It’s no doubt that we have a talented team here at Old City Web Services, but one of our favorite things about each person on staff is that they all have passions and talents that make them awesome individuals. We’re a family here, and when one of our family members achieves accomplishments, we want to tell the world how proud we are of them!
We’re here to talk about our Art & Design Director, Bobby Jones. If you’ve ever come to our office or worked with us, you’ve probably met Bobby and seen his amazing work. He has the talent to take an idea and turn it into something better than you could imagine. But what you might not know about this skilled artist is that in his spare time, he’s super passionate about fitness.
Bobby has been weight training since college and has continued to push himself since. His most recent accomplishment: Competing in a Spartan Race in Miami this past weekend. Yes, you read that correctly.
In between art projects, we caught up with Bobby to ask him about his love of fitness and his race experience:
What is your motivation to stay fit?
I like challenging myself. It’s a feeling of accomplishment when you do something you haven’t done before. It challenges you. It pushes you. Being pushed is a good thing – it spills into other parts of your life.
What motivated you to enter the Spartan Race?
Bobby and his sister Azizi pose with their medals after finishing the Spartan Race in Miami.
This was my first competition. I saw it on TV, and it was right up my alley. I was drawn to it because it’s similar to Crossfit games – a combination of strength and endurance. I felt like I could do it, so 6 months ago, my sister, Azizi, and I committed to competing in the race.
How did you and your sister prepare for the race?
We came up with a plan to compete and finish the race. She took boot camp classes. I took boot camp classes once a week, weight trained 3 or 4 times a week, and ran. Leading up to the race, we felt pretty comfortable. We took the last couple of days off from any gym training to rest, avoid injury, and spend time with family.
Tell us about the race
My sister and I decided that we wanted to pace ourselves since it was our first race. The first part was more running than obstacles. Once we found our rhythm, we got comfortable and ran the distance. We knew the key to obstacles was to attack them instead of being timid. And any obstacles you failed, you got a 30 burpee penalty.
What were some of the obstacles?
- Atlas ball carry (90 lb for men/70 lb for women)
- Sand bag carry (90 lb for men/70 lb for women)
- Hercules hoist
- Rope climb
- Rock climb wall with no feet support
- Spear throw
- Cargo nets
- Rings
- Rotating monkey bars
What was your favorite part of the race?
Competing with my sister. We’re both into athletics and sports. We were able to encourage each other. It was a fun challenge together. It’s a good feeling when you finish something like that. The medals we got when we finished are a symbol of accomplishment.
What would you tell someone thinking of competing?
Absolutely do it. I would suggest doing some training, especially upper body and weight training. But we saw people of all fitness levels out there. It’s fun to do with someone. If you get groups of people, you can encourage each other.
We’re so proud when our team members follow their passions and accomplish their goals. So, the next time you’re in the office, ask Bobby about his race. Congratulations, Bobby!