Thank you for your generous donation that supports Nyaka's mission to nurture and protect children so they can learn, grow and thrive.    

Two years ago I donated to my brother’s Nyaka NYC marathon fundraising campaign and never EVER thought that I would one day be running on his team.  Frankly, it was because at that time I didn’t run.   My brother, with whom I’m so privileged to race with now, has competed as a triathlete for years.  I have been, and continue to be, in awe of his endurance and training prowess.  Over the years I have proudly observed from the sidelines, happy to support him in his efforts, but all the while a bit envious of what his body could accomplish.  I had far too many years of wakeboarding and soccer in my rear view mirror that left me feeling like my knees could explode at any moment.   I knew that my body could never handle such a pounding and resigned myself to being a spectator.  This theory had been put the test ten years ago, when I participated in my older daughter’s Girls on the Run program.   Our goal was to race in two separate 5K events.  With modest training effort, knee braces and a lot of Advil, we succeeded in finishing the events. Shortly thereafter (and much to my relief), she decided that running was not her thing.  I happily continued going to the gym to maintain what I believed to be a good level of fitness for my age.

Then COVID hit.  The gym was no longer an option and I was desperate to find outlets to manage stress and keep in shape.  Meanwhile, my younger daughter decided that she wanted to try and take up running.  I did what any supportive father would do, and I reluctantly invested in a new set of knee braces and fired up the 50 year old engine.  Ugh, this again.  My knees immediately reminded me why I had stopped running.  I often joked that I would never run again, unless I was being chased.  In this case, we were all chasing our sanity and I would gladly sacrifice my knee comfort for the sake of my family’s, and my own, mental wellbeing.  The discovery of K-tape made this endeavor more tolerable. My run preparation was starting to look more like I was suiting up for cyborg gladiatorial combat than going for a father/daughter jog.   Though the runs became a great bonding experience for the two of us, my knee pain persisted.  It became clear this would not be a sustainable form of exercise.

In a continuing quest to find a suitable exercise outlet, I discovered Tonal.  A revolutionary magnetic resistance workout machine combining virtual personal trainers and AI to support and guide you through targeted workouts.  Every aspect of the workout is supported providing real-time feedback on form, setting ideal weight and resistance, while educating you about the latest training research and techniques.   Hallelujah!!  The answer to my prayers.  I eagerly placed my order. Though I had been going to the gym regularly for 25 years, I set my experience level to beginner, determined to make sure I did everything right from the start.  I quickly discovered my weightlifting strategies and protocols of the past 25 years were entirely incorrect and misguided.  There is a better way, promised Tonal, and I gave myself over to the system.  As time passed, and I experienced steady gains without injury and fatigue, I was convinced.  I embraced a new paradigm:  trust in your coach; adhere to their recommendations; exercise a little patience; achieve results.   I backed my morning alarm up from 6 am to 5 am to make sure I could get in my daily workout.  I was back on track and starting to get in the best shape of my life.

It wasn’t too long after the Tonal purchase that my family invested in a Nordic Track treadmill that connected to iFIT (an online service that allows you to train virtually with elite athletes and coaches as they lead you through walks and runs all over the world).  After my transformational workout epiphany with Tonal, I was determined to approach running from the same beginner mindset.  If I had been lifting weights incorrectly for 25 years (and that was supposed to be my thing), I was almost surely misguided in my approach to running.  It was through iFIT that I discovered Tommy Rivers Puzey (aka Tommy Rivs) in his introduction to running series.  His training program consists of seven modules, each a month long and consisting of 4-6 runs per week.   Riv’s instructions are explicit:  Do each one in order, do not skip ahead.  Throughout the sessions, he imparts the most important fundamentals of how to train, how to recover, and how to listen to your body.  One of the most important points he makes, and one that initially I had a hard time subscribing to,  is that everyone has the capacity to be a runner.  It is what our bodies are engineered to do.  It is primal function that is second nature.  What I didn’t realize is that our structures (bones, ligaments, and tendons) require acclimation over a long period of time to handle sustained running.   All the pain I had experienced in the past had nothing to due with my previous hobbies, and everything to do with the fact that I was asking my body to do something it was not equipped to handle.   After completing the first program, and running for 30 consecutive minutes pain free, I was a believer.   I eagerly called my brother to share my humble accomplishment.   I mused that maybe one day we could run a half marathon together.  Without hesitation, he said to name the event and the time and he’d be there.   Now I had a defined goal and a bucket list item to check off -  running a major event with my brother.  However, between family life and my veterinary career, I was unsure as to how I could I possibly get in the training time necessary to achieve the required level of fitness.  So… I backed my alarm up AGAIN, now rising at 4 am.   This proved easier than I thought, as the more I trained, the better I felt and the less stress I carried with me into my day.  I committed to the full Tommy Rivs running program and eagerly participated in his 5 and 10K prep series.   I switched my Tonal workouts to running focused strength and mobility programs.  All of a sudden I found myself indoctrinated into the world of high tech shoes, endurance goos, bars (thank you to The Feed for fueling this mission!!), supplements (my joints are especially grateful for Cosamin ASU!!) and recovery tools - all adjunctive requirements in the quest to run farther.   My stress outlet had transformed into my passion.   

Seven Tommy Rivs training programs, and 2 years later, I called my brother to inform him that I had just completed my first half marathon and proposed that we find a marathon to run together.  “New York in November!” was his immediate response.  So here I am, once a spectator unable to run at any level, now representing the compassionate organization, Nyaka, in the New York City Marathon side by side with my brother.   I am confident in my running ability and have dedicated myself to this endeavor.   Every day when my alarm goes off (now at 3:45 am) I train on behalf of Nyaka’s mission and to honor your faith in me.

You can follow my training progress on Strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/111098949

This is truly a privilege for me and I humbly thank you for taking the time to read my story and support Nyaka.  The money raised provides comprehensive support, including: financial assistance, healthcare, nutrition, and advocacy programs to vulnerable children in Uganda and  to the women (referred to as grandmothers) that care for them.