When Clairessa Chaput moved from Boston to Denver, she saw it as a fresh start: a new town, a new bartending scene, a new chance to embrace a healthier lifestyle. Her move coincided with a huge opportunity: Tequila Cazadores® brought the Bartender Boxing Organization to town. And the rest was history.

Chaput trained for 90 days before getting in the ring. Here, she walks us through that training—and provides a cocktail that uses Tequila Cazadores. We’ll cheers to that.

What drew you to the Bartender Boxing program?I first heard of Bartender Boxing Organization when I saw two of my friends go through the program. They both posted how much hard work they were putting in and I could see a change in both of them. When I heard Tequila Cazadores was bringing the program to Denver,I had just moved from Boston. I was looking to make a huge change in how I was living my life, and I knew that this was the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Knowing I would have to step into a ring in front of my friends and peers to fight in a real boxing match was scary, exciting, and the most appealing part of committing myself to training. I wanted to prove to myself that I could exchange sleeping in late, eating one (sometimes two) unhealthy meals on the fly, and staying out late drinking too much for an actual routine. It would help me become healthier, happier, and, in turn, a better bartender.

What was your favorite part of training?At first, my favorite part of training was bringing running back into my life. I used to run regularly, did a handful of half marathons and 10Ks. But after an ankle and foot injury, I returned to working on my feet too soon, and I stopped completely. My coaches pressed that running and conditioning outside of our three days at the gym were crucial, so I made sure I was doing my homework and eventually I found myself loving my runs around Cheesman Park. I went from being completely winded—elevation is no joke—and needing a walk break after only a quarter mile, to being able to complete 2.5 miles in only 6 weeks.

Then sparring became my favorite when that was introduced to our training routine. It made me actually love the sport of boxing when all the pieces started to fall in place. Why our feet had to be positioned a certain way, how to move your head, keeping your hands up, looking and finding opportunities to land hits. It was probably the hardest thing I have done physically, figuring out how to breathe, move, throw punches, take punches, move more, breathe more, it was absolutely exhausting. But the more I got in the ring and the more people I sparred that had more experience, I learned how to save my energy, move my feet more efficiently. How to really watch them to counter. It clicked and I knew I wanted to do it more and more.

Ultimately, what did you get out of participating in the program? What did boxing reveal to you about yourself?This program did a lot for me. I was able to meet and become friends with new people within the industry in my new city. I slowed my drinking down a ton so I no longer felt hungover, tired, and unmotivated in the mornings, which in turn made my anxiety and depression diminish. I felt more confident about my body, and not just because of the 25 pounds I lost, but because of what I was able to accomplish.

Being able to run, spar, do push-ups, sit-ups, heavy bag and glove work during the day and then work a long shift into the night was a lot easier because I had the energy to do so. The sport of boxing made me really see myself in a new positive way, that I wasn't a quitter, and getting older does not have to be a burden on my body if I just do the right things.

Cocktail: La Luna RojaIngredients:1 ½ parts Cazadores Reposado¾ part Aperol½ part lemon juice½ part spicy hibiscus syrup (recipe follows)Pinch of smoked sea salt

Add all ingredients except salt to a shaker full of ice and shake well. Strain into a glass full of ice, sprinkle with salt, and serve.

Spicy hibiscus syrup: Steep hibiscus and dried chile peppers in hot water. Strain, add a 'sweet and low' pack size quantity of sugar, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can adjust the heat by adding more or less chiles.

LOS CAZADORES® TOMAN CON RESPONSABILIDAD. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.©2019. CAZADORES®, ITS TRADE DRESS AND THE DEER LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS. IMPORTED BY TEQUILA CAZADORES® U.S.A., SEAL BEACH, CA. TEQUILAS EACH – 40% ALC. BY VOL.

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