Writings Focused on Adapting
Which is better for running, an Exosym or a PDE based device like the Fabtech? One got me 6 miles. The other got me 100. Disclaimer: I am not a certified prosthetist orthotist, engineer, or physician. This article is simply my perspective as a para ultrarunner as of June 7, 2026. Why My Perspective May…
While training for and completing my first 50 mile ultramarathon in early 2025, I developed a small fracture in my right foot. The Exosym provided just enough protection to get me across the finish line, but the pain made one thing clear, if I wanted to go farther, something had to change in my Exosym.…
Leaning against a sun-baked streetlight, I untie my shoe, raise my right leg, and investigate the damage. A flap of skin hangs loose beneath a wound. The sting itself is nothing, pain is familiar territory. What upsets me is the math that follows: infection or pressure sores equal downtime. I’m only one mile into a…
At the 2026 Boston Marathon, Nike ran an ad, “Runners Welcome, Walkers Tolerated. I don’t respond to rage bait from brands. I prefer to move forward and focus on my goals. But this time I felt compelled to respond, because a giant pool of hard working para athletes got slapped in the face by Nike.…
100 miles is unachievable for someone like me. In fact, here are the odds: Clubfoot occurs in 1 in 1,000.¹ About 1 in 2 of those cases are bilateral clubfoot.¹ Roughly 1 in 3 to 1 in 2 bilateral cases are severe to very severe at presentation.¹ There are 148,169 people in recorded history that…
February 11, 2022 My running hopes essentially ended in a mundane clinic in Everett, WA. The dynamic AFOs failed after many build attempts. The clinician didn’t care. “I’ll ship a new footplate when I get a chance but we’re really backed up. I’ll adjust the new set of AFOs and send them later.” I nodded,…
My hope is that you will chase an impossible dream. A dream that requires relentless work, ushers in sleepless nights, and overwhelms you with doubt. A dream so big that you’re hypercautious to share with your community. A dream that pushes you to reach your greatest potential. This is the kind of dream I hope…
Dear parents of a school-age child, As your child returns to school, respectfully, I ask that you explain to your child that it’s never okay to make fun of classmates that have limb differences or other disabilities. Children with disabilities often live in uncertainty, need extensive treatments, and often lack needed support as they navigate…
This isn’t just a run, it’s a testimony. I believe that God asks me to do the very best with what I’ve been given and display the gift of adaptability. So I turned my severe birth defects that stretch from my face to my feet into my greatest strength. Each run is an opportunity to…
My sixth grade English teacher declared I was “retarded.” The audience consisting of my father and school staff were caught off guard by her remarks. As the parent-teacher conference knifed forward, she ranted, “he is too far behind. He can’t say simple words like ‘the’ and ‘girl’ and he is always lost in class.” In…
All Adaptive Essays
Anyone facing challenges may benefit from incorporating a minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism helps me achieve my adaptive goals by allowing me to focus on what I deem most essential and eliminating the rest.
You can read my minimalist story HERE - WHY I BECAME A MINIMALIST
You can read how minimalism is a great tool when facing adversity HERE - WHEN ADVERSITY HITS, MINIMALISM WORKS
You can find all my additional minimalist writings HERE.