WISCONSIN NOTES:
- Today is June 28th, 2017 and a BEAUTIFUL DAY OUT THERE!
- PRDAY IS HARD. YOU ALL CRUSHED IT!!
- THERE WERE 15 + NEW PR DAY RACERS AT 630 – FUCK YES! MORE OF THIS!
- FRIDAY WE TRAVEL! EXACT LOCATION DROPPING TOMORROW…
- RACIN’ & PACIN’: PR KICK OFF TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6PM – CENTRAL PAVILION AT PATTERSON PARK FOR Q&A ON TRAINING/MEET & GREET YOUR PARTNER ETC.
- DISCOUNT CODE FOR THE BALTIMORE RUNNING FESTIVAL IS : BmoreNovember
- CONTACT BRYSON TO GET IN ON THE #NPVAN TO MADISON NORTH FACE ENDURANCE CHALLENGE SERIES! SEPTEMBER 15/16/17! #FILLTHEVAN
Today’s blog is brought to you by Rachel Gang on her FIRST NP Anniversary and as she takes off to spend a year teaching in Israel. We love when she #justshowsup and spreads her positive vibes with hugs, smiles and generally making everyone around feel welcome. We are happy you’ve been here, Rachel! Looking forward to seeing where your #grassrootsgear takes you on this journey! Take it away, Rachel….
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It’s in the genes.
As I approach a year-aversary with NP, it seems only natural to put some words behind my experience in culmination and embark on a new chapter. While I first #justshowed up on a Friday in June 2016 pre Israel to run #hillsforbreakfast, it is the community, high-fives, hugs, and most importantly my exercise genes that kept me coming back week after week.
Running and exercise is in my genes as part of the Gang family. As a former D3 college swimmer and daughter of an ultramarathoner, brother to marathoner, and daughter of a former Olympic trials butterflier, being an athlete is in my blood. I often joke about the exercise reports over that are shared between my family without fail each Saturday morning. It’s not uncommon for us to share hills, miles, injuries, and accomplishment (keep in mind this was pre-STRAVA). I’ve been in the water and being towed in bike burley trailer since before I could walk, yet it’s the running that’s always the toughest.
Running does not come naturally to me. It comes last in triathlons for a reason. Post college I searched for a replacement (or rather balance) to compliment years of competitive swimming. From the age of seven and for nearly the 15 years that followed, I identified primarily as a swimmer, and shifting away from this identity was the first step to finding another form of movement. You’ve heard me talk about yoga and the solace and peace that I found beginning around age 19 for the asana (or postures) portion of the practice. I’ve come to learn that my body craves movement, and yoga doesn’t do it all. It’s still an important part of my daily life, yet so is continuous movement. There’s an inner drive and need for movement, which is where running comes into play. Running allows me to combine movement and breath. Some call it a moving meditation, and I subscribe to the idea too. It is after all the movement that has allowed me to find solace on a run and find a group with camaraderie, similar to my college swim team, with more hugs and less competition of course.
Whether it be hills, stairs, light pole suicide sprints, running and partaking in that entire #freefitness movement with NP that sometimes and often allows my muscles, heart, and sometimes lungs to burn. It is the endorphin benefits and rewards of sweaty hugs that also tame my inner monologue and connect and assist in guiding sense of calm to quiet the physical sensations. Taming the mind, learning to go, and find ease continued to be driving thought patterns in which I strived to guide my experiences and learning processes as a runner, yogi, athlete, and NP tribe member. The #weatherproof is just an added bonus as watching the sunrise rain or shine for as long as I can remember I haven’t minded a little grass on my knees, dirt under the fingernails, or sand in my toes.
Lastly, it is with gratitude that I say farewell to you Baltimore tribe, NP-BAL, and it is with excitement that I head onto my next adventure. Be on the lookout for a pop-up in Israel. See ya on the otherside!
Peace, love and hugs, NP-Bal
Rachel
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