Guest blog post by TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY success story Shawn “Beard” Crosswhite:
July 1st, 2014-
When Derek told me I needed to write my story I was a bit shocked to be honest. In my mind I didn’t realize the changes I had made to be worthy of it.
If I look at where I am now compared to the rest of my life I know I am in the best shape I have ever been (so far).
I grew up playing soccer until I was a teenager and then I took up track for a few years. That is pretty much the extent of my sports/workout activities in my life.
I never even lifted weights or exercised most my whole life until a year ago. I just liked to relax, eat anything I could and drink beer.
I never gained weight so why not right?
I do have to carry heavy ladders, climb poles and stairs to apartments at work often. I wasn’t able to walk a flight of stairs without being winded. You can’t judge a book by a cover or a person by their shape and size.
Being fit can be anyone and I wasn’t, people called me “skinny fat” which seemed funny but had a truth to it.
A little over a year ago my wife wanted a change of her own. I was proud of her and loved hearing her stories every night after each workout session. Sure I looked up the site to see what it was about and saw pictures of her being posted.
My jaw dropped when she told me she flipped a 250lb tractor tire.
She had been going a month or so when she asked me to come one Saturday morning I was off of work. She was explaining to me what takes place on Saturdays and when I tuned back in (from looking at a squirrel…did I mention my ADD?) I said yes.
Saturdays were a relay competition… “easy” day how my mind perceived it. I don’t know what we did that day but it ended up with a “Cadillac run” (aka getting sick, aka PUKING).
I am glad I went even though I was nervous and felt out of place. I was instantly hooked.
Around this same time frame we signed up to do a night mud run with my sister, who now attends bootcamp, along with some fellow bootcampers and friends.
I wanted to attend bootcamp but with two little kids it was going to be hard. We worked out a plan over a few weeks and gave it a shot so I could get in shape for the run.
The mud run lit a fire inside me that I have had ever since. I know I couldn’t have done it had I not attended New Port Richey bootcamps.
I have completed many more mud and obstacle runs since then including the Spartan Run at Raymond James Stadium.
It’s hard for me to believe that the 3 and 4 ft hurdles at bootcamp that scared me initially, were the same hurdles that prepared and trained me for the 8ft wall during my Spartan race.
I have now been weight training with Rich Berrian as well for a few months. Now, combined with my love for obstacle racing, I set a goal to race in the competitive heats. I have two I plan on doing this year and many more to come.
Did I mention I am not just skinny I have muscles now too? This was hard for me to grasp since I was the same size most my life.
I have made the most changes when I have a goal set. If you are feeling complacent and not making changes set a goal and have new goals right behind those ready to go so you’re never without a goal.
If you haven’t come out and tried a bootcamp session yet, you are missing out.
I just want to thank my wife Sara for letting me tag along that Saturday and turning my world upsidedown. To my kids for being rockstars with our crazy schedule. As well I want to thank every single person from, friends to family, who has been there to support me and give me that extra push when I needed it. (WHICH WE ALL DO!)
Update February 9, 2016 Transformation Tuesday blog by: Shawn “Beard” Crosswhite 
I’m just now starting my second competitive OCR season and have learned a lot since I started racing. I have learned how to complete certain obstacles that I once failed and now I have no issues with.
My most proud moment was Mud Endeavor 6 last year when I took first in age, and second overall. I almost won the whole event.
I led most the race, and this was the greatest feelings as Mud Endeavor was the first race I ever ran that got me started!
I have had many different placings from 3rd age all the way up to 2nd overall and anything in between.
Just this past December I challenged myself with the Battlefrog’s BFX race. I ran 23+ miles and over 100 obstacles!
My biggest accomplishment this season so far is qualifying for the OCR World championships. Although I probably can’t go to the races, it felt great knowing that I completed a task that last year I missed by minutes or seconds.
My family and my friends have supported me to no end give me the strength and motivation to achieve such success in this sport.
I have also gotten my kids into racing and on Halloween they ran their first OCR race and Thanksgiving their first 5k race.
The interesting thing to me about OCR is the people you race against. You would think they would want to beat you. Which they do, but they want you to succeed also.
Everybody likes to push each other. This is another group of people that helped push me and help me improve.
I have set another goal to run 1000 miles this year!
My advice to people would be to find something that you love and are passionate about and give it everything you have!
I always stay hungry no matter where I’m at or what I have accomplished, as I can always achieve more if I have the drive.
Beard out.
