What’s up, fellow Obsessives?
And down the stretch we come!
It’s going to be a busy finish to 2025 for all of us, but try and take some time to sit back and appreciate all you did for yourself at OTF this year. No matter how crazy life gets, every hour under the lights is an accomplishment no one can mess with.
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If you’ve been reading this newsletter for awhile, you know I’m a numbers nerd.
I log the metrics from every workout into my own tracker that I designed. The numbers are a great source of motivation, sure, but they also inform me about where I’ve been and where I’m going.
Though I plan on attending at least five more classes this year, here’s what my “Orangetheory Unwrapped” looks like now and how I’ll use it for my 2026 goals.
The Basics
Classes Attended — 170
I set a goal of 180 classes in 2025 and while I’m going to come up just shy, I’m really happy with this result. It’s an all-time annual high for me and I likely would’ve gone way past it had I not taken up a friend’s invitation to run a half-marathon in September — a race that was a wonderful way to apply my OTF gains in another arena.
Miles run — 388.1
Meters rowed — 231,623
Both annual highs and when you throw in my road miles for the race, I was over 550 for the year. It’s a good feeling to know a mega 2025 run-row would roughly take me from Chicago to New York.
Splats — 237
Average HR - 118.3 BPM
Average Peak - 156.1 BPM
One of the true rewards of tracking your workout history is to see just how far your fitness has improved. I started at the end of 2018 and racked up more splat points in 12 classes (253) than I did in all of 2025. Also, my heart rates in those early classes were an average of 139 with an average peak of 168. Seeing those steadily come down over the years is more rewarding than any benchmark win.
Fun Insights
Most classes in a month — October (19)
Fewest classes in a month — September (9)
Attending all nine days of Hell Week made up for a month where I was in the final prep for the half-marathon.
Most attended day — Monday (37)
Least attended day — Sunday (5)
Orangetheory is fun. Making pancakes and waffles on a Sunday rest day is more fun.
Months I attended 15 or more classes — 5
Most frequently attended time — 4:55 am (135)
24-year-old me is still blown away I’m able to get up this early.
Workout Type Breakdown
2G - 93
3G - 69
Tornado - 5
Tread50 - 3
Benchmark PRs
One mile run - 6:13 on August 14
14-minute row - 3,489 meters on July 22
Inferno Original - 4,097 meters on June 26
.25 mile treadmill - 1:15 on June 10
500 meter row - 1:24.79 on May 29
1000 meter row - 3:14:30 on May 13
CMIYC - 2.71 on May 9
Everest - 2.15 on April 11
More than halfway through my 40s, I’m pretty proud of how far I’ve come. It’ll be interesting to see how many benchmarks pop up on the 2026 schedule.
2026 Goals
Hit 2025’s Class Total + At Least 1: While putting 200 up there seems like a fun goal, I feel like 180 is a nice neighborhood to be in. It’s more or less every other day and I’m never going to be the type of guy who goes 6-7 (shut up) times a week. Plus I’ve already committed to a half-marathon with my wife in April and that will take up a good chunk of workout days. Anything 180 classes or over will put me at 900 all-time classes with my run at 1,000 set for 2027.
Do At Least One Tread50 A Month: I really enjoy this format, but my work schedule makes it tough. Time to make it a priority and knock off a weekend Tread50 class when I can.
Hit 15 or More Classes in 10 or More Months: Definitely doable.
Track My Floor Gains: I’m clearly a cardio junkie and have traditionally treated the floor like an afterthought. I haven’t tracked my progress on the floor, even though I’ve made a lot of it. Focusing on taking steps throughout the year needs to become a focus.
Eat Better: My fitness has gotten worlds better in my 40s, even if my nutrition habits haven’t. If I want to keep making gains and keeping up this lifestyle, the fuel I seek out for my body needs to change.
Hit 2,500 subscribers on OTF Obsessed: OK, this is a newsletter one. But the more motivators, the merrier. Our community is currently at 825 obsessives. Let’s see how far we can take this!
What were your wins in 2025? How are they informing your goals in 2026? Let me know and I’ll include them in the last newsletter of the year next week!
📕 Get ready for 2026 with
the Ultimate OTF Tracker on Notion!
🎁 Happy Birthday, Ellen! 🎁
Orangetheory founder Ellen Latham celebrated her 69th birthday last week.
Earlier this year, she shared her top tips for being in incredible shape at her age with the NY Post and I think they’re valuable for anyone reading this newsletter.
Start early
Eat with intention
Train smart, not just hard
Be consistent, but know it’s never too late to start
Use every amenity available to you
Measure progress by strength, not size
Make it fun
You can read her full explanations in the original article.
📆 The Week Ahead
🎁 The Gift That Keeps On Giving (Christmas Eve - Wednesday): If it’s the same as in years past, it’ll be a lot of OTF’s equivalent of a fruitcake — inclines on the treads.
🎄 Studios Closed on Christmas (Thursday): The only day of the year no one can feel any guilt about not heading into their local OTF for a workout. Enjoy it!
🥇 Milestones and PRs!
• Michelle D. hit class #250 this week after joining in August 2024. “I am officially obsessed!” she wrote in to say. “Love that there’s a newsletter for all of us.”
Tell me about your latest milestone or PR! Just hit reply on this email.
One Last Thing …
Gotta be honest: This felt like a cry for help from the OTF template makers.
Note: OTF Obsessed is an independent fan-created newsletter and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with Orangetheory Fitness.
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