James Anagnostopoulos

I was 50 years old when I completed my first full Ironman triathlon. One month later, I injured my left knee. I was used to training pain, so at first I brushed it off; but the pain persisted. For months I tried everything - physical therapy, electrotherapy, and countless knee-strengthening workouts I found on YouTube. Nothing worked.

Gradually, I faced reality: I was broken and no longer an endurance athlete. I felt like a one-hit wonder. Depression set in, and the knee pain continued. I’d never had surgery and had no desire to go down that road.

Then I discovered David Goggins — a decorated military veteran, ultra-marathoner, and author. I read both his books, and they changed my life. In Never Finished, he recounts a devastating knee injury and a botched operation that left him hopeless until he met the team at HSS under Dr. Strickland and Dr. Gomoll. They fixed him. If they could fix Goggins, I believed they could fix me.

I met with Dr. Strickland and learned I had a torn meniscus. In June 2023, I had surgery. The pain finally subsided. I was Back in the Game. At age 52, I signed up for my first ultramarathon—and on May 17–18, 2025, I completed 100 miles in 29 hours.

From knee surgery to ultra-marathoner — thank you, Dr. Strickland, for making it possible!