182. Will Valderrama, Runner

On May 7, 2021, Will Valderrama (called Willy by some of his friends) found out that he has Multiple Sclerosis (MS). On May 10, while at in-person treatment at Weill Cornell, he signed up for a marathon. At the time, he was in a wheel chair — unable to walk in a straight line. Fast forward five months and a lot of difficult moments: On October 16, not only did he run that marathon — but he conquered it, racing through Atlantic City, New Jersey in 4 hours, 22 minutes. When I saw the video of him crossing the finish line, I knew I needed to have him on the show to tell his story. 

Today, we get into it all, from what it was like to start experiencing MS symptoms and getting a diagnosis to training while symptomatic. Plus: How he had to change his day-to-day, the debate of whether or not to move from his Brooklyn home, and a complete rundown of race day. This was truly an honor, to hear from Willy and to be able to share his vulnerability with the Hurdle community. I am more empathetic because of this conversation, and I'm forever inspired by his story of grit and determination.

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