Rappelling For A Good Cause

Ever rappel down a skyscraper, drive in a half-scale NASCAR race, or slide over taxi cabs?

Carey Smolensky, former wrestling coach at , has done this and more in his participation in extreme sports.

“I like to challenge myself by trying different things,” Smolensky said. “I want to get a rush out of life. We’re here for too short of a time, so I try to get as much out of life as possible. When I find something that looks exciting, I just do it.”

Smolensky said his wife, Diane, and children, Blake and Rachel, are supportive of his participation in extreme sports. Blake and Rachel both graduated from .

“This is who I am, and this is what I do,” he said simply. Smolensky, who lives in unincorporated Lake County, has been known to convince friends and family members to participate in these events with him.

Smolensky stressed that he takes every precaution when he is participating in extreme sports, and added that he is certified as a rescue diver. “Anything you do can be dangerous if you avoid the precautions,” he said.

Smolensky’s participation in extreme sports is one way for him to donate to charities. Money raised for the Sept. 24 Metro Dash will support the Navy SEAL Foundation, which “supports the widows and children of U.S. Navy SEALs killed or injured in combat or training, assist wounded SEALs where special needs must be met, and provides support to the active duty SEALs.”

But first, Smolensky will rappel 27 stories down the exterior of the Wit Hotel in downtown Chicago through Skyline Plunge! Chicago. The event, scheduled for Sept. 17-18, raises money for the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago.

Smolensky is also involved with the charities Front Row Foundation and Little Heroes Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.

His high-energy lifestyle is apparent in his career. Smolensky is president of Mobile Music, which provides DJs, MCs, and interactive dancers for corporate events, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, and school functions. He recently was named DJ of the Year in BizBash Chicago’s first Reader’s Choice Awards.

“I travel quite a bit for work, so I try to experience what’s going on in the particular location I’ve traveled to,” he said. “I might arrive for a conference a day early so I can scuba dive.”

An actor, Smolensky has auditioned to be on the reality television show Survivor since the first season. The show’s contestants are isolated in the wilderness and must compete for a chance to win a cash prize. “I think the show is a cool concept,” he said. “Survivor is not just about physical challenges; it’s got a lot of strategy.”

As the Buffalo Grove area does not have skyscrapers, firewalls, or whitewater rapids for Smolensky to use for training purposes, he prepares for challenges by cross training.

“I work out with a trainer for overall fitness, and I also work on specific exercises. For instance, I do exercises so my legs don’t buckle. I don’t push running as much. Instead, I do a combination of diet and working out with my own strength. I do a ridiculous, crazy amount of pushups,” he said.

“Most of my training, though, is mental,” he added.

For anyone planning to start participation in extreme sports, Smolensky offers the advice of “finding something you like.

“Never use time or age as an excuse not to do something,” added Smolensky, who emphasizes that he lives life to the fullest. His upcoming book, titled Living Life with a Passion, embraces his credo.

“I do these sports because I enjoy them, and I do it to push myself,” he said. “So many people do the same routine without looking past their windows. I experience as much as I can to live life.”