As I left the gym this morning, a Stephen Wilsion Jr.'s cover of Stand By Me was playing. I listened to it on repeat as I made my coffee and I could not help but think of what we’ve done here at Neighborhood Gym. And as I looked ahead to the day and into next week, I thought this song was a fitting theme for the upcoming CrossFit Open. For the last 4 years, I’ve used the open as a way to set up my year. I cut out beer (I miss beer), attempt to eliminate sugar as I work to integrate my life as each new begins. For some reason, this year has been more difficult than the previous years. Part of it is because I am old(er) and part of it is because I was in need of some vision. And that’s where Stand By Me comes into play. Wilson’s cover called to mind all that we were able to do here at Neighborhood Gym since we found out it was closing back in October. As as I’ve come to find out, we (that means you too) accomplished this in the midst of many difficult circumstances. We’ve learned that individuals in our community have gone through loss and endured pain and heartbreak. And that makes this accomplishment all the sweeter and why this song seems to strike a chord in me. On to the Open: For the next three Friday evenings, I wanted to invite each of you to come and “stand by us” as we participate in the CrossFit open. Of course, I’d love each of you to sign up and participate (see Coach Spyker’s instructions below), but if all you do is come up and support, you might just be cheering on one of our friends who is going through more than you know. I am proud of you and the work you are doing for your health and life. Cheers, Bower 📝 HOW TO SIGN UP Head over to CrossFit.com and register for the Open. It only takes a few minutes and costs just a few dollars. Click here to sign up. Once you’re registered, make sure you’re logging and submitting your scores on the CrossFit Games site each week. And this isn’t just for our CrossFit classes! We would absolutely love to see our Power Hour folks jump in too. The Open is for everyone, no matter how you train with us. 📲STAY CONNECTED WITH #TNGLH After you register, you’ll receive an email to visit your Competition Dashboard. Once you’re there, scroll down to My #Hashtags and add the hashtag: #TNGLH This is how we’ll keep track of our whole TNG community in one spot on the official leaderboard! 💪🏼 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS — 3 WEEKS ONLY! Starting Friday, February 27th, we’re bringing Friday Night Lights to The Neighborhood Gym for the next 3 weeks! Here’s the schedule: Friday, February 27 Friday, March 6 Friday, March 13 Workouts kick off at 5:00 PM each Friday. We’ll be doing the Open workout together in true Friday Night Lights fashion, music up, energy high, and the whole community showing out. AND HERE’S THE BEST PART: You do NOT have to be doing the Open to show up. You don’t even have to work out. Come hang, cheer on your fellow TNG members, and soak in the atmosphere. The more the merrier. These nights are about community first. Doors open early, so come ready to have a great time whether you’re competing or just cheering from the sidelines. Let’s show up for each other these next 3 weeks. Tag your scores, wear your TNG pride, and let’s make some noise! See you February 27th at 5 PM! The TNG Coaching Staff