Hey, it's great to be speaking to you all again! And a warm hello from the CFP Team!
The journey of CrossFit Potrero has been a crazy one. A few years back, six of us (a blend of members and coaches) stepped in to help save the gym from being sold for parts, and with a little bit of luck and a whole lot of community support and elbow grease, we're still kicking here on Calle Mariposa!
In that time, some of the original owners have stepped back, some have stepped up, and we've had some bumps in the road with flooding, a fast-changing community around us, and a lot to learn. None of us had ever run a gym before!
But I'm happy to report that as of today, CrossFit Potrero is stronger than ever, and moving forward, you can count on us for a few things:
Even before it was called CrossFit Potrero, this gym has been a community space on Calle Mariposa. I still remember showing up in 2018 for my first class, and the friendships I formed that year became the foundation of my entire social scene in Potrero, connecting me to locals, expats, and a rotating group of visitors from around the world, united by our love for outdoor adventures.
As the area around Potrero continues to develop and get busier, we want to make sure CFP stays that way. That starts by us staying in touch a little better than we have been (with stuff like this newsletter and our articles!), but that's not all.
For those of you in Guanacaste this summer, we're bringing back our classic Friday Night Lights (with music, games, and a trip to the brewery afterward) and adding a fun twist on each day's training. Check out our other blog to see what we mean!
And as for our global/traveling members, we'd love to hear from you! If you got the newsletter, we'd love to hear what you've been doing so we can showcase your awesome adventures in the next edition. If you didn't get the newsletter, leave a comment on this blog, and we'll make sure you get added to the next one!
But it's not just the social calendar that's moving in the right direction.
We've also taken a look at how our workouts and training are structured to make them even more accessible to new athletes, longevity athletes, and athletes with disabilities, while still offering a challenge for athletes who love to push themselves.
Coach Harry's incredible breadth of experience with personal training, physical therapy, and CrossFit has been huge here, and we hope you get a chance to pop into the gym and see what we mean.
But in addition to making classes themselves more inclusive to any level, goal, or skillset, we also want to reiterate something:
Where you come from, what you look like, who you love, what you believe, or what challenges you face physically or mentally are just part of what makes you unique, and you are welcome here with us.
It's infuriating that at this point in history, we still have to say stuff like this. It can seem a little bit cheap and corporatized, but the alternative is to say nothing at all, and leave people wondering if they're welcome.
So let's be completely clear. At CrossFit Potrero, there's No Hate or Haters Allowed.
And why would you want to be a hater when there's so much adventure to share in this life?
Surfing, sailing, swimming, snorkeling, scuba and more out on the water. Hiking, biking, climbing, trekking, running, exploring, foraging, and more in the mountains and forests. Riding, dancing, singing, and playing everything from futbol to pickleball, baloncesto to volleyball on our beaches and courts and canchas, and there are a thousand more things we could do.
Our new Fauna Fitness Philosophy goes a little deeper into how we're channelling Costa Rica's wild side to help us all get active in the gym, but we know that so much of the real fun happens beyond the gym, on the trails, the waves, and mountains.
We want CrossFit Potrero to be a base camp. A place to train for your next adventure, find friends to join you, and share the stories and celebrations of all that you've seen and done. For now, we're just getting started, but there's a lot more to come.
Got an activity or adventure coming up and could use a few friends? Or have you traveled to an awesome destination, completed an epic challenge, or explored a new part of this big, wild world?
Leave a comment below, we'd love to help you find a few adventuring companions, or share your success with our community!
We can't wait to see what happens next!