I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and currently live about 30 minutes north of Harrisburg, PA. I joined the Army in 2000 and as of now, after two tours in Iraq, am an instructor teaching the Warrior Leaders Course.
I was a smoker for about 12 years, and on a whim, decided in early 2012 to sign up for a 5k that supported local veterans. I thought I was in good shape, and didn’t even realize that walking up stairs winded me. I did absolutely horrible on that 5k, and besides being terribly embarrassed, my pride was shot. That was a life changing moment for me. I quit smoking shortly after that, and continued to sign up for races throughout the rest of the year. I stayed within the 5k/10k range. I started working closely with a number of non profits that supported Veterans because even though Im still in, I feel it’s only right that I continue to help service members in any way I can. In May 2013, I completed my first full marathon which was a huge milestone for me.
I also became deeply involved in running Obstacle Course Races as well. I ran a number of Spartans with Operation Enduring Warrior, and then decided to do a Spartan on my own and finished in the top 6% overall. I was hooked. In 2014, if work will allow me, my goal is to compete in 24+ Spartans and finish in the top 100 nationally in open points. I also plan on running the Worlds Toughest Mudder, a 50k, a 50 miler, three different 200 mile relays, a GoRuck Heavy, numerous GRT’s, and GRL’s, the Marine Corps marathon, the Army Ten Miler, and rucking the 31 Miles for 31 Heroes.
I believe that the human body is an extraordinarily fine tuned machine that can endure extreme hardship and challenges. With the right training, fuel, and determination, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals.
