BradCrazy Eslin- Hundo for the Homeless

Welcome back to The Maine Shakeout! Today’s guest is Brad…and we didn’t even know his last name until today! But we do know his purpose, and that’s far more important. His cause; Bradcrazy’s Hundo for the Homeless. Using running to bring attention to the homeless crisis in Bangor. A great chat with a very inspirational local. 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bradcrazys-hundo-for-the-homeless

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:13

Welcome back to the main shakeout. Today's guest is Brad Eslin, or better known on Facebook as Brad Crazy's Hundo for the Homeless. Brad is bringing attention to the homeless crisis in Bangor by training to run 100 miles in September. In his words, if these runs can encourage even one person to not give up, they're worth it. Running is our therapy. Hope is our destination. So, Brad, thanks for taking the time to chat and welcome to the pod.

SPEAKER_04 0:41

Yeah, thank you. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Absolutely. You um you have a great story to tell. But before we get into your run for the homeless and what you're doing there, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, how you got into running? Um, did you run as a child? Stuff like that. Start from the beginning.

SPEAKER_04 0:56

I I'll yeah, I'll start at the very beginning. Um, so the very first time I did any amount of like actual running, uh, I was a freshman in high school and I ran cross country. Um just kind of to get in shape and I played hockey my whole life. So that was like my you know, my my sport. I tried all sports growing up, but basically hockey. So I I started running just to kind of get in shape and and and stuff for that. That was the only time I ran um until I was jeez, I guess I was in my late 30s. It was 2016. Um I was having chest pains. I didn't know if I was having heart problems. It runs in my family. I went to the doctors. They said I was just having anxiety, stress. They put me in medicine, and I didn't like the way it made me feel. I remember that, and I went, I went back to him. I'm like, I don't, I don't like the way this is making me feel. Is this like addictive? And they're like, yeah, you actually can get dependent on it. And I'm like, I don't I don't want to take this anymore. I I don't want to do this. So then that just made me like, what can I what can I do if I'm stressed? I need I need to start exercising. And it all started actually with I made a goal to do a hundred push-ups at once. This is actually what started the whole thing.

SPEAKER_03 2:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 2:05

And I just started exercising at my house. And that led into, you know, jogging down the road to a set of railroad tracks, which happened to be at 1.6 miles and back. And I it gave me that runner's high. Like I was just like, oh my God, this is amazing. Like, I feel so great. And I just wanted to do it more. So I did it the next day and the next day. And then my body was like, What is what are you doing? Because I was running like race pace. I didn't really I honestly didn't know enough about running, or just I just, you know, I loved the feeling, and I just would run out my door, not a hundred percent, but like you know, almost like 5k pace kind of. And I would just get exhausted and I'd get that high, and I was just I loved it. So but my body and my knees started to ache. So, like anything nowadays, even though it's 2016, back then, you know, the internet, everything, I said Google search, all this stuff. It's like, oh, you got runner's knee, blah, blah, blah, blah. You gotta strengthen your body. It's not used to running. So I started doing like squats and other body exercises and just kept running. And then uh I saw on Facebook one of my high school friends who had tried to run the Boston Marathon, and she misqualifying by like seconds, and it was like this big thing. And I was like, I just gravitated towards her because I didn't know any runners. I didn't know anything about running, but I just started running. And um, so I started talking to her and messaged her on Facebook and asked her about it, and she kind of gravitated towards me too and just started feeding me all this information. And I was like a sponge. I got addicted to just running and everything running. Yeah, and she's like, You need to get to a race. And I was like, because she saw my, she she was asking me how you know my pace and whatever. I'm like, oh I'm like 745. She's like, You're pretty fast. I was like, is that really fast? I'm like, I don't know. And in hindsight, you know, not really, but it is, it depends on it's all perspective and who you are. You know, I mean, some people that's super fast. Other people like, dude, you're slow. Great. You know, like so, but I mean, if you're a runner, you're a runner. I've learned now that it doesn't matter pace. It's just if you're a runner, if you run a mile, it's a mile. It doesn't matter what speed you go. But so back to the story. Yeah, so I'm like, she, I go my first, so the first race I actually went to was um it was downtown, Bangor, the the what's it called? The Epic finale? Yes, the epic finale. I actually have a t-shirt I just dug out the other day. Yeah, and it's um so that was my very first race, and I think I finished top 10, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Oh, yeah. So people were like, who the five guy, right?

SPEAKER_04 4:32

Uh you come out of nowhere. Like, and so I started making running friends and going to more races, and then um, so I did a 5K and then a 10K. And then I'm like, I wonder, you know, I just never thought I'd run long distance, but uh talking to my friend, she's like, you know, you should run a half marathon. I'm like, I don't even know. That's like so far. I'd only run like five or six miles. I think six was like, and so progressing, I was like, you know what? I lived in Bucksport. I ran to Brewer. It was 13 months just for just for just to see if I could do it. You know, I went the distance and I like felt like I was gonna die, really, but I still got that runner's height and that sense of accomplishment. You know, I think that's what running has done for me and what um I think it could do for a lot of people. And but I want to I'm gonna fast forward a little bit to this homeless thing, but just you know, hope. You you just those little steps. If you can get just that one step forward and get or just a small little accomplishment that give you pride in yourself and be like, okay, I can do this or I can, I'm getting closer to my goal. But that's how it started. So then she's like, you know, because she ran the Boston Marathon, I actually had that pipe dream. Once I ran that 13, not any race, I'm like, I would just, I would love to run the Boston Marathon. And I started talking to her about it, and she's like, You need to have a plan. You need, I'm like, well, what do I do? And um, it started with the Hanson Marathon method. And this is something that she did. And I like, again, I I knew nothing. And uh, she was like my coach, really. I mean, I didn't, she wasn't, but I used her as that. And she's like, you gotta get this book. So I bought the book, and I just read the book from front to back and like just use it as my Bible. And I trained, and I that first I so I what I did was I signed up for the Strugglow Marathon in 2017 and just trained like like it was my like my life depended on it. Um honestly. I think I missed like three days in my training cycle, and I ran the marathon and I qualified for Boston with like 50 second buffer.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Wait, what would you what would what time did you need at that time?

SPEAKER_04 6:37

So at that age, at that time, I needed a 315 because I think that was like early 40s. Yeah. So I got a 314-10.

SPEAKER_01 6:45

Oh, 2017.

SPEAKER_04 6:47

In 2017.

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Yeah, this was like this is like when the Boston Marathon gap time started to change, right?

SPEAKER_04 6:53

Yeah, I don't know. They were pretty, I mean, I guess they're fairly decent or low. They've changed quite a bit since then. I mean, I'm I'm almost 50 and this time's still the same. Now it's they've made it harder and I'm older. Right.

SPEAKER_03 7:04

Yeah, it's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_04 7:05

Or just as hard, but it's like I'm older, but now it's just as hard as it was when it was 10 years ago.

SPEAKER_02 7:10

Yeah, right. Yeah. Anyway, okay, so you qualify.

SPEAKER_04 7:12

So I'll fast forward a little bit. I actually just qualified for Boston. It was one of one of the goals that made me when I was running and just made me think of this thing. I was like, just getting back into running again after a little hiatus. And um, yeah, so I qualified for Boston, and it's just hard, right? You running's hard.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

But wait, hold on. Did you just re-qualify for Boston?

SPEAKER_04 7:31

Yes, re So this is the new goal. I don't want to like sit like mess up my whole story.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

Congratulations.

SPEAKER_04 7:36

Yeah, so I mean, just because I want to get back into running, and you for me personally, you have to set a goal and then just go after it. And um, so yeah, so I'd run I've run Boston four real times, one virtual time, and this will be my you know, um fifth real time, I guess. I don't really count the virtual because it wasn't in Boston. I mean, I did run a marathon, and then you sent me a medal, but it it's not right, which means it doesn't have the same feeling. No, it doesn't. It doesn't.

SPEAKER_01 8:06

So you qualified that 2017 I feel like that's like the most that's like the traditional path for us like maters. It's sugar.

SPEAKER_04 8:14

Yeah, so I've heard back then she's like, you know, that's like one of the easier, you know, ones. If you want to do one, that's good. And it's beautiful. It's it's a gr I love that course. I've run it so many times since then. Not just the marathon, and a bunch of the 15k usually, but um I've done the marathon twice. That was like what I just actually re-qualified with um was was sugarloaf, but so yeah, so I run that marathon. I'm def I'm I'm happy, but I'm just defeated because my goal is to run Boston, and I know 50 seconds at that time really wasn't gonna do it. So I just was like, what do I what do I do? What do I do? I kind of um I don't want to say blew up, but in in hindsight, I wasn't a big fan of the Hansen marathon method for me personally. It might work for other people. The the non-long runs. I don't know if you guys are familiar with the plan.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Very much so. And I also do not like the plan. But I remember I think that's like the most natural path towards long distance running if you've never run. That you Google like marathon training plan, the yeah, right. So I mean I've done it. But I also I agree with you. That it's like it's high, high running mileage, not in one sense. There's no real long run each week.

SPEAKER_04 9:24

And what and for me personally, like I said, I can't speak for anybody else, but for me, that non-big long run mentally, and I think probably even physically, right? When you get to the race, I hit mile like 20. I I almost stopped. I almost started walking, but I saw my kids at like mile 21, 22, my family cheer me on. I'm like, how can I, how can I quit?

SPEAKER_02 9:43

Right. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:44

So they got me through, to be honest. But um, yeah, so so I so I I signed up for um the Beantown Marathon, which I believe at that time, uh it was 2017 still, because I was just trying to get into 2018 Boston. Yeah, yeah. Um I signed up for the Beantown Marathon, and it was like a, I think if I remember correctly, it's something like a six-mile circuit.

SPEAKER_03 10:04

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:05

Yeah. And at that time it was like they didn't do a lot of those, and it was made for people to get into Boston, kind of like, I don't want to say a cheater course, but it's designed to help you get in.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:13

And believe it or not, the elevation was higher than you would think by doing the course because it's little, but it just kept adding up and adding up. Anyway, I got in, I can't remember my exact time, but I had like I think a five-minute buffer, which at that time got me in. Yeah. And I was just ecstatic. Um, I trained super hard and ran Boston 2018. And I don't know if you guys are familiar with like that year particularly, but it was at that time. Well, I guess it was just really bad. It was like 30s, high 30s, low 40s.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Yeah, that's right. Raining, windy.

SPEAKER_04 10:45

It was like people were dropping like flies, pros, everybody. Yeah. Um, and I I think I got like a 308 and change. I was primed for sub three. That was my goal. I knew I would have it, but the weather just any race.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

It was like uh it's like torrential race and wind and like yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:02

Yeah, it was literally the craziest race. I'll remember it for the rest of my life, and at least I hope I do. I'm probably more proud of that than most of the things I've even done. And I've I've done some brag crazy stuff. We'll get into that. Um so so yeah, Boston 2018. I loved it. I I personally feel like I crushed it even though I didn't hit my goal time, which was the sub three. So in my mind, I'm just gonna train hard and go at Boston 2019. Go going for the sub three. That's my goal. Not I'm like got the blinders on, but I'm running high mileage. Um, I I'd made a lot of running friends at this time because I'm doing tons of races. I'm just immersed in the running community, at least where I lived. And um, Gary Allen, you guys must know. Oh so I signed up for the MDI half, and that was the same in 20, um, I think it was, I guess it was still, it was just after Boston and stuff on 2018. I'm waiting for 20. He's like, I'm still running. He's like, private messages me because we were kind of friends. I've been to a lot of races, and he's like, Brad, you're Brad crazy. I want to put you to the marathon. I've been watching you on Strava. He's like me running high mileage. He's like, I want you to go for that sub three. And I'm thinking, this is like three days before this. It's like Thursday. The race is Saturday or Sunday. Oh my god. And I'm just like, fuck it, I'm Brad Crazy. I got nothing to lose. Like, I've got no pressure. If I don't do it, I haven't trained, I haven't in my mind, I haven't trained for a marathon. So if I don't get it, who cares? Right. Right, right. And he's like, just don't tell anybody because people get hurt because a lot of people try to upgrade and they can't, and they, you know, so he's like, just don't tell anybody. So I show up. I even remember uh my friend Melissa Osana, who's a local runner on the island, she volunteers and always giving out bibs, and she sees me and I got the marathon baby and she's like, wait a second, I thought you were doing the half. I was like, secret, top secret, don't say anything. I've broken the pull. So Gary's like, he's a longtime runner. He's trying to give me advice. He's like, try to go out slow, save your energy for the second half, you know, try to do a negative split. I I have the hardest time with that. Like a lot of people, you know, everyone's taken off at the beginning of the race. I went all out and just kind of hung on at the end. And I'm sure you guys, maybe, maybe not, but probably familiar with the course. Super hilly, super super. I wouldn't even say it rivals, Boston, in my opinion. But um, but yeah, so I went out super fast, 258-35.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Oh shit! That's incredible. Like, shout out to Gary Allen for creeping the shit out of your strawberry.

SPEAKER_04 13:29

Like, you're just gonna I mean, honestly, I don't know if I'll ever touch that time because I mean, I I you know, I'm getting older and it's just so much work to go fast like that. I mean, yeah, but yeah, to your point, shout out to Gary. He is one of the greatest motivators. He believes in so much, he makes you believe in yourself. And and that's what, again, what I want to try to do for other people. And you guys don't know me besides what's right now and meeting me, but um, when I started this whole thing running, I started, I I was I love the feeling of that it made me the running, the exercise. So I started this thing on my Facebook page, like get off the couch. Like, so I would do my running video in the morning. I would just talk about how I'm running and just try to help motivate people to help start running because it makes you feel so good and it's just all this. And I I kind of got away from it because it just took you know time and this and that and whatever. So, but recently I actually started because a lot of my friends are like, listen, you before I started this the Hondo thing, like I missed your videos. You helped motivate me. I had people message me like, man, I started like running me exercising because of you. And they and a lot of people don't actually like the video and they don't comment, but they watch. Like, you know, people a lot of people see your stuff on Facebook, but they might not like it. Yeah, I mean, I see friends from high school and in the grocery store be like, dude, I love your videos. Like, you're like, please don't stop doing it. You know, it's like, and some people might think I'm I'm doing it to get attention for myself, and that's I've I've I've learned to accept that. Like, if people want to think that, that's fine. But I'm doing it to help other people. And the same thing with this Hundo thing. I want to get the attention, but then redirect that attention to them, you know, to help just bring attention to them, to help any, and I don't even know what the answers are. I I just want to help and bring attention to the situation. And if people have advice, and if they, you know, I don't even know. I I'll take any anything. I'm not trying, I just want to help. That's it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 15:19

So so yeah, back to the running story, I guess. Uh, where are we at? Where I so I'm I got my sub three, 29 teen boston. I just keep staying running. Um after that, I I got it just like anything else, I guess you climb a mountain, okay, you get that goal. Life doesn't stop there. Okay, what's next? Like you you need that, I don't want to say that dopamine rush, but you need, for me personally, something to go after, or you get stuck into that rut or life, and you start to get depressed, and life and and and I'm gonna be honest, since I've started running, I've had a couple of those little it's not just been like riding this mountain high all the way. Life's not like that. It's never like that. But that's what running's taught me too, is especially like ultra running, you know, you get into low times, but you just gotta keep moving forward and it gets better. Nothing's permanent. Pain is temporary, you know, it's gonna go away. Nothing's gonna last forever. Um, so I started to run trails. After that, I started to, I did um the the Downeast uh Sunrise Trail reading.

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:19

I started to do that actually before right around that 2018. I asked to be on our team because somebody needed a uh a sub. And I like the first year, I was like, I love this. This is amazing. I feel like I'm in like some college dorm frapping. Like, I don't even know. Like, this is amazing. We all packed into a van. This is the way this team personally did it. Everyone does it a little different, but ever since then, I do it this way, and this is amazing. You pack into one van, your whole team, everyone has to be in one van. And because you you tell stories. If you're separated, it's not the same. If everyone's together the whole time, it's such a different experience. Yeah, and that's the only way I've done it, and it's just amazing. Um, I actually am not doing it this year, subnote, just because a lot of crazy my my team's kind of fallen apart, and it's just been a lot of things, and I was asked to do the tough mountain, which I've never done and always wanted to do. And this life changes, but anyway, back backtracking. Um, I I met um other people that do trail running. Um, and I started trail running through that desk relay, and I just got into trails. And I remember in 2019, uh, through the people I met, they're like my friend Jen, who's been one of my best friends uh ever since. She she's like, hey, I do this like trail run on my birthday, and I always do like two miles older than I am. So she's like, I'm 41 this year, I'm gonna do 43 miles. And I was like, Holy shit, dude, I've only run 26 miles. Like, I don't even know. Like, she's like, Well, you don't have to do the whole thing, but you could try, you know, you can't.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Is this gender by any chance? Yes, this is definitely gender. Yeah, I wonder. I'm like, I've gotta be Jen. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 17:47

Yeah, so so I met her back in 2018, and she asked me, or not she, but the the people that were on her desk team asked me, and that's how I met her, and we became fast friends, and just um, and when COVID hit, we like primarily just run together and we'd just go everywhere, all over Katie. Then we started going into the whites and started knocking off whites mountains, and yeah, and then just life happens, and uh, we're not like we're just friends, so we have our own relationships, right? Right. That's kind of you know, things it's just weird, but anyway, um yeah, she's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

And and so wait, so yeah, so you ran 43 miles for her birthday?

SPEAKER_04 18:21

So, yeah, so back then, 20 uh this was like I think 2019, 2018. I have to backtrack and look. But anyway, yeah, we ran 43. I completed the whole thing. Again, that's weird the goals. I'm like, this is the most it was through Acadia, and it was like, you know, numerous mountain peaks, probably like 20,000 feet of elegation. Who knows?

SPEAKER_01 18:38

She has like all the FKTs gave me.

SPEAKER_04 18:40

I don't, it was crazy that day. And I had so much fun. I remember the first, because again, I'd never run trails. Uh her friend and my friend, my friend now, also uh Jeremy, um, Doherty, he lives down there. He's a huge trail runner. He gave me this uh ultimate direction pack, right? And I'd never even trail runner a pack here. I'm gonna run like 40 miles. Yeah, I'm like five miles in and my nipples are burning because it's just going like this, you know? And I'm just like, I don't think I can even make it a couple more miles. And Jen was like, here's some band-aids, you're gonna be good.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

Yes, you're fine.

SPEAKER_04 19:12

And I put them on and she was 100% correct that I was good the rest of the day.

SPEAKER_02 19:17

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 19:18

But yeah, that was so I remember I got done and my legs cramped so hard. I couldn't I on the ride back to my vehicle, I was like legs out straight, like freaking out. People are giving me salt tabs. I'm just like, oh my God. I got home, I couldn't sleep all night, my feet were just like cramping up. And then my my wife at the time, I'm divorced now from her, but she was like, was it really worth it? Because she's this is another thing. Like, she was never supportive, really, of my running to fully, if I'm being honest.

SPEAKER_03 19:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:48

It's kind of like fake support. And and that was a lot of half the reason. But anyway, um, so I was just like, yeah, it was totally worth it. I mean I'm gonna do it again. Like, this is all like I mean, I was even though I'm in pain, like I I had the feeling like I had of accomplishment of just everything, you know. I just and just everything. It was just awesome. I felt like a kid. When I'm in the on the trails on the mountains, I feel like I'm just a kid, just free. You know, I I can't explain it any other way than just a free kid, you know.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

So is this how your name starts to like come to fruition, the brat and cardiovascular?

SPEAKER_04 20:18

No, actually, I was so I should have to backtrack. So this is um when I first my first Boston rate training for Boston you had in Maine, you know, it's through the winter.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Yeah, it sucks.

SPEAKER_04 20:28

And and I despise treadmill running. I just I don't think anybody likes it, you know. Some people tolerate it, but and they and they but I just I I and I have done my fair share of it, but if I can avoid it, and back then I just didn't. And so I was doing sub-zero temp runs, frozen beard stuff. And one of my um first running friends, even along with my high school friend, was believe it or not, was um one of my ex-wife's like softball coach, and she's an older woman, and she just she runs you know slow, but she's a runner. And I grew I talk, we would talk, you know, and and I remember calling her one time after my frozen, my runs, and I literally, this is maybe TMI, I got frost nip on my penis because I who else I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

You might have to somebody told us about no is chafing penis and war condom to prevent the chafing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:20

So like I'm not it's I mean, I was not prepared for the wind chill. I mean, you know, you're in Maine. I'm going like sometimes I was on like you know in Bucks for this is really windy by the river. Hilarious. Anyway, I and I'm not exaggerating, I used to have to take a washcloth and stick it over my crotch.

SPEAKER_03 21:36

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 21:37

So it would not, I got back and it was like numb. It didn't hurt at first until it started to thaw. Yes. And I was in tears, like stomping my feet, crying. Oh, wow. And it was like bad.

unknown 21:49

Oh, I know.

SPEAKER_04 21:49

So that's so I remember calling her one time, and then that was that, and then the frozen beards. And I remember her commenting one time. She's like, You are friggin' brag crazy. And it just kind of just

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Stuck. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 22:01

But it was the frozen beard winter running, is what started for training for boss.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

No, it's stuck. I mean, it checks out. Like it's perfect.

SPEAKER_04 22:08

But then so, and because she named me that, and honestly, I it fed, I don't want to say my ego, but just like this per altered personality. Like, so um, after 2019, my sub three, this is I'm like just running again. I'm just I'm running a lot. I'm like, what's next? And Gary Allen's a huge motivator for me. And because of, you know, he got me to that sub three. I just love Gary. And he had this the year before that, this great Cranberry 100. And I had run this trail 42 miles. And I'm like, man, I I did this. I'm I'm running. I'm like, I gotta do something crazy. What can I do? And and believe it or not, now 100 milers are like 100, I do twos, I do threes. My you know, Jason, you just had him, he's a friend of mine. Yeah, we run many miles together. I mean, 300, crazy. I mean, that just blows my mind, right? So it's not a big deal now as much as it was back then, I think. But back then, to me especially, you know, I was like, this is crazy. I'm I'm just gonna go for it. So yeah, I um actually reached out to a friend. I didn't know them, but I through social media. Um, at that time, I think she still has the handle. Her name's Flat Laurie, she's out of Massachusetts, she's a college professor.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

She ran a Badlands and her.

SPEAKER_04 23:21

Yeah, yes. So I I because of that, and because she's a huge crow athletics and I'm into crow big time with Gary, I reached out to her and was like, hey, I'm gonna run this hundred. Do you think you could help me with a plan? And she's like, I would love to. And I'm like, I'll pay you. She's like, I don't want any money. I'm like, well, I'm sending you money.

SPEAKER_01 23:38

She's kick ass. Like she trained in a stana suit.

SPEAKER_04 23:41

Like, she is amazing. Just her personality, everything. I mean, I don't know her really, really well, but just from what I do, she's just super supportive of all runners and just a great person, it seems. So, yeah. So she actually helped me train, and it was weird because it was any different than anything I'd ever done. It was in in percentage of effort and time. Now, I always before, like with the Hansen thing and then other training methods, it was like, you know, tempo at this pace, at this speed, at this thing. That's what I'd done in the past. And this time it was like go out at 75% effort for three hours, you know, and then and and like towards the end, it was like, okay, I want you to do three hours at late at night and then wake up early and do another like six hours, you know. That was my last big push before I did the hundred. And just like anything else, um, at least me personally, these big distances, it any distance really, even when I break it down to like my 10 mile run locally, yeah, I chunk it up. You know, I can't think of like, oh, I'm going for 10 miles. I mean, 10 miles isn't as bad now, but 100 miles is like it's like almost put you to your knees just thinking about it, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:46

So like think about that.

SPEAKER_04 24:47

Yeah. So even the day it started, I was nervous as shit, obviously. I've trained, I put all this time. Training went great, went fantastic. I didn't get hurt. I pretty much nailed it as far as I could tell in my mind. I like, I did everything I was supposed to. So just like anything else, I guess your marathons, if you run a lot, you know, the haze in the barn. Mentally, I I mean I'm nervous, but I I feel like I've done what I need to do.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 25:10

So I just star, I remember um I met this girl named Maggie. I didn't know where I need to before this, but she did there's it this year, which they've only done it the two years, I guess. They have relay too.

SPEAKER_02 25:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 25:21

So there was like, I think three or four, maybe five teams that were doing relays. So they'd have like one person doing 20 miles and then another person 20 miles. So I started off and I'm like just chatting up and I'm just trying to stay just in the moment, you know, and I'm talking with her, just meeting, you know, whatever, all this new stuff. But now I watched, I'm doing like eight twenties, and I'm like, Oh my god, which feels fine, but I'm doing 100 miles here. Right, right. You're not doing 1020. So I ran like 10 miles at that pace, and I was like, you're cool, but ah, you're running way too fast for me. Like I'll talk to you later.

SPEAKER_02 25:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 25:48

And then so I slowed way back to like nine something, and and it went great. Um, the first, like, it was amazing, really. The first, like, I'd sit actually 20 so miles in, I started to get this like wicked knee pain, and I was freaking out. I took some Advil, it went away and never came back. I was like, but but panic mode set in because I'm just like 20 miles in, like, I'm barely into this race, like, and it hurt bad. Yeah, like bad enough where I was like, oh my God, I don't even know what I'm gonna do. But it went away and luckily. Um, and then like honestly, after that, through like mile 75, I think it was, it just was great. I remember through the night, I just felt great. It was just felt great. And then I hit mile like 75 to 80, and I really it really hit me hard. Shit. And I was just like, oh my god, what uh what am I doing? Like, Jesus, this is like, and I walked a lot.

SPEAKER_03 26:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:38

And and then I remember what the sun started to come up, and I was walking. I was like, you know what? I was like so far ahead time-wise from the cutoff. I think it was like a 30-hour cutoff, and I I finished with a 21, 30 something time or 21, 30, 21, 27, I think. It was, you know, I had tons of time. So I was just walking and I I wasn't, there was only like six or seven of us, I think, in the whole race, the actual 100 race. And I remember I was in second place and I was just walking, and the guy in front of me, we were like running, and then we were both walking. I was like, because it was a I don't know if you know about this race, it's literally a two-mile stretch of road. So you just go back. It's kind of insane if you think about it. That was another brag crazy. I'm like, this is just crazy. Why would it be that's that's brag crazy? So yeah. Um, so I would see him, like, his name is Todd Rutling, and he's a wicked nice guy. And I would see him, and I was like, Don't worry about it, dude. I'm not coming after you because he was like 15 minutes ahead of me.

SPEAKER_02 27:27

Right, right.

SPEAKER_04 27:27

But we were only like 80 miles in. I say only, there's still 20 miles a long time to distance. So this guy, Chris, he was my um, he was like, I don't want to say my team leader, but he was kind of like the head of my crew. And he was like, Brad, uh, you you could totally, you could totally catch this guy. I don't know why. I know you're and you're tired, you're walking, he's like, what if people start running with you, like you're you know, other people in the crew and friends to get you going again? I was like, Yeah, that might work. I was like, Yeah, let's try it. So yeah, I think a bunch of people started stepping in, they they do a laugh at me, and then I started running. And so Todd sees me running, I was like, I'm coming after you, dude. So he starts running again, and like, yeah, he he beat me, but I probably shouldn't have said anything.

SPEAKER_01 28:07

But yeah, but then you pushed him.

SPEAKER_04 28:10

He would have seen me running anyway. But yeah, no, he it was it was a great experience. Um, just the emotions, the the sense of pride and accomplishment, you know. So that's what running has done for me. And it also, so through these little goals, I'll also tell you because it transitions to my life, and that's another thing I I want I'm I'm so passionate about this with with the homeless, just because it it I don't want to start crying or share too much because I don't, but I I actually am an addict, and I didn't and a lot of people don't know this, and I'm hesitant to share because people are so judgmental. Um but way back, way back in um you know, early 2000s, OxyContin's, you know, I I got addicted hard.

SPEAKER_01 28:54

Were you how did that start, Brad?

SPEAKER_04 28:55

Like, was that like a it started, it actually started, and believe it or not, I was out of all my friends, I was probably one of the last ones to to get to get addicted. That's it, because all my friends didn't do it, but the friends that I that did start to do it and get addicted, it was kind of at parties and hanging out. And some of them were I don't want to say like the shadier people, but I mean I was in a mixed group, complete sports, so I was friends with some of the like sport people, but I also I I smoked a lot of pot, to be honest, you know, growing up and and and I still do, to be honest, this is what it is. I mean, a lot of people, I I I like I'm just gonna be an open book here, it's what it is.

SPEAKER_01 29:26

But I love that. I really say that.

SPEAKER_04 29:28

But yeah, so the reason I'm so passionate is because of that. And it started out just at people at parties. My friends were doing it and they started getting addicted. And I was like, dude, this is what are you guys doing? Like, this is stupid. You're I see some of my friends start to ruin their lives, which is stupid that I even did it to begin with. I don't know, it wasn't peer pressure, but it's I should have just not I should have just in hindsight realized, okay, this isn't the type of life or or that I want. But I was young and impressionable, and it was like, hey, this is what everyone's doing, I'm gonna do it too. So then I just kind of got sucked into it. And then I mean it got it got really bad. And then it was just really bad. I I mean, there's no and so that's why I'm so sympathetic to these people because I feel like I'm a good person. My parents were good, working class, regular people. They didn't drink or do drugs. I had a regular household. I mean, I was a broken home, my parents were divorced, but that's like a lot of people, right? So I was loved, we weren't, we didn't have money, but I I was loved and I was taken care of.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 30:24

So it's not my parents' fault, it's just I say I blame it on society and really big pharma, because now that I've seen all these shows on like Hulu and and in in the past, you you're in the moment, you don't realize it. But basically, the pharmaceutical companies just flooded the market and pushed it on to the to to society and created a a a country or a world of addicts, really. And it's screwed up so many people's lives and families, and and mine's one of them. But what I'm I'm happy about and most proud of, and that's well why I'm willing to even share this, is I mean, I've I've come like a phoenix from the ashes, you know, like most people, the statistics are staggering that people that have done and come back from what I've come back from. So I I I I'm not I don't want to come across as like conceited or cocky by any means. And that's why I'm I'm scared to even do stuff like this because I don't want people to think like I'm doing it for myself, because I'm definitely not.

SPEAKER_01 31:18

You can't care what people will think, right?

SPEAKER_04 31:20

Well, and and that's and that's kind of when we started, like even my wife's and I and I love my wife, she's so amazing and so supportive. Like, I can't say enough good things about her. But she was like, Don't you worry about like people they're gonna think I'm like, I have to, I can't worry about that because I won't be able to do what I do. People are always gonna judge you. Sure, it's yeah, and honestly, I watch so many motivational videos to keep me running, to keep me doing positive things and positive energy because there's so much negativity out there, and and just like anybody else, I know I post positive videos and everybody, but I'm human. I have a lot of negativity in my life, and I get angry and I get upset and it and it can consume you. But if you can surround yourself with positive people and people that are willing to, you know, step out of their comfort zone and try hard things and just do things like that, you you will end up with friends, and that's what I mean, that's how I got away from that. I I literally I just had to disassociate myself with anybody that did that bad stuff. And and my my new lifestyle when I started running, when I started going to races, when I started doing these things, it it led me to a new group of friends and a new lifestyle in in in entirely. So, and it's literally just catapulted my life in so many positive ways. And that's another, it's just so many, so many good things come from running, at least for me. So I want to share that with as many people as I can.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

Finish your story real quick, though. How did you pull yourself out of that cycle? Like, how did you decide to change?

SPEAKER_04 32:49

Well, so I mean, and that is ultimately the biggest thing, and that's the hardest part of this thing is to getting s anybody to decide to change. But ultimately, for me, it was sitting in jail for months and months and months and and getting clean and sober. And and I feel like honestly, if if I didn't go through that, I wouldn't be where I am today. It's sad to say that. No, but I needed to be forced into sobriety. Right.

SPEAKER_02 33:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:13

Because left to my own devices, uh, the more you do it, the deeper you get. And your brain takes over. You I mean, I've been into so much counseling since, you know, you've basically have to rewire your brain because you've effed your brain up so bad, it doesn't know how to get out of it on its own.

SPEAKER_02 33:30

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:31

So you, you know, you you you've flooded your system with stuff that it can't produce its own stuff anymore. You know, you can't make yourself happy anymore because your body, you've you fed it so fake, so much fake happiness. Right, yeah, that it's like I I can't make yourself, you can't, I can't make you happy anymore. Sorry. That's just how it is.

SPEAKER_02 33:47

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:48

And then so you have to go through that really hard, long. I mean, I wanted to kill myself. I mean, it's you know, I mean, I was in jail, you know, yeah, I was going through detox hard.

SPEAKER_02 33:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:58

I I mean, and um at the time I was on methadone and that was like rapid detoxing me. So I was just like, they put me on suicide watch because they know, you know, like I was in a sheet in a little room for like days.

SPEAKER_00 34:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:10

It sucks. But but that's what's but that's what's helped me be who I am today, you know, going through and that's another, I don't know. I'm I have so many like little keynotes I wanted to touch on, but the the big thing is like running, it just running isn't even about running for me. It's about teaching yourself how to get through hard times. Because when you're running, it's it's not easy. Even almost any time.

SPEAKER_02 34:36

Right.

SPEAKER_04 34:36

So once you like like, for example, you go on your six-mile run or whatever, even even when you're in the best shape, you have, I'm sure everyone's done it, you could be in the greatest shape. You have one of those days where you feel like you're running molasses uphill and there's no reason for it. And you're like, what the hell? I don't even feel like a runner. Like, what am I? What is this?

SPEAKER_01 34:53

Then you question everything right after what's going on.

SPEAKER_04 34:55

So but it's hard, but you just keep going. You know, even if you walk home, you you finish the run. I and I I've heard almost everyone that runs say this. No, unl unless you get injured on the run. No one has ever come back and run and said that they wish they hadn't done it.

SPEAKER_02 35:07

You know, 100%, right? Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:10

So it's one of those things that's so but that's how I got, and this was back in oh, let's see. I was pointing out like that. Yeah, so I I I mean, this was 2001 was when I really got into it bad. But it was like, so my son Gabe was born in 2000. I have to like kind of timeline myself. He was born in 2006, and I was in jail. I went to jail the last time right after he was born because I was like stealing stuff from Walmart to support my habit. Yeah, and um, I got out of jail right before he turned one. I begged them to let me out. They let me out on house arrest with an ankle bracelet. And then I ended up working at nickels plumbing and heating and brewer, and that's how I actually got into to where I the what I do now. I worked for myself. I don't know if you guys know this, but uh I became a master plumber because of running. So I just so all this transitional stuff. Like I didn't have confidence in my life, I didn't have confidence in myself. And that was just from you know, just growing up. And my dad was great, but I think, and I loved him to death, but he didn't have a lot of confidence in it. I mean, he was a great guy, don't get me wrong.

SPEAKER_02 36:12

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:12

But he just didn't have that. And it's like once I started running, I felt like I developed a superpower. And when I say that, I mean I'd start to make these goals, and then especially Boston, once I started hitting multiple goals, like the the sub three was really the big one, and then the hundred, I was like, I can do anything I set my mind to if I'm willing to put in the work and make the proper sacrifices and put in enough time. Now it might, depending on your goal, it might take 10 years, you know? Yeah. I mean, but literally, uh, anything's possible. And I was like, just the light went off, and I was like, I remember it specifically. I was watching a motivational video, and it was like, why work for somebody else's life, for somebody else to make their life, your dreams come true when you could work for yourself to make your dreams come true. And I'm at the time, I'm running on a treadmill, watching this TV motivational videos, and and I'm like, my boss, where I used to work, was building this million-dollar camp, his like forever home. And I'm like, he takes the calls, I do the work, he makes the money. Yeah. What the F am I doing? So just like marathon training, this has taught me this. What do I want? I make a goal, make a plan to go after it, and then just start doing the steps. So I need to get my master license, I need to study, I start studying, I start taking it seriously. I get my license, I just start making the plans and I just start executing, just like running. And next thing I know, I'm working for myself and I have a company called Marathon Plumbing.

SPEAKER_01 37:41

Marathon plumbing? Let's go. You know, look at that.

SPEAKER_04 37:44

There's my little guy Boston Marathon colors.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

I am blue and yarn. And I hope that everyone's listening to this.

SPEAKER_00 37:53

You know, yeah, but I I mean you might not want to be inspirational, but you really are. I mean, your story's pretty phenomenal, right?

SPEAKER_04 38:01

I mean, I I well, thank you guys. I mean, I'm just a this and this is what makes me feel good because I'm just a regul, I'm just like you, I'm just like anybody else. We're all the same. We are all the same. Anyone's capable of all of these things. And and literally, um Gary's not the only person, but he's like the huge spark that was just like gave me all this like just belief. And then that just transitioned, and then I just went with it, you know. So he sparked the flame. He really did. Like and he does that for a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 38:29

He does. I was gonna say, isn't that cool? It's just it's some people have it, a lot of people don't. Yeah, you have it, Gary has it. Yeah, just the willingness. I think it's a willingness to be 100% yourself around even those you don't know. Yeah. Um, and without I would not even for a second think you were being like egocentric by sharing any of these things. You can tell that you're just being authentic, you're being yourself, and sharing your truth is going to inspire other people to like maybe.

SPEAKER_04 38:57

Well, that's why I'm and that's why I'm willing to share it. Because I mean, you know, um, I think we all know, like, you know, David Goggins, yeah. He's just like, he was one of the ones when I was like first star now to be like, you know, just like who cares what anyone says? You because I was obsessed with running, and a lot of people thought I was crazy and obsessed. I'm like, well, that's because I have a goal and I want to attain this goal.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

One of my favorite things from Goggins. So I went through a I think everybody's gone through a Goggins. And to put a sticky note on your mirror, it's like quit being a little bitch. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 39:29

So so if I took you downstairs, I almost did this downstairs, but it's really messy. I have little, I have a chalkboard with all these inspirational notes and quotes and just things that remind me to just not give up and just all these things.

SPEAKER_01 39:42

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 39:43

And you need to be able to do that. One of my biggest ones is like everything, anything you want is on the other side of hard. I love that saying. Like everything you want is on the other side of hard. That's I say that a lot.

SPEAKER_01 39:53

That's should be just on repeat everywhere. Yeah. Let's pivot a little bit, Brad, into this um raising awareness, I guess, is probably the best uh theme for for the homeless. I don't even want to say problem, for like the homeless situation in Bangor. So um, I think it's quite evident like what maybe drew you to wanting to raise awareness, but what is your goal? I know you want to run this hundred-mile race, or not race, but you want to run this hundred miler um in Bangor, correct?

SPEAKER_04 40:23

Yes, correct. Yeah. So I'm actually still, I haven't even ironed out all the wrinkles yet. Right. I've got the the main idea. I think what I really wanted to do, my main goal initially, because this was and honestly, I thought of Gary, Gary kind of just in my mind, just made me think. I started getting emotional because I run super early and I see a lot of homeless people more than the regular people, and I see them anyway. Um, and then because of my past, it just I just started crying. And I'm just like, I grew up here. This I this wasn't like this. And like, and but it so it's just like really just what can I do? I'm like, I know how to do plumbing and I know how to run. Plumbing's not gonna do anything for the homeless. I'm sorry, but it's probably, you know, I mean I might be able to hook up some stuff, but that's not gonna but I can I can raise awareness through my running. I can do something big to get attention and then redirect that attention to them. And then I'm thinking, money. I really wanted to raise just a shit ton of money.

SPEAKER_02 41:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:20

And I wanted, but I don't want to be responsible for that money. So I was like, I know the person that's actually in charge of the homeless crisis in Bangor. And I've reached out to him a couple times, and um, I was really hoping to meet with him and just like kind of help him or help me get a plan of how we can get it out there.

SPEAKER_00 41:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:40

And I've been run, I mean, I run a lot, I I've been brainstorming a lot, and this is another thing I've thought of that I just haven't pulled the trigger on. I've been talking to a couple people, and also life just gets so busy and I run out of time to do with these things. I thought a great idea would be so another to I'll back to a little bit. In order to take donations, uh or let's just say to be a nonprofit.

SPEAKER_02 42:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 42:01

Because I'm like, if I started a nonprofit, I could actually get donations and direct them where I wanted to.

SPEAKER_03 42:07

Right.

SPEAKER_04 42:07

And if I could get a peep group of people that are like-minded like me, that have a passion the same as mine, because I've looked into like what does it take to start a nonprofit? It actually really isn't that hard. And and if you could get that done and you have to get accredited and you have to pay some licensing things and and stuff, but if I could, I could actually get like big donations from these bigger companies that they can't even, they aren't even like really allowed to if you're not like, you know what I mean? I didn't know this. I thought, oh, but no, like they might be able to do a little bit, but you're not gonna get a like for example, and this is just a bad example, but like Shaw's they if they wanted to give you five grand, they can't unless you're like, you know, like uh you know.

SPEAKER_00 42:46

501c3, that'd be a 501c3.

SPEAKER_04 42:48

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So I want to do that, even if it's not even if it's not fast tracked and done by then, at least maybe started by then.

SPEAKER_00 42:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 42:57

But I don't know. I have a lot of ideas. I just gotta do something.

SPEAKER_00 43:01

Did you talk to Gary? I feel like he'd be a great one.

SPEAKER_04 43:03

He he I did talk to him briefly. I I was um volunteering at one of Jen's races I do every year down on the island, and he's always down there. So I saw him at the race and he was asking me about the hundred. And he's like, Do you have a uh a route? Do you know which and I had some crazy route that my friend is like, I want to do like almost all the roads in Bangor, but it's gonna be like and and Gary's like, yeah, I wouldn't I wouldn't try to do that. He's like, I would do like a loop. I don't know, like a little like four, five, six, something, a loop that people can they know where you're gonna be. Stop at tents, they can cheer you on. Yeah. I was like, that's a great idea. That's okay. So that's mostly most I'm pretty much what I think I'm gonna do. I just gotta figure out the route. Um and then I can have like, you know, like he said, like tent setup, maybe even every mile, you know, and like people can help me. Or I was even thinking if people want it, I was I've been thinking a lot of things, even just this morning, maybe have it like a uh a thing where people can join in and do all as many laughs as they want and raise money themselves. And put it towards whatever cause they want towards the homeless. Anything to just help. Like I I don't even know. I just want to just get the get the awareness out there.

SPEAKER_00 44:09

You could collect um I you know like supplies, like if people wondering like like toothbrush, toothbrush. That's not a bad idea. At those stations.

SPEAKER_04 44:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

Um even if it was something s as simple as like if you had donations at all, anything.

unknown 44:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:24

So I I I mean any any ideas that those are great. I mean, so I what I I think I really need to do is get more social media presence and more posting and um and and just to get myself out there. I think this will help a lot. I've even I hope it does. I've debated talking, reaching out to the news, you know, because I think that would be a huge thing. But I want to get my financial thing ready before. Yeah, do that. Once it goes public, I want people to be able to donate because I think the money is gonna be a big part of it. I think right.

SPEAKER_00 44:51

Well, people are gonna ask you what you're gonna do with it.

SPEAKER_04 44:53

I know what are your what's your hope. Well that's it. And I don't I honestly like I don't know, and I don't want to I honestly don't want to be the one to do that. Right. That's why I'm like, I don't want people to even think like I want this money. I I just want the butt this is another thing. My friend who I've been talking with a lot, Steve, who's kind of helped me with a lot of this, um, it might be the person that you saw, Steve Remington is name. He's great. So he he's been behind the scenes actually with me helping me with a lot of this stuff. Um and he was like, the problem with the money is everyone has their idea of where it should go.

SPEAKER_02 45:25

Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_04 45:26

And that's gonna be like the tough part, and that's why I didn't want to be responsible for it. Because I don't, and that's why I wanted the city, because I felt like, you know, if they've got their like they're trying to do housing, great. I think people if if they knew their money was gonna go right to the housing to help, I think we'd get a shit ton of money. Yeah. Pardon my language. But we need to have a plan, and people need to know where this stuff's going. And there's been so much gray area, even with the city that, you know, and and like I said, he hasn't got back to me, so I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 45:54

Yeah, the city's got its own political right, they've got a lot of interesting. Yeah, there's a lot of yeah.

SPEAKER_04 45:59

It's not a clear cut for anybody, and I don't yeah, I I I feel bad for them too, because I mean, you know, so many people have to to be involved in all those decisions. And when you have to have so many people okay, it it takes forever to get anything done.

SPEAKER_01 46:11

Right.

SPEAKER_04 46:11

And it costs a lot of money to even just process this.

SPEAKER_01 46:14

I think that it would be wonderful if you had a connection or even like somebody that you could start sharing this like with the actual homeless population in Bangor to start. That's what I would love to do. Like, I would love, I mean, you're not gonna help everyone, that's the world you live in. But even if you help one freaking person, that's that's what I'm thinking. Even if you want right now, that's homeless, and you gave them a little bit of hope and something like, oh shit, maybe like I could try this thing and find a little bit of hope and wanting to get better and better themselves and better the situation.

SPEAKER_04 46:44

And then even if it's one person, honestly, like that's that is my goal, and I've said this a couple times. Even if I save one person, I think it's worth it, you know. Honestly, but I really feel like it's it can help more. I really yeah, what I really truly want, and I know this is a stretch, but I would love to see some of these people, you know, start to run and be come back and be like I I saw, even if even if it wasn't right now, even if it's just like a year from now, if they said, you know, I was on my phone, I was in the because I dude, these guys, they're people too. They're on Facebook, they're online, yeah, they're people. Yeah, and that's what it that's what gets me. It's like, you know, they have the story. Everyone has a story. I had a story, I had a good life and a good family. And I I was this close to being exactly-I mean, I was even on the street in and out of hotels, living in my car. I wasn't under a bridge in a sleeping bag, but I could have been there.

SPEAKER_01 47:43

Right.

SPEAKER_04 47:44

I could have been there, you know. Like, so that's why I'm so sympathetic to these people. And it's I don't judge them. I mean, and I won't lie, there has been times in the past where and this I feel terrible, but I'm gonna share because I'm human and and and it makes it humbles me. I was working um near the waterfront doing plumbing, and I saw an addict, it was by the Dunkin' Donuts. It's pretty bad down the year.

SPEAKER_02 48:05

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:06

And there was a guy outside, and I started videotaping him, and he was doing the crazy stuff. And I posted about it, and it was I don't want to say I wasn't making fun, but in a way, I guess I said, don't do drugs, guys. And I, you know, yeah, and and somebody, I got a lot of backlash. I took it down and I was like, you know, I was just basically trying to show people like don't do drugs, but at the same time, I wasn't being sympathetic like that, you know, like taking a step back and I looked at my that's not the right way to approach this. So I have been that guy too, but I have to stay step back and look at myself and be like, look, that was me. People probably looked at me at points and been like, look, look at this.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

Right. Someone probably videoed you at some point. Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 48:48

So so I will actually fast track this and and and humble myself even more because this is just, you know, reality. Um, I was running with Jen and another friend. Um I guess it was probably 2021, maybe 2022, and I fell on ice. I didn't have, didn't have traction, and I hyperextended my right arm and I tore my rotator cuff. Fuck shit. And I don't have insurance, and I just kind of just thought it was gonna heal itself. And long story short, it didn't, and it continued to get worse. And the pain was so unbearable, I couldn't sleep at night. It was waking me up, and I just I was unbearable. But because of my past experiences with the pain medication, I was too afraid to take anything for it. I was afraid, and I so I didn't. But I started to drink alcohol to get me to sleep through the night. And it just slowly migrated its way in my life. I've never I've never been a drinker my whole life. I mean, I I would go through years and be able to count on one hand how many times I drank because that's how little I did. But then it started to migrate, and then this past, and I'm I'm gonna fast track it because we're not forever. Um I started to become an alcoholic, and I think of because of my addictive personality. And I got an OUI. Um and it wasn't like driving home at night from a party. I was drinking in the morning before work. And yeah, and it's sad how fast it took over my life. And I'm only sharing this because it's easy for anybody, again, like I I my whole family, thankfully, my wife, like, I don't know how long she would have been able to stay by me, but my son, it actually ultimately took my son punching me in the face because he thought I was gonna punch him. And I'm not a violent person, but it started to change my whole demeanor.

SPEAKER_03 50:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 50:27

Um, I was not myself, just like drugs, everything, those those substances, they change you. And I wasn't myself. And um, I got an OUI, and that didn't even stop me from drinking. What did was my son was gonna, he quit his job to help drive me because I was gonna lose my license because I'm a plumber and I drive around all day. Yeah, he quit his job to come work with me and drive me around. And he was like, if you drink, I'm not gonna drive you, Dad. And he showed up one morning and I've been drinking. And he's like, Fuck you, dad. I'm sorry. Yeah, no, I'm don't. He's like, Um, I'm I'm out. I'm out. And I freaked out because I was I was drinking. And um that next day, I drank one last time. My wife was like, I'm gonna come to work with you. And I was like, I'm gonna tell you right now because I was in I was in anger mode, and I was like, I'm drinking today. And she's like, Well, just don't drink and drive. Please wait till you get to work. Like, see, I was like working at Le Moines, like 45 minutes out of two.

SPEAKER_00 51:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 51:17

And so I get there, I bought a bottle on the way, and I like down to fifth throughout the day. Totally didn't do the shittiest job plumbing you can imagine because I was drinking, you know. And then she's scared, she's like, doesn't want me to drive home. She calls my nephew, my son and my nephew come. And that was the last day I drank, and we had a heart to heart on the way back, and he's like, Your son's not gonna drive you anymore. And I'm like, Oh my god, he's like, he's like, you know, you're letting your whole family down. And he just really opened my eyes, and my son did too. And I apologized to him, and I begged him, begged him for one last chance. And he's like, I will give you one last chance, dad. And I have never drank since. That was over five months ago. So wow.

SPEAKER_00 51:55

You know, and good for that's good.

SPEAKER_04 51:58

So like so that started, and I was running then too, but it's like now I'm like, and running's what's kept me, you know, like it's it's it keeps me sane. It keeps it's it is so running is my therapy. I have like team riot was my was my team for desks. It is my motto, it's it's is me. Running is my therapy, it's my counselor, it's my everything.

SPEAKER_01 52:21

I mean, it's like cliche as it sounds, right? Like running has saved you.

SPEAKER_04 52:25

It literally has saved my life. It is it has turned my life around. I I I am who I am today because of running. And that's why I'm so passionate about it. And and about even with the homeless, because like I said, I mean, I I was them, I am them. I literally am them. So wow.

SPEAKER_01 52:44

I wish some more people in this world were like I mean, I like to think that I'm open-minded and that I I also like I really love to help people, and I get that, but I am nowhere near as inspirational as you are.

SPEAKER_04 52:57

Well, I mean, I don't, I don't, don't I don't I don't feel like that. And I don't I wish you wouldn't feel like that, because I mean just even doing your podcast, look, you you're sharing everyone else's stories to everyone else to help inspire people and share. So that I mean you and you guys' own right are doing the same thing I'm doing, really. Um I and I will say this, it may make me sound bad, but I I mean I see these guys asking for money, and I don't make fun of them, and I feel bad for them, but I do not give money out to people just standing there on the corner asking for money. And I will tell you a story, and I'm only gonna share this because I want you to know the person type of person I am, and I think you guys already know this. I did give some money to a homeless person the other day, and I don't typically do this, and I am I so I don't do this normally because, and my wife is great, like I said. I don't want people to think I always have money and get attacked for this. So I because I thought about this. I'm just gonna give money out here and there while I'm in my morning runs just to help people that need it, that aren't asking for it. Um, but then you know, that does create kind of a scary situation. Right, because I don't do that.

SPEAKER_02 53:54

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 53:55

But just the other day, I did have a 20 on me and I ran by a person, didn't pay me any attention. I've never seen him on the side of the road. Um, and I thought about it, and as I ran back by, I came up behind him. He still didn't even look me in the face. I said, excuse me, and he didn't even turn around. And I just set the 20 down beside him. I was like, Here, just have a good day, bud. And he's like, Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 54:16

Yeah, just like that.

SPEAKER_04 54:17

And I just went on my way and I started crying. And I didn't post about it, I didn't tell anybody about my wife, because it wasn't about that, it was just about me to help somebody else out.

SPEAKER_02 54:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 54:25

Um, and only sharing it just because, you know, I mean, it's just I want people to know it's nice to help people out, but I don't want to enable people either, and that's why I don't give money to people standing there asking for it because I think, and this is just again, I have so much sympathy for some of these people. I don't think they should be giving out needles like they do.

SPEAKER_02 54:46

Right.

SPEAKER_04 54:46

I I think they should make it a little more difficult for people if they're gonna use drugs, you know, like and I I have sympathy for them. Right. But you can't make it so easy, you know, right.

SPEAKER_00 54:56

Have you gone to any of those um Bangor City Council meetings? I mean, your story would be pretty interesting to share there, but I don't know if that's the right thing.

SPEAKER_04 55:04

No, yeah, I know. I I've thought about it. I've thought I've not so much about that particular thing, but I've thought about sharing my story. And I I I really should. I mean, and then I'm selling it now. I mean, obviously it's gonna it's gonna get some, but but I'm gonna do that.

SPEAKER_02 55:16

Yeah, yeah, well, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_04 55:18

Yeah, I mean, I think I think if I did, even if it was this maybe even on the on the news as part of this thing, if I went to them and was like, listen, I'm willing to put myself out there. Right, right. But like I do want to have my that financial piece because I think that's gonna that part of the story is gonna bring people to open up their wallets. You know, I mean I hate I hate to say it like that, but that's takes money and you know, in and you have to I don't want to say cause a reaction, but I will tell another thing. I have another part of my past that that that made it it didn't raise any money, but I was training for Boston, running outside. Well, actually, I had to drive to my mom's because it was like super cold outside. So I was actually driving to Bangor from Bucksport to run on her treadmill in her basement at three something in the morning.

SPEAKER_00 55:58

Dedication.

SPEAKER_04 55:59

So I'm on the river road in Orington, and I almost run over this like 70-something year old lady in the middle of the road. And I'm not exaggerating, she's on her hands and knees, like on the yellow, like on the on the white line on the side, you know, not in the middle, middle, but in the road on her hands and knees. I almost hit her, I go around her, and I'm like instantly, like, did I really just see what I think? I slammed on my brakes, I sweep my car around, and I kind of blocked the road off in front of her. Right. And I get out and I help her up, and I'm like, my gosh, are you okay? And she's like, Oh. She said she was going to a funeral. Oh. Her husband's funeral. She's had dementia. She was literally right outside her house, but didn't know where she was.

SPEAKER_00 56:39

Oh my God.

SPEAKER_04 56:40

Um, so I I'm helping her in my car, and I kind of I get off the side of the road and a and a sheriff pulls up. And I'm like, oh my God, thank God you're here. I'm like, yeah, I just found this person in the road. She's like, he's like, yeah, I know. Two people just called it in. And I was ballistic. I was like infuriated immediately. I'm like, wait a second, you two people called this in? You mean they drove by and didn't stop to help this lady?

SPEAKER_02 57:06

Oh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 57:07

And he's like, Yeah, some people. And I I was just so angry.

SPEAKER_01 57:12

Yeah. So we live in such a fast-paced world where that's become the norm now.

SPEAKER_04 57:16

Yeah. So I kind of, I went, he said, I got it from here. You're all set. You can leave. So I go to my mom's, I get on the treadmill, and I can't stop thinking about this lady. I'm like, what's going on? It happened to her. I didn't know her name, I didn't get any information. I'm like, oh shit. So I'm like, all day at work, I can't stop thinking about her. What happened to her? Is she okay? Where is she? So I have a friend in in like uh I told him the scenario, he's like, oh, I'll find out where she is. So he messaged me back. He's like, he's she's at Eastern Main room, blah, blah, blah, blah. But if you go in and say that you're family or something or whatever, they they'll probably just let you in.

SPEAKER_02 57:48

Nah.

SPEAKER_04 57:48

They didn't even ask. I just went in.

SPEAKER_02 57:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 57:50

And I see her there, and she's like laying on the bed and her face is on the thing, and she's I'm like, I'm so sad. Like, no family there, no anything. So I'm like, what can I do for this lady? And I, it's, I mean, it's uh, I think 2018. Um, I go on social media and I'm emotional. I'm like, her name was Helen. I found out her name. I'm like, I don't know if she has family. I told my whole story, it went viral. The news calls me, like 75,000 views. You know, like, like, yeah, I have an interview with the news, like family members from out of state finding, finally come and find her. It was amazing. Like, I and uh, but actually, it started off bad because I posted a picture and she was in the hospital and her face was like lean, it and people, because you know social media, like so much negativity started coming out.

SPEAKER_01 58:37

Oh my god, is she being abused at that hospital? How are they treating her?

SPEAKER_04 58:41

It was like I started getting calls from the hospitals, like, like you need to take this down. Like, and they thought I was gonna have resistance. I'm like, I'm just trying to help take it down. Sure. Like, I'm not trying to like cause problems for anybody. I was just trying to help this lady. Like, yeah, right. I'll take it down immediately. No problem.

SPEAKER_01 58:59

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 59:00

But yeah, so like that was just like a crazy thing that happened, you know.

SPEAKER_01 59:05

I think you'll have a lot of that in your life because you're so open to helping and passionate.

SPEAKER_04 59:09

Well, I mean, I mean, this was just a scenario, and and this is what made me so angry is like I feel like anybody would do it, but obviously not because two people drove by her. And that's why I felt like I had to share this because I was just so angry about society. And yeah, and I wanted people to know, I guess. Yeah. And then help her find family because she was all alone. She had nobody.

SPEAKER_00 59:28

Yeah. Well, I mean, you're like I said, you're an inspiration for many reasons, but it's just fantastic how you just left. You want to change the world and you're gonna change it the way you can change it, you know, one person at a time, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 59:42

And I want to know real quick about your running in the morning. What time are you going for these training runs?

SPEAKER_04 59:46

Okay, so my yeah, so um I wake up at 3 a.m. I typically leave at 4 a.m. Sometimes earlier, like this morning. I I left my house at like 3 45.

SPEAKER_00 59:57

Um, did you did you did you say you're friends with Jason Giroud?

SPEAKER_04 1:00:01

Yeah, yeah. So he just like he's crazy. He he does even earlier than me a lot of times. And and I think, you know, I don't know who started it first, and it doesn't even matter. I think just be just like me, we have goals and our lifestyle. If we're gonna do these things, it's gonna have to be in the morning because we don't have time to do it and we're out of energy at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:21

Right, right. Yeah, you're exhausted.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:22

Like your job is not in in just our jobs, we both work for ourselves, and it takes a lot, our jobs alone take a lot of time.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:29

I'm in a little bit different situation where I have kids, he doesn't, so he's got a little bit more time, but his business takes a lot of his time, you know, too.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:36

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:36

But yeah, if you're gonna do the things that we do, it takes a lot of time and training. And and you and you have to make that time. Right. And a lot of that time you it has to be made in the morning. At least it's it seems to fit for me and and with him too. And I think a lot of people, if they wanted to, to be honest, if a lot of people wanted to change their lives, it's just consistency is my my my I preach. And you're never nothing's perfect, you're gonna miss days, you're gonna, but just try to stay consistent the best you can, you know, and your your life's gonna change for the better. If you can just start exercising, just get a little bit more healthy, you're gonna feel so much, and it's gonna and it's gonna spread throughout your life in the positive energy that it brings too. And that's a huge part that I didn't touch on is energy. Like energy, I feel like like you were kind of touched on it. Gary has it. Like, I don't I don't think I'm special, but I feel like I do have energy and people gravitate towards that, but it helps just bring that energy, you know. I just love that energy, and energy is a real thing, positive and negative. And if you can get it and and and use it to your advantage and and help other people see it and use it.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:42

You just gotta keep the negative energy away from you as much as possible.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:45

Right. I guess to the listener that maybe is a runner, like you were running and then you still kind of like slid off the tracks a little bit. Yeah. So the person that maybe is listening to this, that they run, or maybe they don't run, but maybe they start drinking, or maybe they start like taking pills that they shouldn't, or like finding some sort of fake high in happiness that's not real. What's your advice to that person?

SPEAKER_04 1:02:10

So my advice to that person is, you know, and it it takes a a lot to realize this. I don't say you're you're kind of like running away from your problems. You're you're you're hiding all the things that you're procrastinating. And and I still even do I do it a lot. I I have I'm really bad at this. Like I just do it. You that when you finally do it, like so I was drinking and I finally, you know, like I was drinking and like when I finally decided to just I can't do this anymore. I deserve my so ultimately I was like, everyone around me deserves a better version of me is what it really came down to. And I had to decide to not let everyone around me down. And and as a dad and the age I'm at, I have kids, my mom's getting older. I'm more of like a parent to my mom now. Like, you know, that sounds crazy, but I think we've all will eventually get there if you're not already there.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:05

Yep, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:06

So the responsibilities that are on me are huge. And if you're not taking care of yourself in a right way, whether that's drinking, even if you don't do any substances, if you're just not even taking care of yourself, if you're not getting sleep, if you're you're not eating correctly, you know, you're you're not gonna be your the best version of yourself. And I don't get me wrong, I'm I'm far from the best version of myself that I could be, but it it's a process and it's just if you can try to move forward and just each day better. And even if you have a setback, just keep trying to be better. You might have months of setbacks. Just don't give up. That is the biggest thing that I've I've learned from running, is just don't give up, period.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:50

I love it. I like everyone around you deserves the best version of you. And I think about like I've got a young son, and you think about like the best version of you is going to help them be the better version of them, right? So, really, if you can take care of yourself when you agree you're like taking care everybody else is going to be a better version of them too.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:09

Exactly. Be the person you want your kid to be. But just each day just try to be a better version. And it life's hard. Let's face it. I mean, it's hard for everybody. Choose your hard. You know, it's hard to be poor, it's hard to work and have money. Choose your hard, you know?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:25

Yeah. Well, it's been an awesome conversation. It really is. I know, I'm super excited.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:30

I thank you. I can't thank you guys enough. I had this like all these like these like notes, and I didn't even read any of them. Like, didn't even read it at all.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:37

I mean, no, that was fantastic. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:40

No, thank you guys. Thank you guys. That's awesome.