Jacksonville - In 2019 Jay Nye had a realization, if he didn’t change his lifestyle, he was “going to die an old fat drunk.” That was before moving to Jacksonville, getting sober, losing 80 pounds, and getting the sweet handle “Tackleberry.”

“Two years ago, I couldn’t run two miles. Then I kept pushing and getting motivated. A couple months ago I did my first ultra marathon, a 50-miler, and now I’m doing a 70.3 mile ironman.” That’s just the physical side of things. He’ll be the first to tell you what keeps him coming back is the relationships he’s built in the Gloom. “This great group went from workout guys to friends.”

The combat veteran marine and retired police officer has seen things no man should see. He knows how easy it is to slip into a dark place mentally, self-medicating away the demons. “I feel like people ignore mental health – like it’s a joke. I’ve lost friends to suicide because they didn’t have someone to lean on.” He insists that men talk about these issues - even if that means a long run turn into therapy sessions or marriage counseling.

He went from being angry, depressed, and overweight to being an inspiration to his two shorties. “I’m showing them a healthier lifestyle. Before F3, I couldn’t swim, bike, and run with them. Now I’m matching their energy and competing with them. It used to hurt too bad to do this stuff. It still hurts, but not as bad.”

Tackleberry will tell you that some days are better than others, but if you keep showing up and plan for big things, you can do anything - especially when you’re surrounded by a bunch of brothers just as motivated as you are.