The editor with his first surf board at a beach near San Diego circa 1988 while on active duty with the U.S. Marines.
I never played organized sports as a child and when I entered the U.S. Marine Corps at 17 years old in 1987, it showed. I believe I finished my first timed three-mile run, part of the Marine Corps’ semi-annual Physical Fitness Test for all Marines, in about 27 minutes. By the time I finished boot camp I had it down to about 22 minutes and within a year of service I was running three miles in about 19 minutes. To get a perfect score on the three-mile run test, I needed to run three miles in 18 minutes or less. As you can see, fitness is not only essential in the military it’s an ingrained part of the military lifestyle and its standards of excellence are high. As more and more veterans return from war they are learning that continuing a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise is essential to their well-being.
For our 2nd Annual Veterans issue, I’d like to share a few stories of veterans and organizations leading the charge to keep our active duty and veteran soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines on a path of fitness. Near and dear to my heart is a story about the Warrior Surf Foundation. I learned to surf while I was a Marine in San Diego and can attest to the healing power of the ocean. Life can be stressful in the military even when not deployed overseas to a combat zone. I spent much of my off-duty time on the beaches of San Diego surfing and sometimes just floating on my board enjoying the smell of the ocean and the sun on my back. I never left the ocean without feeling completely refreshed and recharged. Andy Manzi, a Marine who served two tours in Iraq, spent several years dealing with post traumatic stress until he found surfing. Instantly hooked, he began to transform his life through surfing. He teamed up with Josh Wilson to create the Warrior Surf Foundation to help other veterans do the same. Read about Manzi’s inspiring transformation and goal to help others in this month’s feature, “The Healing Power of Surfing”.
Equally inspiring is the story of Johnnie Yellock II, a former Combat Controller in the Air Force’s Special Operations Command. Yellock had just returned to Afghanistan for a second tour and had been there only 10 days when his vehicle rolled over an IED. When he looked down, he saw his interpreter unconscious on the floorboard and even more disturbing, he could see the bottoms of both his boots. Through multiple surgeries, external fixators, rods, screws and more, his ankles now are fused permanently at 90-degrees. He then became a candidate for special, high-tech braces on each leg. The braces had been developed especially for military personnel with injuries like Yellock’s to help them continue to be active. Read his amazing story of survival, his never-give-up attitude, and dogged pursuit of an active lifestyle despite his injuries.
Whether you are a veteran or not, you will definitely want to read our great articles geared to keeping you motivated and in your best shape this winter. As winter approaches, many of you have finished your big race and have already entered the “off-season”. For some, that means letting off the gas of the regular routine of structured runs, bikes, and swims. While there are many benefits of the off-season this is also the time where many of you can start building for an even more successful new year. Be sure to read Brian Diaz’ article “Reboot Your Fitness this Winter”. If you’re still struggling with motivation since your big race, check out Diana Palka’s great article and learn “Three Ways to Avoid the Post-Race Funk”.
As always, be sure to try our awesome recipe, gear recommendations, and exercises showcased in this issue. I personally cooked up the Quinoa with Cranberries and Almonds and highly recommend it!
