60-Year-Old Spartan
With only 5 months to prepare and no exercise experience, she wanted to complete a Spartan Race for her 60th birthday.
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I came to Wendell with one purpose in mind - to help me prepare for my first Spartan Race for my 60th birthday. I was a little afraid because I had no experience in a fitness program, no experience in weight training, no experience in any type of exercise… none. zilch. zip. nada. Not sure what I was thinking back then. But when I first met Wendell, he immediately put me at ease with his personality and demeanor. As he asked me a few questions to get to know me and my experience, he set just one realistic goal: to just finish the race. We had 5 months to prepare.
I gotta tell you, what a ride that was. He can be a whirlwind of personalities. There were times where he had me laughing so hard, times where I got yelled at because I was not doing “my part,” times where I just looked at him and couldn’t believe what he just did or say, times where he just listened intently to what I said that was important to me, times where he adjusted my program according to how I was feeling that day, the list goes on.
The turning point to my program came when we were about 1 month away from the race. After reading some comments online and having some doubts about doing the Spartan Race, I thought seriously about stopping my training and not continuing on. After telling Wendell what I wanted to do, this is the one time he didn’t listen to what I had to say. He was perhaps the most animated in my time with him. After what seemed like an eternal lecture filled with rants, loud opinions, and eye opening “loud” statements by Wendell, he changed my mind and I continued on. At that moment, his reaction was exactly what I needed. He didn’t try to persuade me, he stated facts, my progress after 4 months, and he debated and cancelled out every single one of my reasons for stopping.
When I first started this journey, I thought that if I finished this race, it would take me 8 hours. Wendell predicted 4 hours. Well, when it was all said and done, I finished the race in 2 hours and 20 minutes! I completed 17 out of the 20 obstacles! For my 60th birthday and with absolutely no fitness or workout experience, I conquered my 1st Spartan Race!
Without Wendell’s knowledge, motivation, enthusiasm, and guidance, I would have never finished this race - or even attempted it! I originally was going to hire Wendell just to get me past this race, but after a short break, I went back to train with Wendell on a permanent basis!
Ann Garczynski
