Sweating for Sandy Relief

Sweat here on Saturday for Sandy recovery.

Last week Hurricane Sandy ripped across the East Coast, destroying towns, flooding tunnels and streets, knocking out power lines, and turning the city that never sleeps into one quiet place. And that's only part of the story.

In Sandy's wake, we've heard about relief efforts from fundraising runs to where to volunteer, from the NBC telethon to companies donating proceeds to the cause. But for the most part, you couldn't really participate if you weren't in New York or doing some shopping. Not anymore. Chicago's four Equinox locations--Gold Coast, Highland Park, Lincoln Park and the Loop--are stepping up the plate this Saturday to host a "Share Your Strength" charity event. Co-hosted by the American Red Cross, the event will raise money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

The deal: You donate at least $100 (or ask your friends to donate a dollar for every minute you plan to sweat) to gain entry with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross.

The return: You can sweat your way through a series of inspiring fitness classes on Saturday. All four Chicago locations have at least two classes they're offering. Take your pick of yoga, cycling or MetCon3; they're guaranteed to get the heart pumping.

Go for Gold at Equinox's Summer Games

Don't burn out yet! Credit: chelmsfordblue

It’s hard to believe that the Olympic torch is going to be extinguished in less than 48 hours. Sure, I’ve watched my fair share of live feeds and primetime coverage, and I’ve read plenty of stories and Twitter updates about the 2012 London Olympics. But these 17 days of sports always manage to fly by faster than expected.

How is it possible that last night I was watching 1992 footage of the original Dream Team and by tomorrow afternoon the 2012 U.S. men’s basketball team likely will have clinched their gold medal performance? How is it possible that Abdi, Meb and Ryan will be running 26.2 miles tomorrow morning—and that Desi, Kara and Shalane are already thinking about their next races and not the Olympics? How is it possible that some Olympians are already back from the Games and back to the daily grind?

I know it’s bound to happen, but I’m not quite ready to put an end to the 2012 Olympics just yet. I’m not ready to wait four years for the Summer Games—I’m not even ready to wait almost two for the Sochi Winter Olympics. But enough of my whining…it turns out that Equinox is going to let me live out my Olympic dream a little longer. It might not be one of the medals that was locked in the Tower of London, but the Equinox Chicago Summer Games could be the closest I get to wearing gold around my neck (and even that I’m not so sure of).

Equinox’s Summer Games kicks off on Tuesday, August 14, with a special edition of the fitness club’s MetCon3 workout. MetCon3 is already a tough workout in itself—granted I have yet to try it due to my ever-growing to-do list that is getting lost in Ironman training at the moment, but that’s what I’ve heard and read. Short for metabolic conditioning, this workout targets the body’s three energy systems, phosphagen, glycolic and oxidative. Don’t ask me what exactly that means, but the big take away is that you max out your calories burned in the shortest amount of time to fire up your metabolism and keep burning fat hours after class is over.

Equinox Plays to Pigskin

Have you ever wondered what it's like to train with a NFL athlete? Now's your chance. During the month of April, Equinox Fitness Clubs have teamed up with the National Football League's PLAY 60 campaign to give select Equinox club members the opportunity to train with current and former NFL stars. But we're not talking about any training, like the football drills I tried on Leap Day at Soldier Field. It's the football stars who are leading some of Equinox's signature workouts. So instead of your favorite instructor leading Whipped, Tabata, and the newest addition MetCon3, Tim Jennings, Chris Spencer, Tom Zbikowski and Derrick Mason will be pushing your limits when class is in session--if you're attending classes in Chicago. That could spell trouble, knowing how hard they've worked on the football field. But it's the kind of kick-butt training I crave--and then regret later when I'm too sore and tired to move.