Four months after my car accident, I got the news I was afraid of.

The MRI confirmed what the X-rays hadn’t. This wasn’t going to be a three-month injury. It wasn’t even going to be a one-year injury. I was dealing with multiple damaged discs and spinal stenosis, and suddenly my focus shifted from, “When will I be better?” to, “How am I going to manage this?”

I knew one thing: I didn’t want pain pills to become my future.

The opioid crisis was everywhere at the time, and after years of feeling disappointed by a healthcare system that too often seemed focused on treating symptoms instead of finding causes, I wanted another option.

I’d heard a guest on Joe Rogan’s pod talk about whole-body cryotherapy. Years earlier someone had mentioned it to me, but as soon as they said “subzero temperatures,” my brain checked out. It sounded miserable.

But now I was desperate enough to try anything.

I remember thinking, It’s only three minutes. I can survive three minutes.

I walked into that chamber with zero expectations. I didn’t know if it was science or a gimmick. I assumed I’d just be unbelievably cold.

Instead, I walked out feeling… different.

After my first session, I noticed the edge had come off the pain. By the fourth or fifth session, I was convinced enough to keep going. It wasn’t a miracle overnight, but it became one of the tools that consistently helped me manage life after the wreck.

Then another thought hit me.

If this helps recovery after a major injury, why wouldn’t I have wanted it when I was training for marathons?

Today, I still use cryotherapy three or four times a week. Sometimes more after hard workouts or long runs. It’s become part of my recovery routine, not because it’s trendy, but because I’ve lived the difference it makes.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that people think it’s simply too cold.

I’ve watched everyone from professional athletes to people in their 80s step into that chamber. I’ve even seen kids do it. The temperature sounds intimidating, but the experience is far more manageable than most people imagine. For many people, it’s just a matter of trying it once and realizing, “That wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected.”

People also think cryotherapy is only for athletes or injuries.

In reality, I’ve seen people use it for recovery, inflammation, soreness, sleep, stress, and simply feeling better. It’s not a cure-all, but it can be a valuable tool when it’s part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

I’ve now completed eight 100-mile races despite the spinal injuries from that accident.

Do I believe I could have done that without cryotherapy?

Honestly… I don’t.

Weight loss, better nutrition, strength training, running, and cryotherapy all worked together to change the trajectory of my life. None of those things alone did it. Together, they gave me my life back.

Sometimes the thing that changes your life starts with a simple thought:

“I can do anything for three minutes.”