I don’t want to dump on Olympic weightlifting because it’s a sport I love deeply, and it’s been one of the foundations of my life since I was a teenager. But I have to be honest about all the positives and negatives it has, you know? And that’s why I can tell you with a clear conscience that one of the things I’ve always noticed about this sport is the collection of dysfunctional personalities it contains. I don’t want to sound judgmental, and I won’t bore you with stories, but rest assured…we’ve got some kooks in this game.
 
That’s why it’s so terrific when I get to interview people like Megan Kranz. Aside from consistently being one of the top lifters in the country for a very long time, Megan is a remarkably solid person both on and off the platform. She’s been a national standout since her junior years in the 2000s, traveling overseas multiple times to represent the United States at the World University Championships. However, unlike a lot of lifters I’ve seen in my time, Megan made sure she prepared herself for a successful life outside of weightlifting as well. A true career woman, she’s a nursing school graduate who now works in cardiology. Throughout all the years of schooling that went into this job field, and now working full-time, she’s found a way to manage her time and show the kind of remarkable self-discipline it takes to perform at a high level in this sport while pursuing an education and occupation.
 
Megan is coached by Danny Camargo, and her story is inspiring. Our sport needs more people like her, and Catalyst Athletics is honored to give you a look at her life.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.
 
I was born and raised in central Florida, more specifically, a small town called Oviedo. I started gymnastics when I was about four years old, and ended up competing until the end of middle school. When I started high school, my mom told me I would need to find a new sport, so I tried out for the basketball and volleyball teams. I played both sports my freshmen and sophomore years. In the summer before my junior year, our basketball training also included some weight training. As it turns out, I decided that I liked the weight training more than the basketball playing. Luckily, my high school had a weightlifting team. The rest is history! I also competed in wrestling my senior year of high school, and in my first year of college at UCF, I was on the rowing team.
 
Although I spent most of my 20s away from Florida, I did move back home when I graduated from nursing school. I got a job working as a nurse at Florida Hospital Orlando, and just recently celebrated three years there. I worked as a floor nurse for about a year and a half. My current job is in cardiology in the cardiac cath lab. This can run anywhere from a routine procedure to someone actively having a heart attack. It is very fulfilling to witness someone coming in with no blood flow to an artery in their heart, and in a very unstable state, and with the help of my co-workers and physicians, we literally save them. It is amazing what we can do!

After a year back in Florida, I decided to put some roots down by buying a house a little bit outside of Orlando. It is a perfect location for me: close to work, and also about 10-15 minutes from my parents’ house. One of the best things about moving back home was being able to share life with my family again. I also have a younger brother; however, he is currently living in North Carolina. Shortly after moving into the house, I adopted a dog! Her name is Jamba. She is a Catahoula mix and definitely made the house more like home. She is everything I could have ever dreamed of in a dog. I also have a boyfriend, who I hope to keep around for as long as he will have me.
 
Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?
 
When I started weightlifting, it was for Oviedo High School. The coach was Jack Westcott. He gave me my start in weightlifting. When I graduated, I knew that it was something that I wanted to continue. There were a few of us at the time that wanted to learn how to do the Olympic lifts so that we could compete, so he taught us the snatch movement. At a certain point, he told us there was this guy out in Altamonte Springs who could help us with technique. His name was Danny Camargo. So, we started going out to the training sessions with Danny. At this time (2004ish), Danny was still a police officer and would coach weightlifting at Lake Brantley in the evenings. As time passed, I decided to join his Club Team. His top athletes then were Meredith Hammill and Kat McConnell. I would see them dominating at the Junior level, and both had aspirations to be an athlete at the Olympic Training Center. I would think to myself, how cool would that be?! I was so old when I came on the lifting scene that I never really had a Junior lifting career. However, with Danny’s help, I developed at a fairly quick pace. I don’t really remember how we decided it was the right time, but at some point, we went ahead and applied to the Resident athlete program at the Olympic Training Center. I do remember it was the summer of 2006, I had just finished my second year at UCF, and Danny called me, and he says, “Megan, I just heard from the OTC. They want you to come out for the summer for a training camp to see if you would be a good fit.” After Nationals 2006, I would be a resident athlete at the OTC for about 2 ½ years under Bob Morris. One of my favorite memories of that time was being there during the 2008 Beijing Olympic prep. Getting to train alongside Natalie Woolfolk (Burgener) and Carissa Gump as they prepped for the big stage was so inspiring. Having the opportunity to live out at the OTC is something I will never forget. I have so many fond memories of that time in my life, as well as the people who I shared that journey with. After the OTC, I moved to Shreveport, Louisiana and trained under Kyle Pierce for close to 5 years while I got a Biology degree and then my nursing degree.
 
I am proud of each International Team that I made. I competed at two different World University Championships, one in Greece and one in Taiwan. I also competed at one World University Games, in Russia. I think I am most proud of qualifying for that competition because it was the University Games, but also because I qualified for that while in my first year of clinical for nursing school. I was going to school full time and working a restaurant job five nights a week, as well as training. Another great memory of the World University Games was qualifying with many other teammates in Shreveport. It was so fulfilling to train together for one goal, travel together, and then compete internationally together. To top it off, I got to watch Kendrick Farris win the bronze medal that year.

In addition, I’d say that I have been pretty proud of my last two or three competitions, not because I won, or qualified for anything, but because somehow, at my ever-growing age and while working a full-time job, I have been able to set all-time PRs, and have fun doing it!
 
Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.
 
These days, I probably train about three or four days a week. I usually just follow the program Danny gives which is typically a 12 to 16 week program, with a peak for whatever competition the majority of the team has next. For me, I usually only compete twice a year now. So I follow the program, but I don’t necessarily feel obligated to max out each cycle, especially if I don’t have a competition. Maxing out is hard…and heavy! Ha. My body is not as good at handling the heavy load as frequently anymore. I have learned over the years how to listen to my body, and I can choose the days to push, and the days to restrain based on how I am feeling. Luckily, Danny trusts me to make those calls, and is there to give me that extra push when I do need it. We have also moved to doing my workouts with a timed rest. It is good conditioning, but also allows my training time to be condensed. There are many days a week when I am on call, and could be called back to work for an emergency around 6:30 PM. I prefer to be able to get my workout in, as well as have dinner before that time arrives. After I finish my lifting workout, I do a CrossFit WOD—usually at a very slow pace, because let’s be real, my conditioning isn’t THAT good!!
 
Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
 
I think the most frustrating thing in my weightlifting life is that I’m not 21 years old anymore!
 
As far as obstacles go, real life is the biggest one. Some days after working eight to ten hours on my feet with lead on (working in a procedural area with radiation, the lead is for protection) I would love to do nothing else but head to the couch. Some nights I even get called back to work after hours for an emergency, and may be coming to the gym after a full day of work on little to no sleep because I got called to work in the middle of the night. But still, I go.
 
I also think that in this day, with so much emphasis on social media, it is easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing. It is easy to become defeated because so and so did x, y, or z. It is easy to think to yourself, if only I didn’t work 40 to 50 hours a week, or if only I was able to do two a day training sessions, or if this or that. I constantly am reminding myself to just keep enjoying what I am doing, and work as hard as I personally can.
 
I think that the sport is growing in a tremendous way right now. The talent we have in the sport is truly outrageous. I love to see all of the athlete development starting from the youth. The changes USAW has made to place more emphasis on growing the younger generation is really going to pay off. I would love nothing more than to see the USA climb the ranks in international competition. From what I see, we really do have a bright future.
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?

As far as personal goals go, there are still a few numbers that I would like to hit in competition. However, my main goal these days is just to enjoy what I am doing, and to have fun in competition. Staying healthy is also becoming more and more important.

I often joke with Danny often about my future as a master’s lifter, but the reality is, I will probably never be able to fully give up weightlifting. As long as my life and my body allow me to continue in the sport, I definitely hope to see myself at a Masters Worlds.
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
 
My parents. They have always supported me in every possible way. They have provided me the best advice and allowed me to make mistakes when necessary, but they always been there to re-guide my path. I have watched both of them work hard so that our family could have all that we needed and all that we wanted. I would not be anywhere near where I am today without them.
 
Another big influence has, of course, been Danny Camargo. I have been with him for 13 years now, since before he was known as DFC. I am so proud of how he has taken his passion and completely turned it into his calling. He has worked so hard to earn all of his accomplishments, and I know he has many more to come. Not only has he shaped me athletically, but he has shaped me as a person, and is one of my greatest friends as well.
 
We’re lucky to have you in this sport, Megan. Good luck with your continued career, and we’ll look forward to those big masters lifts!