This morning we took a rare moment following the 6:30 workout to bring a tribe member down and talk about him before he leaves Boston and moves to Milwaukee. Thankfully, he has a kickass tribe in his new city that he can settle into. Let’s also be real, he’s gonna turn into a butt-carrot there too, and Milwaukee is gonna get faster!
Even though Justin Hewitt is young (like barely into his 20s), he’s been a member of the tribe for years, and I believe that as much as he feels like he’s been influenced by this whole NP thing in the last 4 years, he’s left a bigger impression on those of us around him lucky enough to feel his smile, his hugs, his energy, his enthusiasm, his authenticity, and his fierce racing spirit. He’s the kind of human being we want around us, who we want to be in Boston, speeding up and down the stadium stairs and flashing that giant smile while he crushes hills on Fridays.
But life. Life is a tricky wave to ride sometimes and it often navigates us into places we never imagined. We graduate from schools, we change jobs, we start relationships, we end relationships, we grow forward, we take steps backwards, we make friends, friendships evolve, babies are born, and loved ones die. And I think for those of us who’ve been around NP for a while, we know deep to our core that it is in times of such challenge and change that we rely on the community that started because of fitness, but that has become much more, if we let it. For those who are newer to NP and to a tribe of people willing to hug, run, sweat, burpee, race, and truly connect with one another, I hope you are open to what NP can be. Because what I’m learning again and again, in deeper and deeper ways, is that wherever you go, this tribe is with you. Wherever you go, we have you. Whether you’re training for a 5k or a marathon, if you lost your job or your mom died, and if you live right here in Boston or you move away, we have you. You always have a place to just show up, where we’re glad you’re here.
I guess it’s as simple as this: Wherever you go, wherever life takes you, we out here.
We’re going to miss you Justin (Baby Hewey). And for everyone out there, remember how easily life can change, both up and down. Let’s not take any of these days, connections, or loved human beings for granted.
See you Friday at the hills.
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