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Behind-the-Scenes in Miami: A Breakdown of our Excellent Adventure

I started these weekends because I believe midlife should feel alive. Not stale. Not routine. Not winding down. I want this period of my life to be filled with adventure and excitement and enthusiasm and camaraderie and this Miami trip was exactly that: a chance for a group of driven men to meet up, train hard, eat great food, and have real conversations.

And let me blunt: We had an incredible, accomplished crew. 

One guy climbed Everest. One had rowed across the Atlantic. Several had built companies, sold companies, written books, been keynote speakers and more. Most were fathers, husbands, and lifelong athletes who wanted to challenge themselves and connect with like-minded men. No egos. Just good men looking to live well.

The Hardest Part of These Things

The toughest part isn’t what happens on the trip. It’s actually saying “yes” to the trip. I heard from twice as many guys who wanted to come but couldn’t. Not because of money or motivation, but because life gets full. Work, family, injuries, school events, aging parents, or a packed travel schedule. All real. All understandable.

Some said they weren’t in shape enough to join. My answer is always the same to these guys:

“You don’t get in shape to hang with us. You hang with us to get in shape.”

The Weekend

We stayed at the 1 Hotel Miami Beach. It’s in the perfect spot. Close enough to everything, but calm and elevated. It’s on South Beach without being too much South Beach. The rooms were big. The gym partnership with Anatomy gave us everything we needed.

Friday night, guys arrived at different times. We met in my suite where everyone picked up their Midlife Male gear bags packed with BUBS Naturals, mindbodygreen, NADs, FitAid, Manukora honey, Benjamin Blue water, GORUCK backpacks with custom patches and enough electrolytes to last each of us until 2027. 

We went to Joe’s Stone Crab for dinner. Fifteen guys. Custom menu. Stone crabs, filets, fried chicken, good wine. I made everyone switch seats halfway through so the conversations kept flowing. By the end of the night, no one was a stranger.

Saturday morning started on the sand with Lavina from Anatomy. She’s a Romanian trainer who knows how to push people without breaking them. We hit kettlebells, cardio, and core before heading straight into the ocean for a cold plunge. Breakfast followed. We ate at an excellent buffet, then spent about fifteen minutes doing real introductions. 

By that point, guys already knew each other from training and hanging out, so guards were down, stories flowed, connections deepened.

After that, the day opened up.

What I’ve found is that the key to these weekends is balance: have a few anchor activities and plenty of breathing room. Following breakfast, some guys hit the beach to read. A few tossed a football around. Others grabbed lounge chairs by the pool. The setting was perfect—sun, ocean, conversation, and no pressure to do anything but enjoy it. 

At 3 p.m. we had optional yoga on the rooftop overlooking the water, which just about everyone attended, though some guys opted to use their yoga mat for nap time (I’m looking at our Editor in Chief, Jon, haha). But that’s exactly how it should be; everyone feeling comfortable to do what they want.

Dinner that night was at Lucali, the famous Brooklyn pizza spot now in Miami. Family-style pizzas, salads, laughter. Our group probably ate 50 meatballs combined. Nobody tracked macros. We just enjoyed it. After tiramisu for dessert, we walked the mile and a half back to the hotel. That walk said everything about the group. Still talking. Still connecting.

Sunday started before sunrise on the beach. Pitch black. Fifteen guys with 20-pound packs on at 6AM for our signature Midlife Male ruck. 

The sun slowly rose over the ocean as we knocked out the first half of our 5K on the sand, and by the time we turned around for the last half, dawn had given way to a spectacular sunrise that we all enjoyed as we talked. 

These are the things you won’t plan for yourself. These are the moments you have to be intentional about to make happen. When we wrapped up the 5K, nobody wanted to leave the beach. Guys were taking group photos, pictures with each other, sending shots back to their wives and kids and friends. It was the moment Jon and I had talked about when we first started planning this weekend months ago, and it went off flawlessly.

After the ruck, we all headed back for coffee and breakfast on the deck overlooking the ocean. Talk continued as guys made plans to see each other again. Some as groups. Others just letting their new friends know when they’d be in their city. It put a smile on my face. 48 hours ago these guys were strangers. Now they’re making plans to have lunch a month from now. Perfect.

Once we finished breakfast, guys took off for Ubers and rides and flights, everyone buzzing from the weekend.

The Takeaway

These weekends remind me why I do this. They’re about doing, not talking. Producing more than you consume. Living simple at a high level.

We spend decades building our lives and forget to create them. Trips like this bring that creation back. The formula never changes. Eat well. Train well. Dress well. Plan well. Rest well. Execute well. Do cool things with good people.

When it ended, I caught an early flight home. Once it’s over, it’s over. I couldn’t wait to see Kate, and the dogs, FaceTime my boys and start thinking about the next one.

Miami was excellent. It reminded me that life in the middle can be the best part if you choose it.

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The Only Underwear You’ll Ever Need

NADs is the only underwear I wear. It’s the only underwear my sons wear. And it’s the only underwear every guy on our Miami Excellent Adventure got a pair of—because the little things are the big things.

Here’s why:
• Unmatched Comfort – Feels incredible all day, whether you’re training, traveling, or just lounging.
• Looks as Good as It Feels – Sleek, modern design that actually fits the way it should.
• Better for Your Health – Made to keep microplastics away from your most important parts.
• Protects Your Nads – Support where you need it, without the squeeze.

It’s not just underwear. It’s peace of mind, confidence, and protection—right where it matters most.

NADs: If it’s a big thing, protect it.

In health,

Midlife Male
52. Husband. Father. Entrepreneur. Coach. Student of the game.
Still walking the walk.