The Bright Side of Injury - a 2024 recap

Athletically, 2024 was (mostly) a bust.

I've been dealing with plantar fasciitis since late May and have spent a good chunk of the year feeling sorry for myself and getting rounder in the mid-section. When such a huge part of your identity is running and adventuring, it can be mentally and physically challenging to stay true to your authentic self while you try to stay grounded for your family, friends and others who depend on you.

Dealing with injury requires patience, humility and new hobbies. It's good to remind yourself that athletics aren't always everything. There is so much more to life and plenty of other adventures that await.

I want to thank Vespa Power Products for continuing to believe in me just like I believe in their products. Vespa truly has changed my athletic outlook and simplified my endurance nutrition. I'm truly happy to be back as an ambassador for 2025.

If you're tired of crashing during races and would like to recover faster from training reach out and let's talk about how YOU can optimize the single greatest fuel source your body already has...FAT! It's clean. It's (nearly) limitless. It's natural.

Athletic Adventures

If you read any of my previous posts you would see that I was on the Western States waitlist and essentially training as if I would get my number called for the race in June. My training started off well but that's when laziness, age and the lack of self-care came to blows. The onset of plantar fasciitis and the slowness of the waitlist led me to withdraw from Western States. It turns out my place in the waitlist did not get drawn but I managed to have some fun regardless.

Fellow Vespa Athlete Jeff Browning

A fun 50k in Pine

• February
• 10th annual Hom 100 charity run/walk
• Aravaipa Canyon hike/camping trip
• March
• Grand Canyon Rim to River
• April
• Hiking parts of the AZT
• San Tan Sinister 27k
• May
• Pine Trail Run (50k)
• Elden Crest 38 mile
• June
• Mt Baldy hike/adventure

Family Adventures

I have always told the athletes I coach that typically injuries are a blessing. Primarily, it's your body telling you to fuck off because you're pushing too hard. Second, the break provides some much-needed re-focusing of your energy to those things you've either neglected or wouldn't have done otherwise.

I am REALLY tired of being injured but looking back on my year, I truly am thankful for it because otherwise I would not have:

• Helped plan my eldest's 21st birthday party
• Helped plan my youngest's 18th birthday party
• Celebrated my youngest graduating high school
• Gone to Vegas 3 times this year! Birthdays! Formula 1 with my son! Garth Brooks concert!
• Tried pilates classes for the first time
• Gone overlanding for 10 days through NM, CO and UT
• Visited Washington DC with my wife
• Volunteered for 10 days at the Grand to Grand Ultra
• Crewed and volunteered at the Kodiak 100k
• Gone to concerts
• Daughtry
• Cyndi Lauper
• Dead & Company
• Volunteered with ALS Arizona

Youngest's graduation	NM/CO overlanding trip
Grand to Grand volunteering	DC with my wife

That's just a fraction of the things I was able to do while not being focused on running or training. Seasons will change - you can either resist the change or flow with it...

2025 Outlook

The coming year is already filled with big plans! I'm positive this injury will clear up soon and I'll be back to that training life. Yeah!

First, being selected as a Vespa ambassador again is amazing - it's a tough spot being injured and trying to promote a product you're passionate about. I was worried I had not done enough to be invited back...

Combining 2 things I'm passionate about! Vespa and G2G ❤️

Second, my love and participation in the Grand to Grand Ultra continues to bear fruit. I'm lucky enough to be a featured coach for this race and will be the new 2025 Race Commissioner! These are big shoes to fill but I'll do my best and have fun at this years race.

Lastly, I've set into motion a bucket list adventure that will take place in mid-June. Details to come but holy shit is it going to be amazing!

Epic adventure loading...