Meet John

John Irwin is one of MVP’s longest-standing members. He and his family joined when  MVP Sportsplex first opened 20 years ago. He and his family were drawn to the wide range of amenities, particularly the pool, which was perfect for his middle-school daughters at the time. John took full advantage of his All-Star membership as well and frequently visited multiple locations. “Before retirement, while I was working downtown, I used the Metro location daily,” said John. Today, retirement has shifted his routine, and he now visits Sportsplex four to five times a week. He loves to swim, bike, and lift on the fitness floor, and his wife enjoys the yoga classes. 

Throughout his time at MVP, John has been a dedicated triathlete. John has competed in triathlons for over 40 years, in which he has relied on MVP to support his training. However, this past December, after years of competing, John faced the reality of needing significant lumbar fusion surgery. 

Determined to recover quickly, John took an athlete’s approach to the surgery. While running was off the table post-surgery, he knew he could return to swimming and biking. He was dedicated to getting back as fast as possible. “Once surgery was scheduled, I treated that day as a race day. I swam and cycled rigorously at MVP to prepare,” John said. Thanks to his preparation, John recovered tremendously and was back to swimming and biking within 30 days.  

John is still a regular at MVP Sportsplex, citing social connections as the highlight of being at the club. “I love to have conversations and have made friends with diverse age groups who are there for the same reason—personal fitness,” he said. John continues to enjoy swimming and cycling, but it’s the people and community at MVP that keep him coming back. “I have made more friends and business contacts at the club than anywhere else,” he said. “Workouts in the pool, lifting, or spinning are always great, but the social networking with other members is most rewarding.” 

 John continues to build strength after surgery and has stayed active in the MVP community, building strong friendships and helping countless people along the way. “I have introduced multiple people to the sport of triathlon,” he said. With his triathlon days behind him, John spends his free time playing the piano, learning Spanish, and of course, exercising at MVP. He gives a special shoutout to Vanessa at Sportsplex for always helping him with his questions about his Spanish. "Ella es una buena maestra y persona!" he said with a smile.