My name is Amy Lawson, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the longest challenge in the room. When other kids ran the hurdles, I wanted to run the mile. When my friends rode their bikes to the store, I kept going to the next town. I was could never throw a ball to the right person—but I was always the one who wanted to see how far I could go.

That instinct led me to endurance sports, which have given me not only unforgettable experiences, but also lifelong friendships. I’ve had the privilege of competing at the Division I collegiate level, running the Boston Marathon, finishing Ironman Lake Placid (140.6), and completing the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race. Each of these milestones—and every smaller race, ride, and adventure in between—has reinforced what I value most: the powerful bond formed through shared effort. There is truly nothing like the connection built with a training partner.

Kennebec Valley Coaching (KVC) was born in 2011 out of that same spirit of community. A few years earlier, my husband Jared had opened his chiropractic practice, and like many new chiropractors, he was working to find patients. As the running boom of the early 2010s took off, I saw an opportunity. His office had an open space and sat directly at the end of the rail trail—so I launched a Couch to 5K program right out of his clinic. My goal was modest: five runners would be great, ten would be amazing, and fifteen would be a dream. On the very first day, forty runners showed up. Many of them are still part of KVC today.

Since then, more than 1,000 people have achieved goals they once thought were out of reach—finishing their first 5K, completing triathlons and marathons, training for outdoor adventures, improving their health, losing weight, and lowering blood pressure. At KVC, we believe deeply in the idea that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary outcomes.

Our core values—community, optimism, hard work, and humor—guide everything we do. We show up for one another, embrace the process, and keep moving forward together, one step at a time.