“We believe in the continued determination of the human body and mind to push forward and persevere over adversity.” This is the mindset behind 1DayNow! Racing Inc., a newly established Peoria-based outdoor fitness and events company. “Our mission is to provide new, different, fun, safe and affordable outdoor race challenges and events,” explains founder Eric Cox, a 1998 Richwoods High School graduate who brings to the role unquestionable expertise.
Since 2013, Cox has competed in a range of unique races, endurance tests and obstacle course challenges—including the renowned Spartan Race. “I have two Spartan trifectas, finished the 2014 and 2015 Spartan World Championships, competed in the 2015 Spartan Death Race, and have completed the Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon,” he notes. He is also a certified trainer with Gut Check Fitness, whose ultra-endurance event known as “The Suck” mixes trail running, military calisthenics, strongman training and more.
For Cox, such events are about more than physical strength and endurance; they are mental challenges that inspire participants to push past their comfort zones. “Walt Disney said, ‘If you dream it, you can do it,’” he notes, encapsulating the very ethos that inspired him to launch the company last year. “2020 taught us that life is short and unpredictable. You don’t have to be stuck at a job that doesn’t appreciate its employees just to pay the bills. You can take a chance.”
Alongside its lineup of unique workouts and events, 1DayNow! Racing Inc. offers outdoor fitness memberships. “There is no better gym than the one Mother Nature has already provided us,” Cox declares. Through its national affiliation with GoRuck, the company is also bringing rucking—walking with a weighted rucksack or backpack—to Peoria. “We are partnering with RC Outfitters and Shazam Racing to include the first-ever 20-pound Ruck Division in the Whiskeydaddle Races on October 9.” A partnered race with Peoria Academy will take place at Sommer Farm on September 11, while registration is open for the Wildfest Family Race Festival in November.
As 1DayNow! Racing expands its local presence, Cox seeks to provide challenges that fit anyone’s fitness goals and ensure all ages can participate. On a more personal level, another significant event lies on the horizon. “I will be competing for my second time in the Spartan Death Race in 2022, considered one the hardest endurance events in the world.” Whether he wins or not, there’s no doubt he will triumph. For more information, visit 1daynowracing.com. PM
