John Clover - Fit By Nature: The AdventX Twelve-Week Outdoor Fitness Program

fit by nature

THE ADVENTX TWELVE-WEEK OUTDOOR FITNESS PROGRAM

THE ADVENTX TWELVE-WEEK OUTDOOR FITNESS PROGRAM

JOHN COLVER WITH M. NICOLE NAZZARO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN AIRHART

THE MOUNTAINEERS BOOKS

For my mother, Margaret.J.C.

For my parents, and in memory of Martin Duffy.M.N.N.

1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134

2011 by John Colver and M. Nicole Nazarro
All rights reserved. First edition, 2011.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Distributed in the United Kingdom by Cordee, www.cordee.co.uk

Manufactured in China

Project editor: Joan Gregory

Copy editor: Kim Runciman

Design: Heidi Smets Graphic Design, heidismets.com

Photographer: Sean Airhart

Cover photography: Sean Airhart

Illustrations: Dennis Arneson

Photographs on pages 44 and 141 by Gudmundur Brynjarsson.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Colver, John.

Fit by nature : the adventx twelve-week outdoor fitness program / by

John Colver, with M. Nicole Nazzaro.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-59485-353-1

1. Physical fitness. 2. Outdoor recreation. I. Nazzaro, M. Nicole.

II. Title.

GV481.C649 2011

613.7dc22

2010043959

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-59485-353-1

ISBN (e-book): 978-1-59485-354-8

There are many people without whose help and inspiration this book would not have been possible.

John would like to thank, first and foremost, his mother, Margaret, and father, Geoff, for building a foundation for a rich and fulfilling life full of adventures, gifts, and learning, always with the knowledge that both success and setbacks would be met with love, support, and encouragement. To his brother, Keith, a husband, father, and former Parachute Regiment Officer, John wishes to say: As a paramedic, youve shown me how to care for people, and as a friend and brother youve simply cared for me. I could not have written this book without your support. Johns late grandmother, May Colver, godmother Dorothy, and Brian, Nick, and Chris Crouch have also been wonderful sources of support.

Jeff Dossetts contributions to adventX cannot be overstated; he helped finance adventX in its early days and has been a role model of what a leader can and ought to be. The growth of adventX has been in no small part due to Jeffs coaching, encouragement, and commitment.

Medical advisors Wolfgang Brolley and Sally Hara provided expertise in the areas of physical therapy and nutrition. John would also like to acknowledge Stephanie Gundels extraordinary coaching and leadership; other coaches include Shannon Svege, Ruthie Naranjo, Katie Tavog, Ilga Solveiga, Tiffany Waldburger, Sherry Jaqua, Ryan Scheaffer, and Elia Blumberg-Mrak.

People who have helped significantly to build adventX and to support Johns work include Donn Owlsey; Paul Rosser; Kate Austin; Rick Blumberg; Chris Mrak; Phil Ershler; Eric Simonson; George Dunn; Dr. Robert Brownie Schoene; Dr. Scott Marshall; Scott Korner; Brian Tschider; Nick Vikstrom; Dan Nelson; Jay Gotteshall; Debbie Reber; Catherine Lavelle; Charlie Davis; Heather and Martin de Vrieze; Tony Hoskins; Lana Makhanik; David, Mike, and Julie Mayo; Mitzi Alder; Christy Wallace; Jim Thornton; Ward and Boni Buringard; Lana Makhanik; Randy Huntington; Mike Lawson; and Kellie Morrill.

Sean Airhart and Gudmunder Brynjarsson are responsible for the beautiful photographs in the book. Special thanks to models Teri Foley, Debbie Reber, John Quirk, Jen Longtin, Casey Fairchild, and Wendy Werblin.

Nicole wishes to acknowledge the extraordinary editors who have helped to shape her writing career, particularly Amby Burfoot of Runners World; Craig Neff of Sports Illustrated; and Cynthia Gorney and Tom Engelhardt. Andor Boeck and his family have been a constant source of love and encouragement, as has the entire Nazzaro family (mom Catherine, brother Bill, sister-in-law Maureen, sister Susie, and brother-in-law Cory) and dear friend Caraway Seed. Martin Duffy and the Duffy-Stieff family have provided more support than words can describe. Toward the end of this book project, Nicole was blessed with a writing position at Intrepid Learning Solutions in Seattle that provided much-appreciated camaraderie in what can often be a lonely profession. Many thanks to Sam Herring, Judy Albers, Mike Tessem, Tyler Whitworth, Sylvia Wallace, and everyone on the Intrepid team for their support. And without running partner and adventX friend Jo Bader, Nicole would never have found Intrepidor been pushed to succeed on so many long runs.

Finally, both of us would like to acknowledge the many contributions of Kate Rogers, Editor in Chief at the Mountaineers Books, who first helped envision this book; our agent, Joy Tutela, of the David Black Literary Agency; our project editor, Joan Gregory; copy editor Kim Runciman; and the entire staff of the Mountaineers Books. Kate in particular coached us through every aspect of this books development, from the first outline to the final proofs. Every project needs a champion, and Kate has championed this book.

John Colver and M. Nicole Nazzaro Seattle, Washington

At 9:10 am Nepal time on May 22, 2004, I stepped onto the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the third Canadian in history to reach the top of each of the highest peaks on every continent, the so-called Seven Summits. At that moment, I felt a sense of personal accomplishment on a level I had never previously experienced.

I wanted to share the moment with John Colver, my coach, business partner, and dear friend, so I dug into my backpack, pulled out my adventX summit banner, and proudly posed for photographs. I spent the next ninety minutes on the summit reflecting on the scope and significance of the personal journey that had culminated in me standing at the top of the world.

It was a transformation of mind, body, and purpose, and I cannot overstate the role that John Colver and adventX, the outdoor fitness company he founded in Seattle, played in inspiring, enabling, and empowering that transformation.

Four years before the Everest summit, I had been at least twenty-five pounds overweight. It had been over twenty years since I had pursued any athletic or fitness goal of any significance, and I instinctively knew that I needed a change in my lifestyle. At forty years old, I was feeling the effects of years working in a fast-paced and stressful work environment.

I first met John Colver when I joined a guided climbing expedition on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America at 22,983 feet. John was one of two professional mountain guides leading our expedition team, and we quickly became friends, sharing a passion for mountain climbing, physical and mental challenges, storytelling, and a surprisingly similar, quirky sense of humor.