Jenn’s Best Fitness Memory (or, More Aptly, Memories)

Feeling nothing but pride, euphoria—and the need for pizza, beer and a hot shower!

What’s your best fitness memory? That’s the Question of the Week that each FBG is asking herself! Inspiration for this post comes from the super cool Brooks Running Run Happy campaign!

Aw, man! I have so many good fitness memories. Like SO MANY. Choosing is like picking out your favorite puppy of a litter—they’re all too sweet to choose! So, I’m breaking the rules. I’m picking three fitness memories that I love. Ha!

Jenn’s Best Fitness Memories

1. The marathon. I have quite a few awesome race memories (this and this, for starters!), but running the Disney Marathon with Tish back in 2010 was the crème de la crème. There was pain. There was laughter. There was it being so cold that we didn’t feel anything. There was more pain. And there was true friendship, chafing in unmentionable places, a finish line and an amazing feeling of accomplishment. I have to imagine it’s similar to childbirth—a feeling that you did it and that you can do anything you put your mind to. It’s the kind of experience that sneaks in every area of your life and makes you want to do more. Life-changing.

2. Climbing the rope for my first time. I wrote about that damn rope at the gym and how it scared the heck out of me. Well, I can now climb that thing like a boss. And I actually enjoy doing it. The height still kind of scares me, but in a hey-look-at-me-being-a-bad-ass kind of way. The first time I did it, I had that same feeling and rush I got from completing the marathon. Fears, begone! Fitness dreams, I’m coming for ya!

3. Teaching my first group ex class. The first time I went to a group ex class in college, I knew I wanted to teach group exericse. There was so much energy, positivity and the music was pumping. It was like an exercise party, and I knew I was meant to be at the front of it. So I took a class, auditioned, made the TigerX team and started teaching. I was so nervous for my first class, but as soon as I began teaching, it’s like I was meant to do it. It just felt right. It was a glorious moment, and one that definitely took my love of fitness to the next level.

Other runners-up? Working out with cool people like Bob and Venus. Those are definitely memorable jaw-dropping moments, but when it comes to fitness, the above are the true life-changers.

Could you narrow your best fitness memories down to just one? If not, what are your top three? —Jenn