The soul-crushing reality of being sidelined by injury can be incredibly demoralizing. It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and to watch future goals fade into distant, unattainable dreams. But what if, just maybe, that wasn't entirely a bad thing?

Injuries, to put it mildly, suck. And the nagging, persistent ones? They suck on a whole other level. That’s precisely where I found myself for the two years leading up my spring 2025 season. Following a solid build-up for the Tunnel Hill 50-mile race in 2022, I entered a frustrating cycle with my running.

The start of 2023 brought a series of illnesses (four bouts), far more than normal. This was quickly followed by persistent quad pain, and soon after, back pain. Compounding this was a winter of record-breaking snowfall and the simple fact that I didn’t own a snow blower meant plenty of time spent scooping my driveway and sidewalk causing more back pain. The constant pain led to pervasive fatigue. Even short, attempted runs felt like I had just completed a marathon.

Seeking help, I began working with a physical therapist at Empower U. We identified my back and glutes as key areas needing attention. Despite multiple attempts to return to running throughout 2023, under the guidance of my PT, I made the tough decision in September to stop running completely to give my body a real chance to recover. This led to 3 months off from running and, quite honestly, most physical activity other than the PT and the prescribed at-home exercises.

Over the next few months, I saw minor improvements, which led me to consult another doctor and get an MRI. The results showed nothing significant and it was back to physical therapy. This time, I transitioned to Avera. With a renewed focus on targeted strength training, I slowly but surely began to make my way back. This phase brought more noticeable improvements, reinforcing the importance of consistent strength work.

Gradually, I was able to reintroduce running, carefully building up my mileage. I tested the waters with the Avera 5k in May 2024, finishing in 18:48. I continued to build my weekly mileage, reaching around 35 miles a week, before running the Shelton Stampede 5k in July 2024, clocking 18 minutes flat. This gave me some hope even though I was still managing some of the same nagging issues. The next month had its ups and downs, but I eventually settled back into training, increasing my mileage to around 40 miles per week. This was my longest stretch of consistent training as I hit just above 37 miles per week for those 11 weeks. At the end of this cycle in November, I ran the Heartland Nike Cross Regional Community 5k in 17:51. While it was a slight improvement of 9 seconds on my previous 5k time, it felt a bit disappointing given the training block I had just completed.

As I looked ahead to planning my next season, my initial thought was a half marathon. However, a wedding popped up on the same weekend. Another marathon I had considered, Brookings, moved to the fall. This left one option that resonated with me: Lincoln.

The Lincoln Marathon had always been on my radar, and I had always envisioned running the full marathon there. Logically, given the past two years of inconsistent training, another solid block focused on a half marathon made the most sense. But something within me yearned for more. I wanted the chance to potentially qualify for Boston 2026, and frankly, I was tired of waiting. It had been a full two years since I’d had a serious build-up for a major race, and in my mind, a half marathon felt like just another season of treading water. I wanted a goal that would ignite my passion and keep me motivated. I knew a marathon would do that, even if it didn't perfectly align with a logical progression after my injury struggles and limited high-mileage training. The lack of long runs, the absence of high weekly mileage, and the lingering aches and pains were all valid concerns. But I wanted to take a calculated risk, on myself and for myself, to maintain that vital spark of motivation.

During the two years prior to this training block while dealing with injury, I put some distance put between myself and running. It allowed me to look at my training from a distance and question my reason for doing it. I searched for my “why”. I wanted to find my purpose behind it, to see if it was in God’s plan for me to continue to pursue some of the athletic dreams and goals I had in mind. I did my best to let go of what I wanted, as I attempt to see the bigger picture. Frequent prayer and reflection ultimately led me back to running. Perhaps no single, overarching reason for the relentless hours of training surfaced. Yet, I clearly identified fundamental desires: to push my boundaries, to have a necessary physical outlet, and to have a space to clear my head.

Also, in part this is where I’ve found a desire to share my passion and knowledge with others. Alas, Bulldog Endurance was formed. Through these two years I’ve found that my life needs to be centered on purpose, which has given me the opportunity to find joy in the things I do. In life I’ve found that finding joy in what I am doing leads me to have success whether it is how I planned it or not. My hope with Bulldog Endurance is to provide high quality run coaching to individuals that are seeking to better themselves in running and life. While running will be our main focus, we can’t deny the many other factors that can influence performance: sleep, nutrition, strength training, financial constraints, spiritual practices, or relationships. Every area of our lives impacts our running and running can and will impact all areas of our lives.

The bottom line is that purposeful training combined with a resilient mindset creates results. If that's what you're searching for, Bulldog Endurance is here to guide you. I offer dedicated coaching services to help you build a strong body, a determined mind, and a training plan that fits your life—not the other way around.

Fill out our interest form or schedule free consultation call today!