Same Person. Reinvented.
From congenital airway obstruction and severe sleep apnea → Completing a Full Ironman
The Josh 2.0 Build - From Sleep Apnea to Ironman
The OG Josh
What I overcame
What I overcame
Born with a congenital breathing obstruction, my airway was just 2mm wide or the width of a coffee stirrer. It took dual jaw surgery, sinus surgery, and medicated rapid weight loss to open my airway.
Opening my airway was key in saving my life and making me who I am today, Josh 2.0.
Jaw surgery in 2007 at a weight of 148.6 pounds, it took 6 doctors 12 hours, along with 5 plates and 22 screws to open my airway from 2mm to 9mm. I had to have 4 blood transfusions (and I am type 0-)
Normal airways are in the range of 10mm to 15mm.
Weight gain from 2007 to 2024 closed off my airway from 9mm to 5mm. Or, 50% of a minimum normal person.
I had over 35 sleep studies, U3P, turbinate reduction, sinus surgery, been on CPAP, APAP, BIPAP, had somnolent (for a day), and had two hypglossal nerve stimulators one was a research trial the other was Inspire.
What I overcame
What I overcame
What I overcame
- Sleep apnea (now in remission)
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Pre diabetes
- Chronic back pain (had a cane for 1 day)
- Chronic hand pain
- GERD
- Narcolepsy (due to my former Inspire implant)
- Fear of heights (possibly due to my equilibrium resetting?)
- Chronic yawning
- Chronic immobility
Josh 2.0
What I overcame
Josh 2.0
Started Zepbound on 11/28/2024, lost 3 pounds per week over 6 months from 203 pounds to 135 pounds.
December 2024 I started to realize I could breathe better.
April 19th 2025, I decided to get off the couch and go for a run, 0.72 miles, a pace of 13'05" per mile, and got my first run achievement on Apple Watch (had Apple Watch since the beginning).
On Memorial Day 2025 I did an organized 10k race and I did a 10'10" per mile pace. May 2025 I signed up for a Marathon I was so confident something changed.
I completed the Rocket City Marathon on December 14th, 2025, in 5 hours 34 minutes and 12 seconds, or a 12'20" per mile pace.
In 2025 I ran 602.99 miles.
Then things changed even more...
2026 I learned to bike and swim. And I signed up for a full ironman for 9/27/2026.
This year (as of September 19, 2025), I ran 1265 miles
Biked 1392 miles
Swam 69.5km.
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Help Me Turn This Into Something Bigger
Support me so I can grow my social media network, help me fund future events so I can overcome barriers to inspire and motivate others to get off the couch, like I did.