Find Your Movement... Again

We like to encourage our clients to find their movement, whether that's cycling, running, hitting the gym, playing team sports, climbing, or really anything that gets you moving and keeps you enjoying it. But what happens when your movement—or your hobby—stops supporting your health and starts taking more from you than it gives?

Those of you who have known me for a while know that I particularly love competing in Obstacle Course RaceS(OCR). In fact, I enjoy OCR so much that I've competed multiple times each year. I've even earned invitations to the World Championships on two separate occasions in different race distances. Unfortunately, each invitation came with a price tag that was simply too high for me to justify.  This isn't a cheap sport, and I knew that from the beginning. To compete at the World Championships in France this year would have cost me at least $4,000 USD in travel & lodging expenses alone. That didn't include a house and pet sitter, rental car, or food.

Over time, something shifted.  What once brought me joy started to feel like a burden.

Training for ultra-distance races required more than 16 hours each week, pulling time away from my family, my work, and other priorities. I realized my hobby was no longer serving me—I had become a slave to it.  That doesn't mean I'll never run another obstacle race. It simply means that, for this season of life, it's no longer the movement I'm choosing to invest my time, energy, and resources into.  So what does that mean for me? How do I continue enjoying exercise outside of the winter season?  Try something new.  That's exactly what I did.

BlackRose Jiu Jitsu

Recently, I've found myself falling in love with combat sports.  There's something incredibly valuable about being willing to be bad at something, especially something that might be uncomfortable to begin with. It's healthy to admit you don't know everything—maybe not even the basics—and to embrace the challenge of learning from the ground up.  Combat sports are humbling... 100%.  I've had people more than ten years younger than me effortlessly remind me just how much I have to learn. But I've also realized that with enough time, consistency, and dedication, I can become a formidable opponent myself.

For now, I'm embracing the privilege of being a white belt. I'm choosing to learn, to fail, and to be completely okay with looking terrible while everyone around me seems so much further ahead.  The unexpected blessing has been the people.  I've built incredible friendships with people from all walks of life, and I've discovered a movement that challenges me, keeps me active, and serves this season of my life well.  So let me leave you with this question: Have you found your movement?