Your gym is closing, now what?

CrossFit is more then a workout routine. Part of it's appeal is you become part of a community of link-minded people. I've even heard jokes about new instant friends the day you walk in the door. Overtime you do develop relationships with the members and coaches. There are connections made and deep relationships built over shared hardships and glorious triumphs.

So what do you do when your gym closes? You remember what the ultimate goal of CrossFit or any functional fitness routine is: to prepare you for life, and it's unpredictability. If you were brave enough to tackle a max height box jump, you are brave enough to try out a new gym. If you had the patience to figure out how to snatch a barbell over your head, you will not make a snap judgment about the new place that simply won't feel like home the first couple of visits. If you trusted a coach once to guide you to the top of a rope, you will do it again and maybe even go higher.

What you won't do is sit at home. You can't. You know how amazing it is to feel strong and accomplish things you never even dreamed of. And besides you have a closet full of neon and loads of gear you can't let go to waste.

First days of summer

What constitutes a vacation? Does it mean months of planning and saving? Pouring over websites and tour books. Joining forums and travel sites trying to find the best deal and the hotel with the perfect location.

Or is it simply a break from the norm? Sleeping in, coffee on the back deck, putting your phone on silent, pajamas till noon.

Are family and friends along too? Or is vacation time spent alone?

One of my favorite childhood memories is the summer we traveled all over the coast of Michigan. No reservations, no navigation system, no cell phone to check the reviews. Dad driving, mom beside him, Scott and I in the back equal parts fighting, ignoring and playing with each other. We crossed the Mackinaw Bridge, spent the day at Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, had the luck of a rainy day to find Petoski stones, and spent one night searching for a hotel finally finding one that mom was not happy with. I remember the room being blue, she found a cockroach in the bathtub and insisted we keep our socks on at all times.

Making memories with my own family now. K is an easy and enthusiastic travel companion. I have dreams of sharing Paris and Italy with her. Of showing her how big and amazing the world is.

No. 3

More and more seems to be added to my plate. The thing about military life is you need to expect to have all plans dashed. Yesterday we discussed driving to Ohio for Labor Day, today I'm told to call a Realtor because we will be moving in September/October. I called, knowing the plans could change next week or next month. I spent the day looking around the house trying to figure out what we would keep and what would go if we needed to downsize to an apartment. Then I poured some wine and watched Frozen with K. How do you balance going with the flow with needing to be ready for anything?

No. 2

I apologize to anyone who came into contact with my daughter this morning. She is napping now and promises to make a fresh start to the day this afternoon.

As a result of a comment I made on a high school's classmates FB post, J and I are planning a trip home for Labor Day weekend. I am most excited about eating watermelon and cantaloupe flavored ice cream at the melon festival, and embarrassing the crap out of my husband by participating in alumni marching band.

Go read this, it's amazing and sums up all that I love about coaching and competing and CrossFit.

No. 1

At two times in my life I have had a moment where I realized just how alone I was. That no matter what plans or arrangements I made, no matter what I'd hoped to accomplish that day, that I am a mother and that ultimately it comes down to me sacrificing everything for my girl. I am an Army wife, hundreds of miles away from family, friends come and go, my husband comes and goes. In the end it is just me.

I was 6 weeks postpartum. A day I had looked forward to since we'd gotten home from the hospital. I could return to the gym. Return to the place where I felt strong and in control. My husband left for work that morning promising to be home in time for me to go to my favorite class. He didn't make it. I sat there in my workout clothes on the front porch like a jilted bride. I bawled my eyes out while my daughter slept. Realizing all at once that when I became a mother I'd given up my freedom. Given up control over my life. That ultimately I could only rely on myself.

And then to tonight. I'd decided that since my husband was gone I would take the opportunity of not worrying about having dinner on the table and Katelyn happy for him to come home to every night to work on becoming a better coach. I'd reached out to friends for the name of a new babysitter and was all setup to head into Savannah for the evening. J has been gone for two weeks, won't be home for three more. I was looking forward to an evening spent talking about biomechanics, squatting, butt-winking and other nerdy CrossFit coach stuff. The babysitter didn't show up. K sat at the counter, excited beyond belief to meet this new sitter that shared her name. I tried to hide my tears of disappointment and of frustration from her as I started her mac-n-cheese. There is no one who can come help me. It's just me and my girl and a rather useless but pretty dog.