Coach Collins has been an avid runner for over 25 years participating in numerous race events to include 18 marathons and over 45 half marathons (in states such as Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and of course, Texas, and countries such as the Bahamas and Canada), Coach Collins is most proud of the race events she has completed with Ainsley Angels, an organization that promotes involvement and active lifestyles for children with disabilities. In support of the organization, she has raised funds and provided assistance with pushing a jogger with a disabled youth. She is also proud of her half marathon races in Memphis, Tennessee supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through her fundraising efforts and running.
Through her literary works and structured fitness programs, she is known for providing her clients with creative solutions for achieving healthier lifestyle habits. Her motivational messages on the “Five Cs” (choice, commitment, change, courage, and control) for living abundantly have helped many people throughout the U.S. gain traction on disease prevention and management.
Bridgette would be remiss if she didn't acknowledge, Ken Johnson, the person she credits for inspiring her in the mid 90s to become a runner.
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Bridgette continues to enjoy running journey. However, she'd be remiss if she didn’t share the true beginnings from where her love of running evolved. The person who introduced the idea of running to her in the mid-1990s was her recruiting supervisor, Ken Johnson. Once the thought of running finally settled in her mind, she joined Bally’s Total Fitness where she started her running journey on the treadmill. Eventually, she started running around a small track in Huntsville, TX where she worked at the time. Her running journey would blossom when she relocated to Dallas, Texas where she started running daily at a park in her neighborhood, then she graduated to Bachman Lake Park, then White Rock Lake Park which would become her permanent running path for her marathon training programs.
When she moved from the Houston area to Dallas, TX, she took her health and fitness enthusiasm to the next level which included her routinely running increased miles on the streets of Dallas, TX and getting certified as a personal trainer (certified through Baylor Sports Medicine Institute and Aerobics and Fitness Assoc. of America) in the late 1990s/early 2000s. She worked part-time for Bally’s Total Fitness for a couple of years as a personal trainer before creating her walk/run program, MAC Fitness.
Bridgette encourages all who crosses her path to “Find peace, purpose, and a passion for living by pushing and positioning themselves to pursue next level goals where their presence makes a difference.”
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In the early 2000s, Bridgette created an organization called MAC Fitness (Making-A-Commitment to Fitness) which was focused on encouraging and empowering others through a structured walk/run program to incorporate walking and/or running into their daily lives to facilitate healthier lifestyle changes. Little did she know her program had caught the attention of another running program in the community that wanted to increase their representation of minority runners. In 2003, she partnered with Luke’s Locker (in Dallas) and USA Fit in an effort to attract more minorities to run as a healthy lifestyle option.
She has served as a walk/run coach for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America’s Team Challenge program. In 2010, when Walton A. Taylor, MD, FACS was looking to add a physical fitness component to his “All About Life Breast Health Center” program in Dallas, TX, I was selected to design a program that focused the program participants’ attention on healthy eating and physical activity. Coach Collins is currently a certified running coach through Road Runners Club of America.
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Another proud journey for Bridgette was the time period she served as the race director and coordinator for the KwanzaaFest Beat Obesity Walk/Run Events held annually in Dallas, TX. The KwanzaaFest Beat Obesity 5K Walk/Run was launched in 2006 to promote the importance of physical activity in preventing and reducing obesity.
Months in advance and leading up to the annual event, you'd find Coach Collins working behind the scenes planning, organizing and coordinating (to include developing promotional materials, acquiring a race management company, sending out e-mails, researching speakers to invite, outlining event day activities, etc.), and working alongside the volunteers on event day.
Due to various sponsors through the years, the event was FREE to all participants. Over 10,000 individuals (from beginner to experienced walkers/runners) participated in the KwanzaaFest walk/run event from 2006 to 2019.
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If you have ever met Bridgette in person and shared your thoughts about something you want to do, you will quickly discover that she gets easily excited about using her knowledge, skills, and talents to help and support others. Bridgette is respected and admired by many within the Dallas/Ft. Worth communities for her dedicated service, visionary eye, example of servant leadership, and passion for helping others to implement healthier lifestyle habits. Bridgette was inducted into the 2015 National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame for her community service in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
Not only was Bridgette the quintessential organizer for the KwanzaaFest Walk/Run community events, she has been the same for other community programs in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. In 2010, when Walton A. Taylor, MD, FACS was looking to add a physical fitness component to his “All About Life Breast Health Center” program in Dallas, TX, he was led to seek the expertise of Coach Collins. She designed a program for Dr. Taylor that focused the program participant’s attention on healthy eating and physical activity.
When the Dallas/Ft. Worth region for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America was looking for running coaches for its Team Challenge program, Coach Collins was recommended. She was instrumental in creating half marathon training plans for program participants of all levels, along with keeping them engaged and motivated. Coach Collins was also instrumental in coaching participants to complete the San Antonio (2008) and Las Vegas (2009) half marathons.
From her MAC Fitness program, serving as a coach for USA Fit, to volunteering with organizations like The Black Vegetarian Society of Texas, to speaking to various groups about implementing and sustaining healthy lifestyle habits to writing health and fitness articles for various faith-based organizations, Bridgette's dedication and passion for helping others to live healthier is evident.