XRC in the Ventura County Star Competitors go to the ¬Xtreme in Moorpark November 22, 2014 - 7:01pm More than 100 people came out Saturday to the third annual Xtreme Raider Challenge at Moorpark College, where they not only tested their physical fitness but also helped a college alumnus recently diagnosed with leukemia. College students and staff members, as well as family members and friends, participated in the event that included an eight-station obstacle course on the school’s athletic field that participants of all levels tried to complete as quickly as they could. Men and women competed separately, but both faced two heats on the same course, with top scorers winning prizes and medals. The event is hosted each fall by the Fitness Learning Experience Club at the college, with interns in the program designing the course themselves. The event also included a fitness fair. This year’s event raised funds for U.S. Marine Corps veteran Chris Leatart, who attended Moorpark College in the 1990s. His father, Dennis Leatart, who died of lymphoma in 1997, was an astronomy instructor at the college. Chris Leatart, 39, was diagnosed with leukemia in May and needs a bone marrow transplant. Volunteers with City of Hope and Be the Match, which is operated by the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, were on hand to give visitors information about registering to become a donor. “Moorpark College has always been part of my heart, and I’ve always had a very loving connection with this place,” Leatart said. “I want to thank the volunteers for all the hours they put into this event. I just can’t thank them enough.” Jeff Kreil, an exercise and science teacher in the college’s kinesiology department, said the obstacle course was challenging but doable. He said a person could complete it if they were fit, but the most challenging part was finishing it in the shortest time. Kreil said participants ranged in age from 18 to 60. Winners will be posted on the Moorpark College-Fitness Specialist Facebook page. Participants hauled tires, crawled like a bear, ducked under or jumped over hurdles, did medicine ball sit-ups, carried a 45-pound plate across a field and climbed over a tall wall. Moorpark College students Kiara Garibay, 20, and Christina Amezcua, 24, were encouraged by fellow student and trainer Luz Morones, 21, to participate in the challenge. Garibay and Amezcua said they participated in the event to challenge themselves while helping a good cause. Joanie Pappas, 54, a student in Kreil’s kinesiology class, said preparing for and participating in the event helped her reinvigorate her fitness routine. “The course looks way easier than what it is,” said Pappas, who completed it twice. Kinesiology student Bobby Ferrer, 22, also said he underestimated the difficulty of the course, even though he works out regularly and hopes to be a fitness trainer one day. Ferrer said he appreciated the activity that promoted physical fitness. “Physical fitness makes you feel great,” Ferrer said. “It’s really important to get some activity and this is a great event to get people motivated.”
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 23:41:28 +0000
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