Discover Expert Fitness Tips, Inspiring Success Stories & More
Gym Blog
From highlights of our members' successful Journeys to Extraordinary to inspiring stories from our coaches and more, our blog is a great place to get inspired and learn more about fitness. Book your free personal fitness assessment today to start your own Journey to Extraordinary!
The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
Sunday Story…69 As you know, last Saturday was my birthday. And I have to admit that I've been struggling with this particular number, sixty-nine. When you turn forty, even sixty-three, it's not that big a deal. You really don't think about what that number means. But in this particular case, this number seems to carry at least some significance for me. You see, after sixty-nine comes seventy, and I've got to admit that seventy sounds really, really old. Older than sixty-nine. Older than sixty. Old. Now I know that this is just my own perception, my own stuff around aging, right? Maybe for you it's sixty, or it's fifty, who knows? But I can tell you that when I look at turning seventy next year, I'm a little bit disturbed—or perturbed, something. So, I've been thinking about that, and what is the why? Why do I perceive seventy as being old? Why not eighty? Why not ninety? Why not a hundred? I intend to live a long, healthy life until I can't anymore. In other words, I want my health span to be at the top of the game all the way through. So really, seventy is just another number. Still, I have all of this baggage that I'm carrying around with it, and I'm just kind of wondering as you're reading this, what kind of baggage are you carrying at sixty-eight, seventy-two, eighty-six? How is that working for you? If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength (and find discipline), sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary results. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412
Sunday Story…Happy Birthday to me! If you're reading this on Sunday, yesterday was my birthday. I'm celebrating 69 years on this planet. And I am leaving you with a couple of thoughts. As you can see, the picture posted is of me doing some regular old work with a shovel. And this is why I do what I do in the gym every day. So I can do the regular things - gardening, digging, walking - all those things that make life worth living. Physical training isn't just about doing push-ups and pull-ups; it's also about developing overall strength and endurance. Physical training at this age is about how good I can feel after I do all the things that I want to do. It does no good to go out in the garden if I'm going to pay a price for that activity the next day or the next two or three days or weeks. The only way to prevent that is through regular physical training. You need to lift weights regularly. Most of the professionals we see these days claim to strength train two days a week, and I would agree that this is the absolute bare minimum - two days a week. I lift weights five days a week. Most importantly, you should do hard things regularly, whether that means hitting Kilimanjaro or Machu Picchu (as Ellie has taken groups and plans to take another one next year to Portugal, I think) or spending a day with your kids or grandkids doing all the things they want to do. The only way to do that as we get older is by continuing to train our physicality. Doing nothing is worse than doing something hard. If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength, sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary results. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412 The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
Sunday Story…Change If you are reading this, you should already be aware of the importance of discipline and commitment. And, hopefully, you have already committed to your fitness journey and are showing up when you say you will (discipline!). That’s great. Good on you! But there’s more, a lot more. You have begun the fitness part of your journey. The physical part. Perhaps you've already started improving your nutrition. And of course, your sleep. There's also your stress management. How are you managing your stress? Both at home and at work? How is that working for you? Once we get those things in line, we are on our way to an extraordinary journey. But that's not all. Other things are not so obvious, things that are not so easy to pinpoint and change. The things that may be ingrained in you over years and decades of your life. Some of these aspects also require examination. How are you showing up in the world? How are you with your relationships? How are you showing up in your relationship with the universe? With divine spirit? These things may be as important as your physical journey, if not more important. I often say that we would like life to be harmonious. By that, I mean we aren't looking for balance. Balance indicates non-movement, stasis. What we want is harmony. I can become obsessed with one thing or another, such as my career, my kids, or something else, but what I really want, even when I'm overly focused on one thing, is to have the rest of my life in harmony. It's just like an orchestra, sometimes the timpani drums are the big mover, and sometimes it's the horn section, the strings, or the woodwinds. It works as a harmonious whole, but the emphasis can be on one part or another. My question to you is, how harmonious is your life? If you're interested in learning how to build muscle and strength, sign up for a free fitness assessment at www.crossfitodyssey.com or reach out to me directly, and let's get you started on your journey to extraordinary results. John Mariotti www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com www.crossfitodyssey.com 775-338-2412
The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
I have been waiting, waiting, waiting to receive the final numbers from Eventbrite and Venmo to determine the exact amount raised for Kerrville, and we finally have it! We officially raised a total of $3768.61 through the event. $3156.06 donated by members and friends $47.55 donated by Alsie's Ice Cream $40 donated by Ayteva BBQ $525 donated by Navy Blooms T-shirts (they raised over $22k in total!!!) PLUS the donated massages, sauna, cold plunges, red light therapy, chiropractic assessments, and physical therapy assessments. HUGE thanks go to all of these amazing companies that contributed. Don’t forget to go see them at their businesses! Navy Blooms - 6030 Luther Lane - Holiday, Game Day, Sorority & Camp goodies! Sauna provided by The Ritual Mobile Sauna - this Sauna is available to rent for parties! Ask for Deborah. Cold Plunge provided by Evolve Human Optimization Labs in Mockingbird Station - they have Day Passes! Red Light Therapy provided by Unwind Massage Lounge (massage chairs from our very own Amanda George - Snider Plaza) Physical Therapy Assessments by Raise the Barbell - our very own Amanda Anderson Massage Therapy by Massage Fit - ask for JJ Federico Resendiz Chiropractor at Aaram Wellness Alsie's Ice Cream Truck - for your next party! Ayteva BBQ Truck for your next party!
by Ellie Bishop McKenzie This prayer has carried me through some of life’s hardest storms. It reminds us that while we cannot control tragedy, illness, or disaster, we can always control how we respond. On July 4th, 2025, devastating floods swept through the Texas Hill Country. Even if you didn’t know the victims personally, many of us wept for them. They were neighbors, friends of friends, and part of the fabric of our Texas community. We felt powerless. But as true Texans, we did what we do best—we came together to help. At CrossFit Odyssey, that belief in resilience and action runs deep. John and I built this gym not just to help people look strong, but to help them be strong—for themselves, their families, and their community. That’s why we’re turning our 12-Year Anniversary into a fundraiser to support Kerrville flood victims. 12-Year Anniversary Fundraiser for Kerrville 📅 Saturday, August 23rd 📍 CrossFit Odyssey – Dallas, TX 8:00 AM – Open Workout (public welcome!) 10:00 AM – Friendly Competition (register HERE) Donation: Give whatever you choose—all proceeds support flood relief efforts in Kerrville. You do not have to compete to donate! Also, come enjoy: 🔥Saunas – The Ritual [@theritualdallas] ❄️Cold Plunge – Evolve Human Optimization Labs [@evolvelabs_dallascentral] 🤸♀️Physical Therapy Assessments – Raise the Barbell [@raisethebarbellptperformance] 😏Massages – MassageFit [@massagefit_dfw] 👕Texas Strong T-Shirts – Navy Blooms [@navyblooms_dallas] …and more! Why We Do This At CrossFit Odyssey, we live by a simple truth: hard things make us stronger. A tough workout. A personal challenge. A disaster recovery effort. Each test of resilience gives us a deeper appreciation for the life we’ve been given. That’s why this fundraiser is designed exactly like our philosophy: something hard, followed by something fun. Because strength and gratitude go hand in hand. Join us. Sweat with us. Give with us. Even if you don’t want to work out, come cheer, donate, and be part of something bigger than yourself. Together, we can turn strength into service—and make the world a better place, one rep and one act of kindness at a time.
Start Your Journey to Extraordinary
Ready to get on the path to becoming a healthier and happier you? Book your free personal fitness assessment with a coach today to start your Journey to Extraordinary fitness success at the one of the most successful CrossFit gyms in Dallas!
