Who are these Teams? And who is Goldfish?

Woah, check out the athletic feats which transpired yesterday on the WhatsApp group? Check it out here.

Back in 2023, while training for Mt Whitney,  we first started doing competitions and quickly realized that being part of a team was incredibly motivating—and occasionally hilarious. The first challenge was the infamous weight loss/sabotage competition!

The stakes were high: the loser had to haul a snack up Mount Whitney for the winner to enjoy at the 14,450 ft summit. Because nothing says “victory” like watching someone pounding chocolate brownies 3 miles high. 

We split into teams of two. The winning team had to rack up the most vertical feet, improve their one-minute pushup count, and—perhaps cruelest of all—not gain any weight. Gaining even a single pound meant instant disqualification. Brutal.

My partner in crime was Rob, one of my oldest friends, who lives in Key West—where the highest point is a whopping 18 feet above sea level. Desperate for elevation, Rob found a three-story staircase and became intimately familiar with it, climbing it over and over like a man training for a mountain... inside a shoebox.

I hoped Rob would carry us in the pushup department. Meanwhile, I trained on a 179-foot hill next to Torrey Pines High School—known to the football team as and aptly named “Puke Hill.”

Andre and Jeff teamed up when they could. Jeff took to climbing hotel staircases like a corporate Spider-Man. On the final day, they even conquered Black Mountain—three times.

We all met up (with Rob on video) to tally our pushups and vertical feet. Tension was high. Rob looked into the camera and asked, "Do you believe in miracles?" Because somehow, against all odds, Rob and I won.

Everyone was amazed that Rob managed to dominate a vertical-foot challenge from one of the flattest places on Earth. Then he added, “I never want to see that staircase again. Can you believe I actually  gained weight this month?”

Turns out Rob missed the whole don’t gain weight part. So… we were disqualified. Again, Jeff and Andre emerged victorious. And I found myself hauling large amounts of celebratory chocolate up Mount Whitney—because nothing fuels a summit quite like defeat and 10 Hershey bars. 

Many of you have also been inspired by teamwork. 

As of Tuesday May 20th

May, 2025 Compete for Causes Team Standings

Mom's  Gone Miles  (19 participants)           49,128  points

Sweat Circuit  (10 participants)                    30,540 points

Goldfish (9 participants)                                25,055 points

BFT Carmel Valley ( 10 participants)            24,486 points

Randolph Family Dentistry  (8 participants)  20,478 points

Burn Boot Camp Poway(10 participants)     19,410 points

Run2Dey  (5 participants)                             19,023 points

100 Club (4 participants)                               9,222 points

Team McCall (4 participants)                         7,141 points

Team Elevate (4 participants)                       4,214 points

Yearbook is Done (1 participant)                  2,788 points 

Yeti (1 participant)                                        2,702 points

Refine Soccer Training  (4 participants)      1,912 points

CCATF (1 participant)                                  1,493 points

• Fan favorite teams include Yearbook is Done represented by Solana Beach School District Volunteer of the Year Wei Chen!  

• Team McCall uses family spirit to  earn points. 

• Patrick Boogaerts represents Team Yeti, one of the best camping groups in the world. 

• Jackson, Compete for Causes’ brilliant 16 year old CTO who created the leaderboard and program we are using today represents  CCATF his high school's track and field team. 

• Run2Dey (star team of a previous email) is averaging 3,805 points and leads by points per qualifier.  

• Moms Gone Miles have been our champions in countless ways as they have the most super recruiters per team and their endless enthusiasm is contagious

• We greatly appreciate our sponsors Sweat Circuit, BFT Carmel Valley, Randolph Family Dentistry, Burn Boot Camp, Elevate, and Refine Soccer Training who have put together stellar teams!

• 100 Club has all 4 members over 2000 points!

• And who is Goldfish and their 9 participants?

Goldfish is an energetic and globally recognized band duo made up of Dominic Peters and David Poole (#25 on leaderboard). Known for their vibrant live performances, they’ve played to audiences all over the world and were honored with the "Best Pop" award at the MTV Africa Music Awards. On Spotify, their hit song "Games Continued" has garnered nearly 75 million plays.

The Goldfish Team competing in Compete for Causes includes nine members, made up of passionate fans—along with David himself (seen playing saxophone in the clip below) and his incredible wife Bridgette (ranked #19), who both live in San Diego. Check out their music and make sure to make it to a concert when they are in town. 

Keep moving, having fun and earning money for SMOCH of Father Joe's.

Here is the latest leaderboard.

Adam 

Proud Co-Founder Compete for Causes