Sergeant Tony's Blog

I’m an Olympian.

Well … not really … but sort of.

I was at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway for the 2 weeks of the 1994 Games. (Translation: I was in Norway freezing my booty off!!)

No, I wasn’t competing in the two man luge or ice dancing. I was there as a goodwill ambassador (seriously!!) from Japan — believe it or not — as a hospitality translator for the Japanese Olympic Committee (the next winter games in ‘98 were to be in Nagano, Japan). How I was chosen for such a position is a whole ‘nother story!

You might remember those Olympics because of the Tonya Harding / Nancy Kerrigan smack down. (I had my money on Tonya. Those trailer park girls know how to rumble!)

Lillehammer was an awesome experience and I got to meet a lot of the athletes, including a guy named Winston who was a member of the Jamaican Bobsled Team. Those fellas were minor celebrities that year because of the movie “Cool Runnings” and everyone wanted their autograph.

I love the Olympics, Winter and Summer, and will watch just about any of the events, especially if an American or an American team has a chance at a medal. Sports that I’d never pay attention to ordinarily, like water polo or rowing for example, get my full attention for 2 weeks every 4 years!

The Olympics are the celebration of years and years of intense hard work, daily sacrifices, and extreme determination. Then there’s the drama of men and women overcoming obstacles, butterflies in their stomachs, and their own self doubts in front of a worldwide audience!

It’s so compelling and a little addictive.

And whose heart doesn’t hurt when you see someone’s Olympic dream end, with the whole world watching, because of a misstep, a small mistake, or because their body just refused to cooperate on perhaps the most important day of their lives?

In Beijing there are hundreds of athletes who knew before they left their home country that they had no chance whatsoever of winning a medal. They knew it full well. But they went anyway. In Lillehammer I talked to a number of those kinds of athletes and to a man (and to a woman) they all said the same thing, that they were honored to represent their country and that they were there to do their very best. Even when they knew that their very best would go unnoticed and get no acknowledgement from the press.

Not the case with Michael Phelps!

What more could be said about young Mr. Phelps?

Even if you don’t know much about competitive swimming, you have to marvel at his achievement. He’s been called the greatest swimmer of all time, the greatest Olympian of all time, the greatest athlete of all time! (Ignoring me and my accomplishments again!)

Truthfully, there simply aren’t superlatives adequate enough to describe the accomplishments of Michael Phelps!

He won 8 gold medals and shattered every record in the process. In an interview after he’d won his 6th gold medal, he told the press corps that he “still needed to work on some stuff.”

WHAT??

The greatest of all time “still needed to work on some stuff.”

WORK ON SOME STUFF?? Good grief!!!

When I heard that, I felt like a complete slacker.

And then I wondered what kind of things I might yet be able to strive for and achieve in my own life if I applied the Michael Phelps’ philosophy. A young man’s off handed comment had gotten me thinking.

What could we accomplish if we decided that good enough seldom is?

Then the whole world watched Phelps eclipse the record held by Mark Spitz from the 1972 Olympics — which I also watched — of winning 7 gold medals in a single Olympics. Phelps won 8!

Apparently Michael Phelps had worked on some stuff.

Your efforts today may not lead to Olympic gold. Your successes, sacrifices, and hard work today probably won’t make the evening news … will probably go unnoticed … but do it anyway!

Work on some stuff!

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READ THIS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7554293.stm

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FACEBOOK

Find me on Facebook and make me your friend! (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=629618416)

I’ll make you mine! Then join the USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP Group!

While you’re on Facebook, you might see an ad for USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP pop up. Do NOT click on it! Facebook charges me for every time someone clicks on it. The ad is NOT for you knuckleheads! So don’t click me into the po’ house!

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ST. JUDE HALF MARATHON TRAINING TO BEGIN!

1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles) Training for the December 6, 2008 St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon will begin on Saturday, September 6! This is a 3 month program designed to ensure a finish time of less than 2 hours 30 minutes. (Although most who’ve completed the training finish much faster, some in under 2 hours!)

As a prerequisite, participants should be able to run/jog 3 miles in less than 36 minutes in order to begin the program. The training routine will be a modification of the Jeff Galloway program of running and walking. Over half of the participants each year are first time half marathoners!! So YOU can do this!!!

Sergeant Tony’s Half Marathon Training is open to all, Boot Campers and “friends” of Boot Camp, alike. The fee for the 3 month program is only $75 for active duty Boot Campers, and $100 for friends of Boot Camp.

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ANNIVERSARY MONTH DISCOUNT

ALL new recruits joining USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP in August can join for the Buddy Program rate of only $90 per person. This is in celebration of our Ninth Anniversary! Tell your friends and family! This is the BEST time to join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP! Regular rates will return in September.

Those who join NOW will get the rest of August and ALL of September for that discount!

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COMBAT CHALLENGE #2
$5,000 COMBAT THE FAT WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

Do you know someone who should be in this Second Challenge?

- The Second Challenge will be limited to 10 people.
- Men must be 65 pounds or more over their ideal weight; women must be 50 pounds or more over their ideal weight, each knowing that those who are heavier have more to lose and a slight advantage.
- Each Challenger chosen will be required to get their doctor’s okay to participate in the program.
- Entry fee is $1,000. Each Challenger must get at least $500 of that entry fee from at least 5 sponsors: family, friends, co-workers.
- Entry is open to ALL, Boot Campers and non-Boot Campers alike.
- The Second Challenge is a six month program beginning on September 6 and ends on February 28.

Pass the word!! Forward this email to someone who might be interested in this highly successful, life altering, awesome program!!

THIS WEEK IS THE DEADLINE!

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0645 CLASS! … 0830 Class!

The response to my request for feedback has been awesome! You have said “YES TO 0645!” And so do I! We will carry on! 0645 remains on the schedule so long as attendance warrants!

The 0830 class will return to active duty on September 1.

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“When you stop moving, it’s over.”
~ Don Wildman, 75 year old athlete and adventurer

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main