For CAF athlete and longtime supporter Mike Duke, running has always been about more than crossing a finish line. It is a way to embrace a challenge, spend time outdoors, connect with other athletes, and discover what is possible through sport.

This fall, Mike Duke will bring those motivations together by turning a bucket-list National Park race into an opportunity to give back through CAF’s partnership with Wander Project. With a charity bib, Mike Duke can pursue a personal endurance goal while raising funds to help athletes with physical disabilities access the equipment, training, and community support they need to thrive through fitness and competitive athletics.

Turning a Bucket-List Race Into a Greater Purpose

Wander Project connects endurance athletes with causes that matter to them through charity bib opportunities. Athletes commit to fundraising for a nonprofit organization and receive entry into a participating event after meeting the applicable fundraising commitment. The program offers opportunities across a wide range of race distances and destinations.

“Doing a National Park run has been a bucket list of mine since I heard about it,” Mike Duke said. “I’ve been active with CAF for a while and when I saw via a newsletter that this was a possibility, I jumped at the opportunity. In addition, I will always jump at any opportunity for me to give back to CAF.”

For Mike Duke, the charity bib represents more than race entry. Every training mile and every donation can contribute to greater access to sport for athletes with physical disabilities.

A Lifelong Connection to Sports and Fitness

Sport has been part of Mike Duke’s life from an early age. Inspired by his father, a police officer and former football player who valued physical fitness, he grew up participating in sports before discovering Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 1999.

That experience encouraged him to incorporate more running into his training.

“That’s when I really stepped up my running as a means to improve my cardio,” Mike Duke recalled. “I enjoyed it. I enjoy the challenge of pushing myself and being outdoors.”

After moving back to San Diego, Mike Duke connected with CAF and found a community that encouraged him to pursue new athletic challenges. His involvement has included the San Diego Triathlon Challenge through CAF, Semper Fi Triathlon, Gut Check Fitness training sessions, and other endurance events. Each opportunity gave him another way to test himself while connecting with athletes who shared his commitment to staying active.

These experiences reflect CAF’s belief in the power of sport to create opportunities and help athletes pursue the activities they love. For more than 30 years, CAF has worked to break down the financial and accessibility barriers that can stand between individuals with physical disabilities and participation in sports.

Why Mike Chose to Fundraise for CAF

Choosing CAF as his fundraising beneficiary was an easy decision for Mike Duke.

“CAF is an amazing charity that has done so much for me,” he said. “I am an amputee, so I’ll jump at any opportunity to give back.”

What resonates most with Mike Duke is CAF’s work to expand access to sport and active lifestyles for people with physical disabilities.

“I think sports are essential to the physical and emotional growth of human beings,” Mike Duke explained. “Our current society makes it very difficult for people with amputations to get the devices and instructions they need to participate in sports. CAF does an amazing job of filling that societal failure.”

The cost of adaptive sports equipment, training, competition, and travel can create significant obstacles for athletes. CAF offers grant opportunities designed to support needs that include adaptive equipment, gym access, training, competition, and sports-related expenses. The organization serves eligible athletes across ages and experience levels, from individuals beginning a new sport to athletes pursuing elite competition.

By fundraising through Wander Project, Mike Duke is helping CAF continue that work. Support generated through his race can help break down barriers and create opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities to become active, develop their abilities, and pursue meaningful goals through sport.

Returning to Running After an Ankle Injury

Preparing for a bucket-list race is a major commitment under any circumstances. For Mike Duke, the training journey has also included working his way back from a significant ankle injury that kept him from running for more than six months.

His return required patience and a gradual approach.

“My training has been slow, but picking up,” he said. “Things are finally at 100%.”

Now, each training session moves Mike Duke one step closer to the National Park race he has wanted to experience. His return to running also adds another layer of meaning to the challenge. The final destination is important, but so is the process of rebuilding, staying committed, and working toward a goal that supports others along the way.

How a Wander Project Charity Bib Creates Impact

A Wander Project charity bib gives participants an opportunity to raise money for a cause they care about while preparing for an endurance event. Wander Project describes the program as a way to raise funds and awareness for a selected cause while participating in one of its partnered events.

For CAF supporters, that means a personal race goal can become a direct way to advance the organization’s mission. Fundraising can help CAF provide resources and opportunities that support training, competition, fitness, and continued involvement in sport.

It also gives friends, family members, and broader communities a meaningful way to participate. A donor may not be standing at the starting line, but each contribution can help move CAF’s mission forward and create more possibilities for athletes with physical disabilities.

For Mike Duke, that connection between personal challenge and community impact is what makes the opportunity so meaningful.

Every Mile Can Help Expand Access to Sport

Mike Duke’s Wander Project race brings together the most important parts of his athletic journey: pursuing a difficult goal, spending time outdoors, staying connected to sport, and giving back to the CAF community.

His advice for anyone considering a first charity bib is straightforward:

“Anytime you can give back or simply give to a reputable charity, you should. Charities fill a societal gap and they are extremely important to people’s well-being on so many levels.”

Through CAF’s partnership with Wander Project, athletes and supporters can turn their next endurance challenge into an opportunity for greater impact. Every mile completed, story shared, and dollar raised can help CAF champion athletes with physical disabilities by expanding access to adaptive sports equipment, training, and community support.

Mike Duke will arrive at the starting line with a bucket-list goal ahead of him and the CAF community behind him. As he moves toward the finish, his race will help create opportunities for other athletes to pursue the sports and active lifestyles they love.

Run for CAF Through Wander Project

Ready to make your next race mean even more?

Explore Wander Project charity bib opportunities and choose CAF as the cause behind your miles. Whether you are preparing for your first endurance event or pursuing a new personal challenge, your fundraising can help break down barriers and create more opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities through sport.