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Spartan Race provides new opportunities for Camden youth

Relentless Fitness of Philadelphia and Steve's Club of Camden, N.J., teamed up at the Spartan Race to leave their mark on the baseball diamond as well as the hearts of all those involved.

Steve's Club poses with the Phanatic before the Spartan Race. (Patrick Ly)
Steve's Club poses with the Phanatic before the Spartan Race. (Patrick Ly)Read morePatrick Ly

On Saturday the Reebok Spartan Race came to Philadelphia – more specifically Citizens Bank Park. A 3.2-mile obstacle course with 14 different stations was constructed throughout the Phillies venue. For the average person, it took about an hour to complete the course.

For the people of Relentless Fitness in Philadelphia and the teenagers of Steve's Club in Camden, N.J., just being average doesn't cut it.

"It was tough, man. I was trying to keep up with the guys from Steve's Club. They're so fast. My god they're lightning. They were hopping over the 8-foot wall without even hitting the top," Relentless trainer Ross MacKinnon said of the race, but enamored with the agility and strength of the 20 kids who made their way across the Delaware River to compete.

However, this vivacious and talented group of youngsters wouldn't have been there without the help of Relentless.

The folks at Relentless began training for this race three months prior. The fitness studio participated in the race last year, but only showed up with a small group of almost a dozen – a far from the 60 it showed up with this year, making them the largest team at the Spartan Race.

"We've never done a massive team push. We've had 15 person teams, 20 person teams, but we never went all out so this was really that next step. It's amazing what can really happen when you go all out," owner Roger Dickerman said.

Early into training, Relentless decided they wanted to work with a nonprofit in some capacity for the race. Trainer Marissa Pellegrino had the perfect one in mind. She had worked with Steve's Club in the past, teaching a gymnastics class and immediately became so inspired by what founder Steve Liberti was doing, she couldn't wait for the opportunity to work with them again.

Steve created the gym as a way to keep the at-risk youth of one of America's most dangerous cities off the streets. Kids in the area are encouraged to come work out for free after the final bells ring at local high schools. Initially, the offering was met with skepticism and apprehension, but those feelings were quickly replaced with excitement and gratefulness.

"He gives us opportunities that you wouldn't see in Camden. When I first heard about Steve's Club, it sounded too good to be true," 20-year-old Jeremy Lopez said, perplexed by promises of free clothes, sneakers and a gym that offers CrossFit based workouts – specialized workouts that are generally quite expensive – he was left wondering what was the catch. He decided to give it a try because he was finishing high school and wanted to remain competitive.

"As the months went by, I start thinking maybe there isn't a catch. Maybe he just wants dedication and appreciation, that's it. Doing that for kids that you don't even know – it's just amazing. I can't find any other words to describe it. The thing is he's not even from around here. He could be doing this where he grew up, but he chose to do it here. That's just a good person right there," Jeremy said.

You'll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't share Jeremy's sentiment of Steve. Anthony Vela, a 19-year-old from Camden who will be pursuing his degree in culinary arts starting this December at The Art Institute of Philadelphia credits Steve and the gym for turning his life around.

"Steve's a great guy. Growing up in Camden, it's not a good place. I always used to hangout with the wrong people and got involved in the wrong things. I woke up one morning and was like, I want to change who I am. I said, let me try working out, so I went to Steve's Club once and woke up real sore the next day. I didn't go back for three months. When I did go back I knew I had to stay committed. I had to get motivated. And I just keep going ever since that time," Anthony said. "Steve's a father figure to me. He always motivates us. The gym is basically a second home to me now."

Relentless decided to sponsor members of Steve's Club in the Spartan Race by taking donations. With registration prices as high as $100, the initial goal was to raise enough money to bring at least five kids to run with team Relentless on race day.

They surpassed their goal in less than a week, raising enough to sponsor 20 teens. Roger described their cause as taking on a life of its own once word spread.

"It's really cool for Relentless to do this for us. We wouldn't have had that opportunity if wasn't for them," Jeremy said.

As teams gathered around the concourse of the stadium, it was easy to spot the largest team in the race, hanging out in Section 117.

"There's something special about coming and seeing the biggest team at the whole place. That was cool," Roger said.

Their start time was set for 12:30 p.m., but all 60 weren't able to run together, being sent out in smaller waves. Throughout the race, runners tail off, losing steam as fatigue sets in. Some alter their strategy; opting to stay back and help others complete the course, while some are focused on grasping a new personal best they have in their crosshairs. Two teens from Steve's Club actually finished in the top 100 overall.

"They train really hard. They're really hard workers and that's what I try to beat down on them, just work hard. It's the main message," Steve said about his group.

The post-race reactions from both Steve's Club and Relentless coincide with that statement.

"I think our workouts are harder. The only thing is this is longer so if you don't have the endurance, it starts to take a toll on you," 20-year-old Raymond Negron said.

Relentless trainer Jess Sullivan agreed saying, "Honestly, I think the trainings were harder than the actual race. At the end we looked at each other like, that's it?"

As they finish the race, the teens gather in the bleachers to cheer on their friends and Steve, who is still competing. When he comes out of a tunnel by the Phillies dugout, running onto the infield like a relief pitcher from the bullpen, the kids all douse him with encouragement as he approaches the final two obstacles.

"We had a lot of fun," Steve said. "They were really excited to do this. Just to be out doing something different, they don't get to experience this kind of stuff. They all have awesome attitudes. They have good heads on their shoulders. They're really good kids. Relentless was really generous with the whole thing and easy to work with. It was an overall great experience. They all have smiles on their faces."

Relentless and Steve's Club plan to continue their partnership in the future. Although it might be tough to top the outcome of this past weekend, I don't think there is any doubt they are the perfect team to leave a positive impact on more people's lives.