As most of you are aware, our family is making some BIG changes. We wanted to reach out this week through our weekly blog/wellness challenge to fill you in on our future plans.
First and foremost, we want all of you to know how much we appreciate your support. Our family has been through some rough spots and this group of clients, friends, and family has stuck by us and buoyed our spirits when we needed encouragement to keep going. We have known some of you since before we were married and many more of you have folded into our lives as the years have passed. This community we have built is not only the foundation of our business, but also the people we really enjoy spending our time with. Moving to a new town was not financially feasible, nor was it desirable when the choice meant we had to leave this community behind as well.
Then the pandemic hit and everything changed. Our training sessions became exclusively virtual and a new idea emerged in our heads as we watched our clients shift and adapt to the new "normal". As the year progressed and the pandemic began to wane, our clients were not rushing to come back into the gym; in fact, many enjoyed the convenience of working out from home.
We love the gym and the atmosphere of comradeship that space allows when groups of people are training together. We have spent 9 years building the space out and improving it by adding and upgrading equipment. I sometimes refer to it as "Myles's baby" because he is so meticulous about what goes where and he takes pride in how well it runs. It is hard for us to let this go, but we know we have to move onto a new phase. Rent in Bellevue has more than doubled since when we started and with so many clients happy working out at home the expense of the gym seems exorbitant.
Why the move?
We have bought a home in Gig Harbor on 2.5 acres of land. We needed to make a move to a new home for several reasons. Our current home in Newcastle is too small for us as the girls get older and need more space. The configuration of our home is a tri-level and since Elin is non-ambulatory, we have to carry her up and down the stairs often. She weighs over 43 pounds and is getting taller and harder to maneuver. Plus, we want her to be able to have access to more of her home by being able to use her walker and wheelchair and our current house is too restrictive.
Long term we needed to have a plan for Elin. She will be living with us for many years and Myles and I were struggling with how to reconcile this aspect of our future with the future we had envisioned when our kids were grown and off in the world. Having a mother-in-law suite or additional dwelling on property for a caregiver to stay seemed like the best option for our family, and our new piece of land can provide this space. Our future is brighter and clearer now with a plan in place to keep Elin close and safe but allow us some freedom to travel and explore as we get older.
And lastly, Myles's parents live in Gig Harbor and we simply love it down there. The pace of life is slower and it has a small-town feel.
What is the plan with the gym?
Myles has spoken to most of you about the transition but I will briefly go over it here for those of you who are not in the loop. We have two more years on the lease of the studio. We are hoping to get another trainer or two to sublet space from us to offset some of the cost of the rent. Myles will continue to commute up to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday to see clients in person. He will train on zoom from our home in Gig Harbor on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
What does this mean for you?
Reach out and talk to us. Ask questions and tell us how we can support you through this change. We care about all of you and want to make sure we are still delivering the best service possible. Think of this move as more of an expansion of territory, rather than a leaving one place to go to the next sort of thing.
We are very excited for our next adventure and hope you can share in our joy as we venture forth into a new phase!
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