#NoLimits - Day Six Results

Six down, one to go! Anyone buy tickets to the gun show today? Those arms should feel like lead pipes! And kudos to the Ironteammers and other folks who logged an ocean swim this morning. That's added badass points.

With one day left of the #NoLimits Challenge, here's where you stand:

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Ale, Amy and Grant all have a good chance of breaking the 5000 rep. mark. Anyone else wanna make a mad dash to the finish line? Tomorrow's challenge - Day Seven - goes back to our roots. Crunches. That's all, straight up crunches. As many as you can do.

#NoLimits - Day Five Results

Following Day Squats, here's where the leaderboard stands:

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We've got five players who have broken the 1000 mark in 5 days - pretty amazing. Great work Marjorie, Ale, Holly H, Amy RG, Marvin and Grant! And Sauleta may be headed into quadruple digits tomorrow. It all depends on Day Six: How many Push Ups can you do? Let us remind you ... there are no limits to what you can do.

#NoLimits - Day Four Results!

Limit-breakers,

Sorry for the abbreviated post tonight. We're two tired triathletes prepping for a monster workout tomorrow in South Bay (SoCal). Nevertheless we are amazed at the bicycling (sans bikes) that went on during today's #corechallenge. Special shout out to Marvin for tipsy-texting his results from a casino floor in Vegas!

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Day Five - Squats. In the words of the Lil Jon & and East Side Boyz ... GET LOW!

Drop down and give us as many as you got!

- H & E

#NoLimits - Day Three Results

Guess what? Many of you deserve this t-shirt:


Congratulations on getting through a day of one of the most despised (yet beneficial) no-weight, full-body exercises. Yes, they are difficult and draining. Yes, they will make you stronger.

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Ale clocked 303 burpees today, just edging out Amy RG. Those red bars are screaming toward the top of the challenge! But let's also take a look at the battle going on a few inches below. Grant and Marvin - you two are almost neck-in-neck. Which one of you will defiantly and definitely take the lead tomorrow? Well, that's up to you. A classic East Coast / West Coast battle.

Hey there Sanjay, Jessica, Melissa, Scott, Laura, Terissa, Bobbi, Lauren, Holly, Andrea, Jason, Rona, Megan, Niki and Ryanne - we'd love to hear from you tomorrow. If you're feeling up for a challenge, then prepare to sit up many, many times.

Good work folks. Three down and four to go. Day Four's activity combines two of our favorite things - Bicycles and Crunches! That's right - your next workout is bicycle crunches. Opposite knee to opposite elbow. Don't bend that neck. Use your abs. Any wanna push some limits and go for 500 in one day? We dare you.

#NoLimits - Day Two Results

How's your core feeling today? ABS-olutely awesome? We hope so. If you haven't started the challenge yet, fear not! Feel free to tag in to day three (it's a doozy!) If you're starting out and you'd rather start with Day One (crunches) or Day Two (planks) that's okay too. Just let us know when you report in!

We have two shout outs today - First goes to the heated race between Amy RG and Ale H! Amy had the lead on crunches yesterday, but Ale logged over 36 minutes of planks today! Give that girl some clothes to clean on that washboard tummy! More than half of the previous #plankchallenge taken out in one day. Amy was no slouch either, getting in 25 minutes of planking herself.

Nice work both of you. Anyone out there want to try and catch'em?

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Second shout out goes to Marjorie C. Here at #challenges, we enjoy hearing about how much you like the workouts we prescribe. If you email us with comments, we try to get back to you. Well, today we heard from Marjorie - in a big and thoughtful way - thank you so much for your donation to the Ironteam! A lot of you know how important Team in Training is to us. Many of you are participants, staff and alumns. The #challenges we offer are open to everyone, and are completely free, but it is always a HUGE heartwarming gesture when someone donates to one of our favorite causes. So, in short, thanks mucho!

Now onto Day Three: Men, Ladies, Warriors, Princesses, Warrior Princesses ... ready, set, BURPEE. As many as you can.

#NoLimits - Day One Results

Day One of the 7-day #NoLimits Challenge is complete!!

We asked you to do as many crunches as you can in one day (21 hours, to be exact). Here are your results. If you put in the work, the red bar is running up for you!

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Today's clear winner is our IronTeammate and Spirit Captain Amy Richard! Can Ale or Marvin unseat the Core Queen with tomorrow's workout? Will anyone hovering around the x-axis step in and blow them all out of the water? We're willing to put our money behind some sleeper players...

A quick review of the rules and Day Two's instructions.

1) Each day, we give you one activity. You have between 12:00am - 9:00pm of that day to get in as many repetitions as you can. Keep a running tally for the day - we're going for a cumulative number, not just however many you can get in a row in one set. Use the entire day!

2) Your daily count ends at 9:00pm no matter what time zone you live in. Each night, report back via email by 9:00pm PST. The graph will be updated and published that night or the next morning. You'll get to see exactly how you stack up against the competition. We encourage side bets! Get on facebook or twitter, call someone out, and then get at it.

3) There are a few ways to "win" against everyone else - Be in the top 3 for the day, or be in the top 3 for the running total for the entire 7 days. Meaning, we're taking every single rep of every single workout you do and adding it together

So for Day Two, we challenge you ... How many seconds can you plank during the day? How long can you go? That's what she said. Report your numbers in seconds on Wednesday night by 9:00pm.

Ready, set, hold!

#MissionPossible: Day Seven Results - The End!

Operatives:

We are thoroughly pleased with your efforts for this week. Outstanding work. It's been fun for us to hear about how much you loved/hated the workouts and how pleasantly sore you are after them. 11 of you completed every single workout and at least half of the bonuses. Your names are in red, and you've received the Bonus Day workout via email. Report back to us your progress. One of you will be declared most elite.

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To all of you, thanks for playing along! We hope you feel a little bit stronger than you did seven days ago. And we hope that you'll come back and do another challenge! For those reading who did not participate this round, you're welcome to join the (sometimes painful) fun! Email us at poundchallenges@gmail.com and we'll get you on our list.

We are going to take a break from #challenges, and we'll be starting the next on March 19. In the meantime, there are two things you can do. We'll be emailing you a survey (8 questions, you can't get them wrong) to see what new challenges you'd like to do. Please take a minute to response. Second, start back at Day 1 of this, #plankchallenge or #2500crunches and keep going!

Stay stealthy, gutsy, creative, trickly, seductive, agile and smart. And continue to work that core!

The Agents

MissionPossible: Day 6 Results

Operatives:

Congratulations, you've made it through six days of training, Spy School style.

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Today's your last day to get in some training. And if you complete at least half of the bonus challenges, we'll be contacting you for Day Eight - an elite workout. It will test you. It will make you sore. It will make you stronger.

Until tomorrow,
The #Challenge Agents

#MissionPossible Day 5 Results

Operatives:

Now that you have wrapped up your weekend with a little fun, it's back to the grind. Two more days and two more badges to earn. Let's take a look at who is moving on to the next portion of #MissionPossible:

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What good is a spy who can't scale the exterior of an Italian Estate via Bougainvillea vines? How valuable is an agent who cannot leaps from the rooftop of a Japanese skyscraper and land on a speeding train? In other words ... one of the most important skills a spy can have is Agility.

How well can you climb a ladder? Enjoy earning your sixth badge.

#MissionPossible Day Four Results

Operatives:

There are no weekends for spies. Only more training. In the case of many of you long-distance athletes, there are multiple workouts. #Missionpossible being one of them. The most important one of course. It's really great to hear from each of you as you turn in your assignments. Glad you are enjoying the challenge.

Here's an update on the program. Many started, some still going. Will you make it through? There's still time to catch up.

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You've mastered the art of Stealth, Guts, Creativity and Codes. But James Bond isn't just know for his mind. Many secrets are spilled over martinis. A little smooth talking and raised eyebrows also do the trick.

Enjoy your next workout ;)

MissionPossible: Day Three Results

Operatives:

We're not saying that your challenges are easy. We are saying that they are worthwhile.

No excuses
Day Three was about figuring out how to make yourself a stronger and better spy-athlete. Did you do yourself justice?

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Report for duty. Day Four awaits.

#MissionPossible: Day Two Results

Operatives:

Good job on the gut check. Core, core, core and more core will allow you to repel down walls, jump from rooftops, pick locks and do triathlons. Your PoundChallenge Bosses will continue to impress this upon you every workout. Continue progressing as a spy, and you'll impress a nice toned midsection upon yourself.

Day Two Results:
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Congratulations on the second day of training. If you've graduated onto the next level, you're about to gain a little bit of agency over your workout. Choose wisely. You are only as strong as you train yourself to be. It's ten minutes of your day. And you can do it anywhere.

#Missionpossible accomplished before security line. One decoder ring, two camera pens and a bottle of water confiscated.

If you are still on Stealth or Guts, keep at it. There is time to catch up. And remember - if you do at least half of the bonus workouts, you get to play along on Bonus Day Eight. One of you will be declared the most elite spy. It looks good on your resume. Trust us. It's how we got these jobs.

Stay vigilant. Stay in the shadows. Stay hydrated. Stay hungry for more.






Some background info for the Non-Operatives reading: #MissionPossible is a 7-day challenge that includes a short-but-intense daily workout. All those little strength exercises you are "supposed to do but never get around to" as an athlete are on the list. The workout comes out daily and the results are published the following morning. Challenges like this, #plankchallenge and #2500crunches are open to everyone. The more the merrier. It's the motivation and accountability provided by the group that makes this fun. And there's always room for some (healthy) competition among players.

Since we are already one badge down, we are no longer accepting recruits for this week. However drop us a line at PoundChallenges@gmail.com if you want to be informed about future #challenges. And if you want to continue to follow along with updates during the day, follow @hesort and @goingforgoofy. We're hilarious. And charming. And have great fashion sense. Really.

#MissionPossible: Day One Results

Operatives:

Congratulations to those of you who earned your Stealth badge. Did you notice that all of those exercises could be done quietly, in the corner of your office? Or in the stairwell? Spies need work quietly and efficiently - if you haven't practiced stealth yet, get it done now.

Here's a look at your progress:

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If you are moving on, you will receive the next challenge shortly. Good luck. If you are still on Stealth, we will send you the new challenge when you confirm you've finished. If after 9pm deadline, you'll receive the following morning.

Best of luck on Day 2, Spies. And ... watch your back. And core. You never know what could be thrown your way next.


Some background info for the Non-Operatives reading: #MissionPossible is a 7-day challenge that includes a short-but-intense daily workout. All those little strength exercises you are "supposed to do but never get around to" as an athlete are on the list. The workout comes out daily and the results are published the following morning. Challenges like this, #plankchallenge and #2500crunches are open to everyone. The more the merrier. It's the motivation and accountability provided by the group that makes this fun. And there's always room for some (healthy) competition among players.

Since we are already one badge down, we are no longer accepting recruits for this week. However drop us a line at PoundChallenges@gmail.com if you want to be informed about future #challenges. And if you want to continue to follow along with updates during the day, follow @hesort and @goingforgoofy. We're hilarious. And charming. And have great fashion sense. Really.

2500 Crunches: Day Ten Final Results!

Dear #2500crunches challengers -

Here are your FINAL results!

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10 days have come and gone, and your core is now 10 days' worth of work stronger!

23 of you hit the target number, 2500!
2 of your hit 5000!
41 hit triple digits!
Of the 70 folks who committed to playing along, 57 put forth the effort!

From where we stand, it's really cool to see this challenge take on a life of its own. There was a ton of twitter action and facebook posting and crowdsourcing motivation at its finest. Any crunching you did between last Wednesday and this weekend was probably more than you planned on doing - and because of that, you win!


Had fun? Feeling motivated? What's next?

Set your spy watches. It's time for


Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is a 7-day commitment in which you will squeeze the maximum amount of effort and work in the minimal amount of time. 1 week. 7 workouts. 10 minutes each day, max. Want a better core? Quads? Arms? Ankles? Eyebrows? What do you have to lose? Certainly not as much as you have to gain.

To accept your mission, email PoundChallenges@gmail.com by Tuesday, March 5 at 9:00pm PST letting us know you want in. From there, we'll tell you what's to come.

Your weakness will self-destruct in three...two...one...

Goofy, Queen of the Desert

My laundry-folding skills are on par with my triathlon-packing skills: non-existent. I don't know what's up with the mental block I have around these tasks. I can analyze spreadsheets. I can manage my bosses' lives. I can navigate my way through the twisty streets of LA. But ask me to pick up a pair of cycle shoes and put them in a bag? All of a sudden I'm a confused and mute lump of a person.

This weekend almost all of our team is heading out to the Palm Springs area for Sunday's Desert Triathlon. We'll be training on Saturday around the course, and then Sunday the group will complete the Olympic distance race. I'll be training/coaching on Saturday and cheering on Sunday with a few other spectators. There will be dancing and costumes, provided I remember to pack them. Last night was a blur of throwing things in bags, taking them back out, and then putting them back in. I have to revisit the mess of clothes, lotion-y things, and nutrition that are taking up the majority of space. I probably should also remember to pack my bike. And wetsuit.

To make it more confusing, we have to pack our own lunches for Saturday. Again - I can do long division fine, but plan a meal a day or two in advance? Improbable. I think I'll be leaning heavily on some Trader Joe's salad goodness to get me through. If I remember to pack it.

It's been a long week in the space that exists between my ears. Life has gotten a little bit busier than I am used to, and therefore I've done some scrambling to stick to the training schedule, attend to my other projects, and still take a moment to relax. Well, that last one has gotten the shaft. I haven't made time to do as much reading and writing as I would like, but sometimes we have to pick and choose where we put our energy. This week I'm grateful that I have kept up on my day job, got in all ironman workouts, had a good coach committee meeting, did an ab-load of crunches, passed my run coach certification test and have almost prepped for training/cheer-squad this weekend.

Snoopy looks so comfortable
I'm really, really looking forward to escaping from here for a short weekend. It's not a long trip, but it's just far enough that I can turn off 'normal brain' and focus solely on our Team and our journey. This will be the first triathlon for many teammates - major step! They deserve those medals big time for all of the work they have done since November. And hopefully we see our team's total fundraising tally cross the $200,000 mark while we are out on the course on Sunday. Giant leaps of life being taken this weekend! Fingers crossed for good weather, great performances, and unforgettable fun.

Race report, and a list of things I forget to pack, when I return.

#2500 Crunches: Day Eight Results

Two days to go and already 12 people have crossed the #2500crunches finish line. And they aren't stopping there. Not one of them? Sit up and do something about it!

Believe in yourself!

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Have a great Friday!!