Transitions

Usually in May, I write some sort of sappy blog about my gym, Praxis.  This up coming May would have been 6 years since I joined BJ and Will over at Zia Cross Fit, which became Praxis.  I still remember the struggle I had deciding to leave the previous gym, and the suspicious feeling I had about gyms I visited.  I was being super stubborn after feeling burned by the other gym.  I remember Mark and Kim encouraging me to give it a try.  So I did....and me being the weirdo that I am chose to go on days that were filled with workouts I hated..Just to see...to see how they treated people who are not so athletic...

Well, 6 1/2 years later..here I am.

I struggle with gyms...I really do.  When Rod roped me into trying crossfit, I found something different, not just the "constantly varied" thing, but it was the people.  I am not so good at going to a gym, putting on the headphones, and ignoring anything but my "gains."  I need people.

Certain people.

I mean, I have left a gym (or 2) because of the people as well...

What BJ and Will and later Gary, had created fit me...Wouldn't fit everyone, but it fit me.  I remember when I met BJ and Will, it was at a weightlifting meet.  I had gone to see my friend Patti compete.  Will and BJ were sitting in front of me.  I had seen them both at Crossfit comps, so we all said hi and blah blah....then BJ mentions a magazine "Milo" that he had that had interviews and training crap for Highland athletes.  He offered to send it to me.  Now, if you have read my crazy blog for a while, you know that the other gym I was going to when I started throwing, basically said, that's cute but keep doing crossfit, that should be enough.

I was frustrated and CLUELESS about how to train or even what questions to ask.

That moment at the meet stuck with me.  And even after I joined BJ, I stayed in the classes for a long time, he was checking me out too. Seeing if I was someone who could be trained.  So, in the early years, I mostly did classes, but he'd pull me out for strength training for a few months at a time.

Very different than the I hide in the corner and lift thing I do now.  Even after I moved to Rio Rancho, I tried to just do the programing remotely and well, I would fall down.  Stop doing it. Until BJ wouldn't send my workouts.  He would just say, why don't you just come in and I'll give it to you. Well...that's when the lunch time thing kicked back up.  Escape from work, from my life for a while and lift.  I needed to still feel like I was in a class to keep coming.

I have a strong desire to belong.

Well, like all things, change is coming again.

BJ and Gary have made the decision to shut down Praxis.

I get it.  For the all the stated and unstated reasons.  Running a gym is tough, especially a gym like Praxis.  It isn't about getting members to sign up and not come...That focus can only mean lower numbers of members and higher numbers of hours for those that own it.

But I am sad.

I have been there a long while and even though there are people who have moved on from the gym, it was a unique place. I have met and sweat with people I would have never met otherwise.  And when they leave and when this space leaves my life it will leave a hole.

I still miss the nooner crew, Velda, Faith, Sarah, Sheila, Erin.

I know I was the most irritating person Will probably ever had to deal with, but towards the end we both knew my goal was to make him laugh.

BJ and Praxis trained me to a World Championship and multiple world records yes, but he also focused my rehab after heart surgery. The gym was there for me when I lost everything and was completely broken after violence struck.  If it weren't for the gym and the community they created,  I never would have met Faith and Chris who opened their home to Emery and I preventing us from having to make terrible choices.

I will miss the babies of Praxis....so many of them are no longer babies.  I loved that the gym encouraged healthy pregnancy workouts and babies hanging in the gym to watch their parents.  I loved occasionally holding a Salas ginger so Patsy could finish thrusters...I have been endlessly moved by the support I received from this gym family of mine.  Coming to games, throwing at games, fundraisers for me...All the comps....It's always a blast to go cheer on Kori and Faith at a railyard game...or Boxtober.  I cannot list all the folks whom I love to see when I walk in, I know I will miss someone and feel badly.

And at Praxis, I know sometimes~some of you were happy to see me. 

Things always change...

I will start a search, I have to decide how to do things now, what I need, where I fit, and if I can do some of this on my own now.

Praxis, you were something special.  Thanks.