Michelle Ankenbrand

Hi, I’m Michelle and am a training coach at GreshFit. You’ll find me in my home pain cave leading virtual classes. 

I’m an Administrative Patent Judge at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and am currently detailed to U.S. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, advising the Senator on intellectual property matters (i.e., patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets). 

I originally began running as a way to clear my mind in law school. I also had a mountain bike that I used to commute to work. In 2006, a friend talked me into signing up for a sprint triathlon. I bought a Giant road bike, did the race, and became hooked. I’ve completed too many triathlons to count, including about a dozen half Ironmans and one full Ironman.

The GreshFit virtual classes saved me during the Covid pandemic. Two to three evenings a week, a group of eight to ten of us rode and chatted at a time when we couldn’t leave our houses. To say it was a blessing to my mental health would be an understatement. Needless to say, I’ve been taking the virtual classes since, though I switched from evenings to morning. This year, I made the transition to training coach and I’m so excited to work with the morning regulars! 

I’m now a recovering triathlete, having made the switch from road riding to mountain and gravel biking. I’m super stoked to be learning these new cycling skills and also have begun volunteering as a NICA coach to get more kids on bikes and more girls on bikes. You’ll also find me running and lifting heavy sh@t because I’m learning the importance of strength training as I move into my middle-aged years.

I hope you’ll join me for a morning spin with GreshFit soon!