Last week I turned 49 years old – what very definitively feels like the last trudge up the apex of “The Hill’ we call life. I feel like I am almost to the top of Mt. Everest, the top of the world – as if somehow when I get there I am going to see something magical or find something revealed about this incredible journey we are all a part of. In reality, I know there will be no magical reveal, but just the same I search… I search for my own Journey to Extraordinary.
At the same time, we at CrossFit Odyssey are enjoying our 5 year anniversary! We just can’t believe it has been five years since we opened our doors and began this adventure! Since then we have had over 11,000 classes, over 1,400 people walk through our doors, 13 t-shirt designs, 5 surgeries, 3 visits to The CrossFit Games for John Mariotti, 3 locations, and 1 dog. We have made friends who will hopefully last forever and had experiences we will never forget. We have had babies and grandchildren born, children sent to college, family members loved and lost. We have fixed shoulders and knees, corrected posture, reduced pain, lost fat, gained energy and we look better.
When I started this adventure five years ago I had no idea what I was in for. I had no idea I would face a life-threatening illness, difficulties with my kids, debt, depression, sadness, and loneliness. I also had no idea I would meet people who would change my life every single day. I would meet people who would befriend me, stand by me, teach me and inspire me. I would meet people who would make my difficulties seem minuscule and who would make me feel like a hero in myself. This has been such an incredible journey at this point in my life!
As many of you know, we did not create The Journey to Extraordinary as a vehicle to look your best. That awesomeness is just a side-effect of you discovering how to BE your best. When you dig down deep inside and overcome the little obstacles of your workout, it helps you set a pattern and figure how to solve the bigger problems that weigh us down in life. The little successes at the gym create a foundation for the bigger successes in our work and family lives. It is with this thought in mind that we would like to invite you to join us for our Five Year Anniversary Fundraiser for Wipe Out Kid’s Cancer. WOKC is a local charity that is working to help local kids who are dealing with the ultimate challenge of life and death. Here at CrossFit Odyssey, we have had several members who have survived Breast Cancer, two dear friends who lost their battles with cancer and one beloved family who lost their incredible son, Alex, to a neuroblastoma cancer in the brain. 
In honor of our friends and in celebration of our five year anniversary and in honor of this magical Journey To Extraordinary we are all a part of, we will be hosting a Five Year Anniversary Party and Fundraiser on Saturday, October 27th. We will have a workout at 11 am that anyone can do (including the kiddos!) followed by a Backyard Barbecue and party with a live DJ, sponsors such as Kinetik Chain, athletic clothing and much much more! You do not have to participate in the workout to enjoy the festivities. Workouts will be released October 15th and registrants may enter in Teams of two – it doesn’t matter if it is parent/child, male/female, male/male – this is a “just for fun” workout, not a competition. if you don’t have a partner, go ahead and register and we will find you one. Please join our Journey to Extraordinary and help us Wipe Out Kids Cancer!