_ Real quick, I have a good collection of posts ready to go, but I don;t have internet in both the gym, and mine and Lindsey's new digs, so, it's tough to get to a WiFi hotspot to get the posts up! Hopefully that will all change next week.
So, are you prepared? This can become a pretty loaded question when you get into it. What happens when all hell breaks loose in your world? What would you do? I’ve actually had this conversation with a few people over the past year or so and it’s so interesting to hear what people think they’d do. Look what has happened around the world over the past ten years; natural disasters, war, craziness all around! I am willing to bet that most of my readers have never been caught in anything like this, and probably have never even experienced it (myself included! The closest I have ever come was the beginning so Hurricane Irene hitting the Gulf Coast as I frantically drive north after a baseball season in Pensacola, FLA). But with all the logic in the world, you can not deny the fact that the way our world works nowadays, it should really not be all that surprising if something happened right here in our back yard.
A well-traveled buddy of mine once said that America is the only place he knows of where we expect good things to happen to us all the time, and get surprised and issued off when bad things happen. He said that almost everywhere else he has ever been expects crap to happen, and is joyously excited when good happens. Now I am not here to go into detail on that point, I like thinking positive at all times, but also don’t want to be that douchbag who gets all pissed off when the weather is “too crazy” to go outside (said in a whiny voice). So, I prepare myself both physically and mentally.
This does not mean that every day I wake up in a paranoid frenzy, collecting bread and water in a safe room and waiting out the apocalypse. This simply means that I allow myself the versatility of training, practice, thought and conversation to better understand and comprehend all that might happen. I train in the cold, in rain and snow, in water, in heat, in the woods, the beach, up on mountains and in canyons (obviously when I can with all this stuff). I don’t use weather as an excuse NOT to train, I use it as an exciting opportunity to got more comfortable with extreme situations. I lift awkward things, I climb, swing, crawl, throw and so much more. It’s as simple as all of sudden being caught inn a flash flood, would you be able to one, be in a non-panicked state of mind, and two, be able to physically do all the things demanded of you? What if you were kidnapped? What if you got seriously lost, anywhere? What if there was a nuclear war? This conversation could go in all sorts of directions, and all sorts of extremes. But in the end, the real question is: are you prepared?
Maybe it’s time to head out and expand your comfort zones a little. Imagine how great every day life would be without needing to worry about weather or not you can simply survive.
Never Stop, GET FIT.
Josh Courage
Bright and early Saturday morning, people began to roll in for the third installment of the Courage Games. I really wasn't totally sure what to expect in terms of how many people would show as the only marketing I did for it was to create a Facebook event. But, given the "local, fun throwdown" feel of it all, I was really happy with the turnout. The weather was perfect, the athletes were wonderfully energized, the support was perfect (Lindsey and myself ran the show and things went off without a hitch!) and when the day was done, and a handful of us were enjoying grilled meat and a couple drinks, we all agreed that the day could not have been all that much better!Things got started with a bang with workout #1:Push a car 50 meters, push it back 50 meters(women did 30 meters)The push down for the first 50 meters clearly put everyone at a physiological disadvantage; it was so damn easy! But, when they ran around and tried to get the things going back, all of a sudden things became real tough, fast. Eric Kolarick took home the fasted time with 54 seconds while Leah Vanhoose and Christie Wheatly tied at 51 seconds for the women; most people were in the mid to upper 90+ second range. People sure were walking a little funny after this one, quad burn galore!After a little break, workout #2 was announced (follow along as best you can...):Cross short bridge, run a rough single track tail about 150 meters, run up a crazy steep hill about 30 meters, military crawl 20 meters (knees and forearms crawl), cross the blacktop, 5 rope climbs, each about 15 feet (women do 3), then throw a 52#/32# sandbag three consecutive times as far as you can.When your time is stopped, you get to take 3 seconds off your total time for every 10 feet you throw your bag. Always a little fun twist to throw into the workout to make people think!Eric Grant took home the top time for men, while Leah Vanhoose blasted through it for the women. What proved to be the best strategy was to just get the sandbags thrown as fast as possible as to not waste any extra time. But people were good and worn out with the combination of skill and raw power after a touch run and crawling face first in freshly mowed, wet grass!The third one proved to take the most out of people! (follow along closely with this one as well!):Grab a large bucket, run under two hurdles, over a sandbag pile, through a collection of tires, across a 10' 2x4 and across the blacktop to a sand pit. Hand fill your bucket half way with sand, then run about a 300 meter, very hilly course and back through the obstacles. Hand fill your bucket to the top now with sand (this is heavy by the way...) and repeat the run. End with dumping your bucket back into the sand pit!Man was this one fun to watch! People shoveling sand into the buckets then taking off around the great outdoors! But it was that second run that just crushed everyone. Word from the athletes was that right around the 3/4 mark of the run loop, it just hit people so damn hard. Running with that crazy heavy bucket was just about as awkward as a run could ever get as well! But the best part: people had a bucket at hand right there just in case things got a little worked up in their stomachs after the workout...Adam Chudy tore this one up with Cory Spera close at his heels, and Leah Vanhoose yet again grabbed the top time for the women. A little extra break was given out here as thing were rolling WAY ahead of schedule. And the last one would be a brutal sprint of sneaky-hard proportions! Sprint 30 meters across the blacktop, up a little hill, grab a sledge hammer then hammer a tire across the 30 meters of the blacktop.This one felt like it took 20 minutes even tough most people were getting it around 2-3. The go-to strategy for this was to straddle the tire and over-head slam it between your legs. The trick was hitting the tire just right so that it got the slightest big of air under it and could skid across the concrete about 4-6 feet. But peoples hips, shoulders and hands were just burned!Eric Kolarick came in first for the men, with Dave Shaw just seconds behind him, while Diane Cole took first for the women.In the end, Dave Shaw proved to be the most consistent across the board (winners were decided by fasted overall combined time) for the men taking home the top prize, while Leah Vanhose blazed through for the win for the women. Below are the top three from both sides:Men:Dave Shaw - 639 secondsEric Grant - 6 seconds Joseph Barlia - 650 secondsWomen:Leah Vanhoose - 767Diane Cole - 802Christie Wheatly - 876Special thanks to Core Warrior Bars and 2XU for helping out, both are awesome brands that I personally love and am so pumped that they continuously support these awesome athletes as they challenge themselves! Also a huge special thanks to Lindsey for yet again coming out and choosing to spend her wonderful off day outside with me and helping out! Could not have done this without her at all!And of course, thanks so much to all the athletes who came out and pushed yourselves! So happy to have to you all out for the day and believe me, I'll be getting people together again very soon!I'll have a nice little video up from the days fun in the next couple days, so look for that! Never Stop, GET FIT.Josh Courage
Alright everyone, The Courage Games returns for their third installment and this one is gearing up to be an absolute blast! Survival Fitness Challenge 2011Put your training to the test this coming August by joining CrossFitters (and other athletes alike) to get out of real-life emergency situations! While your typical CrossFit throwdown sees barbells, kettlebells, pull up bars, med balls and all that, The Courage Games keeps up it;s unique programming and goes even farther by putting all competitors into challenges that test their TRUE general physical preparedness.Cars, ropes, sandbags, hammers, trees, walls, buildings, rocks, hills, and so much more are all potential obstacles in this 4-workout competition. You can expect to move heavy things, prove your agility, coordination and overall cardiovascular and muscular endurance throughout the day. Then you can expect to feast on meat, veggies and drink to celebrate when all is over! So save the date and plan to meet us over at the Washington Waldorf School grounds, just across from The Courage Performance Garage to show that your training over the years is actually doing something for you!Here are all the details:When:Saturday, August 20th 2011. 9am start time. Be there at 8am to register PLEASE! Where:Washington Waldorf School4800 Sangamore Rd. Bethesda, MD 20816After Party at The Garage5000 Westpath Terrace, Bethesda, MD 20816 (right behind school)How Much:$25 for all competitorsWhat:Four workouts. Base storylines for each workout will find their way out on the blog here around the end of July/early August, so those will offer some minimal hints, but, life isn't planned, so don't expect to know what's going to hit you until wham, it hits you:-)Notes:All competitors will get a little goodie bag, and awards will be given to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers, male and female. There will be water and snacks and a few other things for sale there, but I highly recommend you bring your own stuff (food/drink/change of clothes etc). There is a shopping center about a quarter mile away with a CVS, Safeway, Starbucks and an awesome sandwich place. Heats and such will NOT be planned ahead, so if you end up leaving you'll run the risk of missing the start of a workout (again, it's pretty lenient, so we'll probably wait for you, but please try not to be "that guy" if you don;t bring enough stuff and have to go stock up...)Registration:This is the most informal of The Courage Games Series, so there is no official registration. If you want in, just email me HERE and/or head to our FACEBOOK PAGE and post that you are wanting to join in the fun! I am capping the whole thing at 50 competitors, so make sure you show up on time or a little early! After Party/Spectators:Please bring your friends! There is nothing like hanging out all day in the great outdoors being around people who are pushing their own physical and mental limits. And this particular even is going to be extra exciting (the workouts are going to be VERY unique)! Everyone will be invited to hang out afterwards at The Garage, to grill, eat, drink and chill by the pool. But, if you plan to join the party, you better bring something to share with everyone!Start getting amped up people!Never Stop, GET FIT.Josh Courage
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