fitness couple.”
Photo by Doug Carter
Contributing editor Allison Stephan is a freelance writer, cyclist, personal trainer and Spinning instructor. |
