by It’s no joke! The first quarter of 2019 is over and WHAT A RIDE IT HAS BEEN!
Over the past few months a little has built on top of a little and eventually become a lot and I’m sure as you are reading this you’re already saying “It’s been awhile TFW Dtown, what’s up?”
Well, where do I begin? What lessons were learned? What stories were shared? How did I know where to grow? Let’s start with January
Culture Wins Every Time
I haven’t attended an event that WASN’T Training for Warriors related in a long time, but guess what? Do you notice it now? Most people in the picture are repping the black and gold, but what you don’t see is two rows ahead of us are still matching too! Even when myself and Coach Ted showed up for the Perform Better 1 Day Seminar it was STILL a Training for Warriors dominated event. People showed up from all over the Tri-State area to come support our head coach Martin Rooney and to learn from him along with other fitness professionals.
The thing that makes OUR CULTURE so amazing is when one of us goes somewhere A LOT of us go there. It’s not just about fitness, it’s about US, its about a family, and growing together.
The Shirt Is Mightier Than The Sword
Even into February when we had a meeting in Florida the vibe was ALIVE. When you walk on to a beach wearing the same shirts and people are scratching their heads wondering “what’s going on?;” it makes an impact, it makes people go “What…is…that?” People always stop to ask “Hey what’s that mean on your shirt?”
It’s like a varsity jacket…It’s a point of pride, it represents who you are, what you’re a part of, and how hard you’re willing to work to earn it. Your clothing is an extension of who you are, it reflects our identity, and creates our first impression on those around us.
A Blind Man Opened My Eyes
If you live in Bucks County you know Mark McCowan, but you may not know his new buddy Arlo.
On 3/14/19 at about 8:30pm I got a message from my stepfather (who is part of the Plumsteadville Fire Company) that was unlike any message he had sent me before. The fire company was looking to help Mark by finding someone who could run with him and be his eyes during the Blaze of Glory 5k later that week, so naturally I volunteered myself to help. It didn’t matter that he ran an 11 minute pace what mattered is I knew I could help, so I did.
So after our St. Patricks Day workout at TFW I rushed over to the firehouse and before I could even say hello everything was about to begin! I was admittedly nervous because I had no idea what to expect, but then Mark began talking and told me what he needed me to do for him and what Arlo would do for us. Then we started laughing because Mark said “Don’t worry Arlo had like 3 nervous poops so we should stay on pace.”
As the race began I let him know there would be 3 big turns, a big hill, and other then that we should be good, 5 minutes later the crowd thinned out then it was just the 3 of us. We talked about training, about family, motivation, ups/downs, and everything in between. He told me that this was his and Arlo’s first race together and he wasn’t necessarily looking for a personal record…just to get comfortable with his new four legged friend.
Here are some facts I learned about Mark, he’s ran a myriad of races from 5k’s to half’s, he’s a retired teacher, a motivational speaker, Race Director for “Bookin’ for Lookin” 5k based in Newtown, a husband, and soon to be father. When I asked if he knew what they were having he simply smiled from ear to ear and kept his pace going. I learned more life lessons from Mark in the 36 minute run we had done then probably the last few years of my life.
If I was to use one word to describe Mark it would be UNSTOPPABLE.
Mark may be visually impaired, but just because he doesn’t have his sight you can never take his heart, his gumption, and his spirit. Most in his position would probably find excuses or rationalize the fact they can’t accomplish what they want, but Mark is Bucks County’s own living breathing proof. I will painstakingly run any day of the week if it means I get to run side by side with Mark again.
He is a true inspiration
So what can be learned from all of this? What does it all boil down to?
- Who you spend your time with will SHAPE you
- What you wear INFORM’s those about you
- It’s what you DO that DEFINE’S you
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