“So pushing past those boundaries and overcoming my own limitations is a way to honor him.” “(My dad has) always been that rock for me, and he’s always pushed me to be the best person that I can be and reach my fullest potential,” VanderJagt said. He hopes his journey will serve as a powerful symbol of overcoming adversity to drive positive change. VanderJagt wanted to find a way to symbolize the restraints placed on millions of people who are trapped due to human trafficking. In the spring of 2023, he shifted his training focus from rucking to preparing for the 26.2-mile run. At the time, VanderJagt didn’t even know how long a marathon was. Kaastra-Mutoigo offered VanderJagt a ticket to compete in the NYC Marathon on behalf of the charity. “So, all of that happening, just kind of the divine intervention - I knew I had to do something with them.” “Ida ended up being from around the same neighborhood that my dad grew up in,” VanderJagt said. Through meeting with other advocates and lawmakers, he eventually got connected with a woman named Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo, president of the nonprofit Restore NYC. Since his father’s death, VanderJagt has advocated against human mistreatment, specifically human trafficking. ![]() “I’ve been rucking for about two years now, lost 65 pounds since my dad passed, did this whole transformation.” “Rucking is walking slash jogging with weight on your back,” VanderJagt explained. VanderJagt, who has a baseball background, began “rucking” in 2021 after developing a health complication due to the stress of losing his father. “I’m going to be the first human to run the NYC Marathon with my hands tied,” Derryk VanderJagt said. GRANDVILLE - Running a marathon is challenging enough as it is, which is why less than 1% of Americans have it, according to RunRepeat.Ī West Michigan man will take that challenge to a new level when he runs the New York City Marathon on Nov.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |