Welcome to Team Kutilek MCM 2020 fundraising page!
** Post Marathon Update... If you are new to here please scroll down and read original post from 5 March and then the pre-race update. . . I'm please to report that Kutilek Marathon 2020 is now Mission Complete. The weather, course and conditions were as close to perfect as possible. I'm thrilled to report that I executed my plan (details below) to perfection finishing the 26.2 miles in a total time of 3:14:39 ... 7:23 mile pace ... My mile splits were +/- 30 seconds max with most falling in a +/- 5 second window! The flat course and relatively no wind allowed for consistency. Praise be to God for His Amazing Healing Power ... Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d be able to run a marathon again. With proper motivation the human body is able to overcome and accomplish anything. It just takes purpose, work and discipline. I hit every mile pace on point and even ran a faster second half then the first! Fueled pre-race with my organ meat, cheese and egg casserole, Bulgarian yogurt with Raspberries and UCAN protein mix. My in race fueling consisted of two small squirts of UCAN drink mix at mile 10 and 14 and a swallow of Maple Syrup at mile 20. Hydration via 10-15 oz total of UCAN electrolyte mix and lime juice. Now onto the next mission. Thank you to all who donated to the SFF!
** 5 November 2020 Pre-Marathon Race Update.... Please see original post below for the back-story! 2020 has been some kind of year for everyone! Adapt, overcome and conquer! I started my unimaginable Marathon journey nearly one year ago while deployed to Iraq. My initial 1/2 mile run was filled with pain, frustration and massive amounts of doubt. Since then I'm pleased to report that I have successfully ran nearly 1,000 miles! I'm amazed, grateful and extremely happy that my body has somehow, someway adapted to the pounding of running. Over the course of training I've managed to avoid any running related injuries and have improved all of my key distance times: 400 Meters @ 1:08, 800 Meters @ 2:48, One Mile at 5:38, 10K at 43:00, Half-Marathon @ 1:31:30 (in a downpour) and NOW the marathon is next. Due to Covid-19 the Marine Corps Marathon was canceled and shifted to a virtual only event, so - This Saturday 7 November I'll be running the Marathon at Marine Corps Air Station New River as part of a Marine Corps Birthday celebration with MAG 29 / HMLA-167 where my good friend and fellow athlete/cyclist is the Squadron Commander. It will be an emotional experience on many levels - I doubt I'll get thru it without shedding a few tears and getting choked up. This course is an out and back - flat and fast. My goals below remain the same, however with training and testing my goal for the race is sub 3:19 - which will beat my previously fastest marathon that I ran 11 years ago (prior to getting shot), but I actually think I can beat this so I'm going to posture myself to run a 3:15 and if I feel good at mile 18 will try and bring that down even further. I will do everything possible to get the fastest time possible. Weather conditions for the 0600 early start are ideal - 58 deg. rising to 64 deg. by the finish - with nothing but sun and no wind. The best part is the squadron is hosting a BBQ feast and Cake cutting ceremony at the finish!! My pre-race nutrition and sleep are locked on and the focus is here. I'm so grateful to the Lord for his amazing healing power and protection thru this journey. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think or imagine I could run 1,000 miles after my extensive injuries. . . But here I am. The human body is amazing. Thank you for following me on this journey and donating to this outstanding organization. Lastly, thank you to my wife and four girls who have provided amazing support and encouragement. --- original post below ——
Today, 5 March 2020, is a day of personal reflection, praise, thanksgiving and worship to the Lord for miraculously saving my life ten years ago. At 11:15 AM on 5 March 2010 I was shot by an enemy sniper in Laki, Afghanistan. The single bullet fired from an enemy Druganov Sniper Rifle caused an open compound fracture to my tiba, severed two of three arteries in my leg, destroyed 9cm of my tibial nerve and took out half of my calf muscle. The severing of two arteries resulted in complete blood loss from my body. Due to a miraculous series of events including heroic actions by my Corpsman, Company First Sergeant, Radio Operator, fellow Marines and a team of Navy Surgeons and Nurses, my life was spared. Praise the Lord. Over the next two years I underwent eleven surgeries that resulted in a 9cm tibial nerve graft from a cadaver, a rod the length of my tibia, four screws in my leg, a screw in my big toe and the fusion of all the toes on my right foot. After 24 months of recovery I returned to Afghanistan to the very base I was med-evaced from. (That was a crazy emotional experience) Since my injury I've covered over 50,000 miles on a bicycle and participated in numerous ultra-endurance events including 325 mile Trans-Iowa, Croatan Buck-fifty, five consecutive DirtyKanza 200's and the 339 Dirty Kanza XL and many more. I would not be where I am at today without my bikes!! Thru this journey I've tried to push myself to the physical and mental limits possible - no matter the extreme damage to my right leg.
Last year in a season of prayer I asked the Lord what he wanted me to do to honor Him for the 10 year anniversary of my injury and nearly dying on the field of battle. In November 2019 the Lord directed me to start running and participate in the 2020 Marine Corps Marathon on 25 October 2020 Washington DC. This is quite ridiculous I thought because I've not ran more then 3 miles (required Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test) a year since my injury. In fact most of my surgeons ordered me to never run again due to the severity of damage to my leg. On a cold dark morning in mid-November of 2019 I started to run again for the very first time in ten years. My base mileage was zero. The quantity of running specific muscles in my legs was zero. Amazingly since November I've ran just over 300 miles in four months. So many slow, painful, awkward and gangly miles. Horrible running posture and no running fluidity. Hours of stretching, foam rolling and working out tight muscles and ligaments. After all, my toes on m right foot do not bend, I have minimal feeling in my lower right leg, my lower calf is missing, (I've learned this is an essential muscle for running and it alone has caused significant set-back and attention) the blood circulation in my leg is horrible due to two arteries being severed and my mobility is messed up due to the rod in my tibia - BUT God has designed an incredible human machine that can adapt and overcome seemingly impossible circumstance. To celebrate the ten year anniversary this morning I knocked out a Half-Marathon in 1:39:19 (7:35 pace). 
So I'm half way there in distance, but nowhere close to my time goal.... If you'd like to hear more about my story you can check out this video or this podcast.
Anyway, I ask you to join me on this running journey by donating to the Semper Fi Fund. The Semper Fi Fund met me at the door of Bethesda Hospital when I was med-evacd in 2010 and I've supported them and they have supported me ever since. I'm looking for a TEAM of Runners to join me in this endeavor so join the MCM lottery and run with me during the event. The larger the crowd the better! Three primary goals below...
Goal #1: $10,000 for 10 years of LIFE! Honor the Lord thru my Body and give Him the Glory for saving my life, healing my body, and allowing me to enjoy and crush life with my Wife and Four Beautiful Daughters.
Goal #2: Honor the ultimate sacrifice paid by LCpl Eric Ward, LCpl Adam Peak and LCpl Jacob Ross - All three Marines in my Company who were killed in action between March and April 2010 in Afghanistan.
Goal #3: Finish the Marine Corps Marathon... Salad Goal (Post Race Meal) - Finish... Hamburger Goal - Finish time of 3:30...Rib-eye Steak and Eggs Goal - Finish time of 3:20... BBQ Brisket, Rib-eye Steak and Eggs and Pumpkin Pie with some Cheesecake post-race feast Goal - Finish time of 3:10 and qualify for Boston Marathon
-- More information below about the Semper Fi Fund
I'm proudly supporting the Semper Fi Fund as a Semper Fi Fund Community Athlete. The Semper Fi Fund is an amazing non profit that assists wounded, critically ill and injured service members who have given so much and are an inspiration to many.
Help me support those who have sacrificed by making a donation. The process is fast, easy, and secure. The Semper Fi Fund has been awarded the highest ratings from watchdog groups: A+ Top Rated Charity from CharityWatch for 7 years, one of only two veteran nonprofits to receive this rating in recent years; and 4 Stars from Charity Navigator, a rating only given to 3% of all charities. They maintain an extremely low overhead - 6% - and provide rapid assistance with no red tape.
I truly appreciate any contributions you can provide. If you can't make a donation at this point, help me reach my goal by sharing this page on Facebook and Twitter! Even better, send an email to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to my page.
To learn more about the Semper Fi Fund please go to www.semperfifund.org.
Thanks so much for your generosity!
