About Tokul Pilates & Strength

Me in my natural habitats: On a run in Tokul and playing in the studio.

Twenty years ago, I was on the floor of my engineering office showing a colleague how to use a foam roller when I realized that engineering wasn’t really my passion. I was an avid trail runner, mountain biker, and gym rat, and happily discussed training and wellness with everyone. So, I left engineering to pursue a career in personal training.

I never do anything halfway, so I got a Certificate in Sports Medicine and Human Performance at UW, an Associate’s Degree in Biology at Bellevue College, and the most rigorous training certification I could find, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Then, after training dozens of clients for 1500+ hours, I left training to be a mom, which has been my main occupation for the last 15 years.

While raising and homeschooling kids is amazing, I always missed my work as a trainer and looked forward to picking it up again when my kids were older. During that time, I was drawn into ultra trail running and also started practicing Pilates. Pilates played a big part in my recovery from SI joint dysfunction and lumbar spine issues, as well as in supporting running all those miles. It was clear that when I returned to personal training, I would make Pilates the heart of my work. I am now a Certified Comprehensive Pilates Instructor through Balanced Body.

I still love trail running/ultra, hiking, scrambling, yoga, mountain biking, weightlifting, and (of course) Pilates. I have a background in DH mountain biking, motocross, downhill and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, golf, and swimming. I live in Fall City with my husband, kids, dog, cat, and a bunch of chickens.  

~ Carolyn Anderson

The name Tokul is a Lushootseed word meaning ‘a soaking place’. Soaking, in this sense of the word, does not mean ‘bathing’, but rather ‘spiritual cleansing’. And so, it should come as no surprise that this beautiful area we live in is known to the Snoqualmie Tribe as a special place for spiritual cleansing. You can learn more about the Tokul area and the Snoqualmie Tribe Ancestral Lands Movement by clicking the icon below.

I acknowledge that I am on the Indigenous Land of Coast Salish peoples who have reserved treaty rights to this land, specifically the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe (suk"albix"). I thank these caretakers of this land who have lived and continue to live here since time immemorial.