Marathon runners are some of the most athletic people in the world. To put yourself through 26 miles of constant running and fatigue is nothing short of incredible.

Imagine bear crawling one.

Now imagine bear crawling five MORE miles...a total of 31 miles. An ultramarathon. A world record.

That is exactly what Massachusetts gym owner James Boria is attempting to do in less than five months.

Boria got the idea from Devon Levesque, who bear crawled a marathon in 2020; however, Boria decided he wanted to push himself five more miles to claim a world record. 

This ultimate test of endurance, mental toughness, and physical strength will be taking place in New York City (from Brooklyn to Central Park), on October 7, 2022, according to Boria.

The challenge and world record is not just for Boria's accolades. Instead, he is raising money and taking donations for The Hidden Opponent, an organization that brings awareness to athlete mental health.  

"Training is brutal, it consists of extremely early morning’s bear crawling multiple miles at a time," said Boria. "I just bear crawled a half marathon last weekend, and I will bear crawl up to 20 miles at one time before attempting the 31 mile bear crawl."  

Taking on 31 miles on hands and feet take a toll physically but also mentally. Surely, there have been training sessions, days, even weeks where Boria felt depleted both in his muscles and his mind.

"My first time bear crawling a long distance (5 Miles), I cried about 2 miles in because I didn't think I would be able to complete a 31 Mile Bear Crawl."

Five weeks later, as Boria recalled his best training memory to date, he was able to crawl 10 miles on a beach through the night: 2 am - 9 am.

Staying disciplined is one enormous factor that Boria has to live by in order to accomplish this daunting world record.

"My mornings consist of journaling, reading, and a two minute cold shower," said Boria. "I like to keep these three things consistent, and then everything else tends to fall in place. The cold showers are an absolute game changer, they increase my energy levels as well as cognitive function."  

"Committing to such an impossible task (bear crawling 31 miles) has elevated every other area of my life, and allowed me to see what I am really capable of. It has led me to starting my own business," said Boria. 

This business Boria started is his own strength and mental coaching inside of TJL Training: Boria Performance in Lowell, MA.

Boria Performance is taking on new clients for both physical and mental heath, and including individual training, group training, mobility, and more. 

Boria offers both physical and mental coaching options because he believes you can’t have one without the other. "I am not preparing my athletes or clients for sport, I am preparing them to deal with real life issues like stress, anxiety, and fear," said Boria. "Mental coaching takes a more total approach to health and wellness where I teach how to form high performance habits, how to stay on track, how to understand/separate from negative thought, and really teach people how to become closer to who they truly are." 

To sign up to train with Boria, click here.

"Training with me includes unique experiences such as mental health checks, nutrition guidance, customized programming, and a very hands on approach to individual success and goals," said Boria. 

Best of luck, James Boria. This is a super unique world record and we would love to see it in New England.

To donate to the $25,000 goal for the world record 31 mile bear crawl, click here.

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