Episode 14: Gia Alvarez, Founder of Juma Fit

Gia Alvarez a fourteen-time marathoner started training other runners to prepare for marathons and realized that running is what she “wanted to do!” Running was no loner a past time; it organically became her lifetime career. Gia, like many other women struggled with fertility issues. She found that running marathons got her through major life changes and more importantly struggles. Running helped her through her fertility journey by reminding her not to doubt her strength.

When you are in the middle of something incredibly hard, we often doubt our abilities. Running helped her believe that her body has the ability to do really difficult things like setting training goals and accomplishing them.

Gia has run 14 marathons, countless 1⁄2 marathons (she lost countJ), 2x Boston Marathon qualifier (fastest time 3:32), 1:40 fastest 1⁄2 marathon and is currently training for a spring 1⁄2 marathon; and to run the New York City marathon in the fall of 2021.

Alvarez opened her first treadmill studio, Juma Fit in the fall of 2018 in Tenafly, New Jersey (Bergen County). Juma Fit is an interval based, group based treadmill workout/community space studio for walkers, joggers and runners. It is the only treadmill studio geared towards all different types of people and their different workout needs. Each person walks, jogs or runs on state-of-the-art Woodway treadmills.

Gia is passionate about making Juma a studio that allows each person to be the best version of themselves, regardless of their fitness journey.