To Our Wonderful Athletes:

To our wonderful athletes --

Thank you.

Thanksgiving provides us all an opportunity (if not a reminder) to give thanks. This letter of appreciation does not only stand for this festive holiday period, but rings true throughout the year. As we drive toward our final month of 2013, it's a great time to reflect on the many great opportunities, experiences, and tough breaks we have all experienced along the way. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and let us share with you our appreciation here.

Laura W

Long before you first came to the gym, many of you had to face your own vulnerabilities in the effort to make a change. Perhaps you carried some trepidation with you the first time you walked in and introduced yourself to us. Some of you brought pre-conceived notions about how your body is supposed to look, what number you should expect to see on the scale, or how much you should be able to bench (bro!). But from the day of your Orientation to however far along you've come on this journey, it has been an incredible experience to courageously face those fears, fail forward, and authentically celebrate each of the little achievements you make. It is an amazing episode time and time again and we can testify by being witnesses first-hand.

Justin K

The excitement expressed by your trainers is also real and genuine - each day we realize our own successes when you achieve yours. We are heartened by the persistence you show in effecting positive changes, the tenacity with which you strive to reach your goals, and the encouragement you provide each other on the path to success. Our individual challenges become a shared burden, and by struggling together we build the trust, integrity, and self-humility that allows us to reach new heights. It doesn't take long for you to start believing that you are capable of achieving what you want, and we love to see the newfound confidence that shines through your beautiful smiles.

Working Women's Wednesdays

Making that first step may have been difficult to do, yet today we see only the resilience and dedication that you put forth each day you come into the gym. You amaze us with your willingness to be guided, your desire to hone, your determination to practice, and your dogged expectation that you can do better. We feel no achievement is too small to celebrate, and we are honored to be able to take these small steps with you to greatness.

Be Epic

The most powerful asset in our gym is our incredible community. We bring together individuals from all walks of life, all shapes and sizes, all heritages and orientations. It is amazing how quickly bonds are established amongst complete strangers, with the common denominator being that we are all working to improve ourselves. Regardless of how much weight is on the bar or what level of difficulty is being performed, your efforts are buoyed by the support of the community around you. It is this shared support system that inevitably leads to positive results, culminating in the enthusiastic cheers and hi-fives that come when you hit a PR, fine-tune a skill, or nail down a technique. We are blown away by the amazing culture that has formed around our gyms, and promise to work hard to preserve it.

John G & Amy K

A day does not pass without reflection on how we can serve you better. We work tirelessly behind the scenes to provide you the best experience possible, including facility improvements, equipment purchases, training program evolutions, and back-end improvements that are brought on at a furious pace. We continue to limit the entry points for new athletes, so that we can maintain our focus on those who are with us. We pride ourselves not in the number of athletes we train, but in the tenure of the athletes that we continue to train. When athletes celebrate their 1, 3, or 5 year anniversary with us, it proves to us that we have built a fitness program and business that continues to improve, evolve, and innovate. We are excited to see more and more of you join the tenured ranks of our program, and we promise to bring the same dedication and enthusiasm that you show us every day. We have only scratched the surface of what we are all capable of!

VERSUS Throwdown

We charge forward with a watchful eye to maintain the standard of excellence that defines our training program and culture. We are constantly reminded of the importance of what we do, and the lives that we influence. Thank you for letting us guide you to new ideas, for taking these steps forward with us, and for allowing FCF/SLU to be a part of your lives. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to work with you. The good is only going to get better, and we are excited to see how far we can take this together.

Sincerely yours,
the Foundation CrossFit & CrossFit SLU team

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