A former stockbroker who switched careers to launch her dream of launching a fitness label is helping put one of the world’s toughest fitness trends on the map in Scotland.
Lauren Moss’s team vivimoss – named after her sportswear brand – is taking part in Beyond the Wall, a competition to find the best competitive CrossFit athletes in the country.
The 33-year-old left her job in the city’s financial services sector to set up her new company featuring an eco-friendly sportswear range for men and women, inspired by her passion for the high-intensity fitness programme which combines aerobics, gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting.
Lauren, from Stockbridge, and her team vivimoss partner Amy Norton – who compete in distinctive hot pink and purple kit from Lauren’s own range – qualified in third place for the Beyond The Wall final after submitting three workout videos for the online stages.
Now they are bidding to be named Queens of the North at the Beyond The Wall finals, which take place in front of a sell-out audience this weekend.
Lauren took up CrossFit when she was working as a stockbroker in Edinburgh. Competitors in the fast-growing sport are considered among the world’s fittest athletes and the recent CrossFit Games in California saw 250,000 people enter the online qualifiers.
She said: “For me, CrossFit is about a healthy lifestyle rather than just exercise – it encompasses healthy eating as well as fitness. I’m much more conscious of what I eat and drink and I’m now a lot leaner, healthier and physically stronger than before.”
Last November, she took part in her first weightlifting competition, coming second in her class at the Weightlifting Scotland championships, an achievement she couldn’t have imagined when she first took up CrossFit – or while working in the financial markets.
Lauren, who is also one of the competition sponsors, said: “There’s a real community behind CrossFit – it’s a big group of like-minded people who are supporting one another. That’s why I’m delighted to support Beyond the Wall’s bid to find the best athletes in Scotland and give them a platform to show their talents. Hopefully we can help to put competitive CrossFit on the map here.”
Lauren’s passion for fitness drew her to follow her dream and ambition of having her own fitness label and she founded vivimoss last summer. Her designs, for both men and women, are now stocked in a number of independent outlets in addition to the vivimoss online store.
She said: “After ten years in a job that was not fulfilling my hopes and dreams, I decided that I needed to make the leap. I felt that I couldn’t find the kind of fitness clothing that I wanted to wear – simple and functional, yet comfortable and stylish,and that could take me from the gym to dog walking, to popping to the shops, or out for coffee.
“vivimoss has the kind of fitness and leisure range that as a committed amateur athlete I love to wear and I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to wear quality fitness kit that is flexible, attractive and comfortable.”
Lauren added: “I also wanted to embed in vivimoss the kind of ethical and green credentials that I would be proud of, and I hope our customers will be proud of too.
“The Spanish speaking will recognise the word ’vivimos’ as we live or a toast to life. For me, that’s what it’s all about – following my dream and loving life.”
The Beyond the Wall finals take place at CrossFit Kirkintilloch this Saturday, September 19.
Submitted by Lorna Frazer
