‘Twas almost Christmas, this difficult year
2020 was a long one, with little to cheer An awful virus, too much anger and hate A long difficult year, it seems was our fate A bright spot for me was the True Spirit box The WODs and the people, it’s a place that just rocks The last WOD before Christmas was over and done We all quite enjoyed it, each and every last one Now the gym was empty as I stretched on the floor I had stayed after class to cool down a bit more From above I felt a gust of cold air Santa came down the climbing rope, with red coat and white hair Quietly I sat as Santa went this way and that Trying out the equipment even though he was fat A kettlebell, a wall ball, he handled them well It seems Santa’s a CrossFitter, I could just tell He had no sack with him, not a treat nor a toy But his eyes how they twinkled and seemed full of joy Before the whiteboard he stood, stroking his beard In an instant I saw that the whiteboard was cleared Touching his nose and nodding his head A message appeared, soon to be read He turned back to the rope, gave me a nod and a wink Then like a true CrossFitter, was up the rope in a blink I went to the white board to see what he wrote A workout of the day? Or just a short note? The writing was beautiful, hand written and clear And the message he wrote brought me some cheer “Your last gift in this year of challenges and fear Is True Spirit, both the feeling, and the gym so near The true spirit of people, caring for all Helping friends and others, in big ways and small And True Spirit the gym, where you come to get fit To better yourself, and to learn your true grit The WODs, the challenges, the new people you meet Working out together to achieve that next feat” I smiled at the note full of life and of hope (Still wondering how Santa went so fast up that rope) Thanks to True Spirit athletes, who make the place fun Thanks to True Spirit and Coach Leslie for a job well done. by John Elwell, 5:30PM class
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It might be Christmas Eve eve, but it's time to give some thought to how you want to tackle 2021.
To help you start this new year with rock solid goals and habits, we are joining forces with 406 Barbelle to offer a 5 week Healthy Habits Challenge. It starts on Monday, Jan 4. This challenge builds on the ones we offered in 2020. It will be longer than 4 weeks to allow you to really settle into with some key habits. They key habits are: Eat, Sleep, Move, Do, Be. Eat - we will work on very specific health eating habits such as consuming vegetables and getting enough protein. Sleep - we will prioritize sleep and award points for those who are getting "enough." Move - we will encourage you to move your body every day. You don't need to hit the gym every day; walking, yoga, skiing, all count for movement. Do - we will encourage and help you do something that moves the needle closer to where you want to be. This could be self awareness, or journaling, or anything that helps you do you...just do it better. Be - we will help you become the person you want to be. We will help you learn to manage your challenges so you can be who you were born to be. We will be doing this through daily accountability and weekly group video calls. If you're already working with a 406 Barbelle coach, this challenge is not for you. We are looking for folks who haven't yet dipped their toes into health and nutrition coaching. Be sure to let your True Spirit CrossFit coach know that you're interested in our New Year Healthy Habits Challenge. We will get you all set up for success! Let's make 2021 our best year yet! Alexis, Why do You do CrossFit?What was your life like before you started training with True Spirit CrossFit?
I am active in nice weather, out hiking and playing but the rest of the year, not so much. I grew up skiing but kind of let it go for several years. The occasional yoga or pilates class was my "fitness." My perception of Crossfit was not a positive one. I envisioned it being very masculine, intimidating, and for super fit people only. What brought you to True Spirit CrossFit in the first place? I basically hunted Leslie down :) No not really but I was very persistent. I was so persistent because I felt called to this place. That sounds intense, but I did. My husband tragically died last year from cancer at age 39 when our daughter was 6 months old, and the level of pain I was in drew me to lift weights. I wanted to use the physical pain of strengthening my body to cope with the mental pain. It has helped me a lot on my grief journey. What was your first impression? Has that changed? When I first walked into the gym and met Leslie (after talking with her on the phone a few times), I just knew I had found the right place. My heart led me there. I adore Leslie, she makes me want to come to class. She is the right coach for me. And the members are great. I felt welcome right away. I truly look forward to each class. What was the first thing fun or positive thing you experienced while training with us? I really have fun with jump rope, air squats, and re-learning how to lift weights. (I used to lift in basketball years ago). I love the upbeat loud music and challenging myself to do the different workout routines. Sometimes they are intimidating but I like the challenge. Each workout is different, which I love. I am enjoying seeing and feeling progress with my individualized skillwork. Are you working on any special CrossFit related skill now? Yes, I am working toward doing a pushup with my legs off the ground and in plank position! This is a big one for me. I can feel my upper body strength increasing. I can hold planks for 30 seconds 4/x and I couldn't do this before. How has you life changed since training with TSCF? I feel better mentally and physically. I feel stronger, curious, and more confident. I feel happier while I go through the process of rebuilding my life without my husband. It is truly helping me during a very difficult time in my life. What's your favorite True Spirit CrossFit memory? I loved Foundations. I totally geeked out learning all the introductory information. Leslie was a very thorough teacher of the fundamentals, which looking back now is so nice to learn the "why" of why we do what we do. And in class, my favorite memory so far was celebrating my 25th class (last week!) I felt proud of myself and what I have accomplished. Today is the Solstice. In our hemisphere it is the Winter Solstice and in the southern hemisphere it's the Summer Solstice. Today the sun sets at 4:43PM and won't rise again until Tuesday morning at 8:03AM. This will be our longest night of the year. The Winter Solstice marks an important transition for many cultures. I hope you enjoy learning about the Yule Log, one of my favorite winter solstice traditions. Yuletide TraditionsBurning a yule log is one of the oldest European Christmas traditions. It even predates the first Christmas.
Log-burning rituals were central to Celtic, Norse, Greek, and Siberian winter solstice celebrations. Logs were burned to celebrate the end of the longest night, and to welcome the lengthening of the coming days. Traditional yuletide celebrations involved the entire family venturing out into the woods to cut down an oak tree large enough to burn for 12 continuous days. The tree would be dragged home with much celebration and caroling. It was a community event, and neighbors would help drag the tree; sing along; and share ale, cider and mincemeat pies. When the tree finally arrived at home, a piece of it was placed into the hearth and lit with a piece of wood preserved from the previous year’s yule log. This was to ensure that the family would have good fortune in the coming year and to keep the family connected throughout the years. Once the yule log was lit, it was time for relaxing, merriment and a reprieve from the drudgery of daily life. As one log burned down, a new log was placed in the hearth. During the 12 days of burning, or yuletide, families and friends would call on each other, and communities would gather for feasts and festivities. At the end of the 12th day, or once the solstice had passed, the ashes and any unburned wood were gathered. The wood was stored in a special place to be used to light the next year’s yule log. The ashes were worked into the soil to ensure the health of the crops. Preserving the wood and returning the ashes to the field connected people to nature and showed an appreciation for the trees. This yuletide, you and your family can practice some “old-time religion” by burning your own yule log. However, it doesn’t need to be from an oak you cut down yourselves! You can use any piece of wood. In fact, ancient Europeans believed that different species of trees had specific powers or meanings. For example, ash was believed to bring protection and health; birch signified new beginnings; pine was supposed to bring prosperity; and traditional oak was thought to promote healing, strength and wisdom. You can personalize your yule log by decorating it with evergreens or carving season’s greetings into it. Since may of us aren’t traveling this year for the winter holidays, it’s the perfect year to snuggle-in at home around the fireplace. Of course, you can create your own family yuletide tradition and burn your yule log on Christmas Eve, solstice night (Dec. 22), or any night that is meaningful for your family. If you don’t have a wood-burning fireplace, you can place candles into a log and simply burn the candles, or borrow the French tradition of baking a chocolate yule log or “Bûche de Noël.” Of course, always use caution and never leave open flames unattended. No matter how you choose to celebrate, have a happy yuletide! This is a reprint of an article I wrote when I was the commercial horticulture program coordinator for the western area of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. |
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