Despite various health woes, the man formerly known as Eric Welch continues to run — American flag held high.

CANANDAIGUA — Darth Vader is disciplined, determined and inspirational.

This past weekend the man also known as Eric Welch drove to Chicago where he competed in his milestone 50th Tough Mudder event, securing his top 10 world ranking, and then drove back in time to run in the Canandaigua Classic Half Marathon, his 17th of the year. He wore his customary gas mask and a full rucksack on his back, all while carrying the American flag.

But that's only partly why he is disciplined, determine and inspirational. Vader, who has leukemia, accomplished this remarkable feat while awaiting a bone marrow transplant. And his leg requires below-the-knee amputation.

Welch legally changed his name to Darth Vader in 2014. Vader owns Allegiant Fitness, a gym at 146 Mill St. in Canandaigua, and is certified as a group fitness trainer, personal trainer, kettlebell instructor and sports nutritionist.

Andhe refuses to be defined by his circumstances, but rather by hard work and sacrifice.

He sums it up with his personal inspirational quote: “Never sympathize with someone who you see is disabled. Sympathize with yourself because they are outworking you.”

To him, the medals and orange Tough Mudder headbands are a great sense of accomplishment, but more than that, they “represent sacrifice and pushing my physical limits.”

Vader recently launched a Crowdrise page to help defray the cost of the amputation after his insurance company denied coverage for what it considers to be “elective surgery.” For him, it is clearly a quality-of-life issue.

Vader, who suffered a severe broken leg over 20 years ago, has undergone numerous surgeries to try to correct the bone-on-bone contact between the talus and tibia and to reduce the scar tissue in his Achilles tendon.

“I can’t tolerate the pain anymore," he said. "There is daily chronic and acute pain from simply moving around doing basic activities and I am tired of the lack of range of motion. I do my races in a brace but move slowly, often alternating walking and trotting with running."

For him, it was a “calculated” decision after years of pain and the doctors have offered no other option to remedy his discomfort. Amputation is the final and only solution, Vader said.

Additionally, Vader is still battling the long-term side effects of his leukemia and is still waiting on the transplant list at Seattle's Puget Sound VA Hospital in Washington for bone marrow. Vader launched a GoFundMe account in 2014 which, to date, has raised $16,615 of the $210,000 needed to cover the costs related to the transplant.

But Vader keeps a positive disposition. He continues to train and run and enjoys dressing up in the iconic "Star Wars" costume and surprising people.

“I draw strength from others," he said. "I don't just participate for myself, but for those who want to but are unable and for those who never will. I try to represent tremendous inspiration for others and exemplify the motto, ‘Never quit and never give up.’”

Vader hopes that he will be able to undergo his amputation within the next few months.

“Nothing is set in concrete,” he added.

He is relying on his discipline and his adaptability to push through and persevere. With a new prosthetic leg he should be able to run faster and run longer, he said. Star Wars fanatics have been quick to point out the irony that the character Anakin Skywalker, later Darth Vader, lost both of his legs during a battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the third episode of the movie series.

Vader just wants to have the procedure behind him.

To help

To help defray the cost of the amputation of his leg, Darth Vader recently launched a Crowdrise page at https://www.crowdrise.com/darth-vader-needs-a-new-leg.

Vader, also known as Eric Welch, has started a GoFundMe account at https://www.gofundme.com/darthvaderto raise funds to help cover the costs related to a bone marrow transplant.