In The Hot Seat - June Edition
Founder’s Newsletter
By: Pete Nelson II
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Sometimes you need to leave your everyday life to see it more clearly.
Last month my wife Paige and I traveled to Greece for a close childhood friend’s wedding. It was a chance to reconnect with old friends, unplug from our routines, and remember what it feels like to truly be present. And wow, it was the reset we didn’t know we needed.
Everything about the trip, from the vibrant meals to the late-night conversations, reminded me how far intentional living can go. We ate Greek breads, sweets, gyros, and long family-style dinners that stretched into the night. I never felt bloated, weighed down, or sluggish. Quite the opposite: I felt light, energized, and fueled.
Being away made one thing glaringly clear: food in the U.S. just isn’t the same. Something is fundamentally broken in the way it's produced, processed, and consumed here. Abroad, food felt alive. Back home, it often feels... engineered.
But this trip was about more than food. It was about pace. We slowed down. We breathed. We took long runs through coastal hills, swam in the Mediterranean, balanced healthy habits with nights out, and ditched the guilt. I was present. Not halfway present but fully there. And I realized how rare that’s become.
There was something beautiful, too, about seeing how much has changed, and yet how little it really has. The last time Paige and I were in Greece, we were fresh out of college and child-free. Since then, our careers, homes, and responsibilities have evolved. But at the core we’re still us. That trip was a reminder: I need to lean way more into life as it’s happening, without overthinking or rushing through it.
I came back from Greece feeling more grounded, more grateful, and more in tune with the life I want to live and build.
And with that, I cannot wait to share what’s been unfolding lately…
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Team Update
Lara Sims recently pivoted from operations and sales administration to our Operations Manager. She has full ownership of all orders, logistics, inventory, and operational efficiency. She’s a true living manifestation of SISU, where she is an incredible CrossFit athlete and ultramarathoner, woman of faith, family oriented, humble, extremely hard-working, and adds so much to our SISU culture.
Big Win
See our latest product spotlight for something I am really excited about.
Another Huge Win
We launched our very first SISU GRIT film on Father’s Day, which highlights my father, Pete Nelson Sr. I don’t want to reveal too many details here as the film does an incredible job highlighting my Dad’s story. His life experience and this film is one worth sharing over and over. I hope it gets you excited and makes you want to run a few miles just for the fun of it!
Current Challenge
We’re continuing to log, refine, simplify, and review SOPs across the board, especially as we introduce new products. With any business as it grows, there is added layers of complexity. But, with one of our core values being simplicity, we’re always looking at things through the lens of clarity and refinement to achieve that. If it’s complex for us, we know things are complex for our customer. Simplicity is key.
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Product Spotlight
The Drake
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We officially launched our first ever cold plunge product in partnership with the Cold Creek Tubs family! “The Drake Cold Plunge,” as we’re calling it, was inspired by my trip to Antarctica I took with my father in March 2023. We had to cross the Drake Passage via boat to get to the Antarctic peninsula for the Antarctica Ultramarathon. This trip was life changing and I’ll never forget doing a cold plunge in the Antarctic waters. It’s something I wish everyone could experience. To me, cold plunging isn’t meant for rejuvenation, to relax, or otherwise, it’s meant to breed determination, resilience, and grit. Everything that SISU means.
We launched first to current SISU owners in late June 2025. Public access opens July 2025.
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We officially launched our first ever cold plunge product in partnership with the Cold Creek Tubs family! “The Drake Cold Plunge,” as we’re calling it, was inspired by my trip to Antarctica I took with my father in March 2023. We had to cross the Drake Passage via boat to get to the Antarctic peninsula for the Antarctica Ultramarathon. This trip was life changing and I’ll never forget doing a cold plunge in the Antarctic waters. It’s something I wish everyone could experience. To me, cold plunging isn’t meant for rejuvenation, to relax, or otherwise, it’s meant to breed determination, resilience, and grit. Everything that SISU means.
We launched first to current SISU owners in late June 2025. Public access opens July 2025.
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Which Comes First: Sauna or Cold Plunge?
Should you take a cold plunge or sauna first for optimal benefits?
While there's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, most experts suggest starting with the sauna and then moving on to the cold plunge. Here's why:
- Starting with the Sauna
- Starting with the sauna allows your body to heat up and sweat, opening up the pores and increasing blood circulation. This process helps to flush out toxins from the body, promoting a sense of relaxation and well-being.
- Moreover, the heat from the sauna prepares your body for the sudden temperature drop that comes with the cold plunge. This transition from hot to cold can stimulate the lymphatic system, aiding in the body's natural detoxification process.
- Moving on to the Cold Plunge
- After a session in the sauna, moving on to the cold plunge can provide a shock to the system. This sudden change in temperature causes the blood vessels to constrict, slowing down the heart rate and reducing inflammation. This process, known as "thermal shock," can boost the immune system and increase the body's metabolic rate.
- Furthermore, the cold plunge can help close the pores opened during the sauna session, locking in the benefits of the heat therapy. This can leave your skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
- Lastly, cold plunging can help effectively reduce muscle soreness.
- The only caveat to this is if you’re doing contrast therapy at night. I always recommend to end on hot (sauna). Ending on cold will delay your ability to get to sleep. The reason this happens is because your body naturally has to raise its core body temperature which contradicts what the body naturally does to fall asleep.
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In preparation for my big summer runs this year (Burning River 100 and Hell on Hogsback), I’m focusing on my running endurance. See below for what my current training schedule looks like:
Total Running Volume: 41 miles this week
- Here’s a snapshot of my Tuesday training schedule:
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Run: 8 mile tempo run
- 2 mi. Easy
- 6 x 800m run tempo 6:05/mile w/400m jog in between
- 2 mi. Easy
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Strength Training
- 4x 15E Skater Hops
- 3x 6 Bounds
- 3x 10E Glute Bridge Hamstring Slides
- 3x 8 Glute Ham Raises
3x Deficit Calf Raises x 10E (Single DB @ 35lbs)
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The SISU Maintenance Manual
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Our team has noticed quite a few outdoor saunas without roof kits. It’s important for the integrity of the wood and moisture control to add a roof kit to your sauna if you intend to place it outdoors.
Both cabin saunas already come with roof kits but our barrel saunas do not. To make sure you have a roof kit, add “w/Cedar Bevel Roof Kit” under the “Roof Kit” options on the product pages.
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As I close out this edition of In The Hot Seat, I want to give a huge thank you to the incredible team at Cold Creek Tubs for their partnership on The Drake. This collaboration marks the beginning of an exhilarating new era in SISU history. A new era rooted in deeper resilience, stronger community, and a more complete contrast therapy experience.
With The Drake, we’re not just adding a new tub, we're stepping into the future of what SISU stands for: a fully integrated healthy lifestyle built on grit, care, and regeneration. We’re beyond grateful for the Cold Creek team’s craftsmanship, care, and trust in bringing this vision to life alongside us.
The journey is just getting started, and the future looks powerful. Let’s go!
And, as always, stay sweaty.
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