Love-Lee

Lee did not show up and announce his presence with "authorit-I." That is not his style. Lee is a quiet gentleman that goes about his business.

The Scout Team at Triple Nickel is a fun loving group that mixes exercise with social time. The scout team immediately adopted Lee. At first, they were concerned he may die. As the weeks passed by, they admired him for having the guts to stay in the workout. While the scout team will never win a foot race, they always lead attendance. It is the tale of the tortoise and the hare. The average person may come into boot camp thinking they can hang with the scout team. Well, they can for one or two days. Five days a week, 52 weeks a year is a grind that requires fitness.

Lee hung in there. Lately, he has been holding down the middle where Jen Jen the Engine has been for years. He is methodically working his way through the crowd and coming to the front.

LEE"s testimony:

Day 0

• Weight: 222
• Cholesterol: 234
• Waist: 38

1 year later

• Weight: 186
• Cholesterol: 175
• Waist: 35

Races

• 2015 Peachtree Road Race: 1:06:54
• 2015 Atlanta 10-Miler: 01:48:35
• 2015 Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon: TBD

Preamble

Barring any medical procedures, sickness or magical elixirs passed down from fat-hating angels the only way for an individual to lose weight is to burn more calories than they consume. That's it. I chose this running boot camp precisely because running was my biggest weakness and I needed to burn more calories. I also realized that solely pushing and pulling arbitrary amounts of iron would not help burn enough calories for me to lose my gut. For me to lose weight I need to sweat on more days than I don't and I need to watch what I eat, a.k.a. count calories. If you're a little OCD like me then it's actually not that bad.

My Recipe

I try to make every workout Monday through Friday and I stick to a base 1200 calorie per day diet. I use the app MyFitnessPal to track what I eat, from the good to the bad, the kale to the ice cream, however I do try to minimize the high caloric/low nutritional type food. I also track all my running through my watch which effectively quantifies the calories I burn with each workout. Every time I run I get more net calories so the more I run the more I can eat which seems a little oxymoronic but it's working for me. I do try to leave some of those calories on the table from time to time, but like I said I like to eat. Ultimately my caloric intake is on average between 1200 and 2000 calories per day.

In summary, I don't have a hard number in mind when it comes to my "ideal weight". I just want to get leaner, faster and gut-free. I feel I am on the right track and I look forward to my morning runs now. I'd also like to note that I may not be the fastest eater but I too like to eat my Peachtree Battle Ladders for breakfast on Tuesday mornings.

Community

For hundreds of years, the Military has used platoon style basic training to physically prepare soldiers for battle. Platoon style basic training is exactly what we do every morning. Traditional Boot Camp puts around 30 recruits in a platoon and assigns a platoon leader to instruct. Usually, the recruits bond together as they see each other suffering through the daily routine.

While our workout is rarely a killer anymore, it can be grind. This last week, rain has added an obstacle to fitness. We have banded together daily, as always, and kept the paces moving. Working out in inclement weather is always better with company. While we may be a little cold and wet, at least we are together.

There are dozens of indoor fitness options available in our neighborhood. There are at least 6 yoga studios, Blast, Flywheel, Orange Theory, Cross Fit, Barre & Fast Twitch to name a few. All of these are great workouts, have great instructors and are sound fitness disciplines. None of these will be run in the rain. But, there will be little to no talking in any of these workouts. Loud music will drown out most conversation. Most folks show up, work out and leave.

It is impossible to do a workout with us without someone at least saying hello. Our workout ranges from friendly to family.

40 Lbs in 100 Days

"I just decided to quit messing around and Get it Done" - Fred

Fred's weight dropped from 211 pounds to 170 in 100 days.

So how did Fred do it? There are about 20 Boot Camp regulars that have been to most of the workouts since Fred started this stretch in the Summer. Fred hasn't missed a single workout. He had some scheduled days off for rest but other than that, there has not been a single excuse. Over the years we have heard every excuse in the book. Fred made the daily workout a priority and choose to honor his commitment. Fred put the excuses aside and stayed disciplined to the program. Step one: No unscheduled days off and NO EXCUSES.

Bill Squires says "The long run puts the tiger in the cat." Fred let his objectives be known from the start. He said "I want to run a marathon in November." Fred decided to train for his marathon at Boot Camp with the understanding that he would do a long run on the weekends. Fred ran every Saturday and took every Sunday off for rest. His first long run was Six miles. Every week, he added a mile to his long run until he reached 13 miles. Over the next two weeks his long runs were 16 miles then 20 miles. As these long run progressed, FAT BURNING progressed. Continuous running and exercise bruns sugar for the first 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, the body burns fat. Fred was averaging 8 minutes per mile on his long runs. In a 10 mile run, he burns sugar for the first 40 minutes and fat for the final 40 minutes. On his 20 mile run, Fred burned fat for two hours. These long runs were key for preparing Fred for the marathon distance and cutting weight by burning fat.

Fred has also been starving himself. Not really but, by today's standard, it would seem so. Fred switched his diet to mostly fruits, vegetables and fish. Some folks would call this pescatarian. He says his taste has changed and it's not that big a deal. Nutritional discipline has grown on him. He has also cut out alcohol and sweets.

Boot Camp (cross training) is an old school method to increase muscular and cardiovascular fitness. We find that it also works great for middle & long distance running. We have become better runners with less running. Boot Camp's low mileage, high intensity reduces the risk of injury, allows us to workout every weekday and produces lean muscle that supports efficient runners. The discipline also works great for becoming THIN & FAST!

Dave Baker qualified for the 2017 Boston Marathon last weekend. His training for the Marine Corps Marathon combined Boot Camp with long runs too. In fact, many of Fred's long runs were with Baker.

Salty

"Everyone will be salted with fire." Mark 9:49

Salt gives food flavor and brings out the best, while at the same time it serves as a preservative. The workout is a fire we burn together. The daily test tempers our mind, bodies and spirit. The longer we stay in the workout, the hotter the fire burns. A prolonged period in the workout can absolve us from years of neglect and abuse. Burn too hot and we can get cooked. 
The core group that has spent years together lighting up the streets of Buckead every morning have been preserved. They have a youthful exuberance that doesn't seem to be affected by time. 

Family

The Future Mr. & Mrs. Branch

It has been said 100 times. The ladies we work out with every day are the finest in the land.

The daily grind in boot camp is brutal. The miles and exercise alone are hard. Then throw in hills, ants, dog doo doo, extreme Hot & Cold, moody boot camp instructor, homicidal traffic, broken bones & cars broken into.

Our girls meet the challenges every day with beauty, grace and dignity. While there are endless benefits, we can't help but notice that these young ladies seem to grow younger with the years. Also, any chick that is willing to do situps and pushups on wet grass before the sun comes up is cool.

So, one of our illustrious beauties caught the eye of The Butcher, The Baker and The Candlestick Maker. With so many suitors beckoning, The Baker (boot camp stud) has won the heart of our darling.

They will be wed in 2016.

Racing

The fall racing season is upon us. Every year, there is a lull in the foot racing scene after Peachtree. As summer ends, football begins. Along with football is school, other after school activities(that get little attention), Midtown Music Fest, and racing. 

For school kids, fall running is cross country. For the citizens, its road racing, obstacle course racing, occasional XC & triathlons. Most of us like "Fun Runs." 

Some of us race other people and or the clock. Some of us like to challenge ourselves over LONG distances. If either we are going fast or far, there will come a point of doubt in our minds during the race. It doesn't matter how long we have prepared. It doesn't matter how phenomenal our fitness. When "pushing" happens, doubt creeps in. 

Fear can be helpful in racing. Fear of losing/not finishing may be enough. We have often said "he was more afraid of losing than he was afraid of dying." Racing scared works as long as we are not afraid of dying. Of course, no one ever really dies. It just feels like we are doing to die. 

Running mad is another way toward racing success. Developing hate toward competition and seeking the destruction of our rivals may be the most American way to win. In the distance events, all that's required are a few doubters. As long as someone does not think we can make it, we will make it to spite them and prove them wrong.

While fear and hate are great motivators that give us the power to win/finish, there is another way. Many people believe that Love is the greatest power of all. The favorite urban legends of super human achievement include the many stories of mothers lifting a car off their children. How does a 135 pound lady lift 3,000 pounds? It's got to be Love. 

So how do we access this Power in racing? A Carpenter from 2,000 years ago said it like this:  “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

In football, there are cheerleaders and a huge crowd there to raise the spirits of the competition. In foot racing, it can be a solitary effort. So where does the power come from? Someone special who completely believes in their ability, they can see the race to its finish. For the rest of us, when doubt creeps in, how is that overcome? 

Faith & hope. Someone who truly believes in a spirit of the universe, greater power, creator, or God can direct their minds toward that thing. When human power no longer suffices, turn toward a greater power. The power of prayer has been used in every endeavor ever know to humankind. Whenever we want to be relieved of pain and suffering in racing, pray. If it hadn't worked so many times for me, I wouldn't believe it.

Party

People just want to be a part of the party. Folks like to connect with other folks. When eyes meet and words are shared, something happens. It is not always good, but it is something.

College football is upon us. College football is modern religion. Some folks spend more time, energy, spirit and money supporting their favorite shade of uniform than they spend on their children. We love to talk about football. College football connects more folks these days than the common cold.

Religion and politics have always been a big draw for the masses. People love to rally behind ideology, morality and all various social issues. This year has been big for both.

Running and exercise is our favorite way to get together. We call it fitness and fellowship. What do we talk about during our workouts?... Religion, politics and College Football!

peel the onion

Everyone is an athlete at their core. Sahara, Evan & I had the opportunity to run with a gentleman that helped bring new meaning to the term "Athlete." Kevin is a student Athlete that attends school at KSU. He has a 3.4 GPA, attends student events and has found time to write a book.

Kevin is severely disabled. There is not a whole he can do for himself. He needs constant attention. BUT, strapped to 3 wheeled bike, he is free. He can steer his way through foot traffic at the river, in a road race or anywhere else and propel himself by his own power. We have seen him maintain his heart rate at 200 beats per minute for 40 minutes. I have never seen anything like it. It would be the equivalent of me running a 26 minute 10K.

So it begs the question. What can I do in a day to get closer to that as a runner? The first step is to commit a minimum of one hour a day for 5 or 6 days a week. If there is a willingness to try every day, then I have a chance.

The second step to develop a routine of "rolling out" sore muscles. Every HS & College Cross Country and Track team makes rolling a part of practice. Stretching goes with rolling. We recommend rolling then stretching. If it hurts when you use a foam roller, you need to foam roll more often until it quits hurting. The other option is to get a massage twice a week.

Step 3 is sleep. When I am working out every day and rolling every day, I am tired at night. At 9:30pm, I can choose to watch TV and/or stay on the computer or I can go to sleep. If I stay up past 9:30pm, the workout will suffer in the next two days. Most folks skip a workout in the next two days after staying up late. Being committed to fitness training includes getting sleep.

Step four is nutrition. When I am working out every day, taking care of my body by rolling out, and getting enough sleep, I usually try to show some discipline with nutrition. Let's face FACTS. Hauling my ass down Peachtree Road at 150 pounds is a hell of a lot easier than it is at 180 pounds. This idea that being thin "looks unhealthy" is a matter of perspective. To someone who is fat or obese, being thin is unhealthy. On the 4th of July when I step to the line in front of Sixty Thousand people with an Elite race number, there are no fat people with-in sight.

Kevin has been a huge inspiration to us and has helped us recommit ourselves to honoring our gifts.

Dad Bod

We are in the "Give Up" stage in America.

The food industry and mainstream commercialism is killing the American Man. What is Okay? Being Fat is okay. Being fat is normal. Being fat is funny. Being fat is sexy. Being fat is celebrated.

Sugar is in everything. The American man is consuming 20 tea spoons of sugar every day. Excess sugar turns to fat. Also, processed sugar is toxic. Try this... take your sugar intake to ZERO for two weeks. At the end of two weeks, eat a bowl of ice cream. See if you don't wake up with a screaming headache. Gentlemen, sugar is the hardest thing to combat. It takes your full attention and discipline.

Also, American culture has been built on a foundation of drinking. Outside of fitness type exercise, American men get together to drink alcohol. Its starts in high school and escalates in college. While most Men drink less later in life, the older body is less capable of processing beer & wine the older we become. The fat beer drinking American (doesn't even have to be drunk) is today's picture of masculinity. Guys, your friends really don't care if you drink or not. It is possible to watch a football game without drinking.

Also, porn is prevalent. The sex slave is booming right under our noses. Mary Frances Bowley runs Wellspring Living, a nonprofit organization in Atlanta that helps young survivors of human trafficking get their lives back by providing shelter, education and counseling. 
"In Georgia, we know there's a range from 200-300 girls that are trafficked each month in our city. And tonight there will be 100 girls that will be exploited in metro Atlanta," Bowley said.  "So the numbers are huge." Men are providing the demand for this. In case you need real man reasons to stop playing with yourself, know that every champion boxer abstains from "letting it go." NO guy about to fight for money is going to give his chi away before the brawl. No fighter would ever play with himself. Masturbation is pointless and a complete waste of energy.

Eating & Drinking like a pig and watching porn (or worse) is robbing men of mind body and spirit. While men are just enjoying the short term simple pleasures in a life of leisure, they are really growing old fat, stupid and creepy. 

"Monk Life" is a term I use to describe a simple day that eliminates sugar, alcohol and sex (especially masturbation). The idea is to eat just what is needed to fuel an active lifestyle, drink mostly water and read or meditate with any free time at night (No TV, NO Computer).

Stripping away the garbage that is killing the American Man is the way to find the masculine power that is inside every dude. The hippies would say "tune out and tune in."



  

I can't, We can

What is American Pharoah thinking about in this picture? He ain't thinking about anything. What about the physical pain he must feel to run this fast and win? Nope. This horse, just as any other horse, will run until it dies. He doesn't know he is a triple crown winner with millions in winnings. He has no concept of self.

We have a very strong concept of self. We have carefully spent a lifetime developing a personality that defines who we are. We have names, titles, possession, ideas, concepts, beliefs, prejudices, and much more that define us as separate and unique from each other and the rest of the world. 

The title of this is "I". In a workout or a race, this "I" will speak. It says, "I" cant do it. "I" am dying. "I" wont make it. 

If WE recognize this voice as just a passing thought, WE can motor through the workout/race, keep the tempo up and wait for the flow to return. WE can also key on the people around us in the workout or race and together, accomplish much more.

Formula for FAST RUNNING

Chip Owens - 35:58, 1st Place Age Group 45-49
John Owens - 39:54, 6th Place Age Group 14 and under
Evan Owens - 41:39, 1st Place Age Group 12 and under

We are very grateful to everyone who cheered for and congratulated us for our efforts in the Peachtree Road Race. We are especially thankful to the folks who support us and work out with us every day.

While winning is neither the end we strive for nor an outcome we shy away from, honoring the gift is always in the front of our minds. Winning is contingent on the maintenance of our physical fitness.

Winning isn't done in a race. Winning is done every day.  The daily workout is not a means to an end. It is the daily maintenance of our  physical condition that allows us to honor the gift.

We pride ourselves on being THE low mileage program. No running program gets more results out of less miles than Peachtree Road Boot Camp.

The secret sauce is in the exercise. Boot Camp produces elite level fitness through a combination of running and body weight exercise. Each day, we get together for an hour. During that hour we cover about 3.5 miles. All along the way, we stop and exercise. Some days we do squats and lunges, other days its push ups and sit ups. The point is, our heart rate never drops to rest. We maintain an elevated heart rate the entire hour. Additionally, the body weight exercise develops lean muscle that supports fast running.

The solid performances in the 2015 Peachtree Road Race are the result of an 18 week training/racing period. Each day we count how many miles we run and how many repetitions of exercise we perform. At the end of the week, we add up our total in a "book". Our book is our daily journal that we write in to record our daily physical output. Below is the weekly mileage and repetition count for the last 18 weeks.

1. 16 miles, 1,900 reps
2. 21 miles, 2,100 reps
3. 26 miles, 4,200 reps
4. 17 miles, 4,200 reps
5. 23 miles, 3,100 reps
6. 33 miles, 3,100 reps
7. 22 miles, 3,000 reps
8. 27 miles, 2,700 reps
9. 33 miles, 3,300 reps
10. 28 miles, 3,740 reps
11. 34 miles, 3,400 reps
12. 38 miles, 3,800 reps
13. 42 miles, 3,000 reps
14. 32 miles, 3,600 reps
15. 38 miles, 4,200 reps
16. 30 miles, 3,300 reps
17. 31 miles, 3,100 reps
18. 23 miles, 3,600 reps

We believe 200 body weight exercises produces the cardiovascular equivalent of running a mile. A 4,000 rep count week produces the fitness of running twenty extra miles without any additional pounding of pavement. Having elevated fitness without having to run for it allows us to run faster for the fewer miles we run, making us more comfortable running faster paces.

Peachtree Road Boot Camp works out 5 days a week, every weekday. Our weekly average is 18 miles, 3,000 reps. We average about 700 calories burned an hour (3,500 calories burned a week).

While the Peachtree Road Boot Camp formula of running/exercise is proven to produce elite level fitness, thin, fast and strong bodies, most folks come to enjoy the company of the awesome people that have adopted this discipline.

Homo Erectus

Human Devolution

HOMO ERECTUS - Upright Man dates back 2 million to 70,000 years ago. Homo Erectus was one of the first to run down its food in packs. A pack of humans can out run an animal. Homo Erectus figured this out.

Unlike runners today, Homo Erectus stood up straight when he ran. The Modern World has us seated. We travel in motorized seats. We eat seated. We work seated. We watch hours of TV seated. Some folks gather seated (the things my kids like to ride at Publix). 

We spend so much time seated, we are stuck that way. Remember when you made a face and your Mom said your face was going to stick like that? Well, its true. If you hold a position all day every day, your body is going to adapt and form around that position. When you stand up and run, it looks like you are still seated. The average runner today is bent at the waist with his/her ass sticking out. 

When we are bent over while running, we are off balance. In order to re-balance, most folks compound their problem by over-striding. We stick our front foot way out in front of us to catch us before we fall. 

Over-striding is the primary cause of back injury, knee injury and calf injury. Front loading our weight and beating it into the ground over and over again is a sure way to wear out our God given equipment.

The solution dates back a million plus year. Be Homo Erectus! Stand straight up and shorten our stride. A pretty runner is tall in her carriage with tiny steps. Over-striding makes a pretty runner look like an Ape. 

10 Days...before Peachtree

It takes 10 days to realize the benefits of a workout. Every new participant is told the same thing. It takes TEN Days before we start feeling better in the workout. 10 days is the magic number.

Its also works for race planning. There is no workout we can do 10 days before a race to improve our performance. All we can do is keep moving, keeps the efforts easy and medium, and get more rest (better sleep).

Doing a hard workout less than 10 days before a major race will only take away from the race effort.

Thousands of people will run hard down Peachtree Road this weekend in preparation of the 4th of July Peachtree Road Race. A hard run after Wednesday, June 24th will make them slower at the Peachtree Road Race.

Skinny Hot

There are a variety of body styles that are all popular these days. Big is beautiful. Cross Fit has made muscle super cool. Yoga shape is softly sexy.

Peachtree Road Boot Camp strives for Skinny Hot. We have developed a formula that combines running with body weight exercise. Each morning, we run around town in a group. During the run, we stop often for body weight basic training exercise. We stop about every 300 meters (3 football fields). On each stop, we perform 40 repetitions of various exercises. We vary the exercise daily depending on the body part we are working that day. Over an hour, we cover about 3 miles and perform 600 repetitions of exercise. During exercise, our heart rate stays the same as our running heart rate. Since our heart rate never drops to rest, we burn 600-800 calories in the hour and another 200 while our bodies are cooling down after the workout.

Running for cardiovascular fitness beats all other forms of cardio. Doing it every day will burn the pudding off. The body weight exercise produces lean muscle and an athletic build. The combination is Skinny Hot, which never goes out of style!

obedience and suffering

America is the land of pleasure. We seek comfort. America has always set a high standard for luxury and high living.

In the last two decades, we have spent a little too much time indulging ourselves in the things that give us pleasure and comfort. Two thirds of America is overweight and half of those are obese. It is not all our fault. Pretty much anything we eat or drink from a can, box or bag is making us fat. As a country, we are addicted to sugar.

How do we live in America and not be a Fat American? It ain't easy. It requires obedience and suffering. Obedience and suffering sucks! Yea, well diabetes sucks too.

Obedience:

• When the alarm goes off, we get out of bed and get dressed
• The next morning when the alarm goes off, we get out of bed and get dressed
• We choose to satisfy a sweet tooth with fruit rather than ice cream, cake, pie or chocolate

Suffering:

• The final twenty minutes of the workout is designed to take us slightly out of the comfort zone
• Those of us who are not suffering in the workout, congratulations! You are in a workout! You are still doing more than 6 million people still sleeping in the Atlanta Metro area.
• When the cookies come out for everyone else to enjoy and we choose an apple, suffering. This type of suffering is pretty small in the history of suffering. Two Thousand years ago, the Carpenter had it worse. It has been said, For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Did The Carpenter want to give up and quit? So they say. On Gethsemane, they say he asked if he could get off the hook. He also said "Thy will be done." Does that work for us? Yep. Late in a race or workout, our brain will tell us to quit. We have experience that suggest that saying "Thy will be done" during suffering produces enough physical power to prevent us from quitting. Sound hoaky, far fetched and a little weird? Try it.

Train Like an Animal

Wolves live and hunt in packs.They are territorial and cooperatively, RUN down game before tearing it apart. The pups run with their parents in the pack. They care for each other and defend their territory together.

With the "Social Predator", all the individuals in the group contribute to the hunt. Cooperative hunting is when meat eating animals hunt together in groups that contain both division of labor and role specialization. Cooperative hunting has been linked to the social organization of animal species and the evolution of society. Humans fall into this category with other animals.

In our workouts, blood shed is always accidental. We do not aim to kill. We do rely on each other for support and encouragement. Each one of us links ourselves to the others around us and creates a pack that works and moves together. Every single person in the pack is important to the others. We all serve each other by making each other better in the workout.

next level

In video games, it is required to live in order to achieve the next level. In fitness training and in particular, RUNNING, it is required to die to get to the next level.

Moving from base fitness to a higher level is a CHANGE.

1) Change your MIND, think differently, kill the old way of thinking - Change occurs first in our heads. There is a thought. "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."

2) Change your Actions, become a new person. Do it differently. Kill the old person who is stuck. - Nothing changes if nothing changes. If exercising two days a week is producing unsatisfactory fitness, the first action should be to exercise three days a week.

3) Change your wardrobe! In Fitness, if there is a change in thought followed by new actions, there is the inevitable change in form or "shape."  Please beware, if the old way of thinking and acting has been completely killed, and the new thoughts and actions are still fairly new, there will be a knee jerk reaction to buy a new pair of jeans. Unless there is a 90 day return policy, don't do it! There is an even smaller size jeans that will fit better. Be patient and continue to wear your too large clothes for a little longer.

Reba

We have always claimed to have the most beautiful women in our workout. Our workout is no cake walk. Our ladies perform with amazing grace and charm. They run all over town at paces not normal for most folks. They lay on the ground and knock out hundreds of various exercises...while talking. While our beauties are in serious physical shape, they don't take themselves too seriously. They genuinely care for each other and brighten all of our days. Our girls can be as tough as nails and as gentle as a baby lamb.

Rebecca is an amazing physical specimen. She comes from good stock and has had generations of examples of good living. She is well taken care of by her loving husband and her adoring girls. AND, she has spent years disciplined in Boot Camp.

She is having a milestone birthday that baffles the imagination. While she is now eligible to compete in the Masters division of local road races, she will have a tough time getting folks to believe it!

Summer Camp

John Started in Boot Camp at age 7

Students are always welcome to join us for FREE. We encourage kids to participate with friends and family as often as they would like. Participants are encouraged to bring students that are willing to join.

Any student that shows an interest in running would thrive in our workout. Any child that has talent would produce a level of base fitness that would produce fast times. Our workout is the perfect summer program for Middle school and High School Cross Country runners.

Working out with our children allows us to connect with them on an entirely different level. We get to know folks pretty well by running down the street and laying in the grass with them. It is the same with our children. 

Giving a child discipline in fitness may be one of the greatest gifts we can give them. Over the years, we have had kids grow up in the workout. Virginia has grown up in the workout. She has maintained her fitness discipline throughout college. She will graduate soon perhaps in the best shape of her life. She works out on her own while she is away at school.

Our program is the perfect low mileage program for kids who are growing. John has yet to hit puberty. While his skeleton is soft and about to grow, running a bunch of miles could hurt him. He is a rising 9th grader looking to contribute to his varsity Cross Country Team next year. We have spent the last two years slowly increasing his weekly mileage and exercise repetition count. On an average of 25 miles and 2,500 repetitions of exercise a week, John was able to run a personal record of 11.02 in the two mile this year. While he is a very talented runner, most kids running that fast are training almost 40 miles a week.

Our fitness works also for tennis, golf, baseball, swimming, volleyball, cheerleading, wrestling, and soccer. Bring the kids to workout. If they like it, they will come back.

Time to lean out

Fast Women

We aim to peak for these dates every year:

May 25 - Memorial Day
June 21st - Fathers Day
July 4th - Independence Day

The average temperature during the next 3 months will be HOT in Atlanta. Most folks will choose to stay in the air condition, bitch about the heat and make excuses about why they don't work out.

We are going to get up early and work out before the air quality is insufferable. Then we are going to spend the rest of the day feeling good about it. Some of us will be looking thin & traversing the earth on foot at freakishly quick paces.

Join us every weekday!

The Drama of Your Morning

Exposition - The Alarm goes off. There is awareness of some annoyance in the room interrupting an awesome dream about flying over a beach in the south of France. The alarm is turned off and the bargaining and rationalizations begin. Just 5 more minutes of sleep and I swear I'll get up. The first thoughts of the day begin to trickle in. "I got to go to the bathroom". Damn, I'm already up. I might as well get dressed and go.

Rising Action - There is a chance a short sleeve shirt will be okay this morning. There is still a slight chill in the air. If I wear a long sleeve dry fit, it wont be as hot as a cotton long sleeve. Are there any socks that match this outfit? Do these shorts go with this shirt? What time is it? Time to get into the car. This is a great song. Man there is no one on the road this morning. Maybe if I flash my high beams at this red light, it will think I am an ambulance and turn green. Okay park. Who in the heck is parking in my spot? Don't these people now I have been parking here for three years. Weirdo! Smile, Good Morning, Good Morning, How are you?

Climax - Lets go. What did he say? Is this ground wet? How many of these are we going to do? Wow, check that out. We don't see that every day. What did she say? Then what did you say? I"ll tell you what I said. I am going to  give you a ton of attention while you brag about your kid, remembering every detail so I can match your brag with a possible raise. What a minute, What is that knucklehead screaming about? Holy Cow these folks are hauling ass. Let me catch my breath. Hang on.

Falling Action - We are heading back. How much further do we have to go? It is all down hill from here. Watch that car. That guy was not looking. Jeez these cops work this section of Peachtree every morning. Watch that hole in the sidewalk. Almost there.

Denouement - Thank God its over. It is really light outside. Do we have time for a cup of coffee? Oh no, don't tell me that creeper is going to take off his shirt and then hug me. Y'all have a great Day! Will we see you tomorrow? I hope to see you tomorrow.

The Peachtree Road Race is in 58 days

These girls are ready to run and/or go to the pool

There is still time to get in shape for the World Famous Peachtree Road Race. Even the folks who are not running want to be in shape on the 4th of July for the Beach/Pool.

Going to boot camp is very social, interesting, educational, sometimes spiritual, sometimes naughty, very refreshing, and a great workout. Getting in shape with a great group of people is awesome.

Looking HOT on the 4th of July is icing on the cake.

High vs Low mileage program

Nick Symmonds Middle Distance Champion USA

"Citizen Athletes" can produce elite level fitness running low mileage and working only an hour a day.

Lets compare the High mileage program to Low mileage + cross training.

7 miles at 9 minute per mile pace takes 63 minutes to complete. 3.5 miles and 600 repetitions of basic training exercise take about 60 minutes to complete.

The heart beats about 145 times a minute running at a 9 minute/mile pace. The heart also beats about 145 times per minute during 40 slow push ups, sit ups, squats, lunges and other body weight exercises.

An hour running burns about 750 calories. An hour running and exercising burns about 750 calories.

Running 7 miles 5 days a week equals 35 miles. Running 3.5 miles and preforming 600 repetitions of body weight exercise every day equals 17.5 miles and 3,000 repetitions.

Running an hour every day will make a runner stronger, faster and thinner but, has a high risk of injury for the average runner.

Running and exercising every day will make a runner stronger and faster with better muscle tone to support balance and reduce injury. Body weight exercise will also produce lean muscle with athletic lines that is very attractive.

Peachtree Road Boot Camp averages 3.5 miles and 600 repetitions of body weight basic training exercise every day. Participants who are consistent with attendance produce elite level fitness. Former and current athletes who adopt the low mileage + exercise discipline can compete at a higher level with reduced periods of injury.

Work

In Fitness training, running and racing, the only path to success is work. It is the only way.

Money usually require work but can sometimes fall out of the sky. Love falls out of the sky every day but eventually requires work.

It doesn't matter how lucky, smart, talented, gifted or blessed you are in life. If you want to get in shape, it requires work.

We base our work record on workout attendance. Folks that show up get in shape.

Bring The Kids

Boot Camp Participants are always encouraged to bring children to the workout. They participate for free. They don't register or join. They are always our guest. They don't event have to be related. Bring the neighbors kids.

Emi & Michael had their 6 & 8 year olds in the workout on Saturday around Chastain. While the little brother made it, the big brother hammered out 4 miles and 700 repetitions of basic training exercise. Every time we dropped for another 20 push ups, Houston was right there cranking with us.

John & Evan have grown up in the workout. When Evan was 6, we would put him the car while he was still asleep and woke him up right as the workout began. One morning, Prance did an about face and sprinted back down Peachtree when she realized we left him asleep in the car. Oops.

A lot of people think rolling children out of bed at 5:16am and throwing them into a workout is abusive. Other people think that letting their kids sleep until noon, poisoning them with processed food and comatosing them in-front of a screen is abusive.

We have had the pleasure of working with young athletes, runners and regular kids who like exercise. We consider it a privilege to work out with the kids.

Come Outside

Indoor group training occurs daily inside the same four walls which incubate a germ factory and play a the same music from 2014. Many indoor instructors dominate the workout or frown on conversation during exercise. We believe there is more chit chat going on in Church and the library that most yoga and spin classes.

Boot Camp literally changes with the weather. We run and exercise all over town. The instructor is barely heard over the cocktail party atmosphere. While it is very social and gets around, we do stick to the discipline of covering 3 miles a day & 600 repetitions of body weight exercise... Fellowship & Fitness!!

Race Weekend

Saturday - Atlanta Womens 5K around Chastain Park - 8am
Sunday - Morningside Mile Virginia Highlands - Noon

This weekend is going to be beautiful for racing or watching!

Beautiful Outdoor Exercise

All these girls took home an award last year. Awards are not why these girls work out. They like to feel good, look good and enjoy each others company. They also enjoy the Boot Camp style fitness program that runs outside, through the neighborhoods and around town. They all like the running!

While they could care less about the awards, they are disciplined in their fitness program. The awards are the product of discipline in a program they enjoy.

Now that spring has sprung, other people may want to join us. Please send an email, text, phone call or have a conversation with someone who would like our workout.

How to Feel Better and Avoid Injury

 Roll Out

Drink Water

Sleep Like a Baby

Warm up before the workout

Stretch

Eat with-in a half hour of the workout

10 Days

Stages of exercise program:

1) Excited! "OMG, lets do it! It will be awesome!"
2) Fear "will I make it?!"
3) Jumping off point ... alarm goes off "Buffy better be there"
4) Awkward "Hi"
5) more fear "are these people going to run the whole time?"
6) Wonder "They all seem so nice, it cant be that bad"
7) Remorse...Alarm goes off the third day "Why did I join this?"
8) Dread... Alarm goes off the 4th day "WTF, I feel like I've been in a car wreck"
9) Relief... 8th day "I am not going to die, I can make it"
10) Amazement... 11th day "I got this"

It takes 10 workouts to establish yourself into a fitness program. You can either do the 10 workouts over two weeks or stretch it out. Folks that are serious about getting in great shape make 25-30 workouts over a 6 week period. I dont care who you are, the first 10 days suck.

Program

Every time we have gotten deep into a training program, its gotten boring, repetitive, monotonous & stale. Elite level training gets that way.

We try to keep it fun. Our folks are the nicest people in the world. Just the pleasant company alone is enough to keep most folks coming back. Also, being outside, we get to experience weather first hand which changes every minute. Plus, being on Peachtree Road, we get to experience the news as is happens. Over 9 years, we have a few stories.

We change the exercise and the routine every day in order to keep the program interesting and to keep progressing in our fitness. Some days we head North and do core exercise. Another day we head South and work legs. We may go North, then East for upper body work.

Here are the current & a few former routes:

Beltline
Reverse Beltline
Chase Truck - Weights
Garden Hills to Mike Ryders House
Garden Hills Loop
Shopping - Streets of Buckhead
North Bound Out & Back
High Museum
History Center
Lenox
Church Run
Duck Pond Loops from Cathedral
Muscogee Miles
Peachtree Battle to Memorial Park
Rivers to Cherokee
Village (PBC) - W/ stop at Fire Station
Chastain (PBC Field trip & Saturdays)
Sunny Brooke Trail Loops(PBC)
Frankie Allen (PBC)
1,000 inside (PBC)
Underneath (555 rain)
Underneath with Ramps (555 light rain)
Crazy 8s (temporarily suspended)
Rage Workout (permanently suspended)
Dellwood Hills (Mutiny suspended)

Running Boom

The running boom is alive and well in 2015. More people are running and road racing than in any time ever. This boom continues to capture the imagination of diverse groups of people. 

McFarland USA is among the top current popular films. Elementary school, Middle School and High School running programs, Cross Country and Track are thriving. Participation is high and its feeding a resurgence of American dominance in road racing and Track.

Running is our chosen form of cardio in Boot Camp. Basic training exercise keeps our heart rate up while we are not running. The combination, allows us to keep an elevated heart rate for 60 minutes while we strengthen muscle groups that support fast running and many other activities. This combination works best for 5K training. 

We encourage everyone to participate in local road races. Atlanta is one of the best known cities in the world for its running. Y'all get out and enjoy it!

Race Calender:

March 7th @ 10am - Be Healthy Georgia Festival - FREE 1 mile Fun run for the kids at the State Capitol. Irene and Lt Gov Casey Cagle are hosting! 

March 28th @ 8am - Atlanta Womens 5K We go every year. The girls have fun if its not raining.

March 29th @ Noon - Morningside Mile! - this one mile race is one of our favorites. 

Atlanta Elite

What make us "Elite"? This seems a pretty arrogant, egotistical, elevated sense of superiority.

Well, no one else can hang with us. As a group, our fitness measured by a standard Army PT test, tops any other group in Atlanta. Furthermore, we win races, tennis matches and golf tournaments.

This morning, while schools where closing and folks all over Atlanta were going back to bed, we got 3 miles and 700 repetitions of various upper body exercise completed. It was no different than any other day, week, month or year in nearly a decade of discipline.

What is the difference between exercise & training? Exercise is what folks will be doing in a gym tonight. Dragging your ass out of bed in the winter snow for an outdoor workout...training.

Sendentary VS Active/Elite

We are going to out-live our children. That is now a fact. Why? Because we have taken physical education out of education.

We are growing house plants. We are rooting children into the couch, watering them and feeding them and watching them grow fatter. It is disgusting.

This week, the powers that be have institutionalize laziness. We are taking the week off because its cold outside. This is a F($#ing joke.

If you have registered and paid for boot camp, SHOW UP. I know we are all products of our environment. I know that if TV tells you to sleep in, it is impossible to resist.

Be an agent for change. Be an example for the weak, and the kids. Be an example of discipline and strength. STOP making excuses.