It’s Game Time
Check out your favorite IC competitors giving their best at the 2011 Team Pentathlon Challenge.
First off, congratulations to all competitors for stepping up to the challenge:
Jeremy, Cathryn, Roman, Stacey S., Lisa M, Brian, Eduardo, Newton, Elliot, Amy Ng, Amy Suits, James, Wendy, Tracy, Earl, Chris, Sayaka, Nate, Jill, Doug, Matt, Jen C., Jim, Catha, Sherry, Dado, Adena, and Seth.
Secondly, congratulations to Newton and Eduardo for winning the event!
There were so many amazing and hilarious moments from today that we thought some highlights were in order:
The set-up: enormous gratitude for each person who helped carry thousands of pounds of plates outside, set-up tables, buckets, stations, etc. This event would not have been possible without 20 volunteers. Steve threatening to confiscate Gretchen and Sally’s phones (no texting allowed to competitors) was priceless.
Judges: you guys are the heroes of this event. Thanks to you, the teams not only felt safe, but motivated. You guys never left their side. When upset, you were the first ones stepping up to advocate. Love y’all, especially for breaking the rules and cheering your teams on — that’s what the IC is all about!
Keep Hope Alive: the controversy caused by Sherry during lap 1 of the running. Based on her Battle Zone experience, winning often involves cutting corners whenever possible. Since Steve only stated that the runners “go around the building and through the chain link driveway,” her decision to cut the grass at the Central Ave. corner was a brilliant score to her fellow BZ’ers but a horrifying one to those unaccustomed to — as BZ Champ, Matt Cord put it — “the most juvenile and yet most fun” style of training at the IC. Seth, you have a great future ahead of you in BZ.
The rowing was exactly what you all expected — hard! Great to see the Mecklers’ parents cheering on Brian throughout the entire 1000 meters with adorable Tia in tow. Special shout-out to Jeremy, Tracy, and Stacy for the late start on the ergs. You guys have heart!
Know Your Weight: by far the most stressful event for the judges and the trainers of the IC… I (Maya) was no help in making a decision about whether an extra lap was allowed to retrieve the plates if there were none available to carry. Some competitors, like Jill, were so ethical that they waited for plates to arrive since Steve said the plates had to be “carried in one direction only.” Chaos ensued! After some passionate advocacy from Doug and Julie (you guys rock for getting it right!), Steve finally got it straightened out. I, on the other hand, still don’t have a clue what happened, but I secretly loved every minute of it. So inspiring to see the competitors carrying a thousand pounds of weight — especially, Catha, Sayaka, Kathryn, Lisa, Wendy, Jill, Amy Ng, and Adena. You ladies are no joke!
Balls to the Walls: Wow, a game changer. Doable for some, impossible for others. Speed and accuracy were the keys to this one for sure.
Lord of the Rings: I have never heard Portuguese spoken in quite the way Eduardo and Newton did while completing this event (something about killing lions with their bare hands). After the top three teams were called out by their judges for dragging their knees, it was a fair event down the track on the power wheel. Everyone was so close at that point…
The apples: well, I will let Sir Newton tell that story.
What are some of your highlights?
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Huge thank you to the IC staff and volunteers for setting up, reffing, and breaking down this special event…
Nicki: the Queen of IC Event Planning, your ideas and attention to detail are second to none because no one understands this community like you do. JD, Kenny, Jaimie, Brittany, Surya, Dave H., Alice L, Gregg, Karen K., Julie B., Steph P., Lisa B, Mike L., Carrie, Ross, Dave C., Leslie M., Melissa F., Sally, Melissa S., Kim C., Sam, Sarah Mac, and Gretchen: thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your tremendous contribution to the success of this day!
One more GIGANTIC thank you is in order to Lieutenant Dave Harris for being a real-life hero at the IC. We are appreciative beyond words for all of your hard work today.
Today was one of those magical IC days that happen every now and then. Fitness, family, food, fun…the sun was shining and the birds were singing.
Just a great day.
Thanks Steven and Maya for making it all possible!
Our kids and all four of their grandparents finally got to see what the Ice Chamber was all about, and they haven’t stopped talking about it since. Congratulations to Newton and Edwardo, and everyone who entered and competed in this crazy thing. Oh, and thanks Steve and Maya and rest of the IC crew for the best company holiday party EVER.
What an awesome event. This is just one more example of why I love the IC community! You are all amazing people. My hat is off to ALL of the competitors. Wow. Once again, I am humbled by all of you.
BIG Shout out to all the competitors! You all rock! I am still shedding a few tears that I could not join the fun… I mean really, what could be more “fun” than carrying 1000 pounds for a couple hundred yards.
Felicidades to Eduardo and Newton but all the teams deserve mad props!!!!
Going into this morning’s pentathalon, I got the feeling of nervousness from competition that I haven’t had for years. We (Nate and I) both had so much fun at today’s event. Everyone was so supportive and encouraging throughout the whole day. It really is amazing to see what your body is capable of doing.
Thank you to Steven, Maya and the whole IC crew who have dedicated their lives to creating such an awesome and inspiring community to work out with!
Congratulations to Newton and Eduardo on their win!!
Gosh, I just love our lil community! This was awesome! Next year I want a striped shirt and a whistle:-) It was an honor to be a ref. I had so much fun, and I was very proud of each competitor. You all are hardcore, as well as, courageous. It takes some chutzpah to sign-up for this type of competition. Way to go!
With love and admiration,
Steph and Joe (Joe cheered from home — as I’m sure he would’ve been drinking out of the apple bins or getting into some such nonsense if he was on site;-)
That looked like an awesome event/party! Sorry to have missed it, that job of Rune’s gets in the way sometimes:) Congratulations to all the competitors!
I said it on the last post, and I’ll say it again–awesome day!! Congratulations to all the competitors, and thanks so much to Steven and Maya, Nicki, Kenny, JD, Brittany, Jamie and all the IC volunteers for all the hard work put in to make this a great event. I really can’t think of a way I’d rather have spent my Saturday, even taking my sore calves of today into account. Matt and I are so grateful to have the Ice Chamber as a regular and consistent part of our lives.
Biggest a-ha moment of the day: I’ve really got to start running more…that mile was way harder and more painful than it should have been! Ugh. Nobody should be this sore from a one-mile run.
When Steve says “challenge”, you know Seth and I are always in. It was a blast hauling that weight, even if it did take me a ridiculously long time. And, I love watching all the the kids cheer on their parents. One funny moment was at the start of the run when the kids jumped on the ergs and they all had to be re-set. What’s the IC, if not a good place for family fun. Thanks for another good year of fitness and health. We look forward to the next challenge!
Thanks for sharing the clip and the photos for those of us who couldn’t be there. I was off with my girls learning that *other* lesson about competition: how to lose gracefully and make it fun even when you’re getting your butts beat (at your first state-wide soccer tournament)! Pushing hard and hanging in there and never losing the joy: part of the Ice Chamber legacy we pass on to our families.
Yet another spectacular IC event with an amazing community!
Congrats to all competitors for your courage and heart in the pentathlon – you rock!!!!! WOO HOO
Steve, Maya, Jess, Nicki, JD, Kenny, Jamie, Brittany – thanks for your inspiration, everyday xoxo
I’m late on this thread…the pentathalon event was soooo much fun and the tamales were yummy. The strawberry juice was bomb too. Thank you to everyone for not jumping me after the event for cutting the corner there at Central, I was trying to wrap as closely to the building as possible to minimize the distance. Many thanks to to Steve, Maya, IC family and all the volunteers for your time and your energy.
Well, he did say “around the building!” Lol Sherry!! You’re just a hardened BZ veteran, not your fault
It was a good move Sherry. All’s fair in love and war!
That was so much fun to watch! I am also very clear that I will volunteer again but I would never put myself through that torture…the competitors were amazing!!