The Wolfpack

It all started with a race that would not happen. OCR100 was its name, and it was supposed to be a tough challenge with one hundred obstacles in 2.5 miles. But from the start, it didn't feel right. There were some of us who thought this race was shady and wouldn't happen. Ed Lorenzo, owner of Fit Lorenzo, an amazing place to train for OCR's and American Ninja Warrior, started a group thread to voice his concerns. Included in the thread were Ashley Overcast and Vivien Henderson, two fierce competitors in OCR, as well as myself. We were out to find answers to whether this OCR100 would come through or disappear. But then something happened.

I am the type of person to make sarcastic and goofy comments, and often get strange looks or reactions.  Honestly, that's why I make them sometimes. But in this group, I wasn't the only one making these jokes. We all had the same off, slightly twisted sense of humor. This ongoing conversation quickly became a highlight for me, making me laugh throughout my days. It wasn't all about the comedy though. We all shared some common core values that brought us closer together. We believed in working hard to get what you want. And not just working hard, but pushing yourself to your limits to become better and stronger. I knew that these were the people I needed to surround myself with because they would make me better. Not just as an athlete, but as a person. As we became closer, we became the Wolfpack.

Ed is very involved with American Ninja Warrior and it was about to take a lot of time out of his schedule. To prevent him from having to deal with reading hundreds of messages in our thread each day, we three created our own thread. Although he was busy with his ANW and not part of our every day conversation, Ed is still very much part of our Wolfpack and will definitely be welcome back in the daily conversation when he has the time.

Ashley, Vivien, and I kicked our OCR season into high gear and had some very successful events. I got much better, and I know it is due to them. I cannot stress enough how amazing it is to have a close knit group of friends to support you. OCR people are the best, and these two women are the best of the best. They lift me when I'm down. Sometimes they don't even know I'm down, but talking to them lifts me up all the same. They inspire me. These are the strongest women people you will ever meet, and I'm not just talking about bench presses and dead lifts. They push themselves to be their very best, but at the same time are selfless to a fault. If they know there is something they can do to help you, they will. No hesitation. As a single father who has raised a daughter just about to become an adult, I often worry about how good of a job I have done. I want her to be the best person she can be. I want her to be like the women in the Wolfpack.

We all like to be independent and do things on our own. But if you can find a small group of people whose motives and drives line up with yours, whatever they may be, hold on to them. Use them to lift yourself to greater heights, and do your part to lift them too. As a unit, you will be capable of so many incredible things. For me, I need to laugh and to make others laugh. I need to stay accountable with my workouts and keep pushing to get better. I need somebody to tell me to rest my injury, but understands why they still see me at the next race anyways. I need to have conversations that can switch back and forth from intelligent to inappropriate. I need to see the inspiring examples of what a person is able to accomplish, despite all types of adversity, all the while keeping a smile on their faces. I need the Wolfpack.