I first took up triathlon in 2007 as a personal challenge. The people who have had the most influence on my sporting career are Neil Cook, my coach, Julia Hahn-Gallego, my wife, and my friend April Coughlin.
I currently train at Asphalt Green , NYC, and Central Park. During a typical training week, I spend six hours swimming, six hours biking, and eight hours running. My personal best swim time (750m) is 15 minutes, bike (20km) 35 minutes, and run (5km) 20 minutes. My favorite ITU race has been the Gold Coast. The country is beautiful and the Australians are fantastic! The course was very friendly. My triathlon goal is to use my experience with triathlons to show people with and without disabilities that life goes on even after a life-altering experience like a spinal cord injury. Also, to help the sport grow by encouraging people I meet, either with a disability or without a disability, to try their hand in triathlons! I am a part of the team which is fighting to have triathlons included in the Paralympics.
Outside of triathlon, my life’s work is to create a transition home and permanent supportive housing for young persons with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities who would otherwise end up living in institutions like nursing homes. The biggest obstacle I have overcome is is re-adjusting to life after becoming spinal cord injured (paraplegic). Something the triathlon world may not know about me is that I race in order to give recently injured people hope!
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