Imagine yourself eating lunch today at noon.  You continue your work until it’s time to go home at 5:00, eat some dinner with the family, catch a movie at the Linway Plaza (after all… it is Friday.  However, upon further inspection, there really isn’t much worth watching at the movies right now), put the kids to bed, and get 9 hours of sleep.  Now, right about the time you wake up, imagine yourself having spent the entire past 20 hours exercising; from lunch until waking up!  That’s exactly what our Tough Mudders were up to last Friday, except they began their workout at 7:00 rather than noon.

I wanted to grab a little video and some photos this time around, but unfortunately did not have the time available to workout with them on Saturday morning like I had planned.  So, I met them at their first stop; Ox Bow Park.  Basically, their goal was to mimic as best as they could the event they’ll be racing in November.  They’d run to a park, practice some strength, balance, and obstacle exercises, and the continue running on to the next park they had mapped out.  This continued on all the way from the parking lot at Meijer (across from Ox Bow Park) to Crossfit Michiana, and then they worked their way back again.  They even strategically prepared a stop where they could don themselves in wetsuits, and traverse in and out of the Elkhart River to get used to wearing them sopping wet and cold.  They gained some valuable insight by doing this.  They now know to use much more lubrication on the inside of the wetsuits to cut down on chaffing.

All in all, they ended up with about 30 miles of total running, 12 separate park workouts, and a 1.5 hour workout with Crossfit Michiana.  They did have a few guys join them for their workout.  A gentleman from Chicago who will also be competing at the World’s Toughest Mudder event as an individual (whose name happens to escape me), and young man by the name of Jed Garber.  The guys all agreed that their fellow Mudder was a beast, and should be very competitive in the event.  Jed joined the team for two separate workouts, and even brought Gatorade for the guys to enjoy.  I am sure that

(photo provided)

brought much needed encouragement to them in what had to seem like a never ending workout.  Jed also was awarded a free 60 minute massage here at CCWC for being the toughest person to join the guys during their workout (ok,so he was also the only one to do so (Chicago Mudder didn’t count)).

Believe it or not, they plan to better that workout with an even longer one; a “dress rehearsal” sort of speak.  There is a course in Illinois they are hoping to obtain permission from that they can rent for a full 24 hours in which they can do a practice run on actual obstacles, mud, and water similar to what they will be competing in.  If you’d like to get a better idea for what these guys will be experiencing in a couple of months, take a look at this video!  Yes, it’s intense (and keep in mind this video is only showing the obstacles and does not include the miles of running in between them.  It’s also only a single lap.  Our team is hoping to complete 7 laps in 24 hours)

!  As always, we will keep you posted on their progress, training, and eventually their result at the World’s Toughest Mudder.

Community Chiropractic and Wellness Center is happy to announce our new partnership with Elias Rojas!  Elias is an alumnus of West Noble High School and Indiana Wesleyan where his running career flourished.  He now teaches at the West Noble Primary school in Ligonier, IN.  However, just because he graduated from college doesn’t mean that his running career is over.  On the contrary!  He’s only getting better!  To date, he has competed in 16 races.  He finished 1st overall in all but three of them.  And just because he didn’t take 1st in a couple of the races doesn’t mean he couldn’t walk away with his head held high.  I wouldn’t count finishing 77th overall a loss when you consider the fact that there were over 33,000 participants in the Shamrock Shuffle held in Chicago, IL.  With 11 more races left this year, I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of Elias in your local papers (Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Goshen, Huntington, South Bend, Fort Wayne, etc..)

We’ll be bringing you more information on Elias in the future, but wanted to announce this good news sooner rather than later!  So, look for him at a race near you!  He’ll be wearing the jersey with the Community Chiropractic logo on the front!

There are people everywhere that commute to and from work on their bikes.  Whether it’s a few blocks, a few miles, or even 15-20 miles, it’s a great way to start and end the day.  It gives you time to gather your thoughts, take in some fresh air, and get some exercise.  Those of you that have been following Dr. Waggoner’s weight loss journey know that he’s been taking the opportunity to bike to work, during his lunch break, and then back home again.  On August 9th, he will be commuting home by bike once again.  “So, what’s the big deal?  Why make mention of something he’s done so many times before?”  I’m glad you asked!  By “home”, I am referring to the hometown he grew up in of Fremont, OH.  I will be joining Doc and his brother Dan (my father) early that morning as we begin our trek east.  We will begin the journey a the CCWC Shipshe office around 6:30 a.m. and start pedaling.  The photo above shows the proposed route we will be taking.  We may need to make a few adjustments along the way, but as we reach our destination of Fremont, OH, we will have biked roughly 145 miles in one day.  We are hoping for a good strong tailwind to nudge us along.

You can follow us on Facebook as we post photos and updates along the way.  You’ll be able to watch us go from eager/excited, to weary/dejected, to triumphant/accomplished all in a single day!  So, make sure to keep your Facebook page open and tuned into CCWC’s page.

It’s been a couple of months since we updated you on Doc’s weight loss journey.  The last time we wrote about it, he was at 243.  Life has its ups and downs, highs and lows, peaks and valleys…you get the picture.  Just like anything that’s difficult, it’s easy to say you are going to do something, but entirely another accomplishing it.  I’ll admit that I’ve been a little discouraged this year in regards to the majority of my weight loss clients.  The majority of them have started out strong, and then quickly fizzled to the point of quitting; no longer showing up for their weigh-ins and consultations.  There are many reasons (usually excuses) that people give as to why they’ve had a hard week or month, and how they are going to do better the next month.  Ultimately, I think it comes down to two major facts.  First, people begin to realize that there isn’t a magic pill you can take that allows you to one day wake up 100 lbs. lighter, and in the best physical shape of your life.  The second, is that it does take hard work!  And the more weight you lose, the harder you have to work to continue to lose it.  Like most things in life…there aren’t great rewards unless you put in the hard work.  If you find yourself having difficulty sticking with it, don’t lose heart.  Don’t give up!  Push through, and I promise the rewards will be great!

That’s why I am proud of Dr. Waggoner.  He has had some of the same struggles and set-backs that other people go through.  However, he hasn’t gotten discouraged to the point of quitting!  That’s why as of today, he is now down 50 pounds since January 1st (see photo of 50 lb. bag of wheat, and imagine carrying that extra weight around).  That’s a huge accomplishment!  He has mentioned that he remembers getting winded putting his socks and shoes on in the morning.  The very fact that he does it now without even thinking about it is a testament to his accomplishments.  The bad news is that he is behind schedule of where he needs to be still.  Doc still has 40 pounds to lose and only 5 and a half months to do it!  He hasn’t forgotten what’s at stake (both his health and having to wear maize and blue at the BIG GAME).  We have some big things coming up in August that should help.  We’ll have more news on this later, but we are planning a bike ride from Shipshewana to Doc’s hometown of Fremont, OH.  That’s over 140 miles of biking, and we plan to do it all in a single day!  That ought to shed a few pounds 🙂

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Last, but certainly not least is Andrew Rumfelt; The Punisher!  Apparently, he concocts some of the most insane workouts you can imagine…for fun.  I’ve met these guys in person, and Andrew can be a little intimidating.  Don’t get me wrong.  He was really nice, but let’s just say you wouldn’t want to do anything to upset him in a dark alley.  Here’s what he has to say about his story…

“Hello, my name is Andrew Rumfelt. I am 35 years old, a husband and father of 3. I am a corporate pilot for Jet Aviation Flight Services; a General Dynamics Company.

I grew up in a Christian home and at the age of 16 decided to follow Christ and was baptized. It was a genuine decision.  I however let the world and my young age influence my decision making process for a few more years. After graduating high school I attended Hesston College in Kansas.  Having grown up in a nondenominational church, my theology and understanding of the Bible were challenged at Hesston College, which required Biblical study classes.  I became confused about the diverse theological stands denominations take on the same issues.  I continued to go to class because I needed the credits and I stopped going to church all together.  I realized the only way to know the truth was to study the Bible on my own. It was slow at first, but each night before I went to bed I would open my Bible and pray; asking the Holy Spirit to guide my understanding and to lead me into truth.  I told God that if He would teach me truth I would study.  It started off with chapters and then books of the Bible each day.  It was a fire that was lit deep inside of me that just kept growing. Continue Reading »

It was about six years ago that I began running.  I had reached my heaviest weight up to that point, and decided that it was time to do something about it.  So, I started running.  I could barely run a single mile, and even at that short of a distance I hated every second of it.  However, I was determined to push through the pain and make exercise more than a brief lapse of wasted effort at getting in shape.  I realized that if I was ever going to get to the point where I didn’t loath running, I’d have to just suck it up and keep doing it until I was in good enough shape that it would seem easy to go out and run 5 miles (research shows that it takes roughly 66 days on average to form a new habit).  It took me six months of running before I somewhat enjoyed going out for a run.

I received some help during that time from my brother-in-law.  He was a cross country and track runner in high school, and is currently coaching both sports at his alma mater; West Noble HS.  He oozes runner.  Anytime someone calls me a runner, I quickly remind them that just because I run, it doesn’t make me a runner.  He’s always trying to get me to sign up for 5k’s or half marathons.  I’ll admit, I have considered it, but only briefly.  I simply have a hard time justifying spending money to do something that I can do for free anytime I want.  $20 to run 3.1 miles?  No thanks.  I’ll pass.  However, over the last several years, there has been a new type of event gaining popularity.  Have you ever heard of the Tough Mudder, The Spartan Run, The Warrior Dash, GoRuck Race (the list goes on.  I told you it was getting popular didn’t I)?  Imagine an off road race, but with varying obstacles thrown in to challenge your strength, endurance, and toughness.  That is what all of these events are about.  They include everything from wall climbs, to ice baths, to mud slides, to electrocution (yep, you read that correctly).  Now that’s what I’m talking about!  I CAN’T do that anytime I want for free.  That’s something I’d pay money to do.  Jump off a Continue Reading »

If you recall, back in early April we announced that we’d be starting a cycling club here at Community Chiropractic.  Our purpose is to promote healthy living through exercise, and provide an opportunity for cycling enthusiasts, hobbyists, and newcomers alike to get out and ride together.  Dr. Waggoner and I have been biking all around the Shipshewana, Middlebury, Bristol, and Lagrange areas, and there is a lot of beauty to take in here in Northern Indiana.  The structure of the rides will be somewhat dependent upon who shows up.  Eventually, we may get up to 2 or 3 rides per week, depending on the level of interest.

We are happy to announce that the wait is over, and we’ll be having our first Community Chiropractic Cycling Club (CCCC) ride out of Shipshewana this Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m.  Please make sure to bring a helmet, and a water bottle so you can stay hydrated.  We’ll meet right here at the Community Chiropractic office in Shipshe.  The address 660A South Van Buren St.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call 260-894-1739 to speak with me (Aaron).  We’ll look forward to seeing you Saturday morning!  Have a great week!

– Aaron Waggoner, Director of Fitness

We are giving away one free 90 minute luxury massage to one lucky person!  You could be that person!  If we reach our goal of 500 “Likes” on our Facebook page by June 1st, every person that likes our page will be entered into the drawing for the free massage.  But that’s not the only reason you should “Like” us.  By becoming a fan of CCWC on Facebook, you’ll be informed of future promotions and discounts, and receive articles and posts in your news feed about current health and wellness related topics.  So, make sure you “Like” our page, and share it with your friends, because if we don’t reach 500 fans, then no one will win the massage, and we don’t want that do we?

We are proud to announce the formation of the CCWC cycling club!  We will meet several times a week (weather permitting)!  We will post the week’s ride times and routes on our Face Book page, so make sure you check in often.  Watch our Facebook page for announcements on when the first ride will be.  Tell your friends!

We will have group rides with different levels of riders. The rule will be no one person will ride alone at the back of the pack. So, we will always have someone riding with you. If you go out in front and we can’t hang with you, that’s ok too.  You will have the route.

CCWC cycling club jerseys will be available for $50 to anyone who wants one!  The first few have been ordered.  Once we get them in, we’ll get some photos up of what they look like, and start taking orders!  More information to follow!

Looking forward to enjoying the country side of northern Indiana and Southern Michigan with you,
Dr. Waggoner

Hello!  My name is Aaron, and I’m the newest member of the CCWC team!  I am serving as the Director of Public Relations and Fitness.  It’s my job to keep you up-to-date as to what’s going on here at CCWC in the way of new services, promotions, information, and anything else for that matter.  As you already know, Dr. Waggoner has challenged himself to get back into shape this year by losing 90 pounds of unwanted weight, and more importantly keep it off!  I have Continue Reading »