So you can see Petey

The boy himself.

Cross Fit After Two years

It was magic that got me to Cross Fit. Plain, real, practical, every-day magic. I took a class, a higher-mind class, that focused on the heart. Loving, relationships, healing, the good stuff. The last focus was on loving yourself. Treating yourself with love.

Two days later, the Cross Fit flyer fell off a shelf and stuck to my fingers. Like it had been glued.

The next day I went to 305 and met with Dan. (Of course I fell in love with Dan, who doesn't?) Dan did a good job of selling me on (1) working out and (2) other gyms in the neighborhood. The next day I showed up at 305 though, and took the (not yet called) unloaded class from Peter. (Of course I fell in love with Peter, who doesnt?) Peter checked out my (in)ability, modified everything so I could do it, and cheered me on.

So I went back again and kept on going back. That was two years ago.

Here's what I enjoyed from my experience: I enjoyed exhaustion, a new feeling for a couch potato; exhilaration, those endorphins are both powerful and addictive. I enjoyed the challenge, and shoulder muscles, which were my first to show up. My heart rate recovery time shortened. Yay, heart rate!

But I kept getting dizzy, faint and light headed. It took about a year to diagnose and adjust meds to the point where wall balls are possible and I was no longer sliding down the wall to keep from passing out. I missed a lot of opportunity for improvement but I kept coming, and working and doing best I could. Now, my personal challenge to me is to bust it every class and make up for lost time.

Last week was my two year anniversary at Cross Fit. Two years in which my body has become stronger, more things are possible and I buy smaller clothes.

And now I have very different thoughts about the value and care of a body, mine or anyone else's. About what it is necessary to eat and what is necessary not to eat. I see people on the street differently. I hate to see when they don't care. I care, I care for me. I care to be stronger. I care to move better. I care about endurance. I care to hang with Cross Fit people. I am in love with them all. True. I care to see differently, newly aware.

Happy to love myself. Thank you heart magic.