Found Your Gateway?

Culpeper Star Exponent

Jim Charapich

Business Monday

Publication June 17, 2013

Gateways to fitness are abundant. I was reading a FB post from a fellow Spinning instructor and she was so excited to be substituting for another instructor for a sunrise class at 4:30 am. Wow, I do not know where in the world a 4:30 am class qualifies as “Sunrise”. I would rename this the commuter class for those who want to ride and then drive. Nonetheless, there must be a demand for a class at that hour? There are gateway’s to fitness almost 24 hours a day today.

I like the phrase gateway to fitness because that is what happened to me. I was working out at Gold’s many years ago and the Spinning instructor asked if I would like to take his class. I said sure, and I was hooked. Almost 10 years later, I have the highest certification as a Spinning Instructor. I teach three classes per week. A 5:15 am class at Gold’s on Wednesday’s and at 5:45 am on Monday and Thursday at Powell Wellness Center. I have also taught classes at the Sport and Racquet Club. Spinning was my gateway to my fitness.

I had no idea that the momentum would lead to a progressive hunger to understand my fitness. As I look for the fountain of youth in growing older, a fitness lifestyle has become a top priority. Just when I thought that I had fitness under control as a Spinning Instructor, I was challenged to try something that would take me to a new level. I tried my first Triathlon in the summer of 2009. Ok, so I did not have fitness under control. Not even close. There were a lot of men and women in my age group that were in really good shape. I finished my first race, but I had a new set of goals. I wanted more fitness. Adding the swim and run to my comfortable bike routine was a new challenge.

It turns out that there was an emerging Triathlon, running, and cycling community in Culpeper. The energy of being a part of the local fitness culture was just what I needed. It did not matter where I was, there was always someone talking about their last race, next race, or some new training that they were trying. In Culpeper alone, we have several well managed 5k runs, mountain biking almost year round, two Triathlons in August, and a Cycling Century developed by Culpeper County Parks and Recreation.

Now as I teach my classes, many of the students show up in class with their newly earned jersey from the last race. If you are involved in amateur sports, you know that it is all about wearing the shirt after the race. I have received certificates, medals, socks, hats, backpacks, etc. Nothing is better than wearing the race shirt to the gym the week after the race.

I have some really big goals for this year and I can’t wait to see where they will lead. A fitness culture is contagious. Found your gateway?