Big and Bold

"Go big or go home" is a reference that often puts emphasis on a decision. It was over 10 years ago now when a group of community members talked about investing in a big artifical Christmas tree and plopping it down in Central Park of Johnstown. When retold as legend, lampoon, or act of lunacy, no matter how it is remembered, it is just that - remembered...

to order big and bring it home. 

As a guest to Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership's 10-year celebration of the Christmas tree, I learned about the party's shining star, the tree, which is a credit to a small army of Yuletide yahoos. And this characterization is not an offense to them. As many of them summarized, this was a Christmas crazy, going out on an evergreen limb decision. Word got around that money was being raised to ship a 36-foot-high tree out of some elf factory in the Pacific Northwest and light up Johnstown in a Chevy Chase brand of spiked eggnog, holiday fervor. 

And that is exactly what happened. 

My oldest daughter, who turned 10 this month, has celebrated all her Christmases with that downtown tree. Traditions often start when an absurd idea takes flight...

Right after this Christmas and before the New Year, I had my most significant "This is 40" moment. I decided to just walk into a Crossfit gym and declare that my athletic career was not going to go quietly into the night or at least I was not going to sink any deeper into the couch. Like the spark that led to the downtown tree, I sprung into action. 

And a month later after joining Bold Athletics, once again, I have been rewarded by community strength. At the core, and my core is quite sore from planks earlier this week, the tree and Bold are all about community. About people coming together and working toward a common goal. For anyone who has walked around the tree during the holiday season, the strength is in the numbers - of volunteers showing up winter after winter, of children singing and dancing, and of small business owners working together to make a big difference. For anyone who has trudged through snow @ 5:30 AM to complete a work out, I am proud to be in your pack. 

In my Crossfit community,  I have not been tested this much in terms of language since Spanish 2. There is the WOD, and kipping, and EMOM... I personally like the box and the assault bike because I can easily identify what a box is and I know exactly what is going to happen when I get on that bike - I am going to assault my legs. It has been a challenge and I am appreciative of the men and women who have been a part of the exercise. They have provided encouragement, motivation, humor and have helped me overcome my language barrier. 

By the time the downtown tree lights up for Year 11, I plan on being a Seasoned Crossfit Understanding Human (SCUH). I'll be 41 by then, accelerating toward Girl Dad greatness. My daughters will be getting closer and closer to teenage life and I will be pedaling harder and harder on the assault bike. 

I will have benefited from all those community members who have frozen their butts off putting up the tree and to those who have been working their asses off on the Bold mat. Hard work shines on and pays off. 

Cheer on that groundhog this Sunday. If you had to take down the tree this year or braved the subzero terrain to get to a workout, there is only one way to root. Spread an attitude of gratitude for all the risk takers, squat jumpers, and anyone willing to show up and shake it up when necessary. 

Phil, box jump us into Spring. 

Goodnight, Johnstown.  Dream big dreams. 

Adios, Invierno!  (Goodbye, Winter!)