Sixteen days ago, something happened that has never really happened in my life.  Someone wrote me a check, but my name wasn’t on it.  The check was partly for me and partly for Heather.  It was our first check, our first member of Phoenix Fitness and Training.

The check came from a long-time friend and fellow triathlete, Mike Courson.  He actually gave us a check for his membership to the Summer Triathlon Training Institute and also gave us a $1 bill for us to frame as the first dollar that we ever made.  The moment he did that at our call-out meeting down at the Brew Pub in Broad Ripple, the idea of starting a coaching company moved, in a flash, from a concept to a concrete reality.  It was a really fun moment.

All of the stress of leaving people that we had been coaching for up to 7 years, all of the anxiety of starting and running your own business, all of the strain of trying to meet a timeline that we had set just melted away in a heartbeat.  In that moment, there was just Mike sharing a moment of support.  In that moment, there was a whisper of success.  In that moment, there was reassurance for a bright future.

Since that moment, we have had others sign up for the Summer Triathlon Training Institute, Prime and Elite coaching packages and personal training. We have had other coaches in the community give their opinion that we will be successful.  We have had now former co-workers send us off with encouragement and we have had guidance from numerous professionals to point us in a direction that will give us the best opportunity to succeed.

Now in 16 hours, things will change again.  Phoenix Fitness and Training will host its first workout.  It is another huge step in how this endeavor is moving from a concept to a reality.  People are now talking  about the logistics of a new routine.  How will they transition from workout to work.  How will they organize themselves from a trunk instead of a locker.  How long will it take to drive to the practice location?

These are things that we will all have to answer as we move forward.  These are not small questions and answers, but in shadow of the unknown, I will continue to go back to the moment that Mike gave us his check, his support, and bask in the light of optimism and envision a bright future.