Mark and Mary Black, former owners of Black Magic Kennels, have retired from dog mushing and have taken on a new challenge. The Blacks are the new owners of the Pump House Fitness Center in Grand Marais.
Ready to get in shape? Firm up the flab? Turn mush into muscle?
If that describes you, then Mark and Mary Black definitely have some helpful tips for you.
As the new owners of the Pump House Fitness Center, the Blacks are longtime fitness buffs who enjoy getting into shape and staying in shape and who now want to pass their knowledge on to the public.
Lori Harder, a national champion “figure in bikini” winner and cover girl for Oxygen magazine, will help the Blacks kick off their new business at the Pump House grand opening on December 3.
Mark, a full-time construction worker, is a former John Beargrease Sled Dog champion who participated in football in high school and college. He competed in the upper Midwest heavyweight boxing championship match in the early 1980s. He also ran track in high school, has always weight lifted, and played on championship summer league softball and flag football teams while living in Duluth.
Mary, whose main job is Cook County assessor/ land commissioner, helped lead Hermantown High School to two straight state tournaments in fast pitch softball in the mid 1980s. “It was Mary’s pitching that got them there,” said Mark.
Like her husband, Mary has also participated in sled dog mushing and racing and spent years working out. It’s their love of fitness that brought them to become members and then to consider buying the Pump House when it was first up for sale more than a year ago, but some hurdles had to be cleared before they could move ahead with their plans.
“We’ve been looking at buying this business for a long time,” said Mary of the recent purchase from Brian and Marcy Olsen.
The Olsens opened the Pump House in the Cobblestone Building six years ago after buying much of the current exercise equipment from Richard Thompson who operated Lake Wind Fitness Center at his former business on Devil Track Lake.
The Olsens, who still own the Cobblestone Building, enjoyed the fitness business, but they found it hard to run the Pump House and work two full-time jobs while keeping up with their twins, who are busy seniors in high school.
But that’s not to say they haven’t helped Mark and Mary. Last week Brian spent an evening installing new parts in the treadmills, teaching Mark tricks of the trade along the way. And Marcy has been helping to teach the Blacks the computer system used for billing clients and running the key-card locks on the door. They are also on standby with any advice they can give when Mark and Mary ask for input or ideas.
As for the Blacks, they anticipate making some changes, but much will stay the same, including the 24-hour, seven-days-a-week service now offered.
“We look forward to continuing to be the only private 24-hour member access fitness center on the North Shore,” said Mark.
Either Mark or Mary (or both) will be on hand Mondays through Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. “But if someone needs to make an appointment that doesn’t fit those hours, just call us,” said Mary, adding that now that they have retired from sled dog racing and live in town, it’s just a short hop for them to get to the Pump House.
In addition to offering an array of treadmills, weights, rowing machines, elliptical trainers, medicine balls, yoga mats, jump ropes, stereo and TV with DVD player, the Pump House also features lockers for 12-month members and private bathrooms. The Blacks also hope to add some fitness classes in the future. Mark is completing his personal training certificate in January.
Besides exercise equipment the Blacks offer wellness coaching and feature the Isagenix nutrition line. Isagenix products have all-natural ingredients and, when ingredients can be certified, are classified organic. They contain no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors.
“I’ve tried almost every supplement on the market and these products are by far the best,” said Mark.
“It takes four days to feel the affects of the Isagenix products. They produce a nutritional cleansing, a full body cellular cleanse that rids your body of all of the bad things we put in it. The results leave you feeling better with a lot more energy,” said Mary.
One of the newest things fitness buffs and nutritionists have been learning the past few years is the importance of getting enough protein in their diet.
“The Isagenix whey protein is grade 7, the highest grade sold on the market,” said Mary. It comes from free-range, grass-fed cattle raised in New Zealand. It has live active enzymes and is easy to digest. Most people—even some who are lactose intolerant—can use this product. It’s also gluten free,” said Mary.
“When Mary began taking Isagenix products I noticed she had a lot more energy,” said Mark, adding, “Once I started using them I noticed a tremendous change. I’m 50 but since I’ve been taking Isagenix I feel like I have as much energy as I had when I was 25.” Mary added, “I feel better than I did at 30.”
“We are excited for this opportunity to help people,” said Mary, “to positively affect the lives of the residents and visitors of Cook County through fitness, nutrition and wellness coaching.”
If you are interested in seeing what the Pump House has to offer, come and visit. Memberships can be purchased and, if you are interested, the Blacks will fill you in about the nutritional products they offer and show you how to use the equipment on hand.
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