No Excuses!!

As you all know, my wife has been working out 6 days a week for our 12 years of marriage.  I, on the other hand, have not.  But I have always had the desire but lacked the motivation to GET’ER DONE.  This may surprise some of you because you read some of my fitness/workout post.  If you have kept track of those they only happened when I was working out.

But Crossfit at ICONZ has changed all of that.

The atmosphere at ICONZ is totally motivating and my last visit was one to remember for a lifetime.  I

I arrived with my awesome wife, who has given birth to my 4 beautiful daughters, and gives me NO EXCUSE not to keep the fitness going.  She invited our friend, Doreen, who has just completed another IRONMAN Triathlon (2.4mi swim, 112mi bike & 26.2mi run).

See you have to understand that when you are as serious as my wife about protecting your temple(body) you will not rest on the fact that people in your circle view you as “the guru of fitness.”  You will invite Doreen into your circle and shake the whole circle up!

And this is the attitude that CrossfitICONZ produces each time its’ doors are opened.

On this day I made my way to the back of the ICONZ studio and noticed a private training taking place.

This private one on one training was between a gentleman who had a stroke previously named Mr. Bob and Keefa a Certified Crossfit Coach, who was 37 weeks pregnant. I just stood on the side and watched in awe as those two did squats, with a  box and PVC pipe sitting very near.  I also viewed both of them pushing the sled.  It really is amazing what can happen to our fitness program when we stop making excuses.

On my way to the other side of the facility I walked past a mother with her daughter lying on her stomach as she did sit-ups with the introductory foundations class.  This really made me wonder.  How many others were scheduled to be in attendance and found a reason  an excuse that prevented them from starting their Crossfit program at Crossfit ICONZ of Snellville.

With all of this going on around me and a different fresh new work out everyday, I have found a home that will push me, hold me accountable and allow me to not make excuses as I reach the ultimate level of fitness for this 43 year old ex-collegiate athlete and can do the same for you…

On your level…

ODC

Crossing over to ELITE FITNESS!!

Those of you who follow my wife and I via the Big 2 social media outlets know that she is a HUGE workout guru (Twitter: @fit40four) and I (Twitter: @iamoffdachain), on the other hand, am still hanging on to the fact that I ran track and played football on the collegiate level as a means to demonstrate my CURRENT fitness level.  I also will throw in how I was a spin instructor, even though I have not taught a class in 3-4 years…or so (5).

I mean I am moving….every now and then but not as much as she is and my challenge is finding just the thing to GET & KEEP me coming back and eventually achieve my weight loss, muscle building, body fat reducing, goals.

You guys know I like to put myself out there so you are able to look in the mirror, because none of us will make it to fitness heaven on the backs of our spouses.

Now, I am not as lazy as some because I did run a marathon last month(26.2) and have at least done the first week or two of P90X and Insanity.  I know many of you can identify with the 2nd half of the last sentence.

The question is what does the workout have to look like in order for us to FINISH THE DRILL?

I believe it needs to combine an individual workout with a team component that will help you exceed all your fitness goals and present you with daily challenges which will bring about IMMEDIATE RESULTS.  It is not found in a regular gym where the knowledge of the fitness professional is suspect and everyone is fighting over parking spaces during the time when that ONE instructor is not on vacation.  The workout has to be one that is going to take me to a level where I am  on a more ELITE LEVEL of fitness than my wife and takes all my excuses for working out away because it can be done on my lunch break.  It takes us all the way to the edge in sometimes only 20 minutes. The environment discusses ALL the challenges with my eating and presents me with educated options to consider like The Paleo Diet, which is actually a eating regimen.  The educated coaches are instructing me on what to fuel my body with before and after my workout to reach my maximum potential and they actually are doing what they are telling me to do and LOOK LIKE IT!

The workout is CROSSFIT  and the location is CrossfitICONZ!

My wife and I have completed our MUST HAVE Foundational Classes and I actually did all classes with her…UGH! (Not really trying to work out with her…Not trying to work THAT hard, but maybe I will finish as the champion.)

We will blog our journey to ELITE FITNESS with CrossfitICONZ and allow you to see how the WOD (Workout of the Day) changes DAILY to keep things fresh and exciting on our path.

Wish US luck!!

ODC

Running for my life…

 

I continue to get the question, “Why do you want to run a marathon?”

I mean…WHO DOES THAT? Is the comment that most say when they hear I am going after the feat.

My answer is… people who want to be healthy and people who have their own reasons for wanting to join a spiritual movement.  A marathon is such a spiritual happening.

I have several reasons for tackling 26.2 miles all in one day.

1. I have been an above average achiever for my entire life.  This above average performing has allowed me to be a non-finisher for most of my life and fly under the radar.  Most people do not realize this about me but I KNOW I have not lived up to my full potential and I need to start being a finisher.  Completing this task is the rites of passage for my becoming a finisher.

2. My wife has been running half-marathons for a two year period and I would even run her long runs with her on some of her trainings but I would never compete on race day.(typical)  A marathon is my way of being the leader in my home.  Having 4 daughters means I need to be the leader and they need to see me lead so they know WHAT RIGHT LOOKS LIKE.

3. My family has a history of heart disease and I have two parents that are needing pacemakers and I refuse to believe that something that is right before me will JUST HAPPEN to make a swerve around me and miss.  I just don’t think I am THAT special.

4. I also would like to continue to rehabilitate my achilles that was surgically repaired in July 2011.

5. At age 43, I would like to transition into doing Triathlons and add the swimming and biking to my training.

6. To say I have done something that puts me into such a Small Percentage of Society

7. To spend some time and spiritually connect with my 4 daughters by playing their song “Rise” as my run day Theme Song.

http://bit.ly/M5BTaL

Thanks to all those that have supported me during my training.  I also would like to thank the Ironman training crew who I would run into most Saturdays/Sundays.  The crew that has members that are 10 years older than I am and gave me no excuse to ever stop.

Wish me luck…

ODC

 

Part 1: Gameday for Craig Boone: He played until the whistle.

Man Monday at http://www.thesoulfactory.com is where I was when my phone started lighting up with phone calls and text messages about our champion, Craig Boone.  It was the perfect setting.  An all male bible study that allows you to bond with the Godly men in your life and have the conversations that we need in order to build the Kingdom.    I lived about 25-30 minutes from Craig and did not nearly speak or see him enough in my almost 6 years in the ATL.  I think we all gave Facebook and other Social Media outlets the power to make us feel we have spent more time with loved ones than was actual and this was the case with Craig and I.

But this did not stop my 71st Senior High School Falcon family from reaching out to me and knowing that I would answer the call for a passionate brother I loved dearly.  After receiving the news that he was down, I called my wife and told her I would not be coming directly home but was on my way to South Fulton Medical Center to check on Craig Boone.  I figured I would get there and maybe have to go get him something to eat and then be home late.

THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.

I received a phone call from Karen as I exited the highway on the street for the hospital and she told me, “Mike, he did not make it.”  I said, “I knew that is why you were calling me.”

Because of that feeling, I almost did not answer the phone…You know…In an effort to give me more time with him.  I guess I was being selfish, because God knew what HE needed to do in that moment.

I arrived at the hospital.  Parked and ran into his sister, Kenny and a couple people with YMCA shirts coming out of the trauma unit.  I still had hope after reading an article on the soccer player who had a heart attack and was revived after 45 minutes.  I immediately thought. “Why are they quitting on Craig. He always played from one side of the field to the other.  He always played to the whistle!

The whistle had blown.

ODC