FITMAS Finale: Day 12 of 12: Buddy Run Challenge

Let's just talk about the challenge and then we'll talk about the meaning of Christmas and I've got a final little festive holiday thing to leave you with a version of towards the night before Christmas fitness edition , all right . So all right , let's talk about day 12 .

First and foremost , thank you so much for participating in this and I've enjoyed seeing all the photos of everyone getting after it and just making this holiday just a little bit more exciting . Right With working out and sharing and community , and that's what this is all about . So the Buddy Run what is the Buddy Run about ?

All right , so you're going to grab a friend or a family member and you're going to hit the road or the trail together and you're going to run at least a mile , all right .

So this isn't because we want you to encourage someone that maybe hasn't run with you before and you're going to do something short and if it needs to be a walk , that's cool too , all right , but the intent is to run minimum of a mile .

And this is about sharing your fitness journey with someone else , your joy of running and maybe inspiring someone new in the process . Chances are . You're probably Christmas Eve , you're probably with family and friends and we just want you to encourage , to enjoy that moment with someone else . So it's pretty simple .

If , during the run , you're just going to snap a photo of both of you together or maybe record a quick video and just share with us using the hashtag 12 days of fitness , dht , we just want to see the smiling faces and hear about today's Buddy experience . And how did they find the run ? What was it like sharing that moment with them ?

What was that conversation like ? And that's it ? Just a simple , easy way to cap out this challenge that the hard part might actually be finding a Buddy that's willing to go with you . Maybe not , I don't know , but that's it . That's it . If you want to go further , by all means . You want to do 5K , you want to do 10K ? Cool , even better .

But at a minimum , today's requirement is simply a run with a Buddy , family member or friend , and it's all about togetherness . It's all about togetherness and community . On your fitness journey , oftentimes it's hard to get up some days to work out by yourself , but if you have a community , that's so incredibly powerful .

We as humans need community , we need tribe and having these experiences with someone else , it not only maybe pushes you but it also encourages them and you have that sense of camaraderie and companionship and shared achievement . And that's it .

And while you're running with them , I just want you to reflect on the journey that you've undertaken , the strides that you've made , and maybe share with them why this lifestyle is important to you , and that's it . As you finish up the run , you're going to take a photo and share , and that's it .

I also just want to say that you know the essence of Christmas and holidays right . It's a time . It's more than just the gifts and the food and all of the other activities , but it's a time of reflection and celebration of your life .

It's the season of giving and it's when we come together and it's a time that we can put aside our differences and really connect with other people . So use it as an opportunity to contribute and to give and to make a difference , and I know there's been a lot of stress .

I know , just , even in our household , just trying to get all the gifts and try to make all the—it can be stressful . Right , you've got to get all the things together , you've got to be at the right places at the right time . And the financial aspect and is—are those parts going to like the gift or not ? You know there's all of that that's happening .

But just remember the true reason for the season , whatever that is for you , and you know it's all about the connection . It doesn't have to be perfect .

It's about you know whatever it means for you and if you're religious , you know your connection with the birth of Christ and the celebration of the Holy Spirit and the birth , and it's—the season's been kind of hijacked with commercialism a little bit .

So just detach yourself from that just a little bit and find an opportunity to give , if you're able to , and maybe do something kind for someone that you don't know , and I think that's where some of the magic of Christmas is for me . So that's it . As you wrap up the 2023 year , it takes some time to reflect .

2024 is right around the corner and yeah , that's it , that's it , and I just want to say one final thing about the Buddy Run the power of community is incredibly important and that's what we're trying to create here with the—that's what we're trying to do . What we're doing , we're creating a community , a lifestyle around the do hard things mindset .

What does that mean ? Well , do means take action . It's about not thinking about things but actually taking action , massive action toward your goals . Hard actually has a framework . It's the four lines of effort of your life your health and wellness , affluence and wealth , your relationships , your development . If you're not growing , you're dying .

Those are the four lines of effort in your life . And then things are focusing on the things that matter . And then it's about living a life on offense versus defense . So many people are living in autopilot and they're reacting to everything .

And the do hard things mindset is about living a life leaning into things , being a leader , being a role model , and that's why oftentimes we share we share publicly kind of what we're doing . We encourage other people , and it's finding opportunities to lead and extend influence in a positive way .

And that's what the do hard things mindset's all about , and that's why these little challenges , like taking someone else on a run with you , they're important , they're incredibly important . So , yeah , that's it . I have appreciated all of you participating in this challenge . I appreciate the support for the Do Hard Things Nation and we're excited about 2024 .

Although this challenge is coming to an end , keep an eye out , because 2024 is January , 2024 is right around the corner and our plan is to have a challenge of the month every month for the month of 2024 . So keep an eye out on that . If you want to learn more about that , go to DoHardThingsNationcom . You can sign up for the newsletter .

If you're not already on there , join the Facebook community , and 2024 is going to be amazing . We've got a lot of great things planned , so we're looking forward to that . So , all right , I found this poem , so we're going to end this with a poem written by Trey Tompkins at least his version of it and it was "'Twas the night before Christmas at the gym'" .

Okay , so I'll read this to you and then we'll call it a day , all right . "'twas the night before Christmas went all through the gym . Not a creature was stirring'" , not even grown up ugly men . The stockings were hung by the squat rack with care , in hopes that st Arnold would soon be there .

The members were nestled all snug in their beds with visions of sweat droplets steamed down their forehead , and the trainer with his frown , and I by his flank . He just set our minds to a 30 second plank when out of the parking lot arose such a clatter . I sprang from my stance to see what was the matter . A Way to the window .

I hurried and jumped tore open my t-shirt to show off being pumped . The moon on the breast of a new fallen snow Gave the luster of midday . Objectives below , when , what to delay my goal should appear , but a weightlifting sleigh and eight chiseled reindeer with a massive old driver , a broad intimidator .

I knew in a moment it must be the terminator , more rapid than CrossFit , his courses . They came and he whistled and shouted and they all , it called them by name now Dasher , now dancer , prancer and Vixen On Comet , on Cupid , on Donner and Blitzen , to the top of the roof , to the top of the obstacle wall . Now , flux away , flux away , flux away .

All as Runners that after the gun of a 5k , when they meet with a roadblock , briskly jump away . So up to the rooftop , the courses they knew , with the sleigh full of kettle , bells and St Arnold to , and Then , in an interval , I heard on the roof , the prancing and pong of each vene hoof .

As I drew in my head and was Turning around Down the climbing rope , st Arnold came with a bound . He was dressed on sweats from his toes to his cusps and his clothes were all sweaty from squats and push-ups . A Bundle of iron he had flung on his back and he looked like a giant , just opening his pack .

His forearms , how they bulged his pecs , how scary his chin was like ski steel . His stance made me wary . His calves flex hard like a bodybuilding show , and the intensity of his aura . You may never know the weight of his bag he held tight in his grip , but with such savvy , strength it just wouldn't rip .

He had broad shoulders and abs and with such envy the veins popped out when he flexed , like a Hollywood movie . He was shredded and jacked , a muscular old man .

I flinched when I saw him , in spite of my workout plan . A wink of his eye and a twist of his head . Soon gave me no , I had nothing to dread . He spoke not a word , but went straight to his work and filled up the barbell and cleaned with a jerk , then flexing his bicep with a firm grip he chose and giving a nod .

Back up to the climbing rope , he rose . He sprang to a sleigh and to his team , gave command and away . They all flew like cheetahs on dry land , but I heard him exclaim ear . He yelled with a shout Merry Christmas to all and to all , a good workout . All right , that's it . That's the end . That was the twight .

That was the night before Christmas gym edition , and appreciate you guys all for being a part of this and Wish you a Merry Christmas , safe travels , happy holidays and we look forward to seeing you in the new year . Do hard things .