So Cool!

Paul always does push-ups at the end of a race, "because he can." Theory being that you can always give a little more in the Army...yep, they are that inspiring. They did push-ups at the end of every stage of Transrockies!

Army captain races to $100,000 for wounded warriors

By Allison Pattillo - Special to Military Times


Most runners compete in the GORE-TEX TransRockies Run for the challenge, but Army Capt. Matt Cavanaugh and retired Ranger Capt. Paul Terranova ran to raise money and awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project, a program to help severely disabled veterans re-engage with life.

Cavanaugh and Terranova, who make up Team Nathan Hydration/Wounded Warrior Project, finished fourth in the open men’s category with a time of 17 hours, 43 minutes, 3 seconds for the 6-day, 115-mile stage race through the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

The 2010 GTTR marked Cavanaugh’s third time in the race and also saw him close in on his Wounded Warrior Project fundraising goal of $100,000. He has dipped into his savings to travel the country — mixing running with public speaking, telling groups about the plight of severely disabled veterans and the mission of Team Wounded Warrior.

“As of tonight, we have raised $92,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project,” Cavanaugh said at the final GTTR banquet. “Our final goal is in sight.”

Cavanaugh, the 2009 Association of the U.S. Army Male Athlete of the Year, is turning over the remaining fundraising efforts to Terranova, as he’s on his way to New Zealand for a new adventure — graduate school for strategic studies at Victoria University in Wellington.

What I did on my Summer Vaca

The past two months have FLOWN by! Instead of blabbing on and on, I thought I would give a photographic breakdown of what I have done, where I have been, and the fun I have had.

Over the past two months: I have celebrated (still speechless on the incredible cake Paul had made); travelled (Houston, Long Island, Colorado, California); paced Leadville 100); climbed mountains (Mt. Elbert); run up and down mountains (Transrockies with Paul); enjoyed my favorite trails (Headlands); spent incredible time with friends (at Leadville, Transrockies, and California); made new friends; been in both oceans; and the ultimate was the quantity of time I got to spend with Paul! He and I shared time running, walking, wine-tasting, talking, and playing. We spent hours walking the beach, sitting together, and celebrating just how much we truly enjoy being together.

I can honestly say that this summer was one of the best ever. Paul and I had more fun together than we have ever before. We got to enjoy the fullness of what life has to offer, and lived EVERY moment of it. I am so very thankful for the generosity of our friends, their time, conversation, fun, and all we got to share with them, too. I am so very proud of what both my friends accomplished at Leadville and what Paul and my friends accomplished at Transrockies. I am also so very proud of what Paul accomplished at Alcatraz, 48 hours after the end of Transrockies. He is THAT incredible.

I can't wait to see what is to come this fall!