John Gardner Story

 

What is your daily focus, routine or ritual that you practice that starts your day off on the right foot? 
0400 wake up time for workout
 
How do you feel when you wear the NDCQ Gear?
I feel as though I must put up or shut up. If I am wearing gear that says I don’t quit, then that’s what I should be doing.
 
What is your biggest NDCQ moment? And/or how does Not Dead Can’t Quit motivate you?
 I have always been a person who challenges themselves, I have run Pikes Peak Marathon, and triathlon’s, but my biggest challenge was when I signed up for an obstacle Course race. I had never competed in an obstacle race so in typical John Gardner fashion I signed up in the elite class. The stations were, in most people’s eyes, insane. One of the most difficult station was the 100‘long incline and decline monkey bars which elevated around 15 ‘above a water pit. Some of the bars were made to spin to make gripping even more difficult, not to mention being soaking wet from earlier stations. Long story short, 3 hours later I finished. 
People ask me why I push myself to do thing most people try to avoid, and the simple answer is this: I want my two sons to know that they can accomplish things that others can’t just by having the right mindset. 
 
What is your next personal target? Do you feel that having an NDCQ mindset and using the Not Dead Can’t Quit mantra will help you in achieving that target? If no, how can we improve our message?
I am currently recovering from a spine injury in the C5 and C6 vertebrae my Doctors have recommended surgery, but with rest I am now pain and surgery free. I just completed a day fast and starting to work out again. I am first working on rebuilding with pushups and plan on being able to do,1000 in an hour by the end of January 2020. Then I will move to swimming, build up to a mile then move on to pull ups. I am doing one thing at a time to see if anything brings the pain back to my neck. After I am back in shape, I will choose a new challenge.
The Not Dead Can’t Quit Mantra is there to push me when I want to stop.