FOUNDERS OF THE GYM ON 5TH
Casey Montandon
I had always wanted to see people succeed and add to the community around me. The Gym on 5th was that opportunity and I could not be more grateful.
My background is in outdoor education and I worked for the non-profit, Outward Bound, for nearly 15 years. I fell in love with the Southwest running the rivers here and hiking and mountain biking in the La Sals and the surrounding canyons. The idea that "there is more inside you than you think" has always resonated with me and holds true to my philosophy at the gym.
I grew up as an athlete, playing football and baseball throughout high school and college, then discovered cross-training near where I grew up in Texas when finishing my degree at Texas State University in Geography and Environmental Resource Management. I realized quickly that this type of setting was an opportunity for a higher level of fitness, stronger connection to community, and an overall better quality of life.
After moving back to Moab, Emily and I connected and then opportunities led to us operating the Gym. We continue to challenge ourselves, and we’re doing so by moving forward with the next chapter of our lives and we know the members will continue to focus on Quality, Effort and Community, in and out of the gym.
Certifications: Gym Jones Fundamentals, Gym Jones Intermediate, Gym Jones Advanced, Certified Gym Jones Instructor, Crossfit Level 1, Active Life Assessment
Accomplishments: 3x Leadville 100 MTB finisher, Unbound Gravel 200 finisher
Emily Montandon
I never set out to be a coach, let alone a gym owner. How’s that for an intro?
Yet when I look back at the road that led me here, it all makes a lot of sense. I was a nationally competitive gymnast at a very young age, switching to volleyball in high school and college. I loved team sports, especially the unique camaraderie that came with mutual suffering and sacrifice for a common goal, but I wasn’t exactly sure where it would lead.
After graduating college in California with a degree in Government and Spanish I ended up in Moab, unsure what was next. It was then that I fell in love with the desert, it’s vastness and beauty, and with rock climbing. It’s a common Moab story for a lot of us, the desert digs in to you and doesn’t let go. After years of climbing, running, and mountain biking, my partner, Casey, introduced me to the gym. I took to it right away, and haven’t ever looked back.
This gym is about so much more than weights and times and PRs. In fact, I’d even say that’s the last thing that matters here. What matters is being willing to put yourself in uncomfortable, stressful situations, and handling it all with composure and calm. That is what I love about this place. The people, bringing each other up, literally pulling each other up off the ground, and going at it again. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
My other passion is photography. I am lucky enough to photograph couples in the wild deserts of Utah and all over the west with emily klarer photography.
Certifications: Gym Jones Fundamentals, Gym Jones Intermediate, Gym Jones Advanced, Certified Gym Jones Instructor, Crossfit Level 1, Active Life Assessment
Accomplishments: 2x Ironman 70.3 finisher, 1st place in age group 2021 Pumpkinman Triathlon, 2022 Moab Trail Half Marathon Finisher