About Me
Intro
Hi! My name is Will. I am a devoted husband, father, ultrarunner, and Christian. Formerly a fitness professional, I work in the technology sector helping keep America secure. I created this site because I love running and writing and wanted a place to chronicle my journey. Along the way, I will share the experiences, lessons, and challenges that come with pursuing ambitious endurance goals, including running a marathon in all 50 U.S. states and someday completing the Western States Endurance Run, the world's oldest 100-mile trail race. I am especially grateful for the steadfast support of my family, and I hope you enjoy following our adventures.
Early Years
Growing up I played several sports and was into weightlifting, but also ate a lot of fast, unhealthy food. Obesity, diabetes, and heart disease unfortunately run in my family, and by the time I got to college, I weighed 240 pounds. During my sophomore year, something happened that would forever change the course of my life: my father underwent triple bypass surgery. Given our family history you would think I would have known better by then, but it was in that moment, when I saw him in his hospital bed, that it became real for me. I simply decided to fight back.
Transformation
I started out small at first, making a few incremental changes to my daily routine. Rather than a diet that consisted mostly of beer and pizza, I traded it for one that included more bottled water, fruit, and protein bars. Eventually I started running, which was another big step in my journey. As the months went by and the pounds rolled off, I developed more confidence in all areas of life. My energy levels increased, my grades improved, I became president of my fraternity, and I graduated with honors weighing 190 pounds. I also joined Bodybuilding.com and became a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist. Since then I have always done my best to educate and inspire everyone I meet.
Adaptation
Although I no longer work in the fitness industry, my passion for fitness has never waned. I got into obstacle racing shortly after completing graduate school because I was looking for a new challenge. In addition, I was adapting to a new season of life in corporate America. Long hours, stress, and the sedentary nature of office work threatened the healthy habits I had worked so hard to build. My role at the time required frequent travel to manufacturing locations where there were few healthy dining options and no gyms to be found. As a result, I had to improvise and adapt in order to keep a healthy lifestyle as a young professional. I developed new workouts in my hotel rooms, I ran the stairs during lunch, I did burpees in airports, and I always packed nutritious snacks. Whatever it takes!
Performance
Over the years I have completed numerous endurance events and overcome many of life's obstacles. After finishing strong at the Spartan Ultra World Championship, a brutally technical 24-hour obstacle race held in the snow-covered mountains of Iceland, I suffered a major shoulder injury that caused me to shift my primary focus to running. Since then, I have completed more than twenty marathons and ultramarathons, including several 100-mile races. I know I will have to continue adapting as life changes, but I have no plans to slow down anytime soon!