Justin Andrews

Various aid stations and ”run-ins” with James as we kept him cool and continuously moving as best we could. I had the joy of pacing him for several CP’s in the back 30 Miles of the race, with his brother taking a big chunk as well.

A few weeks ago, I finally made it out to the Western States Endurance Run 100 miler to crew and pace James Schwartz, who I’ve had the pleasure of coaching the last couple years.
He finished in 27:40:55 after battling his way through stomach woes and dehydration and redeeming his 2018 attempt that landed him in the hospital. More can be read on that below. I wanted to finally post a few pics to relive a bit of the lore and vibrancy of the day so look for those next!

2022 Western States 100: stories beyond the tape Learn the backstories behind a few everyday heroes heading to the nation’s oldest 100-mile footrace.

Hey endurance athletes! Don’t let society or your own demons push you to succumb to “fit the mold” mantra of “light and fast” because you see elites looking the part, or you’ve been told by anyone, even your coach or personal trainer-or spouse-to do so!

It’s dangerous for every part of you and I don’t want to see you suffer this needlessly.

Thanks to Dakota Jones for highlighting this article:

I’m an Elite Skimo Racer. An Eating Disorder Relapse Just Derailed My Season. Grace Staberg opens up about the pressures on athletes to be light and fast—and her journey toward a healthier relationship with her body and performance.

I recall seeing the first man and woman in their 60's and 70's to break 3 hours, but this guy is an anomaly not yet seen! Just ran 2:30 at the Manchester Marathon at 62 y/o!!!

Keep on running: How marathon man Tommy Hughes battled back from the brink WITH one final glance at his watch Tommy Hughes’s familiar hunched gait slows to a stop.

Stay safe tonight fellow Tennesseans! Eye of the storm over East Nashville predicted around midnight with tornado watch in effect until 1AM Thursday (tonight).

🚨 Listen for any sirens for your immediate area where a tornado warning is issued and take action immediately.
📱 Keep your phone nearby and don’t silence it.
🔦 Have flashlights, spare batteries and emergency water stores.
🪟 ❌Don’t hide in areas near exterior walls or by windows. Interior staircase alcoves or inner bathrooms in the tub are safest if you don’t have a basement or enclosed crawl space.

It’s time to move on! 🚪 ✌️

Next week marks 10 months here in Nashville already. Next week I will also wrap up my 4th woodworking job since COVID-19 started as we’ve bounced from FL to HI to TN.

March 7 marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life!

You may remember me mentioning real estate investing last year; that’s still one pursuit.

My day job, though, will be….
Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO)!

What is that, you may ask? In short, I help you nail down “how much house” you qualify for and provide tailored advice in regard to how this purchase can help you meet your financial goals!

After the 2008 crash, lending was reformed and so now MLO’s are licensed and fiduciary responsibility is key whereas the lending practices wasn’t always done in the homebuyer’s best interest back then.

I’ll definitely be posting more from here on out, so keep an eye out for insights and tips on home-buying, mortgages, financial goal planning and more!

And if you or anyone you know is looking to buy a home, vacation house, or you want to discuss options for how to grow your wealth through recently increased equity, reach out to me or comment here as I’d love to chat with you!

NMLS #2284153

I remember the initial time a “Hall” set an American record in the half marathon! Ryan Hall’s record still stands and now his 38-year old wife, Sarah Hall, sets the women’s AR at 67:15 also at the same Houston course Ryan (and my) best was run!

Sara Hall Breaks American Record in Half Marathon with 67:15 in Houston She and her husband Ryan now hold the American half marks.

Commercial production work isn’t always the most glamorous, but these were a bit different to make. After some time with CNC’ed tiles, double stick tape and some oak particle board…I finished up a pair of these guys and now some to FL with my wife to kick off the weekend!

Reunited—he photographed me at Vibram Hong Kong 100k in January 2018, stalked me on Strava 😂 and became my housemate in Sept 2019. Several months later we would both inadvertently leave (and to present day be unable to return) our beloved 四川 province and life we had built there. My wife and I dream of someday being back in Asia; his actively pursuing that goal. Our Nashville reunion has brought NF rap and dancing, trail runs, 川菜 🍲, and much joy and laughter, and some Chattanooga 🥃

Been so long since I’ve been in the USA in the fall (err, last year was Hawaii I suppose 😂), so I went over to a local jr. high & high school XC Conference meet as I have a friend who coaches a team there.

So many memories it conjured up! Brilliant weather, hard closes with classic “junior high kicks,” and even a mile or so as I randomly cheered on every team’s runners. Guess everyone was confused why I was cheering on everyone 🙄!