What are your goals in 2012? Here are some ideas.

No one noticed that Catha was the only one in class able to complete these advanced drills.

Last Thursday night, Catha attended Core class and wowed the trainers with her intervals of picture-perfect donkey kicks.  They looked more like mini handstands each time she exploded in the air fully executing dozens of rounds.

Jim's interest in different modes of fitness is not good news for his competitors

Jim, meanwhile, was taking it easy on a SPIN bike next door that same night. Notice how happy he looks not to be alongside Catha at that moment.  In general he saves most of his energy for his 1 rep max attempts on either the bench press, deadlift, or back squat… AND of course for scoring points against his buddies in Battle Zone.

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Team Name:  Equitable Remedy

Claim to Fame:  Catha was once on the same competitive swim team as Olympic Champion, Dara Torres.  In addition to powerlifting and attendance in both IC Core and SPIN classes, Jim plays for the IC Softball Team on Tuesday nights.  Catha and Jim excel in nearly every area of fitness.

Potential Team Strength: Catha operates under the radar and can easily slide past you without notice.  Jim is a rhetoric expert whose gift of gab has saved him many times in Battle Zone.  Both are attorneys secretly planning to leave law in pursuit of opportunities as professional athletes.

Potential Weakness:  Paralysis by analysis?

Congratulations to all of the IC participants. Here are some of your highlights:

Chris, Julie B, Selby, and Sarah Mac!

“A Marine pushed Selby and I off the “Walk the Plank” because we were clearly never going to jump on our own.”
-Sarah Mac

Jim and Matt feeling thankful to be fit

Jen and Mike climbing the mountain

“Running up the quarter-pipe my first try and all of the awesome IC team members decked out in red and yellow at the start line all juiced up and ready to conquer the mountain.”
- Mike Lee

Mike, Carrie, Chris, Gretchen, JD, Brittany, and Patty starting strong

“Many wonderful memories but the best part was seeing everyone help each other out through the difficult obstacles- I stood at the wall (8 feet?) wondering how I would ever get up and over it. Through the sea of people at the top of the wall I saw a group of red IC tough mudder t shirts (sherry and doug and jill…and others who I was too delirious to recall) and I felt instantly relieved.  I knew I would make it up and over with Chris B and Greg and Brooks (and others-again was too cold to recall) at the bottom and the other IC people at the top.”
- Gretchen Davidson

Doug, Jill, Dan, Tsan, Jess P., Tracy, and Melissa F., having pre-race fun

“Climbing out of the Chernobyl Jacuzzi and causing a massive riot with my fellow frostbitten IC mates.”
-Melissa Fernandez

Post-race fun: Dona, Beth, and Polly showing us the way to finish strong

“We had a blast and have the bruises, scratches, aches and pains and that awesome orange head band to prove it! We couldn’t have done it without the Ice Chamber…that’s for sure!”
-Polly Hancock

Lovebirds Melissa and Prestor stuck together through the 13 mile climb!

“Feeling, at mile seven, completely fresh and unfazed; not knowing that two miles later that would all change.”
- Melissa Seka-Wilson

JD and Brittany representing the IC in full force!

Love

“Facing my fears and supporting my friends in doing the same.”
- Jeremy Steinkoler

The Mecklers looking like rockstars!

Big thanks to ICTM Chief Administrator, Sherry Sarintra

IC Teamwork

John and Seth standing proud. Big thanks to John for reserving the beautiful location for the after party at the beach!

“I have a renewed or perhaps reaffirmed appreciation for the Ice Chamber and the community that’s formed around it. This was a great event for people who enjoy working out and working with others and that certainly applies to folks who do boot-camp. It’s also great to see people outside of the normal gym since it deepens those connections. I wouldn’t have done this event if it wasn’t for the IC.”
-Seth Kaplan

OGs from the 0700 Crew

IC'ers taking care of each other

“The free Dos Equis at the finish line.”
-Nate Torra

Ken, Tracy, Jen, Melissa, Tsan, Greg, Cathryn, and Jeremy sharing a moment of greatness together!

“Watching a dude with a prosthetic leg clamber up the Berlin Wall – one bad mudder.”
-Ken Kokka

Amy and Nicole showing off their heart and lung capacity

“Giving my son–and biggest fan–high 5′s at 4 of the obstacles. Yes, he walked and watched the course.”
-Amy Suits

IC after party hosts, Doug and Jill, finishing like champs. Huge thanks to The Beat-nicks!

Ross and Loredie made sure no one was left behind!

“I’ve always wondered what it was like to experience hypothermia. Now, I know.”
-Loredie Lugos

Despite Sayaka's legacy of world domination, she knows when to let Nate take the lead

Sayaka and Nate rarely get the opportunity to put their competitive spirits to the test these days as members of the super-supportive 7 am IC Boot Camp crew, but they know their background in Judo will give them a fighting chance at pentathlon victory…

Team Name: Judo Junkies

Claim to Fame:  Sayaka won the 2004 Olypmic Trials.   She did it again in 2008 which enabled her to compete in the Olympic Games.  The same year, Nate won his second Senior National title and placed third at the US Olympic Trials. 

Potential Team Strength: History of reducing their opponents to tears.  Bottom line: 3rd + 4th degree black belts = strong odds.

Potential Team Weakness: They left their ultra-competitive days behind in exchange for the morning mix of fun at 7 am.  Will they be hungry enough to win again?

The Spragues a.k.a The Beat-Nicks

This photo was taken the day before Tough Mudder in October 2010, but this post is NOT about THAT race…

Today we’re kick starting a team profile series for the IC Team Pentathlon to help everyone get acquainted with the competitors.

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As busy professionals and the parents of two boys, Doug and Jill joined forces long before the IC was born.  Will this lifelong bond carry them to victory on race day?  Stay tuned!

Team Name: The Beat-Nicks (yup, as in Nick Filloy, not Jack Kerouac)

Claim to Fame: Jill was a finalist during tryouts for American Ninja Warrior.  Doug is a fierce competitor AND wordsmith: “Nick, you are whining about arguably (but not quite) edging out the team that, because I was on it, was Team AARP – the shorts I wore to BZ are older than you. Concede the point and resurrect your A game for next week.” -BZ Leader Board

Potential Team Strength: Both Type A personalities

Potential Team Weakness: Both Type A personalities

The long awaited (and overdue) IC Couples Challenge has finally arrived… with a new format! This year, we designed a Pentathlon course that will lead you to the brink of mental and physical breakdown. Anyone can start, but not everyone will finish…

Rules and regulations:
1. Teams are comprised of any two IC members.
2. Five events to be divided among two people (one person takes on two events and the other takes on three).
3. Each event must be completed by only one team member.
4. Events will not be disclosed until the day of the contest.
5. Every event in the Pentathlon must be completed in order to qualify for ranking.
6. Teams must finish the entire Pentathlon in one hour or less.
7. The fastest team wins.
8. Good luck.

Date to be determined (late November or early December). Two trophies and the title of “2011 IC Team Pentathlon Winner” will be awarded to the fastest team.  Please register below.  There is no cost for participants, but we are on the hunt for volunteers to help referee and set-up this spectacular event!

Due to Chris Walker’s enthusiasm, we will be recording more one-mile sprint times this week!

Icky shuffle challenge.  Best time: 7 seconds.

One of the hallmarks of Thursday morning bootcamp is lactate threshold training.  While it’s a method to improve high intensity endurance performance, it’s also one of the fastest routes to systemic failure.

Today’s top times for 50 mountain climbers + 10 burpees (after 2 x 500 meter sprint on the ergometers):

6am:  Nick Filloy – 1:00

7am:  Ken Kokka – 0:45

9am:  Darcy Hahn – 1:00

10am:  Jill Sprague – 0:43