User:Erre Emme Bi

Tony J. Stafford
Born March 27, 1979

Biography:
Tony Stafford’s focus on running did not start until 2006 when he was in his late twenties. Stafford, a native of El Paso, Texas, has been participating in endurance sports for the majority of his life. In his early years, Stafford focused mainly on competitive soccer where he played in the Division I program at Texas Christian University, and on the New Mexico Olympic Development Team & All-Star teams. While Stafford was a collegiate goalkeeper, he was not in ideal running shape. Stafford did not begin running seriously until 2005. This initiative occurred after he received an information packet from the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) where he was applying to be a special agent. The position required that applicants successfully pass written exams and a physical test. One component of the physical test was a 2-mile run that had to be completed in less than 15 minutes. After attempting this run several times, and failing to meet the time requirement, Stafford began training seriously in order to achieve his goal and attain the position.

After setting and achieving the DEA physical test goal, Stafford began running with a new rigor. While working as a Child Protection Investigator for the Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida, he continued his own fitness regimes in gyms and worked part-time as a personal trainer. He decided in early 2007 to fully dedicate himself to his passion for fitness. Stafford started training for the 2007 Chicago Marathon and began providing guidance to others, enabling them to overcome their own limitations and achieve their personal athletic performance goals.

Stafford has since rededicated his life to athletic competition and is constantly raising the bar on his own athletic capabilities and the athletic aspirations of others. He is always extending the boundaries of his capacities and increasing the capabilities of the human body through specialized training. Mental stamina, Stafford affirms, was the crucial element to his transformation and is also essential to not only achieving, but exceeding, one’s athletic goals.

As an extension of his own personal development, Stafford now focuses on helping people achieve fitness goals as a professional marathon pacer, whether it’s maintaining a particular marathon time or engaging in cardiovascular exercise. Stafford also uses his passion for running as a vehicle for raising money for a number of charities. He has also coordinated numerous speeches, and continues to endeavor to support others in the running community.

Stafford currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, which is recognized as the premier location for endurance training and optimum performance enhancement. This location s allows Stafford the environment to train rigorously and a community that supports him and a group of competitors that inspire him to achieve new limits. Stafford, as an endurance fitness specialist, is also currently owner and operator of Boulder Sports Performance, an endurance-based training method to those individuals seeking to enhance sports performance using the innovative approaches of advanced techniques of high-intensity, cardio-respiratory production that result in maximum stamina.

Coaching Background:
In addition to coaching and training current Boulder Sports Performance clients (both individually and as a group) as well as traveling throughout the United States to different running events, Stafford actively participates in the Running Republic of Boulder. He has coached several Division I athletes, and assisted prominent distance coach Darren DeReuck.

Stafford is an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America Certified Personal Trainer & Group Exercise Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a member of USA Track & Field.