SGPT Interviews John Sites SEALFIT 20X Challenge Finisher

The hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the preparation paid off and I grew in ways that were truly transformational. The mental toughness and breathing techniques prepared me for when my body wanted to quit. I wish I could share the powerful lessons with everyone, but some of them are built through the adversity of the event and the growth that happens there. I encourage everyone I know to consider it. It was that powerful for me.

Those are the words from John Sites as he embarked on a journey to train for SEALFIT 20X Challenge and finish the drill. Check out this interview with John as he gives you all the details on how to succeed and transform your life in the process.

SGPT: Tell us about yourself? Where are you from and where do you train?

JS: I grew up in the Chicago area and have lived in the Mountains West for over 35 years. I train at my local gym or my basement, depending on the WOD that day. During COVID the gym was closed so we put together a setup that allowed me to follow the SEALFit routines. I’ve since added your SEALgrinderPT Challenges to my routine. I especially enjoyed the SGPT Ruck Challenge and do a ruck every week now.

SGPT: Did you have an athletic background growing up?

JS: I was a wrestler and a long distance runner. I played a little soccer, but wasn’t very good to be honest. I wrestled for 8 years and ran the mile and 2 mile in high school.

SGPT: How did you train for the SEALFIT 20X event?

JS: I met with Coach Mel and told her about my preparation in January of 2023. She told me how to change my preparation to be more sustainable and less prone to injury. I was training too hard, thinking I wasn’t training hard enough. I combined her coaching with the 8 Weeks to SEALFIT program with a target date of April 2023 in Temecula.

However; I strained my SI joint in late March and had to move my event to September. After 10 weeks of recovery I was able to resume my preparations and finished my second round of SEALFit training about a week before the event. I can’t emphasize the importance of working with the coaches. Without Coach Mel’s encouragement I wouldn’t have made it through the injury.

SGPT: Tell us about the event? Where was it and how was the course?

JS: The course was in Temecula, CA. It was amazing! Difficult to be sure. The hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the preparation paid off and I grew in ways that were truly transformational. The mental toughness and breathing techniques prepared me for when my body wanted to quit. I wish I could share the powerful lessons with everyone, but some of them are built through the adversity of the event and the growth that happens there. I encourage everyone I know to consider it. It was that powerful for me.

SGPT: What was the hardest part of the event?

JS: because of the injury in training, I was worried about the running, but the most difficult part was the sandbag PT in the sand. I wasn’t prepared for the bear crawl and sandbag combination. And the ice bath. I was not prepared for that, but it’s another thing that I’ve added to my preparations doing a cold plunge every day.

SGPT: What kind of boots /trail running shoes did you use for the event? For training?

JS: I used my 5-11 Tactical boots for all my training. I got the ones recommended by the cadre with the drainage holes.

SGPT: Did you use double socks/liners or body glide on your feet to prevent blisters? How did you prepare your feet?

JS: I used sock liners, but no body glide on my feet. I didn’t have any blisters at all. I think training in the boots for a few months toughened up my feet. It also got my boots ready.

SGPT: What kind of ruck did you use for training and the event?

JS: I used a heavy duty 5-11 Tactical ruck sack with shoulder pads in the straps.

SGPT: What is one thing you wish you would have done to get ready for the 20X event?

JS: I wish I would’ve joined the prep session a couple weeks before the event. You could see a big difference between those people working as a team and those of us who had trained solo. I’ll make that change in my next round of training. I also would have asked a few more questions about how to train. There are some things I wasn’t prepared for because I trained the wrong way on a couple exercises or didn’t do them at all – like the bear crawl.

SGPT: Any tips for up and coming athletes that want to do a 20X Challenge?

JS: I can’t recommend the SEAL based training enough. Whether it’s SEALFit or SGPT, the coaches and training programs are fundamentally different than anything I’ve ever done before. Together with the coaches in spite of 8 surgeries on the knees and ankles alone, I’m healthier and stronger at 60 than I ever was at 30.

Train with a swim buddy or team if you can. I wish I had. When I completed the medical history questionnaire, I thought for sure they would DQ me. To their credit, they worked with and prepared me. My surgeon still shakes his head in astonishment!

SGPT: What good book are you reading now? Are you listening to any good podcasts or audio books you can share?

JS: I’m reading Mark Divine’s newest book, “Uncommon” and “ The Alpha Female Wolf: The fierce legacy of Yellowstone’s 06” I’m a big fan of the Team Never Quit and Shaw Ryan podcasts.

SGPT: Many thanks for the interview John. We greatly appreciate you sharing your knowledge and congratulations on finishing the SEALFIT 20X Challenge.

JS: Thank you for the opportunity and more importantly for helping me through the event. You probably don’t remember me from that day, but I remember those times when you and the rest of the cadre motivated me to do more than I thought I was capable of.