Peru fitness champ: 1,522 burpees to battle breast cancer

Try not to call Bridget Lindgren too early this week. She’ll need the extra sleep. You would, too, if you undertook her Saturday workout.

Lindgren owns Starved Rock CrossFit and she agreed not only to hold a breast cancer fundraiser but to perform an arduous “burpee” – a squat-kick-jump sequence – for every dollar raised to support breast cancer patients.

“I threw the challenge out that I’d do a burpee for every dollar raised and said I’d do them consecutively if we could raise $1,000,” Lindgren said. “So today I’m doing 1,522 burpees.”

She’ll need a power nap and a few strong coffees after fulfilling that wheeze-inducing pledge, but it will have been worth it. Lindgren agreed to participate in the nationwide “Barbells for Boobs” to raise funds and support three local breast cancer survivors.

“We’re doing their workouts to honor them,” said Lindgren, indicating two dozen men and women she coaxed to report for an early-morning workout.

Last year, Lindgren raised $735 – and in turn huffed her way through 735 burpees – and some workout warriors showed up Saturday to see if Lindgren had it in her to double that total.

But a few turned out also because the disease hit closer to home. Maria Mignone of Granville lost a grandmother to breast cancer and has a young coworker who’s currently battling the disease.

“I’m going to try to do some burpees to help out Bridget and then do the tribute workout,” Mignone said. “It’s a lot of work but it’s for a good cause and it’s worth it.”