Nick Klingensmith has received “bad news” more than he cares to count. Obstacles seem to find a way of appearing before him, although now, they more often come on his terms. Battling cancer four times, type-1 diabetes, a litany of physical injuries including herniated discs and torn chest ligaments, and the demons of alcoholism, he shifted his perspective from that of a victim long ago. Now he faces self-imposed challenges of Spartan races and marathons, yes, THOSE marathons. Balancing all the nuances of managing his medical conditions with the needs required to endure 26.1-mile runs or a slew of runs that culminated in 127 miles in 6 weeks, Nick does not do it for the personal accolades, he does it to show that you should not allow yourself to be defined by you medical or mental health issues, or allow those circumstances to be your limitations. You are only a victim of your situation if you allow yourself to be. Pick up a copy of his incredible story, “Through the Fire” on Amazon. You can also follow his treks through the Spartan courses and marathons on Instagram or Twitter.