Two things we love at Silver Spring Training club are audacious fitness goals and charitable giving, specifically to causes that our athletes are passionate about. It’s rare when these two areas intersect, which is we want to share the story of El Jefe Barbell alumni Michael Kaplan. Mike was a member of our barbell club during his undergraduate days at The University Of Maryland and since then has lived and worked in NYC. He recently shared on social media that he’s been training for the upcoming Leadville 100 ultra run in the Colorado Rockies on 20-21 August 2022. Leadville is legendarily tough race, and this a beast of an undertaking by any standard.
What makes this race special is the fact that he’s set a personal fundraising goal of $20,000 to benefit The Child Mind Institute, a non-profit whose mission is to transform the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders by giving them the help they need. Mike’s reasons for choosing this as his charity partner are deeply personal, which he discusses in an inspiring video about his Leadville preparation which you can watch here. Big goals require big support, and this is as noble a cause as you’ll find. If his story resonates with you and you’d like to make a gift to help him close his fundraising gap (17k committed so far!), here’s the link to do so. Your support is greatly appreciated!
