Farewell, Coach Michael!

Coach Michael Williamson is leaving New York soon and we asked him to give us a farewell here on the blog. Here’s what he had to say:

Hey Guys,

I’m writing to say so long and thanks for more than two and a half great years at CrossFit NYC. As some of you already know, and this makes it official, I will be leaving New York for Washington DC on August 17th. I will be reinvesting in my education, attending an MA program in International Affairs at George Washington University. Before I go, I want to take a little bit of your time, and add my two cents to the great advice you have gotten from some of our other coaches here on the blog.

My bit is going to be called, “Don’t just CrossFit to do CrossFit.” CrossFit is great. It has helped me and most of you to become faster, stronger, and damn better looking. But what is the point? A faster “Fran”? A heavier back squat? Amazing double unders? Outside of the few weeks of the CrossFit Open, what does CrossFit really help us to achieve?

CrossFit should be a means to an end, one that is ultimately up to you guys. If you want to be a better runner, then make sure you are getting out and going for runs. If you want to be a better basketball player, make sure you are still spending time on the courts. If you want to be a healthier, active person, then get the hell outside and do something. Being stronger and faster is great, but I want you to apply the gains you make in here to something that You want to be good at. This includes CrossFit. Go do a competition, participate in the Open, become an Olympic lifter. Just use CrossFit for something other than stats in a log book.

Second to that, and maybe more importantly, I want you to use CrossFit in ways other then just sports. CrossFit give us the capacity to do more and be tougher then most people ever will be, so use that. Help a friend move, volunteer for 4 hours at a soup kitchen, take your kids out to the zoo all day, or run your dog ragged in the best game of fetch ever. Being tougher means you can go longer, stay up later and play that much more. Get out of the gym and just have more fun.

So don’t just Crossfit to do Crossfit. As much as I have goals of making it to Regionals, getting my snatch over 200lbs and maybe a 2:20min “Fran,” I CrossFit to be a better coach. Because in the 6 years I have been doing CrossFit, the most fun I have had is sharing what I have learned with you guys. If I can teach somebody to be that much tougher, have that much more energy, or get out and do that much more, then I think CrossFit has worked for me.

So thanks to all of the coaches at CrossFit NYC who taught me, and thanks to all of you for letting me be your coach. If you ever have any questions, need any help, or will be visiting DC, email me at mikerunsum AT gmail DOT com.

Abyssinia,

Michael