Don Balcom
Don is from a small town in the Fingerlakes region of Upstate NY. Growing up he was very active in outdoor activities and sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, and golf. After high school, he attended Clarkson University and majored in Mechanical Engineering. At the end of his sophomore year, he joined the US Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program, where he would become a Navy Nuclear Propulsion Officer. After graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, he reported to NAS Pensacola, FL to begin his US Navy career.
While in the Navy, he was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease in which there is damage to the retinal tissue causing decreased vision at night or in low light and loss of peripheral vision, and was discharged. After the Navy, he tried to stay active by coaching and refereeing youth soccer and playing adult soccer. At the age of 31, his vision had deteriorated enough to where he was declared legally blind and lost his ability to drive, which made it increasingly difficult to remain as active as he once was.
In May 2012, he was contacted by Move United (then Disabled Sports USA) to see if he would like to compete in the upcoming Hood-To-Coast Team Relay Race in Portland, Oregon with Team Warfighter Sports. He had never competed in any running races before and thought it would be fun to see how he stacked up with other runners. After running well at the 2012 HTC, he caught the racing bug and
began competing locally. Since 2012, Don has completed several racing competitions ranging from 5-milers to marathons. Don lives in Southern Maryland with his family and dog, Macintosh.
Sports
- Alpine/Downhill Skiing,
- Rowing,
- Track and Field,
- Triathlon
City
- Hollywood
