Fitness enthusiasts rallied around the NCVO to raise $4,500 at the recently held ‘F45 for a Cause’ challenge, hosted by local gym F45 Cayman.
Ian Smith, owner of F45 Cayman, said he was pleased to see the response from the community for the charity event held earlier this month.
“It was so good to see people from other gyms, owners, coaches and members, all come together under one roof and compete against each other with the goal of raising money. Feedback was great, especially from people who enjoyed the competition aspect of it,” Smith told the Cayman Compass.
The event, he said, was based off a new fitness event that is taking off around the world called HYROX.
“The real event involves more, but we started with a 1km run, followed by 100 wall balls, walking lunges, 1km on the rower, burpee broad jumps and 1km on the SkiErg [machine]. Everyone loved it even though it was tough. Everyone pushed to complete in the quickest time possible, so there was a good competitive element to it,” Smith said.
He said the gym was approached by the NCVO, which serves low-income families and children in Cayman, last year to come up with a fitness event to raise money.
“We have done one annually for the Breast Cancer Foundation and will continue to do so, but I was excited to use our awesome community to bring attention and much needed funds to another great cause. It’s also the NCVO’s 50th anniversary this year, so they are on a big drive to raise awareness,” he said.
He said the event was so well received that he hopes to make it an annual occurrence.
Based on the success of the event and how much participants enjoyed it, Smith said, F45 has now become an official HYROX affiliate gym, the first and only in Cayman.
This, he said, will allow the local gym to run official HYROX events in its studio.
Smith added that while the focus at the event was on raising funds, it tied in with introducing the Cayman fitness community to HYROX and its style of hybrid training and racing.
He said the gym will soon offer weekly HYROX classes.