Joshua Wallace

“Running provides the solitude for prayer and thinking about life … I pray that my running is always upward toward Him — not inward toward myself.”

From Rock Bottom to Redemption

In 2021, Joshua Wallace’s life was spiraling. He was 270 pounds, smoking a pack a day, and drinking hard most nights in hotel parking lots while traveling for work. “I was a crappy father and an even worse husband,” he admits. “All that led straight into depression with thoughts of suicide.”

One day at lunch, sitting in a rental car, he tuned in to the Unashamed podcast. “At 39 years old, I heard and received the gospel,” Joshua says. He bought a Bible that same day—no easy task on the West Coast—and started reading. Conviction came quickly. “The shame and guilt poured in,” he recalls, “but His Word became my new addiction, changing me day by day.”

In April 2022, Joshua’s father passed away at well over 400 pounds. “He was where I was headed,” Joshua says. “That’s when I knew something had to change.” He quit smoking after 21 years and hasn’t touched alcohol since his dad’s funeral. He began cleaning up his life and his body—one choice at a time.

By August 2023, he had lost 100 pounds through the carnivore diet. Around that same time, he began running—first short sprints in parking lots, then longer efforts in his driveway. His brother challenged him to a half marathon. “No way,” Joshua thought—but he decided to walk the distance just to see what it felt like. In October 2023, with worship music in his ears and a steady breeze on his face, he walked 13 miles on the beach. “It felt miserable after 11 miles,” he laughs. “Maybe doing it in sand was a bad idea.” That walk became his first-ever Strava activity.

Running with Purpose

By December 2023, Joshua was running consistently. In October 2024, he completed his first races—a 5K and a half marathon—and later a 14K trail event. But racing isn’t what drives him. “I think I just prefer training over racing,” he says. “Most of my PRs have come during solo runs.”

Running has become his quiet space with God. “It gives me solitude for prayer and reflection,” Joshua says. “The trails are my favorite—hearing the birds, the wind, the crickets, and feeling God’s presence in His creation.”

Joshua races only against himself: pace, distance, elevation, progress. “We should never stop trying to improve ourselves—whether it’s running, our health, or most importantly, growing in our relationship with Christ. Perfection only exists in Him.”

Joshua now understands those dark moments differently. “When I had suicidal thoughts, I realize now it wasn’t physical suicide I needed—it was spiritual suicide (Romans 8:13). I needed to kill off the old self and make room for Him.”

Today, his goals are bold: a sub-6-minute mile, a sub-20 5K, and eventually, 100 miles solo and unsupported. But his true aim is eternal—always upward toward Christ, not inward toward himself.

Encouragement to Others

Joshua’s journey proves that no matter how far you’ve fallen, transformation is possible in Christ. “Challenge yourself,” he says. “Your body is stronger than your mind. Train your mind until you enjoy the pain—because growth is on the other side.”

Start with one step. One mile. One prayer. Keep going.