It came as no surprise when Sculpt Fitness of Farmington announced they would be building a team for another competition. Team Sculpt has spent the entire year training and contending in long races and grueling obstacle courses. On October 3rd, they finished the season off with the New England Warrior Dash, held in Madison, CT.
The Warrior Dash is only about 3.5 miles in length and can be completed in under an hour, but the run is only part of the event. More than a dozen obstacles test the body and mind, challenging competitors’ confidence to overcome fears.
At the core of the team are Sculpt’s owners and personal training staff, seasoned veterans at these types of events. For these experienced athletes, the goal was to motivate teammates and other challengers to complete all obstacles. “You just lend yourself to so many people, more strangers than anything else,” said Ben Dubourg, trainer at Sculpt. “A 5k obstacle course might not sound that tough, but a lot of them are first timers. Fear is the heaviest weight they carry.” Dubourg’s commitment to help others build confidence through physical transformation is what makes him a perfect match for many of the members at Sculpt Fitness.
Dave Nichols, Sculpt’s first employee when the doors opened in 2014, has a more competitive approach. “I’ve always been an athlete, sports coach, and for the last few years, a personal trainer.” Nichols currently coaches youth football and plays adult league basketball, in addition to his role at Sculpt. “My competitive attitude helps me motivate my clients to think the same way.” The difference, he says, is that under the Sculpt System, the trainers encourage members to compete against their old selves. Nichols continues, “I don’t want members to feel stronger or weaker than each other, that’s not our purpose. But let them challenge themselves to be better than they were yesterday, and you’ll be amazed what they can do.”
Others on the team were Jen Piccolo and Chelsea Mills, both personal trainers at Sculpt, in addition to several training members. “We were unfortunately missing a few of our teammates from past challenges, but I think this time was the most fun for our group,” said Jeff Wood, an owner of Sculpt Fitness. “We’ve pushed ourselves up mountains in Vermont at the Tough Mudder race, and we’ve supported great charities at 5k races and half marathons, but this was the first time we were able to focus on the fun and comradery of the event. We train entirely on a one-on-one basis, so it’s rare that we get to all collaborate together. Here, we actually get to know the abilities of members that may work out with one of the other trainers. I’m really proud of this group we’ve built. Sculpt was created to provide that kind of team.”
Team Sculpt, as it’s members fondly refer to it, will now take advantage of the coming winter to train for its’ next endeavor. These contenders will take on the Spartan Trifecta in 2016, a 3-part event that combines 5k and 8-mile obstacle courses, finishing with a 12-mile course, known as “the Beast.”

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