Patient Profile – From time to time we will feature patients who have done something extraordinary after physical therapy.  After speaking with Wally today, I had to share his story.  He’s also going to be a guest blogger on our website and share his experience with us as he trains for the Vermont 100 Endurance Race (a 100-mile run in the mountains of Vermont) this July. 

In early 2006, Wally Goller couldn’t even run a mile. He then signed up for and completed a sprint distance triathlon in August, raising a few thousand dollars in honor of his mother, a three-time cancer survivor. A few months went by and crazy thoughts started to happen. He started to think what it would take to get himself in shape to do an Ironman triathlon the following November (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run.)  

All of his friends thought he was completely crazy, and after many rejections from coach’s/trainer’s (they just didn’t think one year of preparation was enough time..), he finally found a trainer and dedicated one solid year of mostly 6-days per week training. And after many 5k’s, 10k’s, and half-marathons, multiple sprint distance tri’s, a couple of Olympic distance tri’s, and a half-Ironman, he became an Ironman by completing the Florida Ironman triathlon on November 3, 2007.

Wally is now investigating the world of ultrarunning and is gearing up for the Vermont 100 mile Endurance race to raise money for the Hole in the Wall camps, specifically The Double H Ranch, which are camps to help kids with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

Say’s Wally, “ These camps are amazing places where children who’ve been dealt a rough hand in life can go for one week out of the year and really enjoy themselves–a place to go and just be a kid.”

If you would like to donate to this cause, please contact Wally at 917.373.3310 or waltergoller@gmail.com

We’re going to follow Wally on his journey as trains for his race in July. He’ll also be checking in with posts to this very blog.

 Please join me in cheering Wally along!