"No matter how good or bad you think life is, wake up each day and be thankful for life. Someone, somewhere else is fighting to survive.” -Augie Nieto, founder of Life Fitness and diagnosed with ALS.

That statement really hit home with me after truly understanding how devastating living with ALS can be. When I learned that Augie Nieto was the individual who was credited for the success for the original Lifecycle, it reminded me of all of those Lifecycle workouts I logged when I first started racing in the 90's. As a consultant for a large consulting firm, I was on the road much of the week and hopping on a Lifecycle to begin my day was routine.

Nieto was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gerig's disease. Ironically, this was the same year that Jon "Blazeman" Blais (also diagnosed with ALS) famously rolled across the finish line of the Ironman World Championship becoming the only person with ALS to complete an Ironman at the time. He inspired and gave hope to millions in the process.

For those of you who may not know, ALS is an unpreventable, untreatable and incurable disease that robs us of the power of movement. It attacks otherwise healthy adults randomly and spontaneously and is one of the most devastating types of disorders that affect nerve and muscle function. 15 people are diagnosed with ALS everyday in the US and have an average life expectancy of only 2 – 5 years. Needless to say, this disease is devastating to anyone who it impacts, let alone endurance athletes.

In 2018, Nieto created Augie's Quest, an organization with the sole purpose to find a cure for ALS. It has raised over $150 Million for research under Augie's leadership and partners with many athletic events including the 2023 New York City Marathon held on November 5. Augie recently passed away in February 2023, but the importance of raising funds to fight this debilitating disease continues.

Those who are hit by ALS likely won't have the opportunity to physically exercise. This is precisely the reason why I'm running the New York City Marathon this November; to raise money for Augie's Quest through my local health club, Club Greenwood in Greenwood Village, CO. As an endurance athlete for most of my life, being robbed of my ability to move would be the worst thing imaginable. I couldn't think of a better way to assist in supporting research to stop ALS than through raising funds by running the largest marathon in the world.

If you would like to learn more about Tim's personal journey, or donate to his fundraising effort, please do so here.

All Photos Courtesy of Augie's Quest