Tell us about how you started Ruck and Sandbag training or events (if applicable)
In 2012 I had a friend on Twitter that was interested in doing a GORUCK tough event. I’d never heard of GORUCK and it looked incredibly difficult. If I’m totally honest, it scared the crap out of me. I committed to that event and started training. But GORUCK was new and there was not a lot of info on what to expect or even how to train for them. That was event #421. I have trained consistently ever since.
Most Memorable Event or Fitness achievement?
Most memorable event was a custom GORUCK HTL in June of 2021 at Furman University. It was memorable because of the incredible evolutions we did and the lessons learned. Not just what you learn humping heavy stuff but what the Cadre taught us. Also, the water evolution was amazing. It was also memorable because that was the strongest and fastest I had ever been. I felt strong mentally and physically throughout the event. I was 100% ready.
What are you training for?
Right now I am training for life. I just want to be healthy. I don’t have any events on the books but I have a couple in mind.
Tell us about why you train with The Bakery?
The community with The Bakery is amazing. The discussions, positive energy and influence really influences me to be better and do better in every area of my life. Incredibly powerful. To add to that is that when I do my next event, I want to be one of the ones that define “The Standard” for the event. I want to be prepared and I know Joe is gonna get me there.
What drives you in your fitness journey?
To be the best husband and father I can be. To me this means prioritizing rest, nutrition and exercise. Making these items a priority has changed my life. I want my kids to see what a healthy lifestyle is like, to learn and join and see that fitness is not work; yes it’s hard but it makes life so much better.
If you could set one fitness-related world record, what would it be?
Maybe the oldest person to continually exercise? I want to be physically fit as long as I can in this life.
If you could train with any athlete (past or present), who would it be and why?
I think training with Ronnie Coleman would be great. His spirit and work ethic made a mark on me ever since I watched “The King” on Netflix. Or maybe Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Either would be fantastic.
What’s the best piece of fitness advice you’ve ever received?
“Keep it simple.” Don’t overthink it, especially if you are just starting or have trouble making your workout a priority. It’s often your mind getting in the way; it’s not the weather, the space you have to work out in, what the neighbors will think, the equipment you have. Just get out and move. It’s amazing what you can do with a pair of sneakers, some pushups and some situps.
