Put Up or Shut Up


"Welcome to today's show! On this edition of "Truth or Consequences" we're going to see how well Jon stacks up!"

I've decided to put my training to the test. By extension, I'm also putting your training to the test. I believe my general physical preparation is pretty damn good, and if you train with me, I know yours is too. We can lift, sprint, jump, and pull with the best of them, and I'm going to prove it.

The yardstick? Competition. I can sit here all day long and wax poetic about the virtues of Crossfit-style training. It really doesn't mean sh*t.

In reality, the only way to back up my big mouth is to go out and pit myself against other athletes.

The Crossfit philosophy sets the bar high. To paraphrase Coach--we're great at what we do, good at what you do, and better than you at stuff neither of us does. So, here we go.

I'm going to compete with the specialists. The runners, the triathletes, the lifters. In their own world. Road races, triathlons, and meets. I'm going to prove you don't have to be a specialist to beat a specialist.

I'll swim, bike, and run. I'll snatch and clean & jerk. I'll have to do these things more than I do now. But I'll do them our way. Hard and fast.

Who says you can't swim Tabatas? I bet retrieving bricks from the bottom of the Bay will make me drown-proof pretty damn quick. I know sprinting will take care of any aerobic capacity issues. Can I learn to bike far and fast by doing short track work? I bet I can. The beautiful thing about Crossfit is the creativity it engenders. I'll find new ways to train old tricks.

I'm not limiting this to endurance events. This summer, I'm going to enter every contest of athletic prowess I can find. It starts today, with a paltry 3.5 mile road race. Compared to FGB, this should be a joke.

If you know about a contest, let me know. If you'd like to join me, Team Again Faster is taking applications.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go sign up for the Duxbury Triathlon. It's time to put up or shut up!