Health is a Marathon, Not a Sprint: A Blog by Kelly

I did gymnastics for over 10 years. After I finished competing in gymnastics, I went on to coach the sport. At 31, I still love to do handstands and swing on the pull up bars like they’re uneven bars. I still get excited whenever I see gymnastics on TV.

My experience so far at CrossFit Off the Grid is very reminiscent of what I loved, and still love, about gymnastics.

I loved participating in gymnastics because of the combination of challenge, strength, and grace. I looked forward to seeing my friends at practice and making improvements in my skills… making them stronger, cleaner, and more powerful. I felt proud when I stuck that new dismount or got more height on my vault. I loved the little wins and the laughs with my friends; that is what kept me going. I loved the process and the camaraderie. That dreadful hour of conditioning in the beginning and sitting in splits for what seemed like forever were trumped by all the positives.

Many times, those little wins converged at the right moment to give me a fantastic score at a meet… sometimes they didn’t.

Similarly, CrossFit also combines a variety of skills. I look forward to coming to “practice” at CrossFit Off the Grid, to improve my movement, and see my friends. I love the little wins like stringing together butterfly pull-ups or remembering how my current 5-rep max used to be my 1-rep max. Depending on the day I’ve had, I may not arrive in the best of moods, but I always leave feeling better.  Whether it is because of a good sweat, a new cue from a coach that made something “click”, or a good laugh with fellow classmates, my day is better after going to CrossFit Off the Grid.

Just like in gymnastics, sometimes my little wins in the gym converge at the right moment to get me a new PR… and sometimes they don’t.

If my love of gymnastics and CrossFit was solely based on the scores I got at my meets and lifting PRs (the outcome), then I would have quit both very early on. Similarly, if you want to lose weight or lift a certain amount of weight, and the scale or the number of plates on the bar are the only way you measure your success or happiness, you probably won’t last long.

Focus on the process. Learn to love and appreciate the process. Pick out the little wins, like eating more vegetables or getting to the gym 3 days per week. Cheer on your fellow classmates. If you enjoy the process, you’ll last a lot longer. And I don’t know about you, but I want to be healthy for many, many years to come.

Health is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the scenery along the way.

-Kelly Simon, athlete

CrossFit Off the Grid

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