LUBBOCK AVALANCHE - JOURNAL April 10, 2002

The following was taken from the Lubbock Avalanche - Journal, interview.

''POWELL READY FOR CHALLENGE"

Rob Powell refuses to buy the notion that people are too busy to stay fit.

He did not miss a day of his work schedule during his training, and reporting to work at 8:00 am, the following Monday morning, after breaking the Guinness World Record, for fitness.

On October 27-28, 2002, Coach Rob Powell, a Teacher/Coach, and former South Plains College Decathlete, and Texas Tech Graduate, broke the record formerly held by Joe Decker, by adding much more distance and disciplines to the events, and by doing it nearly 2 Hours faster.

Starting, Saturday, at noon, he Swam 2 Miles, Ran 12 Miles, Hiked 12 Miles, did 1,250 Push-ups, 1,250 Leg Lifts, 1,250 Jumping Jacks, 110 Miles of Cycling, 20 Mile Row, 20 Mile Elliptical, 3,250 Abdominal Crunches, and 300,000 Pounds of Weights Lifted, upper body only.

He did it all in 22:11:40, and has plans to lower his own World Record in October, to under 20 Hours.

This isn't surprising at all, according to Powell's old Track Coach, at South Plains College, Clint Ramsey.

Ramsey remembered him as a well-built guy, with an incredible gung ho attitude.

'He couldn't get enough practice, he could go all day, and into the next apparently.' ''