Choose Strong #100 Andy Glaze | The Wilderness Inside
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Apr 26, 2025 Andy Glaze, a battalion chief firefighter and avid ultrarunner, shares his journey from overcoming anxiety to conquering 300-mile races. He dives into his transformative 90-day wilderness experience, the emotional impact of running on mental health, and the importance of family support during his races. Andy discusses training strategies, such as endurance bonding with his son, and how he uses his platform to promote fitness within the first responder community. His story is a powerful reminder of the healing power of movement.
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Wilderness Program That Changed Him
- At 16 Andy ran away and was sent to a 90-day wilderness academy in Utah where they hiked, started fires by rubbing sticks, and ate
Therapeutic Boarding School Follow-Up
- After wilderness therapy Andy was sent straight to a therapeutic boarding school in Massachusetts and stayed through graduation.
- He describes it as traumatic yet a place that kept him sober and connected him to college opportunities.
Running As Therapy
- Running replaced Andy's panic attacks and anxiety when he started exercising and taking exercise science classes.
- Regular exercise removed his panic symptoms and became a life-changing coping tool.