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From the first time I met Juliet up at San Francisco CrossFit, I knew this was a woman I had to get to know. As busy as she was being the wife to Kelly Starrett, being the mom of two beautiful girls, and running the famous MobilityWOD and San Francisco CrossFit as well as starting StandUpKids.org she was so incredibly down to earth and took the time with me. Having the privilege of working for her and her husband on the MobilityWOD staff is not only an honor because I among physical therapists and strength coaches who think outside the box, and who are making a difference. Juliet is a woman who knows herself and IS making a difference every day of her life.
My name is Juliet Starrett. I’m the wife of Kelly Starrett, Mom of Georgia & Caroline, CEO of MobilityWOD and San Francisco Crossfit, founder of StandUpKids.org, attorney, entrepreneur, author, a cancer survivor, and five-time national champion and two-time world champion in extreme whitewater paddling. I love spending time outdoors on rivers, in the ocean, and in the mountains. I paddle, mountain bike, ski, skateboard, Crossfit, and generally love to train. I grew up in Boulder, Colorado, spent most of my 20s running rivers all over the world as a guide and professional athlete. I was attacked by a hippo on the Zambezi river in Zimbabwe and wrote about it for my law school entrance essay. I practiced law for 7.5 years at an international law firm as a complex commercial litigator before leaving the law practice to run our businesses full time. I’m the most proud of my marriage and children.
Warrior Story –
At 20 years old, when I was a sophomore at UC Berkeley and a member of the Cal Women’s Rowing team, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My ob/gyn felt a strange lump in my throat during a routine appointment, ordered a biopsy, and a week later I got a phone call that I had cancer. I know a cancer diagnosis is surreal for anyone but it was particularly surreal since I was so young. I was a serious athlete training in a really difficult sport twice a day. I did not feel sick and yet, 2 days after diagnosis, I was wheeled into the OR for a 9 hour surgery. I woke up with a huge scar at the base of my neck held together with 50 staples but the recovery was not terrible. I was back in class at Cal a week after surgery.
Four months after surgery, I spent 8 days in an isolation unit for radiation therapy. I was given a 10-pound metal container and then the doctor and nursing staff virtually ran out of the room and, through a microphone, told me to open the container and take the 6 horse pills of radiation. I had to stay in complete isolation while the radiation did its trick on my body because I was giving off so much radiation that I was a hazard to regular people, including the medical staff. My food was handed to me through a slot in the door, and my only outside contact was the phone, as this all happened pre-internet. This turned out to be much harder for me physically and emotionally than the surgery itself, since I felt terrible and sick from the radiation, and I was completely alone. It took me many years to get my synthetic levels back up to normal so that I felt good and energetic and not cold all the time, which is a symptom of not enough thyroid. Two years ago – twenty years after my diagnosis – I basically graduated from having cancer when my endocrinologist fired me. He said enough years had past that I was in the full clear and didn’t require monitoring anymore by a specialist. It was a good day.
I decided two things after having cancer: (1) I was not going to let having cancer define me as a human – it was a thing that happened to me – a really awful thing – but only a part of my story, not who I am; and (2) I was going to make darn sure I would not die of any disease I could prevent myself. I had always been super athletic but my experience with cancer made me extra dedicated to taking care of my body and mind. Having cancer made me acutely aware that life is precious, that I should be grateful every day, and that relationships are really all that matters when the shit hits the fan.
My favorite trait – I know who I am.
Special power – I really wish I could sing well. I would love to stand on a stage in front of tons of people and have an amazing, flawless voice come out of my mouth.
Bio:
Juliet Starrett is an attorney and entrepreneur. She is co-founder and CEO of San Francisco Crossfit, one of the first 50 Crossfit affiliates, and MobilityWOD.com, which has revolutionized how athletes think about human movement and athletic performance. Before turning her attention to MobilityWOD and San Francisco CrossFit full-time, Juliet had a successful career as an attorney, practicing complex commercial litigation at Reed Smith for nearly eight years.
A lifelong athlete, Juliet rowed in high-school, was on the U.C. Berkeley crew team, and went on to paddle for the US Women’s Extreme Whitewater Team from 1997-2000, winning two World Championships and five national titles.
In 2007, Juliet won the prestigious Jefferson Award for public service in connection with her work with GirlVentures, a girls empowerment organization, and as a co-founder of Liquid, a kayaking camp for kids with HIV.
When she is not busy running two businesses and StandUpKids.org, Juliet enjoys hanging out with her husband Kelly and their two daughters, Georgia and Caroline, reading, listening to music, Crossfitting, mountain biking, paddling, skiing, camping, and playing outdoors.
Tag Juliet mrsmobilitywod and @mobilitywod. Use #standupkids, #mobilitywod, #suppleleopard!
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