Hi Jocelyn (and Company),
I know this has been a hell of a year, but I just wanted to reach out and say thank you.
Coming to PDXStrength when I moved to St. Johns a little over a year ago was a big leap of faith for me because I had never successfully maintained any kind of fitness in my life. I was inexperienced and out of shape and super nervous, but I always felt so welcomed. All of the coaches were so supportive and pushed me in a way that both challenged me and helped me grow, and the long-time members were so kind. (Even just a month ago, I was lagging way behind in a workout with a ton of running, and the other members in my class ran an extra 400m with me so I wasn’t doing it alone. I can’t even express how much it meant to me!)
And now, a year in, I feel like a totally different person! I’m so much more confident than I used to be, and I love what my body can do. Sometimes, it’s little things like being able to pick up the 40lb box of cat litter without breaking a sweat, sometimes it’s doing a bear crawl without being winded, and sometimes it’s something like being able to push through a lift successfully after I failed three times because I got too in my head about it.
On top of all of that, PDXStrength has really made me feel like a part of the St. Johns community. I run into fellow members all over town, and they always say hello! Especially in COVID times, sometimes, the folks at the gym are the only other living beings I see, and I look forward to it more than anything.
I know with this partial lockdown being imminent, this puts a metric fuckton of stress on you, so I wanted you to know that I’m a ride-or-die member of this strength tribe and I’m here for the long haul. I love your Zoom workouts, Nigel’s programming, Dylan’s silly anatomical doodles, Laura’s endless cheer and optimism, Paul’s fun facts, Courtney’s ability to push me through cardio workouts even when I think I’m going to die, and Christie’s calm and supportive demeanor. What you and the coaches are doing is really incredible, and I’m so lucky to be a part of such an amazing community – y’all are the best.
Have a lovely weekend,
Nikki Harris