In a world where we could have just about everything we want at a moment’s notice, we have to pick and choose where we allocate our energy and always remember that while good things are fleeting,

Great Things Take Time

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Table of Contents

• Hyrox Judging

• Moments with Maurice

• What's Got Me Smilin'

Hyrox Judging

You all know I love the NYC marathon day, it’s something that I talk about often as being the best day in the City. But to be honest, Hyrox experiences are starting to come close. The experiences I’ve had have been overwhelmingly supportive, and I don’t just mean towards me; I’m talking about all the individuals involved. 

Andy and I were pumped for Hyrox Dallas because we had actually been training, and we were stoked to see what we could do. I don’t say this to brag; I say it to be honest about where I’m at physically. Don’t forget that working out is literally my job, so I have a bit of a head start with much of what goes on at Hyrox. If you asked me to play a pick-up game of basketball, though… the results would be MUCH different.

So while Andy and I had been excited to put our running conditioning to the test, we were even more excited to support our coworker Ash Pryor at her first-ever Hyrox. In the end, our personal experience at Hyrox ended up not being everything I had hoped for us. I blamed myself for a slowdown of time and,  of course, Andy said that was the last thing he cared about, but I still felt personally responsible. However, all this is a story for another time. 

How you cheer and support a participant is where the NYC Marathon starts to lose ground to Hyrox in terms of favorite events for me. Because Hyrox is typically done in a convention center or an enclosed space, you don’t have to worry about running around the City and navigating trains, bikes, ferries, and tracking apps to see your person one or maybe two times.

This meant that when we got to cheer on Ash, there were so many opportunities to see her. She could tell us where she would need the energy during the event, and we were able to deliver. 

If you haven’t yet, you should check out Ash’s reflection on the event in her words

Like any sporting event, you get to witness a variety of experiences. There is so much joy, pain, heartbreak, love, and more that is wrapped into each event. No two people have the same experience, but there were some patterns that I’ve noticed materializing over the various Hyroxes I’ve attended or participated in.

See, a common thing that popped up when talking with other coaches and fitness professionals who were competing was that the first question out of someone’s mouth after they finished with Hyrox is usually “what was your time?” It had created a bit of fear or hesitation for these individuals to participate because it didn’t feel like they had a chance at being beginners at the event. They were worried about the judgment that would come since fitness is their main job and pastime. In fact, I’m sure a bunch of you went up and looked up my times from past and present events. ;) This isn’t a defense of fitness professionals, but an interesting conversation I felt was relevant as we dive into the holiday season and are immersed in conversation opportunities.

In the same way that we’re taught how not to listen to respond, listening to compare, or to pick out the topical details blocks out authentic conversation and connection just as much. We soon find ourselves in an Olympics of sorts, either outwardly or inwardly competing with an individual. In fact, I’m sure you’ve heard the words “back in my day...” around the holiday dining table multiple times. Instead of hearing someone’s experience and their reaction to it, we need to put it into context with our own experiences. 

Out of all the spectacular athletes and performances of that weekend, Ash’s stood out. She walked into an event for the very first time with the clear intention to show up for herself and have fun. Her partner she competed with, Anthony, is a monster runner who, instead of showing off or talking about what he could have done, simply focused on supporting her through the event and showing up as the best teammate. 

I’m sure if you asked either one of them how their event was, their time would be insignificant compared to everything else they walked away with. Those are two experiences that are more motivating than hearing how great someone’s time was. Hearing those experiences is something I’m more interested in learning about than the metrics. 

This weekend reaffirmed for me that this holiday season, I want to focus on getting deeper with each conversation and learning more about who people are, versus what my perception of them is based on metrics or appearance. It also reminds me to be on my guard with how people react to my stories. Are they quick to hit back with a comparison? Or are they genuinely happy for whatever I got out of it? It’s a great telling of what relationships I should pour more into, and which ones I need to prepare to keep at arm's length. When I go into the latter of these two conversations, I can be prepared for what will come with them. If I know Aunt Sue or Cousin Greg are going to rub me the wrong way over the holidays, I can make sure it doesn’t ruin my experience. You know, “I’m rubber, you’re glue…”

At the end of the day, I can’t be responsible for what other people will say to me or how they will react, but I can control how I approach conversations, how I show up for the people in my life, and whether or not I let their energy impact mine.

Of course, easier said than done.

Moments with Maurice

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

If you’ve been journaling along with me, take the time to pause on the reflection and write down your answer to the prompt. Even if it feels silly in the moment, looking back on what you’ve written down can be eye-opening when you start to see patterns form.

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

Frankie Approved ✅ 

If you wondered what Frankie sounds like… welp, here it is. Little man always has me laughing, and I hope you as well. Can you tell Frankie is a huge Sleep Number fan?

A Day in Dallas

Well, it was a little bit more than a day, but that doesn’t make for a good subheading. Unaware as to what Dallas was like, prior to my trip, I enjoyed spending time in what I felt was a beautiful city. The people were warm and friendly (always catches me off-guard as a New Yorker), and certain areas gave me major Williamsburg vibes.

Friday post-Hyrox dinner was at Steakyard, and it was all dressed up for the holidays.

Race Horse Fits

Stopped by the Siegelman Stable pop-up. Did you know that Max got started shipping hats out of his Brooklyn apartment during the Pandemic? From a simple hat to a full-blown store, it’s great to see when hard work creates your dreams

The Downshift

The biggest smile on my face opening the new wheel for my G80 (almost done with the restoration!!) How good do you think I need to be for Santa to put a few of these under my tree?

Remember:

-Adrian