“Whatever you’re doing, you can do it in Elevenpine shorts. I really like the look, and they transition seamlessly from an early morning ride into brunch afterwards. I actually wore them on a first date once, but the shorts have lasted a lot longer than that relationship did.”

Michael is an Elevenpine ambassador, Air Force Fighter Pilot, and multi-sport adventurer who regularly hits the trail with his four-legged BFF, Houston.  

Q: When did you join the Air Force / how long have you been in the Air Force? What made you want to join in the first place - was it something you always knew you wanted to do?

A: I signed up for Air Force ROTC during my sophomore year of college. After graduating, in 2015, I went into Active Duty and have a little over 5 years time in service now. I actually went to school for pre-med, but after a couple semesters into college I started to get the “calling” and wanted to do medicine for the military. After some immersion though, I thought personally I would be able to have a bigger impact, and a more meaningful service in aviation.

Q: Is the online class you’re taking part of the Air Force program? What part of working in the Air Force do you specialize in? 

A: I’m a Fighter Pilot currently stationed in Tucson Arizona flying the A-10 Warthog. We specialize in Close Air Support and deploy around the world to protect the American and coalition forces on the ground. Our jet is unique in that it’s the only aircraft in the USAF designed solely for Close Air Support, which is why its proven itself so effective and irreplaceable in the past couple years.

And yes, the course I’m taking is the Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course. It’s normally taught in person… but coronavirus. In the last fiscal year, the Air Force had 22 mishaps that each resulted in a loss of life, loss of aircraft, or greater than $2.6 Million in damage. The course will qualify me to be dispatched to a crash site following an incident to conduct the investigation, determine the cause, and hopefully prevent future mishaps. These additional duties are only secondary to me actually flying though.

Q: When working from home, what does your training regimen look like? How do you stay in shape? 

A: Initially during quarantine, our operations were reduced 50% at work, and we were frequently ordered to stay home. After exhausting all possible yard work, and the IPA’s out of the fridge,I went a little stir-crazy and started working out three times a day. I like getting up early and taking my dog for a run before it gets too hot. Then I’d try to get out on my mountain bike or go hiking during the day, and if the gyms weren’t open, I’d finish the day with some yoga and calisthenics at home.

Q: When working from the Air Force base, what does your training regimen look like? Is it different? More rigorous?

A: One of the benefits of the military are all the base gyms. We have several. They’ve made a substantial effort to keep the gyms open and sanitized for us through the pandemic. Full work days usually aren't very conducive to a Trifecta, but I’ll get in a morning lift and some cardio with the dog. All branches of the Military have physical fitness requirements that we’re tested to annually. Some organizations also do a couple mandatory training sessions per week. I used to lead some of those and enjoyed doing that.  

Q: How did you become familiar with Elevenpine’s shorts?

A: My uncle Larry introduced me. He’s a fitness role model of mine and he also lives in Arizona. He’s taught me alot since I got stationed here, like ride early in the morning while it's cool, beer pairs well with breakfast, and elevenpine shorts! Larry was a world-class professional bodybuilder turned fitness coach, and now he’s 60 years old, smokes me on a mountain bike, and flexes on me at the pool. I’ve picked up a lot of nutrition and apparel tips from him. My first pair of ElevenPine shorts were stolen from his drawer.

Q: What about the style/design/fabric appeals to you/makes them one of your first choices for tackling whatever activity/workout you have planned?

A:Whatever you’re doing, you can do it in Elevenpine shorts. I really like the look, and they transition seamlessly from an early morning ride into brunch afterwards. I actually wore them on a first date once, but the shorts have lasted a lot longer than that relationship did. Whenever I’m packing for a weekend away, they’re always the first in the bag, because I know whether I end up hiking, biking, swimming, lounging, or going out, they got me covered.

Q: How are they different from other shorts you’ve tried?

A:The quality of the material and adaptability/versatility of the shorts is the best i’ve had. The briefs are very breathable and impressively sturdy, but most importantly, comfortable. I can’t wear normal athletic briefs longer than 2-3 hours before I start to get itchy, irritated, or doing a socially unacceptable amount of “adjusting”, but with the Elevenpine briefs, I can wear them all day, from one activity into the next with no problem. Also I’ve never seen a pair of shorts where you can adjust the fit while you're wearing them. 

With the Uprising Shorts, with many activities I like to tighten the velcro above the knee while leaving the zipper vents open for comfort and additional ventilation. The fit feels secure, comfortable and non-restricting. However when you’re out on a ride, or during various exercises you want those closed for a more form fitting shorts.

Q: What are your favorite hobbies or sports?

A:Biking, Weightlifting, Hiking, Running, Kayaking, Golf, Woodworking. Really anything that gets me outside and keeps me busy!

Q: Do you often move from one activity to the next? How do the shorts empower/enable that?

A:Pretty frequently. For one, I tend to generate A LOT of laundry. The ability to roll from one activity into the next in the same clothes cuts down on that substantially. I also find that a major psychological barrier to any activity is the perception of how long it’ll take to “get ready” and “go home and get changed” but in Elevenpines you’re always ready for anything. And finally, during weekend getaways, it can get cumbersome packing all your biking gear, and your hiking clothes, and shorts for dinner etc, but lately i’ve just been throwing the 11P shorts in the bag.

Q: What do you think of this quote:

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Agree? Disagree? 

A:Couldn’t agree more! Life’s short and you have to live it to the fullest. I routinely ask myself, “did I make the most out of the day?” I’ll never remember the evenings I chose to stay in, heat up dinner and watch a movie, but I’ll never forget the evening me and the dog decided to do a sunset hike up Mt Wrightson in the winter, had Gu packets on the side of the trail for dinner, and my Camelbak froze solid. For me, it’s those unforgettable experiences that we should live for!