Day Nine of the Just Do Ten Burpee Challenge
August 26, 2025 – Training Journal
What up, world? This is Dubbs Wanders. This is Project D-Dubbs, where we are chiseling and sculpting the body, one burpee at a time. Today marks day nine of the Just Do Ten Burpee Challenge. We are caught up, synced up, and ready to push forward. When I knock out my burpees on day ten, everything will be lined up—videos, platform, journal—established and running.
Getting It Together
I started this morning reminding myself: get yourself together, keep yourself together, get your stuff together, keep your stuff together, get it together, keep it together. That mantra sets the tone for me—it’s both accountability and encouragement rolled into one. This journey isn’t just about physical reps. It’s about aligning the body, mind, and spirit, and staying grounded even when fatigue or distraction wants to creep in.
Issuing Today’s Challenge
Every day I call someone into the circle. Today, we’re keeping it coastal—thinking east, moving west. I’ve got to give a shoutout to M-Dubbs (Michael Washington) and C-Dubbs (Cedric Wells). Those brothers are a part of the energy that pushes me forward.
But for this ninth day, the main challenge goes to two incredible women: Sophia Danvers and Tracy Pepoon. These two were right there with me on the last two Florida State track and cross-country reunion committees. Superior athletes. Superior humans. Both distance runners, with more endurance than I ever cared to claim. Sophia was an 800-meter runner—disciplined, tough, always showing up. Tracy was a distance specialist who brought the same relentless spirit. I didn’t ask them permission before calling them into this challenge. I’m rolling reckless, but with respect, because I know their character. They can handle ten burpees without blinking.
Memories of the Track
Thinking about Sophia took me back to our 800-meter time trials on Fridays. Those were brutal. But they also revealed the kind of powerhouses we had on the team. We had a pack of women who could go toe-to-toe with the best in the nation. They were like 800-meter stallions, fast and unshakable. Once upon a time, around the Bobby Bowden statue, it felt like every runner in my orbit was an All-American. Those days remind me how iron sharpens iron. That spirit is still alive inside me now, every time I drop down and grind through a set of ten burpees.
The Legacy Gear Connection
This journey is also about continuity. Legacy Gear, the brand I’m building today, is not a new spark—it’s the continuation of a fire lit long ago. Back in 2001, I was sketching logos and pushing out designs. But even before Legacy Gear had a name, I was already working with that same passion. My guy Big E—roommate, brother, and collaborator—helped me pull together some of the first designs. We called it 5AM Designs, and it was raw, youthful, and ahead of its time. We got the shirts made, wore them proud, and showed that even in 1994, we were thinking bigger than the moment. It wasn’t polished, but it was the seed. Every burpee I hit now connects back to that origin story. Legacy isn’t something you talk about—it’s something you build, brick by brick, rep by rep.
Community Roll Call
Part of this challenge is documenting the community: who’s in, who’s opted out, who’s overdue. I’m putting together graphics so the movement has faces and accountability. When people see their name on the card, it matters. It’s proof that they’re part of the energy. Burpees connect us, not just through sweat, but through story.
Speaking of stories—here’s a funny one. Back on day one or two, I realized I was literally burping during burpees. I laughed then, and I still laugh now. By set three every single day, I’ve got a burp or two coming up. Burpees don’t play. They humble you in every way—cardio, strength, breath, even digestion. That’s part of the fun. The exercise might sound simple—drop down, kick back, push up, jump—but it finds ways to test you where you least expect it.
Shoutouts and Memories
I can’t talk about Florida State without giving more flowers. The 400/800-meter squad was stacked: Marjorie and Miriam (the twins), E-Rae – Erica Shepard, Yashiva Edwards, Maria Embom, Sophia Danvers, and others whose names deserve to be remembered. That 4×400 relay group was fierce. Watching them train was like watching art in motion—smooth, powerful, relentless. They inspired me then, and they still inspire me today.
Three Sets of Ten
By the time I wrapped this session, I had finished three sets of ten reps each. That’s thirty burpees total. And as always, it’s not just about numbers. It’s about what those numbers mean. Thirty burpees might not sound like a lot, but consistency is the real test. Nine straight days of showing up. Nine days of pushing through fatigue, memory, and distraction. Nine days of saying, “I will not quit.”
Closing Thoughts
My guy Michael—M-Dubbs—reminded me there are different ways to count burpees, different techniques and traditions depending on where you’ve trained. That’s the beauty of it: fitness is never one-size-fits-all. It’s a global language with infinite dialects. I’m open to learning more, and I know this journey will take me deeper into the craft.
For now, I’m grateful. Grateful for the people I’ve challenged. Grateful for the community stepping in and stepping up. Grateful for the burps, the sweat, the laughs, and the memories. Grateful for day nine. Tomorrow is day ten, and with it comes another chance to prove that the philosophy is simple: Just do ten.
Namaste.
