Mike Burnside

I started this journey last year on New Year's day and am down 25 pounds from when I started thanks to exercising and MTN OPS on top of running between 7-8 miles daily. Last September I did a backcountry Colorado wilderness muzzleloader elk hunt and was able to cover 34 miles in the five days I was there. I definitely got back to a happier place in my health and a better physical form.

My biggest reason for getting into better shape is taking care of my 24 year old disabled daughter alongside my wife. I'm not getting younger, and she's not getting any smaller so I knew I had to get in shape to help her live with us as long as possible. She's become my best hunting buddy! We started hunting together last Fall and only it only picked up steam this Fall. She uses a vacuum air actuator to fire her rifle by sucking on a vacuum tube, the tube is changed to an electronic signal that pulls the trigger. It takes three people to work this system - 1 person aiming the rifle, 1 person to help with the vacuum tube and toggle the safety, and then her to fire the rifle. She was able to harvest a huge Aoudad Ram in Texas a couple weeks ago, shooting at 204 yards and we both leave for Southwest Oklahoma for an elk hunt they have on the split season they have for the limited herd in the area, then we go to Wyoming for her dream hunt with a foundation for Mule Deer.

A huge shoutout to Kelsie Foster over at MTN OPS for what she did for me and for everybody else she inspires. We friended on Instagram and she leads by example and can't help but be inspired by how she leads a healthy lifestyle and is positive in everything she projects. Thank you to MTN OPS for having the Training Programs and the Conquer Fitness Facebook page to help people in their journey and for having individuals like Kelsie as great examples and leaders in helping us all stay with it!