As a kayaker and part time instructor, I spend a lot of time on and in the water teaching entry level kayak skills courses and leading tours as well as paddling for fun. I am also an avid mountain and road biker, adventure racer, and occasional alpine mountaineer and rock climber. I’ve summited Mt. Rainier, Longs Peak in winter conditions and summer conditions (with my two daughters), self-organized and led a trip to Mexico’s volcanoes, and competed in over 100 adventure races ranging in length from 4 hours to 8 days.
I am a full-time fitness manager, personal trainer, father of two daughters, and husband. I work hard to set a good example for my girls and to guide them to pursue a life worth telling a story about. I work hard, sometimes too much, but I try to balance time behind a desk with time outdoors.
Being active has given me many amazing life experiences. I‘ve stood 6 feet from a herd of deer while riding my mountain bike, neither of us wanting to give up the trail. I’ve watched the sunrise alongside my daughters from 11,000 feet above sea level and witnessed the absolute silence of the winter woods after a big snowfall. I’ve watched coyotes, eagles, and hawks when they didn’t realize anyone was watching. I’ve listened to the laughter of children and the look of amazement as they accomplished goals they never imagined and felt the pride of accomplishment in reaching my own goals.
Each one of these experiences has helped me be a better person, a better father, added years to my life, put a smile on my face and the faces of others around me. None of these required any special skills that anyone else couldn’t obtain. They just required a level of commitment and creativity that many aren’t willing to pursue. I’m just an ordinary guy who doesn’t want to live an ordinary life.
My favorite activities place me in the hot sun and protecting myself from the rays is important. My mother has had several scares with Melanoma, and being an outdoor-loving person, I don’t want to see myself or others have to give up the things they enjoy because they’ve failed to protect themselves properly. Coolibar’s products provide sun protection while maintaining style and eliminating the “wash off” factor with lotions.
I maintain a blog as a Personal Trainer (http://www.inspiredjourneyfitness.com/) where I post articles on topics to encourage people to lead a healthy life. I have produced over 150 brief You Tube videos demonstrating different exercises. I also maintain a website at PaddlingExercises.com devoted to teaching others exercises to improve their paddling abilities. I am a frequent fitness lecturer and am honored to be a speaker at this year’s Canoecopia event on fitness for paddlers.
John Chase
