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CrossFit, Community, IMPACT | John Marshall
113 Plays2 months ago
John Marshall is the mastermind behind CrossFit Richardson with his wife Julia where they have built up not just a gym, but an incredible community within it. We talk about what it looks like to run a business and care for people physically and spiritually.
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Transcript
Intro
Introduction to John Marshall and CFR
00:00:57
Todd Pinkston
Welcome. Hey, I'm here with John Marshall, the mastermind behind cfr Started out as a CrossFit gym in Richardson, Texas. Him and his wife, Julia, reside there.
00:01:08
Todd Pinkston
He hails from the not-so-great Richardson Eagles, but has found the light, and now his kids are enrolled in the one and only great institution of the J.J. Pierce Mustangs.
00:01:19
Todd Pinkston
John's the best community builder I've ever been around in my life. He's a dear friend and John excited to have you on the show.
Unstuck and Alive: The Show Introduction
00:01:25
Todd Pinkston
Welcome to Unstuck and Alive and brought to you by the Rock Row Hunt Club where all the finest ducks and ducks are shot in Row, Arkansas.
00:01:31
John
Come on
00:01:35
John
Thanks for having me, Todd.
00:01:36
Todd Pinkston
John, let's start with let's start with the the creation of the gym.
Founding CFR: The Journey from Little Rock to Richardson
00:01:40
Todd Pinkston
Tell me the story of you and Julia starting CFR back in 2008. two thousand and eight is that right?
00:01:47
John
Yep, so it started sort of a little bit before that, so So getting married and then getting, joy and I moved from Mobile where she was in grad school to Little Rock where I took my first coaching job.
00:02:01
John
And so out of college, first coaching job, and it was not a CrossFit gym, but working more with... with athletes. And so a lot more speed and strength training. And then within those walls, it kind of took on a life of its own.
00:02:15
John
And so me and my boss and one of his buddies would work out during lunch and he had, he'd asked one day, like, Hey, have you ever heard CrossFit? I said, no. So we just started digging through some CrossFit workouts and,
00:02:26
John
We started doing those on our lunch break. And before you knew it, we had enough people asking questions that we affiliated in Little Rock. And so it was kind of the front end and back end of my work day. i would coach class in the morning, do my normal coaching schedule during the day, and then one at the end of the day.
00:02:41
John
And really it got to the point where that was my favorite part of what I was doing. and talked to Julia about it and said, hey, I think I'd like to do this. And she's like, here in Little Rock? And i was like, nope, I'm not familiar with opening a business and I'm not familiar with Little Rock. I said, let's at least check one of those boxes off. And so we moved back to Richardson where I did grow up and we started June 1st of 2008. So
CrossFit: Misconceptions and Ministry
00:03:02
John
we're coming up on 17 years of doing this.
00:03:05
John
And we've been flying by the seat of our pants ever since.
00:03:06
Todd Pinkston
Wow.
00:03:10
Todd Pinkston
That's awesome, man. It must've been fall of 2008. Somebody walked into the young life office and told me about, uh, this new gym, uh, that was started just across the street called CrossFit.
00:03:24
Todd Pinkston
And then I should check it out. And, I thought it was probably some sort of cheesy Christian workout, you know, where you come in and carry a cross above your head or something. But I walked in and there you were in the red box.
00:03:38
Todd Pinkston
And man, it was beginning of of of an incredible friendship, the beginning of so much that that we'll talk about. But John, you are, know, a lot of people talk about doing business as ministry.
00:03:51
Todd Pinkston
You are the guy that is at the top of my list when I think about somebody that actually does it. and What is it like for you to run a business, but seeing it through the lens of doing ministry?
00:04:02
John
That's a good question. And I'm not entirely sure it started out that way, quite honestly. i think it evolved into that. And I think once we kind kind of, kind of emphasis on kind of got our feet underneath us, our legs underneath us and figured out what we were doing.
00:04:18
John
And then realizing how this could impact people in ways beyond health and fitness. I mean, my background was high school, you know, competitive athlete through college. And so I think in my mind, when we started this thing, like I thought we would get your 20 somethings coming in there ready to work out. And like, it would be an environment. They felt similar to a college weight room and realized pretty quick. That wasn't the case, which as it turns out is great. I wouldn't change a thing about it.
Community at CFR: Stories and Support
00:04:53
John
I do remember one thing not to get off track, but i remember this was my mom's prayer forever. Was it my dad would start working out. And I remember my dad came into the gym first time in top siders.
00:05:00
Todd Pinkston
Mm-hmm.
00:05:03
John
Right. And so dealing with just really like for as long as I can remember, like a back that bothered him and he was not motivated necessarily to work out.
00:05:13
John
And so I remember, you know, He didn't really have any choice. His son opened the gym. So guess what? Well, I guess I'm working out. And so he i remember the first time I had kind of a light bulb moment was when he told me, you know, eight weeks in, 12 weeks in somewhere along those lines. He's like, hey, you know what I did for the first time today that I haven't done in years?
00:05:32
John
He's like, I've been over and tied my shoes. And that's something that sounds so like mundane and not necessarily that big of a deal but when you haven't done it for a long time you kind of got to angle your body on the couch or side of the bed a different way to get your shoes tied it's like all of a sudden like that was a light bulb moment for me that this is bigger than competitive crossfit or this is bigger than getting your elite athletes in here so for me my mindset early was hey we're gonna have really good athletes in here i think we can make a push for
00:05:52
Todd Pinkston
Thank
00:06:00
John
You know, I don't even think the games were a thing yet, but like, I think we've got some guys that we could, that would be fun for me to just kind of continue the path that I was in the environment that I was in and still be able to train your elite athletes.
00:06:11
John
But the reality was Richardson wasn't full of your 20-somethings, right? It was a little bit older group. A lot of my parents' friends, that's the initial kind of membership base that we had. And so I think early on, my mindset was not necessarily like, hey, we're going to build a really strong community out of this. That's not what we had Little Rock.
00:06:32
John
We very much just trained athletes. And it was get in, get your work done, and get out. And then just kind of the the way it went, the flow of everything. And honestly, and I'm not, I would say this if I was talking to anybody else, but I think you walking in that day was a pivotal moment for us. And it was one of those things like, hey, I work across the street. I literally remember you walking in and I came out from the back room. And I think, and people have asked me,
00:06:57
John
over the years, like, hey, how did you make this thing work? And I said, you know what? I said, you're asking the wrong guy. I said, we got really fortunate in the people that came in there. And it started with Young Life staff.
00:07:08
John
And it started with like, hey, listen, I just want help. I mean, you guys are going to kind of be on my team in this. Not that we're passing out tracks and we're not doing anything to like, you know, day one, hey, do you know Jesus? But it was like,
00:07:21
John
I need you to kind of come alongside me and help me. Because when we opened up this thing, it was a staff of one. And he was coaching and he was cleaning and he was doing the programming and it was all of it.
Fostering Relationships and Routine
00:07:32
John
And so to have some guys that kind of shared a like-mindedness with Julie and I made a huge difference. in And I think it really from early on kind of set the tone for what we've been doing now for almost 17 years.
00:07:48
Todd Pinkston
How have you seen the culture develop? How have you seen ministry opportunities show up as you're as you're coaching people day in and day out?
00:07:57
John
I mean, we laugh a lot up there about how often we see each other, which, you know, at the top of the list, I think it's the best part of what we do is just the amount of contact points that we have with one another. And a lot of these classes, a lot of these groups have kind of settled into a routine where, i mean, you're not obligated to come to a certain class time, but most people settle in with a group that they know and guys that they like like to hang out with with, girls that they like to hang out with, whatever those dynamics might be.
00:08:23
John
And so they've kind of settled in.
00:08:28
John
And I think when those relationships form over something as as simple as exercise, I think it's been amazing. You go through, and it's not unlike a way forward trip. You go do something outside of your comfort zone with a group of people, there are naturally going to be some bonds that form through that.
00:08:46
John
I mean, you get to watch where people are willing to push, sacrifice where they break down, and you get to know a person on a much deeper level than just going to have a meal with them. And so you just get to see them in a different light. And I think that that stuff has has has helped us a ton with just creating a culture and a really tight community among the people that are there. It's just doing hard stuff together.
00:09:10
Todd Pinkston
Yeah. Yeah, I think that's rich. and And John, you do it so naturally, but you create an environment where people have proximity to each other on a routine basis.
00:09:21
Todd Pinkston
and And you can't you can hide for a one hour workout, you know, once a week or once a month. But you can't hide when you're showing up at the same time at the same place with the same people multiple days a week.
00:09:33
Todd Pinkston
and And those relationships just form, you know, when somebody's in a good mood, you know, when somebody's having a hard day, and they talk about things outside of just the workout, and they're doing hard things. And there's something about when we physically go to a place that we're, it breaks us down. And then we we emotionally, spiritually can do that as well.
00:09:51
Todd Pinkston
What do you think is the the key to building community? I mean, you are you are naturally the best community builder I've ever been around. You're consistent. I won't share what I think your secrets are, but what what do you think makes you good at that?
00:10:07
John
I think maybe even to a fault, like a lot of times I do feel like I'm an empathetic person, sympathetic, empathetic, but I do feel like I have a decent gauge on, and you said it a second ago, like when you do see people on a regular basis, you do get to see the ups and downs of just kind of what they bring each day. And you've got some people that come in and they're up here every single day. And when they're not, you can tell. And it's, and there's enough people that are around them,
00:10:33
John
to where it's like, hey, what's going on? And so being able to dig into that stuff and understanding like, hey, there are people, and I think as we've gotten older for sure, it becomes more evident that you know we're not all 25 anymore and no kids at home. And
Balancing Family and Business
00:10:48
John
then all sudden kids enter the picture and jobs become hard and marriages become sticky and all of these different things.
00:10:54
John
You see that stuff and you see how it starts to weigh on people. And so I think if anything, I've got just... an awareness that those things are happening and,
00:11:06
John
and a willingness to kind of, and I'm sure it's much to the dismay of a lot of people that come in there that would love to start on time. But oftentimes, like from my perspective,
00:11:16
John
I find myself in a place where I can step back and I see a conversation happening over here like, hey, 830 class is supposed to start and it's 835. And there's a conversation over here that's happening that I think needs to happen.
00:11:26
John
And so whether it's, you know, fill in the blank, lost a job, lost a child, want to be. It's just all of these different life factors and everything that affects you on a mental, spiritual wellness on a day day basis.
00:11:40
John
i think I think my willingness to let that take priority over our workout. And always tell people like, hey, we can start on time. was like, listen, I'm going to get you out of here on time. But up until then, like you're mine.
00:11:52
John
And so I just think it's paying attention to that stuff. And and I married somebody who is... far better than me at being able to really dive into and engage on a different way than I am. And so we've got a good natural, like, Hey, you know, if there's a girl that to me seems to be, you know, needing something, she's an easy one to turn loose to be like, Hey, why don't you reach out to so-and-so? Like something seems a little bit off and she, and she, she, Todd,
00:12:22
John
I mean, all this time getting our microphones working and now I can't get other things to stop. Sorry. But I did. i I married. I married somebody who's really, really gifted in that department. And she goes all in and invest in people.
00:12:35
John
And it's what I try to do. So I think that's the key is just more more than anything. It's just paying attention.
00:12:42
Todd Pinkston
good. John, I'll brag on you a little bit. the The number of times somebody's walked in and has a better idea on how you could run the gym differently. and Is it maybe one or two people?
00:12:53
John
i think there's a, there's our suggestion boxes full.
00:12:59
Todd Pinkston
and So, I mean, just like that, you know starting on time or whatever, i mean you have a ton of high caliber folks that come in the gym, business folks, just bright consultants that could sit there and make a list of ways that you could run the gym differently.
00:13:13
Todd Pinkston
But the reality is for the last 17 years, you've run it a way that's built an incredible community. And sure, people have gotten more fit and there's always health challenges. And you guys pair that really well, making sure that one doesn't dominate over the other one.
CFR's Operational Challenges and Successes
00:13:28
Todd Pinkston
But mean, you've created a place that and did people feel welcome, that people feel at home, that people feel like they want to be there. and And each class kind of has its own personality and and people enjoy going to work out, not just for what it does for their body.
00:13:43
Todd Pinkston
So in 2008, when you guys decided to to go in on the gym, you know, at the time, Julie is apa a PA making good money and you guys decided to go all in on this idea.
00:13:56
Todd Pinkston
What was it like to kind of put it all on the line? And how have you and Julia grown kind of in the process of of working through this together?
00:14:04
John
Well, nerve wracking is the first word that comes to mind. And so early on, she she had a great job. And it was one of those things for us just as far as planning goes, which we can laugh about later.
00:14:18
John
But for us, before we started a family, we're like, hey, let's get the gym open. We do want to have kids, but let's get everything kind of established and rolling. And then we'll start to consider, you know, what that might look like moving forward.
00:14:31
John
And so it wasn't I mean, we hadn't been open, I don't know, two months and find out we're pregnant. So it's like, oh, boy. So here comes. And she's always had the desire to be home. And I grew up at home with a stay at home mom and, you know, honestly didn't know any other way. And so we were on the same page as far as like, hey, we're willing to do whatever it takes to keep you home with the kids or that time kid.
00:14:55
John
so if you remember those early days where we had far fewer classes, she would, Annie was born in April of 2009. And so, uh, she would drop Annie off on her way to work.
00:15:07
John
I'd keep her during the day, last half of that last class. And then I generally bring her up to the gym at the end of the day. at the end of Julia's work day and she'd pick her up on the way home. So, uh, it was a lot.
00:15:20
John
and, and, and it piled up quick. And I think, she was feeling guilty for lack of a better word at being at work. Uh, but at the time we needed a paycheck. We had not taken a paycheck home from the gym yet. At that point, we were trying to get everything settled, pay everything back that we borrowed.
00:15:36
John
then, I mean, it was about, i bet Annie was about a year old when we said, hey, let's do it. This is going to happen. And she quit her job. She put in her two weeks notice or whatever she gave them.
00:15:48
John
And we just did it. And really bringing her on staff. And she does very little for the gym that anybody would ever see. But she does so much for the gym to keep those doors open and to do all the stuff that really is, it's not my gifting. She says it's not hers either, but she's great at it. And so she's been a huge piece of making that thing run. And I don't think it's running like it is today if she hadn't stepped away from what she was doing then.
00:16:15
John
So nerve wracking for sure.
00:16:15
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:16:17
John
But I think it's been so rewarding to be able to do that full time.
00:16:21
Todd Pinkston
That's awesome.
00:16:22
John
Yeah.
00:16:24
Todd Pinkston
Over the last 17 years, you've, you know, started a business, you've had three kids, you've seen the business grow, you've been at four different locations. Is that right? No, three different locations with a couple temps in between.
00:16:36
John
Oh my gosh, yeah.
00:16:39
Todd Pinkston
How have you...
00:16:39
John
So yeah, go ahead.
00:16:41
Todd Pinkston
Go ahead.
00:16:42
John
Well, I was gonna go, I mean, you've been at, you were part of all of them. So Red Box, Blue Box, we got the boot from there. So we ended up at the high school and then we ended up at the Dollar General while they finished our build out. So four-ish, maybe kind of five, but yeah.
00:17:01
Todd Pinkston
where Where have you personally felt stuck during your journey? Like just felt like you've hit walls and and how did you work through those?
00:17:11
John
Hmm. That's a good question. I think with anything, there's, there's the potential for burnout. And I think it's easy to look at what other people do and be like, man, that'd be awesome. But reality, I know that they're also probably at some point experiencing that same thing.
00:17:26
John
And so, you know, there's times where it feels like it's 17 years. Sometimes it feels like, are you kidding me? This we've been doing this for 17 years. feels like we've been doing it for five and other days. It's like, it feels like I've been doing this for 45 years.
00:17:39
John
Uh, and it, and it is, a mean there's there's a lot of monotony to it. And so I think that oftentimes that can wear on you, but there's so many things that I, if I just step back and pay attention to what has come out of that place, I couldn't imagine doing anything different.
00:17:56
John
I mean, so I would say fighting through those moments of feeling burnout, which doesn't last long, but it's a real thing that at points you have to kind of battle against because I think the bigger picture is for the relationships that have formed there and the community that's been built there, i would sacrifice every bit of my emotional and physical energy to maintain that. And so, you know, Joey and I really do feel like that's our calling and this city is our calling. We love this community.
00:18:25
John
It really is unique. And what's come from there, not to say that they couldn't pick it up elsewhere, But in a sense, I do feel a responsibility and a weight to maintain it and just to keep it going.
00:18:38
John
And so I think that's a hard one. I think personality wise, Julian are so different. Also in the sense that, you know, she is a people person. And oddly enough, like I need some moments to kind of pull back and just be alone.
00:18:50
John
And there's not a lot of room for that in this business.
00:18:53
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:18:53
John
And it's a lot of people and it's a lot of interactions. And you said it it's a lot of opinions. Yeah. And so that stuff can can take a toll, but it's but it's great. I get to kind of balance that off Julia and she helps a ton with that. And so I think we're a good partnership in that sense. But I'd say those are the two things.
00:19:13
Todd Pinkston
And is a knowing you personally, know your family means the world to you. And A lot of people talk about their families. a lot of people talk about, you know, prioritizing their family.
00:19:28
Todd Pinkston
You as an entrepreneur with a, you know, a business that is demanding on you, huge community of relationships, people that want to spend time with you, your family loves you.
00:19:40
Todd Pinkston
Like they love being around you. Your kids enjoy time with you. You spend time with them. How do you, how do you find the balance that's right for that? How do you find, you know, energy left in the tank after a long day to pour into your kids?
00:19:54
John
I think you you realize, I know for me, realizing how much, and I see it more now than I did then, but how much that impacted me was that my parents were at things. They showed up. And and that's been a part of my life story on every trip trail I've been on, every way forward trip I've been on is I think one of the best things that my parents ever did was they were there. And I could tell stories about that and showing up for different things and and not realizing necessarily in the moment how impactful that was. but I think that
00:20:27
John
with that having such an impact on me, I hope that that has the same impact on them. And so it's just worth it. And I've heard people say, you'll find times for things that mean something to you. And I put that at the top of the list. And so making it to practices, coaching games, whatever I can be at, I hate to miss.
Bible Study and Spiritual Growth
00:20:44
John
And I know, and i and I feel it as much now as I ever have that this window is short. It's little. And these kids are older. We opened up the gym with no kids and we're 17 years in and I've got a daughter driving now. And so already that feels like, and there's just that, just a little bit of loss there in the sense that she's now got her freedom. She's not dependent on us necessarily to take her places. And so how quickly that changed. I just think it's, it's super valuable.
00:21:11
John
And it may be something they hopefully maybe recognize down the road. And maybe they do now. I don't know, but it's just, it's that important to me. And so I'll find the time. And yeah, I think that covers that.
00:21:24
John
and
00:21:25
Todd Pinkston
you know, it's worth it. That's a, that's a great line of just, you find time for the things that are worth it to you, uh, that matter.
00:21:34
Todd Pinkston
you, uh, in in A couple years into the gym, you know the the girls had started a Bible study, and you were feeling the pressure of like, if they have a Bible study, then I think we should have to have a Bible study as well.
00:21:50
Todd Pinkston
So a Bible study started of a group of guys. How have you how have you seen that evolve over the years?
00:21:56
John
I remember asking somebody if they'd be willing to do a Bible study. I said, hey, what do you think about a Bible study? You're like, great. I said, would you lead it? And he said something along the lines of, I'm not coming if I don't lead it.
00:22:07
John
I'm just kidding, Todd. and But you were willing to.
00:22:11
Todd Pinkston
John, i think I think the actual story is I said, I don't want to be a part of a Bible study if I'm not leading it. And you said, great.
00:22:18
John
That's it.
00:22:19
Todd Pinkston
i don't want to be a part of the Bible study if I am leading it.
00:22:20
John
Perfect.
00:22:21
Todd Pinkston
And we shook hands and said, well, we've got a partnership.
00:22:21
John
Perfect. yeah You got a deal. Yeah. And so you were willing to take that on and went all in. And, you know, we had Bible study this morning. So it's continued.
00:22:32
John
We had Bible study this morning. You know, we've we've laughed at times over the years. Like, i remember Bible study number one or within those first couple months of your house.
00:22:43
John
And literally, you don't know who's going to show up. Like, it it was one of those things that at the time felt risky, like, hey, I want to be real careful not to put people in an uncomfortable spot, right?
00:22:51
John
Like, but I also thought we had a really good group, a good core group and said, hey, I think we should be doing something together.
00:22:52
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:22:58
John
You took on that task, but we've laughed about, you know, those some of those first few Bible studies, you direct us to a passage and half those guys were in their table of contents. And like, dude, I love that. Like it was one of my favorite things.
00:23:10
John
And now you look up in this, a similar, different, but similar Bible study group. And we've all got readers on. I'm like, guys, look how far we've come. I'm like, Very few guys at the table of contents, but none of us can see anymore. So, but it's just evolved. We've had, I don't know, when did we start that a year in?
00:23:27
John
I really don't remember the year on that, but I bet we've been, it's been going without any real breaks for about 15 years at least.
WayForward: Building Empathy on the Trail
00:23:35
John
So it's awesome.
00:23:37
Todd Pinkston
That's awesome. i you know Even going back to you you don't brag on yourself and the things you do, you do so naturally. Most people wouldn't take the risk. Two years into a new business, everything on the line to say, hey, we're going to start a Bible study out of this where I'm going invite guys that I am living off of their gym membership.
00:24:00
Todd Pinkston
And if they feel pressured, if they feel uncomfortable, asc offended, you know they might go to the gym down the road. But you stepped in and and I remember the first time, yeah, when people showed up, I might have been leading the Bible study, but you were inviting all the guys to come.
00:24:14
Todd Pinkston
mean, it was your relationships. I was at the gym one hour a day. You were at the gym, you know, 12 hours a day. And so it was all those guys sitting around and it was it was incredible. mean, that that first one.
00:24:26
Todd Pinkston
remember looking around thinking, holy cow, you know, Terry Pham shows up at 4 a.m. to start making coffee. And, you know, I didn't know half the guy's names. They're jumping through the table of contents. We didn't know where they were spiritually.
00:24:38
Todd Pinkston
But, man, the Lord blessed that. And it just it grew into, again, more than just a Bible study. it was a group of guys sharing life together. have And in 2013, we went on a backpacking trip.
00:24:51
Todd Pinkston
that was pre-Way Forward. we We now dub it Way Forward Zero. But what what happened out there? i mean, on the on the trip that we all laugh about, it seemed like more went wrong than went right, but the Lord worked in powerful ways. What happened on that first backpacking trip?
00:25:11
John
Well, back up. I remember asking you, like, you've been leading some wilderness, young life wilderness. Is that what they call it?
00:25:17
Todd Pinkston
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:18
John
Trips. And I said, Hey, what about leading a bunch of old guys out there? And you said, without hesitation, like, let's go. And so not knowing if we'd get a trip together or not, we did. And we had a big trip.
00:25:29
John
I don't remember the number of it, but we had a bunch of guys out there that jumped on the opportunity.
00:25:29
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:25:34
John
And so, I mean, you had a bunch of city slickers that were willing to go. We didn't know. I mean, we had, we, I can speak for myself. My pack was every bit of 80 pounds. and I had enough food in there to last for a year. if you left me out there, I thought I was going out there just to starve and die.
00:25:53
John
And turns out we're just offloading this stuff. But yeah, you had a bunch of guys that had no clue what they were in for. And you had a bunch of guys that knew each other on a, on a fairly surface level.
00:26:04
Todd Pinkston
Thank you.
00:26:05
John
not to say we didn't see each other with some regularity, but we never taken real steps to dive in and get to know somebody. And all of a sudden, and I think that you said this and you can correct me if I'm wrong, that life stories had always been a part of what you did on wilderness trips and you debated it on this.
00:26:24
John
You debated not doing it at all. And I don't want to, I mean, I can't say for certain, But I think that decision to do them was the most pivotal thing for our gym and and maybe for way forward even now. It's the stuff that I remember. And people talk about peaks that we've been on. I'm like, I had no idea.
00:26:42
John
I can't picture...
00:26:43
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:26:44
John
you know, any of it all kind of blends together. It looks the same. I don't remember being at this certain spot, but I could tell you something about every single person's life story.
00:26:53
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:26:53
John
And in those moments, you get to know somebody really quickly in ways that I think would take years of friendship development that quite frankly, I don't think anybody's going to give the time to.
00:27:06
John
And that's not to say we're disinterested, but I just don't know that there would be time for all of it. And so, Fast forward however many years and however many CFR trips and spinoff trips that have been on trail.
00:27:16
John
Like, I don't think we've done anything ever or could have imagined doing anything that would have created or developed a deeper understanding of and love for one another than really truly truly getting to know each other in ways that we did on those trips.
00:27:30
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:27:32
John
And so that started with trip number one or zero, depending on way forward zero. I mean, it really did.
00:27:40
Todd Pinkston
Yeah. I remember at the end of the trip, you you you said, I don't like backpacking.
00:27:47
John
That's dildo.
00:27:49
Todd Pinkston
that that statement still holds true but I love what happens out here how have i mean go a little bit deeper in that how have you seen the relationships amongst those guys change to the gym and then you personally like how have you you've been on six trips or so maybe seven don't know how have you grown and developed personally through the time you spent the mountains come on and where is me show me way forward bird band number one
00:27:51
John
That's true. Yeah.
00:28:07
John
Yeah.
00:28:17
John
I've got two that don't fit on here. Here's number one right here.
00:28:20
John
and don't even know if you can see the number. It's all been chipped up. You know, I know we don't talk about people's life stories outside of the trail. And so I won't mention Jason Kate's name, but I remember his life story.
00:28:29
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:28:34
Todd Pinkston
We can bleep that out.
00:28:35
John
And Yeah, bleep it out. Leave it in. I think it's just, it encapsulates all of it for me. And I think it's a very, real I think as men specifically, like it's very easy to just keep under wraps everything.
00:28:48
John
Like you talk about the 10%, I think it's probably more like 50%.
00:28:49
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:28:52
John
And people are just willing to talk about the 50% of their life and their upbringing or anything else that they're comfortable with. And I remember Jason, it was his turn and he started and it was just,
00:29:04
John
I remember he said, I'm Jason Cates. And then it was just a chin quiver.
00:29:09
John
you know And it was like, you just get stuck in that moment. And he said, I've never done this before. And I think that the value in that, it being 40 some odd years old, for the first time diving in and unpacking like your life and how I got here and being vulnerable in those moments, I think is the most important thing that we could do because I think it's so unnatural and really hard to do.
00:29:09
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:29:31
John
And so I've never left that trip. without a deeper love and understanding for every single person that's been on it. It's like, man, not not that that explains so much, but it does. Like, it really helps me understand you. And it understand helps me understand kind of where you came from and why these things might be hard for you or why, you know, so I don't think there's, I think it's the most important thing that we've done out there. And as far as the gym goes and really creating a dynamic there where these guys truly love one another.
00:30:04
John
Uh, and I think for me, it's the same. It's like, you can be aware of a lot of your upbringing. And, you know, for me, my life story is like, it was a picture perfect childhood. Like I grew up with two loving parents and, uh, two sisters. And, you know, you kind of wonder like, golly, like, I don't really have any real dramatic stories that got me to hear like my testimony.
00:30:27
John
looking back and knowing more now is such a blessing that I was raised in a Christian home and that I, you know, my father was a pastor and that I, at some point in vacation Bible school along the way, I came to accept Christ as my savior.
00:30:40
John
And so, you know, I was weighing like, how do I make this more dramatic before I told it for the first time?
00:30:41
Todd Pinkston
Thank you.
00:30:46
John
You know, it's like, I don't, this is just kind of boring, but it's like, what a gift that it's boring and what a gift that I haven't
00:30:51
Todd Pinkston
you know
00:30:53
John
had to walk through some of what a lot of people have. And so, but I still think it's great to just look back and kind of unpack a lot of that stuff and, and realize where you came from. Mistakes that were made that you don't want to pass along your children, the things you need to get right, things you need to confess, people you need, you need to have all of those components in order, I think to really maximize your day-to-day life as a believer living in a big city with all the challenges that you're faced with here.
00:31:20
John
So.
00:31:22
Todd Pinkston
Have you seen those, the guys that go on trail, how do they interact with each other different when they're when they're back
00:31:29
John
I think in a lot in a similar way, I think there's just a but better understanding of who they are and where they came from. you know, we've got some really, really close knit groups that, uh,
00:31:43
John
I think do a pretty good job overall of getting outside of that little bubble. I mean, there's a real, and there's a longing for me too. When a class is starting, like i would naturally want to gravitate towards that group because I love this group, but I think they do a good job. And I try to kind of get outside of that circle and try to pull guys in.
00:32:01
John
And if that means we can get them to Bible study, if that means we can get them to, you know, a happy hour one night after the gym, or if we can get them potentially on the way forward trip or whatever, I just know the value that,
00:32:12
John
And what they would gain from doing something like that. So it it really doesn't explain until you see it. And it's one of the thrills of my life that I get a perspective of, you know, in through social media or anything else that look at this, like these guys are on a ski trip together, like those guys didn't know each other before this.
00:32:32
John
Now, I wasn't invited on a ski trip and I don't care.
00:32:32
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:32:35
John
was like, I love that that stuff is going on and those relationships were formed through that through a gym of all things. And so there there really is a closeness with them, but they still do a great job of kind of inviting others in. I had a couple of guys tell me not too long ago that like I just thanked them for the effort that they give there in terms of welcoming new people. That's always been one of those things.
00:32:58
John
where i have a unique perspective. Like I'll go say hello. Like, I'm glad you're here, but it makes such a difference when somebody other than the person in charge goes up and just welcomes them and asks them questions.
00:33:09
John
And we have those people who who who do a great job of that without me saying anything to them. And so for them to, yes, be drawn to their crew, their people that they know and expect are going to be there every day at a certain time.
00:33:22
John
But to get outside of that and welcome new people in is huge. And it means the world to me. yeah
00:33:28
Todd Pinkston
You, i don't want to blow past you, you, you held up the bird bands, you know, at the end of every way for a trip, and everybody gets a little band has a number on it. And it's a, it's a, it's an Ebenezer of their experience. When they look back at the band, they can remember what happened on trail.
00:33:44
Todd Pinkston
you hold bird band number one. And, and, you know, the bird bands were not incorporated into way forward until like year three or four. And so we had to go back and and retroactively give people their bands. And so we chose kind of who, who would get bird band number one. And it was obvious that,
00:34:01
Todd Pinkston
WayForward started long before WayForward Zero in 2013, long before the organization incorporated in 2014.
Holistic Health and CFR's Mission
00:34:08
Todd Pinkston
It started with with you, with you and Julia making a decision to to start a gym.
00:34:14
Todd Pinkston
Although you you you say you didn't start at this ministry, I'm fully convinced you're lying. But you guys see the people that walk through the door as more than just clients, as more than just a folks that you can love on.
00:34:29
Todd Pinkston
And that's where WayForward started. And so, man, thanks for thanks for doing that. Thanks for thanks for being John Marshall. The 55 trips that are signed up to go on trail in 2025 would not have that opportunity if you didn't have the vision for creating a community like that in Richardson, Texas that overflowed in. And so Marsha, I see you, you are, you are a steady man of you show up and you do the same thing every day.
00:34:57
Todd Pinkston
You like to joke about how your your life is like Groundhog Day, that you just wake up and it's the same thing as it was yesterday. But also that steadiness and consistency has created an amazing community. It's created an amazing family.
00:35:11
Todd Pinkston
mean, your family is just when when people are around you, they love, they love being around you and your crew. What are some of your habits? What are some of your your your secrets in the in the sauce that over time produce the results that you've been seeing?
00:35:26
John
Gosh, that's a good question. and as you're asking it, like nothing's coming to mind, Todd, like, I feel like I know where this is going. Uh, I don't have any idea.
00:35:36
John
i really don't. I don't ever try to get too high or get too low. And I think, you know, just, I think there is an evenness about me, that I think helps with stuff like this, uh, and maybe just a perspective that's different.
00:35:52
John
what's in the secret sauce? Like, I don't know. Oftentimes I feel like it's like, and question my own self, like, am I doing this right? Like, what can I be doing different? How can I do this better?
00:36:02
John
i mean, really, we're just trying to make this work with centered but around a bunch of workouts, which, you know, my, my hope is, is for healthy people. which includes so much more than strength training.
00:36:13
John
And I want that for my kids. I want that for my family. And I think healthy relationships, a community that loves you. and And if we can mix in a little bit of, you know, healthy food choices and and some exercise on occasion, I think we're moving in the right direction. But I think it's as much the other that will create you know healthy individuals as much as anything. And so I don't know what a secret sauce is for me other than I think I can see the big picture and the importance of it and just willing to do it because really I do feel fortunate that I get to do this. I mean, like I got dressed up for this just by putting on a solid color t-shirt, but like I get to, i mean, i don't have nice clothes, Todd. I'd get to go to work in gym clothes and
00:36:58
John
you know, see my best friends every day. And so that to me is such a gift. But I think just focusing on the health and well-being of people in so many ways other than fitness is kind of the the big picture that I can see and the value in it.
00:37:16
Todd Pinkston
All right, let's switch gears. Let's talk a little bit about fitness. You're always up to something, whether it's an eating plan or yeah new workout system. what are you What are you up to right now?
00:37:26
John
I mean, we did a we started in January with a a transformation challenge. And so we did some pre pictures and we'll do post pictures. You know, we've done everything over the years. We've done the whole 30 and we've done the, you know, this, that, the other challenge. But I think for people to really grasp,
00:37:45
John
what type of effort it is to make physical changes or even, you know, change their mental approach to eating. I think it takes longer than 30 days. And so we did a, this is essentially five months. We did beginning of January of the new year.
00:38:01
John
I love the new year's resolution and I love a fresh start. And so we use January and we're going through Memorial day. We took pictures on the front end and we'll do pictures on the back end and and kind of see. And so it's been fun to watch some guys really,
00:38:15
John
get after that. And I think when you do it for an extended amount of time, I think if you do anything for an extended amount of time, you'll see far more benefit than you will from like, all right, I can eat clean for 30 days. But oftentimes with those 30 days, it's like the light at the end of the tunnel is really bright.
00:38:30
John
And it's like day 31, it's like, man, I cannot wait to eat fill in the blank. It's like, no, like you've seen great success with this. Like, why would you, like, you feel great. You're looking better. Like, why would you go back to that?
00:38:43
John
And so I think so right now we're just doing a little bit more of an extended challenge. And actually, you're going to get some burnout. Some people that fall off. It's like, I can't do this. Like, yes, you can. Like, get back on. Get back on track. You still got a month.
00:38:56
John
And so that's what we're doing now.
00:38:58
Todd Pinkston
what What are you doing?
00:38:58
John
So.
00:39:01
John
just hanging on for dear life, just trying to make good food choices, Todd, and get up and do something. Jump into class when I can, work out with a couple guys on Tuesdays, which, you know, it's it's as much getting together and and visiting as it is working out. And it's medicine for my soul. And that's Bill and Jason.
00:39:22
John
I mean, having just an hour, hour and a half with those guys, is you know something that refuels me for the next week. And so that's what I'm doing.
00:39:29
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:39:32
Todd Pinkston
What do you dream about for the next 10 years? I
Future Visions for CFR
00:39:34
Todd Pinkston
told you after lunch a month ago or so, man, you just seemed alive. Like you seemed like the fire was there, like you were dreaming about something. And yeah, what what do you what are you dreaming about? Like, what are you hopeful for CFR looks like 10 years from now?
00:39:50
John
And I think that, I think that, and we're currently, and not to not to give too much, but we're in the middle of some real transitions that, you know, some of the gym is aware of and some is not. And, you know, we've had some some hangups on getting a lease renewed and trying to figure out, like we've tried we're trying, at one point we were going to kind of change our business model a little bit and be forced into a little bit smaller space. And now we're kind of kicking the tires on what would it look like to really go for it and open up the facility, uh, that we have dreamed about forever.
00:40:25
John
which some changes would come with that too. And, and, and, Somebody said, I told them, I said, and it's nerve wracking. And they said, if it's not nerve wracking, you shouldn't do it. And I think that's probably sound advice.
00:40:34
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:40:36
John
And it is nerve wracking and it's exciting because we could, we could find ourselves really comfortable right now. We've got a good thing going. Like if it's not broke, like why, why fix it?
00:40:46
John
And so, but there are some things where we think, you know, with Richardson in mind and our neighborhood in mind, like I would love truly nothing more Yes, it would be exciting for me to have the facility I've always wanted, but it would be far more exciting for me to give to our members what I think they deserve. And I think, you know, the the idea of our gym or a box, as you know, it like...
00:41:12
John
I think people don't, the expectations for facilities are not there, but it's still something the back of my mind. Like I've always wanted to provide a place that people are proud of their plate, a place where they're, you know, excited about bringing family members when they're in town or bringing their friend like, Hey, you really should come over there.
00:41:30
John
And I want that first introduction to that place to be, you know, wow, like this is awesome. This is an environment I want to work out in. These are people I want to work out with.
00:41:41
John
This is something I can see myself doing for a while. So, you know, we've got some things. Julia's been doing a lot of cheer coaching. And I think she's been hesitant about her ability to do it well, which she's crazy for having those doubts. But we all have those doubts. And so she started doing it really when Annie decided to try out for cheer.
00:42:01
John
and it kind of opened up the doors to coach a lot of other girls and she's had a huge impact on these girls. And if you go to any seventh grade event, at North junior high and these girls see Julia, they flock to her.
00:42:15
John
Like she will have, and for us, it's fun.
00:42:16
Todd Pinkston
Mm-hmm.
00:42:18
John
And I've got the seventh grade football players. A lot of them come into the gym now. And so for us, it's kind of been a shot in the arm. As far as kind of the next generation, like, Hey, we've got a ton of kids, you know, junior high and potentially high school kids that I think we can have a humongous impact on. And I think you got a bunch of 40 somethings,
00:42:36
John
50 year old guys that are would be also invigorated by a wave of youth. I'm like, guys, you know, we're going to have a different opportunity here in the next few years to really impact the youth around here. And I think it really can change this city and this community.
00:42:52
John
And so that's the stuff that excites me now is I think. you know, having a space that accommodates and allows for more people, not just for the sake of our bottom line, but I think for the sake of really impacting souls and people and families, I think is what gets us excited. So
Overcoming Doubts and Finding Success
00:43:11
John
that's kind of where we're at now. And I wish I knew more to tell you, Todd, I wish we could have just a,
00:43:16
John
breaking news alert going across the bottom of the screen that we're moving into a new facility next week, but I don't.
00:43:18
Todd Pinkston
what
00:43:21
John
And so we're just going to kind of sit back and see how God works. And, you know, I think he's got our best interest in mind. Right now it doesn't, I wish that he would just get on the same page as me, but it's taken me a minute to kind of get on his page and I'm trusting him with it.
00:43:27
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:43:35
John
And I'm excited about whatever it might be that's next. He knows our desires.
00:43:38
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:43:40
John
So
00:43:41
Todd Pinkston
Come on. It's exciting. you've mentioned, i mean, throughout this time, you've mentioned some of your own doubts. You've mentioned some of Julia's doubts. Like, know, we call it going below the line.
00:43:51
Todd Pinkston
Like if you were to go below the line, the things that really make you tick that the self-talk, the lies, like what are the things you battle as a, as a guy? What are the lies you battle that, that, that, that drive you sometimes? And then how do you fight those?
00:44:08
John
Hmm. I think professionally speaking, you always, i think you always battled it. Am I doing this right? and even some simple things like programming, programming workouts, like, you know, there's 200 plus people over there that are putting a lot of faith and a lot of trust that I know what I'm doing and that,
00:44:15
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:44:26
John
you know, the order we do things, the loading that we do on things, the progressions that we do on things aren't dangerous. And so there's things where like, I mean, I take every injury to heart. I really do.
00:44:36
John
I'm like, did I do something wrong? Like, was this something where I didn't, I didn't see that being an option.
00:44:40
Todd Pinkston
Thank you.
00:44:43
John
I didn't see that coming as a result of what we've done in the days prior. So I think professionally speaking, I think you always kind of doubt yourself. Like, Uh, am I, am I good at this? Like, should I turn this part over to a professional?
00:44:55
John
But, uh, I think that's the first thing is, am I doing this? Am I doing this right? Am I doing this the safest way? Am I keeping it fun? Am keeping it engaging? Uh, and I think that's the thing that weighs on me the most.
00:45:07
John
Uh, and then I think there's naturally some, It's not hurt feelings, but you hate when anybody leaves for whatever reason that might be. And so I think it's really easy to kind of look at yourself like, man, what could I have done different to keep that person here?
00:45:23
John
We missed the opportunity to invest in them or invite them in. and so I think those are the things that weigh on me the most, because at the end of the day, I do feel the pressure of a lot of people kind of looking at me as like, hey, what do I do? Like, oh, gosh, like that's a lot.
00:45:38
John
And so right off the top, that's what I think of. I think it's just self-doubt, like that, that am a professional. I have studied this for a long time and I spent a lot of time doing those things. Like, and I think it's just having the trust and belief in yourself that you're doing it the right way.
00:45:55
John
And I've had people, you know, as far as business stuff goes, like, you want to ask me business questions, like, I'm going to turn you somewhere else.
00:45:56
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:46:02
John
Like, hey, you should go talk to Julia. Like, I don't know. Like, my business right now is people. My business is programming. My business is keeping that place clean. My business is making that place that is a welcome place for anybody who walks in. And so, yeah.
00:46:18
John
you know, there's areas where I think we could improve in those areas that, you know I think you're like, man, I'm just never going to be good at that part of what I do. and And so I think those are the things that creep in.
00:46:28
Todd Pinkston
Yeah. Why do you think that is? You're 20 years into professionally coaching people. Hundreds of folks have decided, i can't do this on my own.
00:46:40
Todd Pinkston
I'm going to I'm going to hire a pro. And little do they know that as the pros writing workouts on the board or programming, they're doubting themselves. Like why why do you feel like that is in your life?
00:46:53
John
I have no idea.
00:46:55
John
i think we all have a little bit of that in us. Like, am I parenting right?
00:46:58
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:46:58
John
Am I doing this right? Like, I'm not qualified. We joked leaving the hospital, like, we should have passed some kind of test before we drove out of here. Like, are we qualified to do this? And I think with parenting, with coaching, with running a business, with keeping up with a house, like, I'm so unqualified to do these things.
00:47:16
John
in And I think that, I think there's just this seed of doubt that, that if we let it fester, like it'll, it'll grow into something. And I think there's constant reminders that like, Hey, what you're doing is working.
00:47:25
Todd Pinkston
yeah
00:47:30
John
and I think professionally, like as far as a measuring stick goes, like, You know, there's 15, 20, 30 people that I know are going to show up five days a week at the gym.
00:47:41
John
And I get to use them as a barometer. Like, hey, how are we doing? Are they getting fitter? Are they getting stronger? Have they been relatively injury free? Like, are they are their bodies functioning properly? And those get to mean by those get to be my barometer for.
00:47:58
John
professionally, how are we doing? Like, okay, I can see that what we're doing works. And so those are the types of things that are helpful. And anytime you get, it's amazing how far any type of compliment ever goes with like, man, your programming is awesome. Or like, hey, I love being here.
00:48:12
John
Like those things, i mean, it can be one a month, but it's enough it's enough mentally to be like,
00:48:12
Todd Pinkston
Mm-hmm.
00:48:19
John
Okay, deep breath. Like, I think we're doing okay. And so I don't know why they creep in. But I think that they just kind of live dormant at times. And then certain things can make them kind of flare, flare up. and then you're like, you're really in your head. and it's like, all right, step back.
00:48:34
John
But I don't know. I wish I had a better answer for you. But
00:48:39
Todd Pinkston
Now, I think you said a lot that, and throughout and throughout this time, there's There's no like formula for fixing things. We were designed to be in community.
00:48:53
Todd Pinkston
And i think one of the biggest things is just feeling like you're not alone. mean, if you have those doubts and you feel like nobody else in the world doubts themselves, you feel alone, you feel stuck.
00:49:04
Todd Pinkston
and And that's what I mean, you go back to the garden. It's like, what did Adam and Eve do when they ate the apple they hid? And we've been hiding ever since. we We feel alone and the enemy wants us to feel stuck in that.
00:49:18
Todd Pinkston
But what you do is you create an environment where what else is somebody gonna talk about during five rounds of bench press? They start talking about their life. They start talking about areas. And then when you do that over time, eventually you start talking about places you feel stuck, where you feel lonely, where you feel like you're believing lies. And then other people are like, man, me too.
00:49:38
Todd Pinkston
And dude, there's power in a me too. mean, I think that's what you talk about when you talk about life stories. You hear other people's struggles. You're like, holy cow. I thought I was the only one. thought I was the only one that struggled with that. I thought I was the only one whose marriage wasn't perfect.
00:49:52
Todd Pinkston
And man, you create environments where where those things can come around. And that's there's healing in that. then I think you said it right there at the end. We were literally talking about in our community group last night as we went around and said like words of affirmation of each other.
00:50:07
Todd Pinkston
And there is power in our words. I mean, to think that you walk up to somebody who's coaching you and say, hey, that was a great workout. Hey, your programming over the last month has really been helpful. Or even your dad saying, man, I am i am not having pain when I get out of bed in the morning.
00:50:22
Todd Pinkston
Man, those words, they matter. they They make us feel like, oh, what I'm doing matters. What I'm doing is right. And it gives us that motivation to keep going. But we are so stuck on on caring about ourselves that we don't look across at the other person and say, hey, what you're doing is really great.
00:50:39
Todd Pinkston
Hey, I see the Lord in you. Because we're so concerned about how somebody sees us. And so I think, I mean, those two things, you can't formulize them. But man, they're they're a part of what you do. And I think you see the results in those and they're powerful.
00:50:53
John
So true. And a really good reminder, like, because I can find myself in that spot, like, where it's, it's kind of me centered. And like, I do see a lot of things like I should tell them, like, you should just follow through with that.
00:51:04
John
Like, hey, send them a text. That's a great reminder. And true.
00:51:08
Todd Pinkston
I love the C.S. Lewis quote. He says, friendship is born when you look across the circle and say, huh, me too. It's like, it's so true. You hear somebody say something and you're like, man.
00:51:20
Todd Pinkston
I can relate to that and
00:51:22
John
That's
Reflections on Family and Personal Growth
00:51:22
Todd Pinkston
you find common ground.
00:51:24
Todd Pinkston
All right, Marsh, we're going to finish with some some speed questions. You don't get to think a long time.
00:51:27
John
good.
00:51:29
Todd Pinkston
I just want the off-the-cuff hamster. Keep it clean. This needs to be child child-friendly.
00:51:32
John
Oh, boy.
00:51:36
Todd Pinkston
But I want to know, what's your superpower?
00:51:39
John
Oh, gosh. My superpower is compassion.
00:51:43
Todd Pinkston
What's your favorite memory with Julia? Julia?
00:51:46
John
Oh, gosh. The 2009 National Championship game that we went to in Pasadena, California. i think that was our most fun outing.
00:51:54
Todd Pinkston
That was when UT won?
00:51:54
John
and No, but they would have if Colt hadn't gotten hurt for sure.
00:52:01
Todd Pinkston
Whole podcast on that.
00:52:02
John
Old podcast.
00:52:02
Todd Pinkston
One word that people would describe you as?
00:52:06
John
Loyal.
00:52:07
Todd Pinkston
What's your favorite meal?
00:52:10
John
Steak. Steak and potato.
00:52:13
Todd Pinkston
any Any place or at home?
00:52:15
John
I think I just as soon eat it at home.
00:52:17
Todd Pinkston
Yeah?
00:52:18
John
Yeah.
00:52:18
Todd Pinkston
Who's your hero? Yeah.
00:52:20
John
Who's my hero? Gosh.
00:52:25
John
I mean, you remember on our our last trip, this is not a one word answer, Todd, but I was, as I'm going through this, I'm like, Hey, listen, I can talk about, can talk about all of my family except for one. And I don't know how I'll do it.
00:52:36
John
And here I am again, Todd.
00:52:36
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:52:41
John
Man, right now, Max is the one that comes to mind, my middle child.
00:52:44
Todd Pinkston
Yeah.
00:52:48
Todd Pinkston
Why?
00:52:48
John
didn't see Didn't see this coming, Todd.
00:52:53
John
I think just getting a front row seat to watch him struggle with stuff and overcome those things. Just with some anxiety and being at an age where, man, being 13 is hard.
00:53:05
John
And just seeing him do it anyway. putting on his pads, doing the stuff. i admire him.
00:53:13
Todd Pinkston
It's awesome.
00:53:14
John
Son of a gun. Edit this part out.
00:53:16
Todd Pinkston
You're great dad, Marsh. If you could meet one person who...
00:53:23
Todd Pinkston
Edit tears. If you could meet one person, who would you meet?
00:53:26
John
Nick Saban.
00:53:29
Todd Pinkston
If you could hold one world record in something, what would it be?
00:53:33
John
Jeez.
00:53:37
John
Oh, my gosh. Nothing even comes to mind, Todd. MLB record holder for the most home runs hit. Career home run hitter.
00:53:46
Todd Pinkston
Clean or on steroids?
00:53:48
John
Oh, clean.
00:53:50
Todd Pinkston
If you could be any, but you could create a workout in which you could beat anybody in what would it be?
00:54:01
John
I love Murph. I think it's a great workout. I love training those movements. So, but the running on each end does me in. So make me a better runner. Give me a, give me a shot of that one.
00:54:12
Todd Pinkston
love it. What would the time be?
00:54:12
John
I think it's my favorite.
00:54:13
Todd Pinkston
What would the world record time be?
00:54:15
John
And sub 30 minutes.
00:54:18
John
I don't even know what the world record would be, but that'd be, it that'd be pretty sick.
00:54:23
Todd Pinkston
Oh, weighted or non?
00:54:27
John
No, I hate the weight. Unweighted.
00:54:31
Todd Pinkston
John,
Closing Remarks and Gratitude
00:54:33
Todd Pinkston
love you, man. I love time together, whether it's hanging out in Rowe, Arkansas on a hunting trip or seeing you at the gym or going on a backpacking trip or just time to connect over the phone, man.
00:54:34
John
I love you too.
00:54:45
Todd Pinkston
You are your special friend. You're one of the most consistent man's at man's. You're of the most consistent men I've ever been around. You always have something to brighten my day.
00:54:58
Todd Pinkston
We didn't even talk about, you know, showing pictures on your phone that make people laugh. But it's one of my favorite qualities about you, Marsh. we We're but in, man, I think.
00:55:09
Todd Pinkston
The way that you have impacted a community is just remarkable. and and more people talk about you or the impact you've had than you will ever know.
00:55:16
John
Well,
00:55:19
Todd Pinkston
There is no WayForward Adventures without you. And I'm just grateful for you. Thanks for the time today. I hope this is a blessing just to the people that get to hear from you and and how a CrossFit gym has created a community that's impacting folks and families and nonprofits that started out of it in Bible studies. And yeah, so.
00:55:39
Todd Pinkston
Thanks for who you are.
00:55:39
John
well
00:55:40
Todd Pinkston
love you, man. And thanks for the time today.
00:55:41
John
Thanks for having me, Todd. Likewise, I'm not sure CrossFit's as strong today as it would have been if WayForward had never happened. And so they they they tie in closely, and I love that. And so you're a few states away, but, man, I think there's a real impact that you guys have had on this community, too. And we miss having you live here but are confident that you're doing what you need to do.
00:56:02
John
This has been fun. and We should do it again next week. All right, Todd.
00:56:05
Todd Pinkston
Yes, sir.