origins and goals 📈
My running origin story
March 5th, 2008. That day will forever be a personal milestone.
I had just joined the track & field team, and March 5th marked the first workout for the long-distance runners. As a high school freshman, my best descriptors would have been shy, awkward, and the opposite of athletic. I joined the track team to get involved in a sport—especially since I lacked skill in others.
Turns out, I lacked skill in running too…
The workout of the day? Five miles. Are you kidding me? A mini panic shot through my head. I had never run more than two miles in my 14 years of life. To make matters worse, March weather brought wind, cold, and mist.
Looking back, I feel a sense of pride. I hung tough and trudged through that run, showing more determination and grit than I realized I had. After some reflection, I recognize that this was my first real memory of displaying those qualities.
I could have quit that day, never returned, and spared myself the 25-mile weeks that lay ahead. But I kept running—and not in the Forrest Gump way, more like the slow and uncoordinated kind of way. Over time, I built on that day, and running became a passion that would shape my career.
Don’t get the wrong idea, though—I was not a start track or cross country athlete. I never ran a varsity race. I mean, the pictures prove it… 🤣
But I fell in love with the struggle, the training, the rhythm, and the outlet. Running became less about speed and results and more about refining myself as an individual. It became a lifelong project.
Like any project, the process wasn’t always smooth. Challenges and obstacles appeared along the way, each one a puzzle demanding a solution. As I ventured through college and the start of my physical therapy career (and still to this day), I became obsessed with solving the problems that running and training present.
In fact, the impetus for BioEndurance came from my desire to help other runners tackle those same challenges. And those quickly turn into common questions:
How do I improve my time?
How can I avoid injuries?
How do I recover from an injury?
How can I safely increase my mileage?
Should I strength train? And if so, how?
The list goes on.
So, the real question is: why should you follow me, read my articles, and ask questions?
I won’t pretend to have all the answers. What I can offer is a relentless curiosity and passion for running, triathlon, and problem-solving. I will continue to investigate, test, and find solutions to the challenges endurance athletes face.
There will be failures. But failure is necessary to discover solutions, whether they relate to running, training, injuries, or the way the journey shapes us as individuals.
For full transparency, here are my personal performance and business goals:
Qualify for the Boston Marathon
Finish an Ironman Triathlon in under 12 hours
Build a thriving PT clinic for runners & triathletes
These goals excite me, but I’d be lying if I said they didn’t intimidate me too. They’re BIG, and I’m far from achieving them. But I’m certain that along the way, I’ll face countless puzzles to solve.
I hope to share those challenges, the solutions, the failures, and everything else the journey throws my way.
Follow along, and let’s grow together.
Happy Running!
Matt
