I think this goes down as one of the craziest weekends of my life. 100 miles around a track, graduating with my Master’s degree from The Citadel, and somehow making it through all of it in one piece.
Going into the race, I expected it to destroy me physically more than anything. Honestly, I was lucky enough to avoid any major physical setbacks, but mentally this thing absolutely drained me at points. There were definitely laps where I felt completely empty and had to really dig deep just to keep moving forward. More than anything, this race showed me how much the people around you matter. Every high five, every lap with a friend - especially the lap with my mom - every person checking in or cheering me on somehow made the next lap feel possible again.
Through all of it, my girlfriend
@katheriineobrien was there for every high and low along the way. She’s listened to me ramble for months about carbs, pacing strategies, shoes, and all the stupid recovery techniques that come with this sport, and somehow still stuck by my side through all of it. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made during this training block and for being there through the entire process.
We raised over $36,000 for
@charleston_hope this weekend, and being able to be a small part of something that can genuinely help kids and families here in Charleston made this whole experience feel bigger than just running laps around a track. Huge thank you to every runner, crew member, friend, family member, and supporter who showed up this weekend.
Getting my degree from The Citadel is something I’ve wanted since I was young. I know it’s not the traditional undergraduate Citadel experience, but being able to earn a degree from there and join the list of men in my family who have graduated from The Citadel still means more to me than I can really put into words.
I don’t know exactly what the future of my running career looks like yet. Maybe more ultras, maybe not. But I do know this sport has changed my life, and I’m just getting started.
Stoney 100 Miler ✅
Master’s Degree ✅
