by MICHAEL DASHIELL
Sequim Gazette

Time to shape up, says Taylor McDonald.

 

The director at the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center says the 2012 Fitness Challenge on Jan. 28 is designed not only to get participants fit, but also to bring people together.

 

“It’s about building a stronger community,” McDonald says. “We’re trying to help people stay in shape right after the New Year.”

 

The eight-event, two-day challenge puts participants through tests of endurance and strength (see below for details).

 

McDonald warns that “Challengers” should have a decent level of fitness before they go all-out.

 

“Some people do come to it off the couch but I don’t recommend it,” McDonald says.

 

SARC fitness instructor Brandon Stoppani is overseeing the Challenge, which starts with 14-inch, 10-floor steppers and finishes with a two-mile walk/run.

 

“I think the run (is the most challenging) but I’m not a runner,” McDonald says. “I do think the run will make or break most people.”

 

Cost is $20 for pass holders, $30 for non-pass holders; fee includes admission.

 

All competitors who complete the event receive a commemorative T-shirt. First-place winners in each age category (see below) receive a trophy and a donated prize from a Challenge sponsor.

 

More than 20 people from the community participated in last year’s inaugural Fitness Challenge and McDonald says she hopes to see SARC exceed that total this year.

 

The deadline for registrants is Jan. 19; entries are limited.

 

See full details at www.SARCfiness.com.

Fitness Challenge details
• Stage 1
Stepper 10 floors (men +60 pounds, women +30)
14-inch step-up (men on toes, women on knees)
40 pushups (men on toes, women on knees)
500-meter rowing (Concept II rower)
200 jump ropes
Sit-ups (men 60, women 30)
Two sets of progressive sprints
• Stage 2
Two-mile run (treadmill); Competitor sets speed and time is recorded at two miles.
Note: Times from Stages 1 and 2 are added together, shortest time wins
Age divisions: Men 20-49, 50-64, 65-74. Women 15-34, 35-44 and 45-54. Divisions may change according to field of registrants.

SARC helps Forks

One organization’s leftovers are another’s treasure.

 

Equipment upgrades at the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center have left a surplus of items that are helping the Quillayute Valley Parks and Recreation District’s Forks Aquatic Center stay open.

 

SARC sent several fitness items west to the Forks-based fitness facility, including two “spinner” bikes, two dumbbell racks and several treadmills.

 

Representatives from the Quillayute district contacted SARC officials and SARC board president Sue Sorensen said Sequim was more than happy to help.

 

“We didn’t have room for them,” Sorensen said of the donated items. “We checked with the lawyer (and) since it was one public entity to another that we could just exchange them. There was no money involved.”

 

The only cost, she noted, was to load a truck and send it on to Forks.

 

“It’s nice to know that they could get some use out of (the equipment),” Sorensen said. “Some of the stuff we were storing at SARC, so it was good for us, too.”

 

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.