A few years ago, Josh Harris was battling Lyme disease and trying to get back in shape.
The 37-year-old Little Rock nonprofit director is now a contestant on American Ninja Warrior, the NBC competition that sends competitors swinging, running, jumping and climbing in a series of seemingly impossible challenges with names like Walk the Plank and Spring Forward.
Viewers can see if Harris makes it past the first round in Oklahoma City during Monday’s episode, which airs at 7 p.m.
His Lyme disease diagnosis came about five years ago.
“Apparently I’d gotten it years before and it was slowly wrecking my body,” he says. “It was a blessing in disguise that I ended up in the hospital and got it diagnosed.”
He has spent the past five years rebuilding his health and training for a run at Ninja Warrior. This was his second attempt at applying for the show.
“I’m really blessed that they chose me,” he says.
Harris is the director of the Fresh to You program at Mosaic Church, which provides fresh produce and other fresh food to under served areas in Little Rock. He moved to Little Rock from South Carolina about a year ago with his wife, Kimberly, and their three young children.
He has long been a Ninja Warrior fan, watching the original Japanese version of the show and then the American version, which is in its 11th season and awards a grand prize of $1 million to the person who can finish all four stages in the fastest time (only one person, Isaac Caldiero in 2015, has ever won it).
With all the lights, cameras and crowds at the taping, was Harris freaking out before his run?
“It helped being a little older and the experiences I’ve had. I definitely was nervous, but I used that nervous energy and it made me faster and stronger. I just went with it.”
For his training, he joined a gym and competed in obstacle course events like Spartan Races.
“I connected with 10 Fitness, which is a great gym, so I could work out more regularly, and I built obstacles in my backyard to do more specific technique training.”
Among his homemade obstacles are hanging rings, a peg board, rock-climbing holds, a slackline and monkey bars spaced 9 feet apart.
“There are a lot of things I can swing on,” he says.
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Harris’ segment was filmed in April and he has to keep mum about far he made it on the show, but it sounds like he had a good time and hopes his experience will influence others.
“It was an awesome thing to represent Little Rock and the nonprofit that I run and inspire and tell people about the work we do,” he says. “Athletically, it’s a cool platform to inspire people, especially since I have Lyme disease. Even if you have limitations, you can work hard and accomplish big things in your life.”
He will be out of town during the broadcast, but he plans to stream on Facebook Live during the show.
“I’ll be able to talk about cool little facts and tidbits about the episode and people can ask me questions,” he says.
Look for a link to the stream at his Instagram, @joshuapayneharris.