Our Boxing Ad, Shot Before Covid, Packs a Real Punch Today

Three months ago, when I went to Portland, Ore., to shoot a commercial about boxing as remedy for mental health challenges, I never imagined I'd end up here. Quarantined in my partner's mom's house in a 55-plus community in New Jersey, as the world experiences the worst pandemic of my lifetime.

While I'm lucky to have work keeping me occupied during all of this, it's been far from easy. The first week, I got shingles from the stress. The second week, I found out my whole family had Covid-19. The third week I anxiously waited to hear about their recovery. While all this went on, I'd been working more than ever before, and dealing with my own insomnia and anxiety.

But the one shining light of each day was lacing up my sneakers and hitting the pavement in the hours before anyone else in the house was even awake. On my runs, I'd pound away all the stress and frustration and my inability to change our situation. And each day, I'd return home sweaty and spent, ready, at least for the moment, to take on the day.

Fortunately, this dynamic isn't new for me. Since age 15, I've used competitive sports to help cope. I've completed three marathons, countless half marathons, a few triathlons and was training for a half ironman (until Covid-19 dashed those hopes). My athletic drive may seem extreme to some, but whether dealing with stress from work, life, or some combination of the two, each time the crazies set in, I'd give myself a new challenge to tackle.