LATROBE, PA – Alex Prizzi, C’05, enjoyed being a part of cross country teams in high school and at Saint Vincent College, yet he knows that running can be a solitary activity.
“Running has proven to be an incredible tool for me to stay healthy and active into my 40s,” Prizzi said. “I don't need to schedule a run. I don't need to worry about finding teammates. I don't even need to worry about whether it's day or night. I just need myself and a pair of shoes.”
Eager to make an impact in the community, Prizzi has found ways that running can be a way to aid others. Last year, he took part in a 250-mile ultramarathon to raise money for the Barth Syndrome Foundation. This year, he plans to run four 200-plus-mile ultras as a fundraiser for Back on My Feet, a charity that helps people overcome homelessness and addiction.
“It makes perfect sense to work with an organization that is not only doing amazing work but also uses running as a tool to help its members get back on track,” Prizzi said.
Prizzi began running 5K races in sixth grade and was on the varsity cross country team at Greensburg Central Catholic High School. He said matriculating to Saint Vincent College was an easy decision. “I spent my whole childhood in the Catholic education system and deeply valued the smaller class sizes, along with the dedication the teachers had for the students,” he said.
A business management major, Prizzi was part of with Saint Vincent’s cross country team and the Explorers Club. He was the inaugural captain of the Ultimate Frisbee club team.
“I rediscovered running in 2012 while running the Pittsburgh Marathon for the first time," Prizzi said. “It started as a way to lose weight, and then I found myself increasingly invested in going further, lighter and faster. My first ultra marathon was the local Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, which I've now completed a few times.”
Prizzi and his wife Katie, C' 07, live in Gibsonia. One of their neighbors is a teenaged boy with Barth Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that weakens the musculoskeletal and immune systems, making those afflicted more susceptible to physical injury and infection.
“Many boys who have Barth Syndrome don't make it out of childhood, and those who do often have a shortened lifespan,” Prizzi said. “My neighbor is an amazing kid. He's kind-hearted and mature beyond his age. It was an absolute pleasure to fundraise for an organization in his honor, and for me it was the most meaningful part of running the 2024 Cocodona 250.”
Held last May, the fourth annual Cocodona 250 was a week-long, 252.2-mile race in Arizona from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff. Prizzi crossed the finish line around 3 a.m., completing the course in 114 hours, 42 minutes, 15 seconds.
To benefit Back on My Feet, Prizzi this year will attempt to complete the Arizona Monster 300, Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200 and Moab 240 ultramarathons— a total of 940 miles of trail running. This is the inaugural year for the Arizona Monster 300, which means no one before has attempted to complete those four races in the same year.
“It's a daunting task, to be sure, but it's nothing compared to the uphill battle facing so many who feel stuck in the cycle of poverty today,” Prizzi said.
Operating in 16 cities nationwide, Back on My Feet recruits its members from homeless shelters and rehab facilities. Runners commit to run two or three days a week and gain educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources. Since 2007, Back on My Feet has served more than 15,000 individuals and its members have run a collective 500,000-plus miles and obtained more than 10,000 jobs and homes.
Prizzi said running with the clubs in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore was a deeply moving experience.
“I got a real sense for the hope that their members are starting to rekindle in their hearts,” Prizzi said. “People gathered with smiles and hugs, and it was difficult to even tell who was a member and who was a volunteer. There was a real sense of a return to dignity for these members who are so accustomed to being looked down upon.”
For this year’s races, Prizzi has set a personal fundraising goal of $20,000. Anyone interested in donating can click this link or contact him at alex.prizzi@gmail.com.
Alex Prizzi
