"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great". - Mark Twain
What up folks? Well, as promised, there have been some changes to the blog, and I'm in the need of some recipes, so if you have some Paleo friendly stuff, send it my way. I know people are asking.
Also, on the admin side, the Podcast goes live in a week, the link will be on the blog, and it is setting up to be pretty special. So stay posted.
On to tonight's topic. There has been a lot going on lately, busy with work and training, locking up sponsorships, finalizing race schedule, and the unfortunate reality of finding out who are the "takers" around you, and who you can really trust. In this process, I've been lucky to get closer to my close friend and sister, which has provided us great laughs, and a closeness we both wanted. The best part, I get to hear stories of my nieces, and on hard days, that laughter bouys my spirit and makes me smile. For those who know me, I don't smile very much at all, so if you see me do that, you know why.
This leads me to why I titled this blog the way I did. This winter, I've decided to do something I haven't done in any season prior - a long course race in the very early part of spring. Long course races in the spring mean traveling to a warmer climate, which makes training during the months of January and February critical, and increases the need for more focus. There is a sense of urgency in my training, a pressing need to get everything in, not miss a training session, nailing nutrition, getting the right amount of sleep, and doing it all at 100%. Don't get me wrong, I love it, all of it, and wouldn't want it any other way. This has been a pretty amazing journey so far, and I owe a big thank you to coach Garrison who is guiding this ship.
However, there is the other side of training this hard at this time of the year, in the Midwest. Its basically a solo effort, due to weather, and well, not everyone is going long in March. This was a particularly tough week, and I had more than my share of moments where I wanted to come in from the snow and just fall on the couch, watching bad television. But every time those thoughts would enter, my mind would be reminded of some pretty amazing people who I've had the honor of training as of late. These 2 ladies had been trying on their own to gain fitness, to beat the odds, to prove the cynics and doctors wrong. Recently, they asked me to assist them in achieving those goals. They didn't know a ton about me, or how I trained clients, but they knew I relished the moments of proving the so called experts wrong, time and time again. So, we started, each one seperately, about 4 weeks ago, and watching them progress, watching them discover how much more they were capable of, seeing true joy on their faces, it renews my faith the Crossfit method, as well as spark my own spirit, driving me to train harder, to push to the place that's uncomfortable knowing that on the other side is the light, the feeling of accomplishment unlike any other.
These ladies are my heroes. In a time when so many great, or thought to be great men and women are found to be cheats, or just without any moral compass, we neglect those around us who provide true inspiration daily. I consider myself very lucky, I don't have to go any farther than where I work to be truly inspired, to be shown great courage and strength that comes from a place of truth and honesty. They work hard, not for recognition, not for awards, but for the simplest and most necessary reason of all - for their health. And its beautiful to watch. Yeah, I'm damn lucky.
So when the snow comes down harder, when the wind blows wickedly across the trails, I smile, because I think of them, think of their drive and work ethic, and then I click up the hill with more spring and speed. And when I crest, and feel the wind at its worst, I dig even deeper, knowing how hard they work, how much it means to them to discover new things about themselves. This winter, they have helped me in ways they couldn't possibly imagine. These people walk among you, they sit next to you on the train, at work, at schools, everywhere. And in turn, you and your story may be the inspiration for someone who is looking for answers, looking for a better way to live. Always be an instrument of change, even when it goes against the norm, b/c the norm might not be the right thing.
Stay strong,
Guy
