Meka Taulbee

Meka Taulbee

Clearwater, Florida, USA
727-631-7025

meka@sailfit.com

www.sailfit.com

Meka is a Personal Trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. She also holds a degree in Psychology mentoring in Dance. Meka dedicates herself to promoting health and fitness for sailors and sailing enthusiasts.

Having grown up in a strong sailing community, it was a natural progression for Meka to use her skills to help those passionate about this sport. Many sailors don't realize how physically and mentally demanding the sport of sailing is. It requires high levels of endurance, muscular development and self-awareness - the perfect blend of mind and body. And the perfect focus for Meka's talents.

At one point in time Meka found herself 55 pounds overweight. At 5'3" that is a lot for the body to carry. She struggled with weight as a child and then through High School and college had never had a problem. She then decided she would never have one again. Not believing in fad diets she made a lifestyle change and shed the weight through her own hard work and motivation. She continued on to train with Tom McCarthy, a trainer out of Buffalo. She started training for fitness competitions and was very close to her first competition when she realized she would rather teach others how to live a healthy lifestyle then compete. She started studying for her certification and took her examine  while on the road with SAILFIT. She has  now been certified by the American Council on Exercise since 2001.

"SAILFIT and Kurt's Olympic dreams have taken us all over the world. Traveling has taught me a lot about fitness both mentally and physically. I am a runner so all I need are my sneakers and I'm off. I have seen some of the most beautiful countryside and beaches this way. I have also seen many laps around a rest stop! Fitness benefits me physically, but mentally there is nothing compared to it. Whether I am running or weight training it's my time to push myself and to work out whatever stress or hurdles I may be facing. I believe that you need to be mentally fit as well as physically fit. Put these two elements together and you are a force to be reckoned with. This is what I want to share with people and what I want to teach them." -- Meka

During the past year Meka put in some hard training for two Half Marathons and decided that It was time to embark on another challenge. In the past few years Meka has helped raise Money for the Ulman Cancer Fund. They Provide support, education and resources, to benefit young adults affected by cancer, their families and friends. So she decided to join their Team Fight and raise money to help the Ulman Cancer Fund. "They are an amazing group of people and the vibe is so positive when you are around them. Working with them and raising money was just a given for me. If all of these individuals can stand up and fight cancer I can certainly push myself for a few miles to benefit them." -- Meka

Unfortunately the same day she committed to this Meka also sufferred her first running injury. A torn Meniscus….Meka was fortunate enough to know a DOM (Doctor Of Oriental Medicine) who said she would help Meka recover and still run the Marathon.  Holly Johantgen, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, A.P., Dipl. Ac., M.S.O.M., started giving Meka acupuncture treatments. Increasingly determined not to have surgery and to help the body to heal itself Meka continued with acupunture and a rigourous rehab routine. Paying careful attention to diet, stretching mutiple times per day and deep tissue massage Meka has been able to start training for her marathon. "My deepest respect and gratitude go to Holly Johantgen. The knowledge and patience she has are just unparrelled. On days I thought I might never run again she gave me the positive mindset to stay on track. Sometimes I think she has more faith in me than I do myself. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have become a mainstay not only for me, but for my family as well. It has truly changed our lives." -- Meka

Over the years Meka have been fortunate enough to work with some of the top Sailors in the country. Some of which have gone on to represent the USA at the Olympic games. She says each of her clients teaches her just as much as she teaches them. Their desire and passion for what they do is unparalled.

"It's true that I am pretty regimented with my personal training. I enjoy it and when the day comes that I don't then I know something has got to change. My biggest accomplishment to date is running through two pregnancies up until and on the day I went into labor." says Meka. She used to run every day with her sons in a double jogging stroller. Now that they have gotten bigger they are helping her train. They come out and cheer her on and hand off water on her long runs. It is never to early to start a good example.

Meka can be found in Dunedin, Florida with Kurt and their two sons Kai and Makoa. She is currently the Personal Trainer for the University of South Florida Sailing Team.

Visit our fitness training page to find out how Meka will help you become the perfect sailor.

     What does it take to become ACE certified?

Meka can tell you it took a lot of hard work! "I believe that a lot of determination, self discipline and the desire to learn and share my knowledge with others is what got me here. I studied for my Certification on my own while traveling with SAILFIT. After a three hour exam that all but made me forget my own name I waited patiently. Once I received confirmation that I was certified I set out to start on my continuing Education classes needed in order to keep my certification current. With the amount of traveling that SAILFIT does I knew it would be hard to enroll in a classroom setting. I decided correspondence courses would be the most feasible for me. In order to do this it meant that I had to complete 8 different classes with 8 different exams. I am able to pick the classes I would like to study. I take classes that I feel will keep me current on the fundamentals and others that I use to teach me more about the group of people I am working with. My clients range from ages 13-70 and each has something unique about them. Every client is a learning experience in themselves. I am also currently studying for a second certification."

Please take a moment to learn about an incredible man. Thank you Captain Lane.

Captain Lane Briggs

Captain Lane Alan Briggs was born in Mars Hill North Carolina on June 18, 1932. When Lane was 15 he saw the ocean for the first time, and he knew immediately that that was where he belonged. He signed on a fishing boat as deckhand, and later joined the Coast Guard. A long maritime career had begun.

Lane eventually settled in Norfolk, Virginia, with a wife and four sons. In Norfolk Lane assisted in the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, ran a commuter Hydrofoil in the James River, and in the 1960's purchased the tug Steel Rebel. Lane started a successful towing and salvage operation named Rebel Marine Service based at Willoughby Spit. Eventually Lane purchased the Marina where his boat was based and named it after his business. The Marina remains family owned and operated today. In May of 1980 Lane launched the first sail assisted tug, the Norfolk Rebel, registering it as the one and only Tugantine. The Norfolk Rebel is recognized and welcomed in ports up and down the east coast of the U.S. and Canada, and on into the Great Lakes.

But Lane's history is really much more than just dates and facts. Lane's real history revolves around his spirit, his passion, his generosity, and his unique vision. Lane never met a person who didn't become his friend.

Lane always looked to the future, and inspired many events such as Norfolk's Harborfest and the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. Lane promoted both maritime history and conservation, and constantly sought ways to bring these to the public's eye. And wherever Lane went, he was always ready to share his hospitality with men and women from all strata of society.

Aboard Lane's vessels he trained countless young people in the lessons of seamanship, including his four sons and one of his grandsons, who now all hold Captain's Licenses. Lane was presented with many awards in his lifetime, including the coveted American Sail Training Association's Lifetime Achievement award. But for Lane the greatest prize was watching one of his trainees make Captain.

Captain Lane Briggs passed away on September 19, 2005. His ashes were spread along with his old dog Rebel's in his beloved Chesapeake Bay. But Lane generously left behind his spirit to inspire the next generation.