Posted on

Your Crown Awaits!

(May not be the final logo design)
(May not be the final logo design)

The Mighty Warrior Champion OCR Finisher’s medal will contain some sort of crown in the design. There are several crowns for the believer who perseveres through to the end of the race.

I received the following Worthy Devotion today that addresses this very subject. Be sure to sign up for these stellar devotions from George here.

Believer, our crown awaits!

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In 490 B.C., the Athenians won a crucial and decisive battle over the forces of King Darius I of Persia, on a plain near the Greek coastal town of Marathon. Upon delivering the important message of their victory, the Greek soldier who came to tell the good news died — he had completed the 26 mile course running and bearing good news, and did it totally unreserved until the moment he died. Today marathons are run all over the world, commemorating that very event 2500 years ago.

Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you how difficult the race is. No matter how good you are, how well trained, how prepared, there are times in the race you just want to quit. But those who persevere till the end receive a prize. Back in King Darius’ day, one would win only a crown made of laurel leaves. Today, athletes compete for trophies and medals. But in God’s race, we win something far more precious — a crown that is incorruptible.

Believer, I bet you’re tired today. You are overworked, overstressed, overwhelmed … DONE! Be encouraged! Just when you think you can’t run any further, you can! C’mon! Press through and press on for the great prize! God is with us, strengthening our feeble knees and moving us in the right direction!!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Negev Desert, Israel

Originally appeared at http://www.worthymailing.com/mail-new/display.php?List=1&N=2698

Posted on

An Obstacle Whale Tale

Jonah was vomited on to the beach

“They call me Ishmael” Moby Dick

“And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 NASB

Literature is full of references to whales and man has been fascinated by them since they were first seen. The story of Jonah and the Whale strikes a chord with me because I, too, am often reluctant to go or do the things I know I am called to do. And who isn’t as muleheaded and laser focused as Captain Ahab was when it came to that great white whale Moby Dick?

Suddenly the waters around them slowly swelled in broad circles then quickly upheaved,
Suddenly the waters around them slowly swelled in broad circles then quickly upheaved,

The Mighty Warrior Challenge will have what I believe to be several firsts in the modern Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) resurgence. Among those are the thematic use of the Bible in the design of the OCR and what I hope to be the capstone of the event – The Whale.

Upon arriving at the venue, the racers will see a whale some 20-30 feet high and 40 feet long. The path into the sea giant’s mouth will be after a tunnel crawl followed by a low crawl into the ‘sea.’ The sea is a long water obstacle straight into the leviathan’s mouth.

jonahwhale
What should we name the whale?

What happens inside the beast is somewhat secret and certainly not entirely designed, but you can be sure it will be dark and wet much like a real whale. The OCR participant will eventually exit the beast via the blowhole. I thought this to be much easier to design than having people vomited out somehow. I’m sure most will not split hairs on this.

rearing upon the top most crest of the equatorial flood, spout his frothed defiance to the skies.
rearing upon the topmost crest of the equatorial flood, spout his frothed defiance to the skies.

The obstacle then finishes with a slide down the whale’s tail  back into the sea. I do hope to make the slide have a little bit of a jump off the fins as well.

So my tale of the whale is told, let me know what you think!

Be sure to follow Mighty Warrior Challenge on social media! I need likes, lots of likes.

Posted on

Genesis of an OCR

I’ve been on a journey.

Starting in January of 2013 I began a fitness journey. At that time I weighed well over 300 pounds, plus I was taking several medicines directly due to my obesity, had trouble fitting into chairs, and really thought I was going to die just climbing stairs.

My kids and I at a T-Bones game on Father's Day 2012
My kids and I at a T-Bones game on Father’s Day 2012

I was not always that way. As a matter of fact, I was extremely skinny growing up and stayed slim until I was in my 30’s. Yet,through smoking and stopping smoking and eating and eating and spending most of my free time on the couch I was able to overcome my metabolism and nearly double my bodyweight in less than 20 years.

Then I was given a CPAP machine to keep me breathing even though my fat wanted to cut off my air at night. Except the problem was wearing the mask inspired nightmares of the creature from the movie Alien stuck to my face and I would wake up in a panic trying to get it off of me. Shortly after that I walked a 5k with a friend and it took us 75 minutes. The time tracking company had already packed up and left and I was heart-broken because I did not get to see the technology work. Finally a friend lost a lot of weight through medical intervention and I was still fat. Something had to change.

I started going to the gym. There I met a guy who told me about a group of guys from church who met weekly for accountability on their weight loss journey and said I should join them. I did join the group, signed a contract and followed the meal plan and complied with the exercise guidelines. During one of the meetings we were challenged to set a goal of a 5k or similar and so I did.

The Ward Parkway Turkey Trot November, 2013
The Ward Parkway Turkey Trot November, 2014

Over the course of the next year I lost 100 pounds, started running 5k’s or longer every month and discovered Obstacle Course Racing (OCR). The challenge of doing better each race is what keeps me engaged and on target with my fitness goals.

Meanwhile the idea occurred to me for an OCR based on the Bible as a way to help others set a goal and improve their fitness. I nurtured this idea for over a year and now I am bringing this idea to fruition as the Mighty Warrior Challenge. I’ll be shaping this idea over the next few months and assembling a team. We will then launch a crowdfunding campaign January, 2016 and host the inaugural Mighty Warrior Challenge OCR a few months later probably near Kansas City.

eXtreme Timber Challenge September, 2014
eXtreme Timber Challenge September, 2014

Won’t you join me on this journey? If you have yet to sign up for the newsletter, please do: [mc4wp_form]
Also,please support the crowdfunding campaign when it begins and like or follow Mighty Warrior Challenge on social media.

Want to join the team, or have any ideas or suggestions? Hit me up!