I am excited to announce that I accepted a job in New York City and will be moving there next month.
It’s an enormous change, but one that’s full of enormous hope and enormous opportunity. New job. New city. New people. New everything.
I’m not going to lie. All of this has me scared out of my wits. My comfort zone? Somewhere in the rearview mirror. But what’s life without a little bit of zing to keep us on our toes, right?
I wanted to share the news with you as soon as I heard, but the honest truth, dear friends, is that this post is more difficult to write than I ever imagined. I have written it, deleted it, and rewritten it a dozen times. Mostly because all of this is so new and I’m still gathering my thoughts. But mainly because change is hard and even harder to put into words. I’ve lived in the District for ten incredible years. Over the years, it has gently morphed from the city where I went to college to the city where I work and finally into its latest incarnation: home.
DC Fit Crasher grew out of that sense of home. When I wrote my first blog post two years ago, I had lived here long enough to notice the city’s fitness scene changing, evolving, and growing into something entirely new. Boutique studios were popping up left and right, some in popular neighborhoods and others in up-and-coming communities I had never heard of. It was exciting to watch small business owners try new things, take chances, and offer DC an expanding host of options to get healthy, strong, and fit.
Since then, the city has taken its love affair with fitness to a whole new level. National retail brands offer free in-store workouts. Commercial buildings, community parks, and hotels organize packed-to-the-gills fitness events. The city recently hosted two first-of-its-kind fitness expos. Grassroots groups get up early and stay up late to provide free, fun, and contagiously energetic workouts for anyone who will just show up. It’s now trendy to burn + brunch, sweat + sip, and replace happy hours, dates, and corporate meetings with workouts.
In short: DC has become a fit crasher’s dream come true. I am consistently inspired, motivated, and awe-struck by everyone I meet in the DC fitness community, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of fitness fanatics to sweat with.
To my readers, colleagues, and everyone I’ve ever randomly snapped a sweaty photo of or shared a class with: thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your world. Thank you for dreaming big, bold, crazy fitness dreams. Thank you for whipping up delicious tonics, juices, protein bars, and salads. Thank you for reading this little slice of the Internet I have come to love so much. Thank you for your advice, kindness, and friendship. And thank you from the bottom of my spandex-clad heart for making DC one of the coolest places to workout in.
So why leave? Personally and professionally, it’s time to make a change and try something new. Change is intimidating. But change is also the first step toward making things more awesome, so let’s do this. I’m ready. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith, throw down some serious hustle, screw your courage to the sticking point, grab life by the horns, and make things happen. And as far as fitness trends, workout options, and wellness fads are concerned, I couldn’t be more excited about entering the big leagues in New York. It’s the home of aqua cycling and naked yoga, for crying out loud. I’m both intrigued and mystified, but more importantly, absolutely ready to take on the challenge.
The big question is: what will become of DC Fit Crasher? Truth be told, I don’t have a clear answer yet. There’ll have to be a name change, of course. But starting a new job in a new city means I have a lot on my plate in the “real world,” and I want to be sure I allow myself the time to be fully present in that experience. Even if that experience means packing boxes till wee hours of the morning, driving them into New York City in a big orange uHaul, and eating Chinese food for dinner on the floor of my new apartment until I muster the energy to unpack. The real world is about to throw a whole lot at me – new city, new job, new people, new running routes, new gyms – and I ask for your patience as I take it all in.
I do know one thing. The Fit Crasher blog will continue. Maybe not as consistently at first. And maybe with a slightly different focus and format. But I love fitness and this incredible Fit Crasher community too much to stop blogging entirely. That said, I’d like to ask for your help. If anyone has suggestions as to how the blog could improve in its next iteration, things you’d like to see or ideas about how it could be better, please drop me a line with your thoughts. I would adore hearing your feedback.
I hope you’ll follow along with me as I start this exciting new chapter and take on all of the sweaty adventures that come with it. I couldn’t think of a better group of folks to do it with, and for that, I am sincerely grateful.
Until next time, DC.