And just like that, 2019 has come and gone! It’s crazy how fast this last year went. I know it’s corny to say, but time really does fly by. The days are long, but the years are short. Do you need another saying or do you get it? I could go on.

Looking Back

If I had to sum up 2019 for CrossFit Renew in a single word I would say… graduation. Over the last few years we’ve graduated from a non-profit/hobby gym to a professional fitness and wellness facility. And 2019 was our first full year in the new space! We graduated a shed in the back of a church to a real gym that fits more than 8 barbells on the floor. We graduated from 30 members to 130 — bringing on a whole heap of new folks from all parts of Austin. We graduated from dabbling in nutrition to offering to a full-fledged program with a real coach and proven system. We bought assault bikes! We survived two Opens! We did a glow up, as the youths say.

But with graduation comes growth. And often growth can look like change that we don’t always like. This year, Evan Taylor had to learn what it was like to live without shins; we said goodbye to Coach Russ (aka The Shirtless Dude, aka Love Muscle, aka Rustle) as he had to wrap his tenured time with us after moving to Canada; and we killed our little baby Monster Mash due to CFHQ being a cluster. 

And yet, I know 2020 is going to be our best year ever. I can clearly see it. As Dr. Seuss says, “Oh the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.”

We have some fun stuff coming up in the new year — some Renew classics and some super exciting new things. Monster Mash will get a rebrand in the Spring (think March Madness meets CrossFit), we’ll be expanding our wellness initiatives to include some top secret but super worth it services, and we’re gonna get focused on some new specialty series/workshops. But to kick things off, we’re hosting our annual Bring a Friend week January 6-10th (and if you don’t have friends, Bring A Stranger Week works too). So mark your calendars and invite everyone you know to come hang with us. 

Looking Ahead

As you reflect on 2019 and start discussing the changes you want to see for yourself in 2020 — consider us. Renew is more than a fitness museum, it’s a place full of people who genuinely care about you. About your fitness, yeah, but also about your wellness, your happiness, your goals. And one of the ways we coaches try to serve you guys is sitting down with you to learn about and review those goals; to see where and how we can step in to help keep you accountable. 

These goal review sessions can be as short or as long as you want, but at the end of it, we’ll identify — together — your fitness and wellness goals for the year, and establish the first (at least) step to how you’re gonna get there. Sometimes we just need to say our goals out loud to somebody, but sometimes we need a little more accountability. And that’s why we’re here. 

So, to encourage you guys to participate in these goal review sessions (because honestly how cool would it be if we ALL came together in the pursuit of betterness?) how about a little incentive? Sign up and sit down for a goal review session before January 31st, and we’ll enter your name in a hat for $150 to the athletic apparel spot of your choosing. You can sign up for those here. If you do not sign up for a goal review session, prepare to be harrassed. 

As Coach Brett says, “Get your mind right.” And as Coach Sadie says, “Let’s kick 2020’s ass.”