The Miles That Made Us

Originally published on Substack

A Phone Call That Changed Everything

It was around July or August of 2018, I had been living in Flagstaff, Arizona for about 2 years and I had only started dipping my toes into running at this point. My mom, Taffy (yes, like the candy), called me and told me that my sister, Kelly, and her were going to run the Lake Powell Half Marathon that October in Page, Arizona.

My mom had been a runner for more than 4 decades at this point and my sister had finished a few road marathons, so they were both experienced runners. I, on the other hand, was trying to find some purpose in life and work towards being more of an adult after several years of partying, getting questionable tattoos on my friends couch and smoking my fair share of the devil’s lettuce. For some reason, when my mom called me that day and asked if I wanted to tag along as a spectator, I felt an urge and in that moment I decided that I wanted to run the race. My mom responded with a hint of surprise in her voice, quickly followed by her endless support.

Before Running Had a Name

Growing up, I had been an athlete mostly focused on baseball, starting from t-ball to Junior year of high school. But as Scout Barry from the critically acclaimed baseball drama, Moneyball said, “We’re all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children’s game, we just don’t know when that’s gonna be”. I was never actually told I couldn’t play baseball anymore, but I was ready for a change and baseball wasn’t serving me anymore. After high school, I followed a new passion for hiking and photography. These led me to moving to Flagstaff in 2016 to follow my girlfriend at the time, little did I know the impact Flagstaff would have on me.

I don’t remember much about the lead up to the race, but I do remember vividly crossing the finish line at the Lake Powell Half Marathon and the wave of chemicals washing over me as I was experiencing that transcendent moment for athletes, where you just accomplished a massive goal that you have poured yourself into. Now I know that feeling well, but it’s one of the few things in life that is not possible to get tired of. I chased that more at my first trail race, the Mogollon Monster 35k in 2019. Running continued to give me a point of focus and purpose and naturally I fell head over heels. Over the last 6 years I’ve crafted my life around running and it’s given back to me so much.

ADVERTISEMENT

When the Roles Reversed

In a public park on the west side of Phoenix, where I spent 36 hours supporting Kelly and Taffy as they ran a one mile loop, I thought a lot about how lucky I am to be inspired by these women. Along with my Dad (who is a massive supporter of our running), they have crewed me at most of my races, including crewing and pacing me for 4 days while I ran the Cocodona 250 in 2024. Kelly paced me for over 20 miles and my mom paced me for 17 miles. My dad, Peter, was our crew chief, relying on his intimate knowledge of Arizona and commitment to getting me across the finish line.

Watching Grit Up Close

So I was excited to crew Kelly as she ran her first 100 miler and Taffy, as she ran her first 50k at the Fat Ox Endurance Runs. There was a moment overnight during Kelly’s 100 miler that she came over to our crew tent and plainly said, “I need to sleep.”, with a desperate tone in her voice, I could see it in her eyes, she was deep in it.

I know those moments in an ultra when you’re barely hanging on by a thread. She took a 2 hour nap, then got back up and went right back out on the loop to finish what she started. I knew she would finish it despite knowing that she was really suffering, but doing it well. Eventually, she crossed the finish line with a smile that was beaming across her face, that type of smile you can’t control. That moment is a profoundly intimate moment of accomplishment to share with someone who you care about. Another one that I was glad to share with Kelly.

Learning From the Women Who Raised Me

Due to the nature of this race, my mom started her 50k race the morning after Kelly started. So they ended up being on course at the same time, sharing miles together, as they ran loop after loop (101 loops for Kelly and 31 for Taffy). Not long after Kelly finished, it started pouring rain and while my mom is super tough, she hates being cold. The next time she came by our crew spot, she said she didn’t want to finish the race because she didn’t want to be cold and wet for another hour or two. Which is a reasonable concern that most people would agree with.

We packed up all our gear and were getting ready to leave when Taffy said she wanted to finish the last 5 loops she needed to finish. She warmed up a bit, got into a puffy jacket and I joined her for a few laps where we enjoyed excellent conversation as we always do. I knew now that she was going to finish it and get that first ultra under her belt. In the pouring rain she pushed through, continuing to amaze everyone around her. At her age of 72, there are very few people still running at all, let alone running a 50k. This usually leads her to winning her age group in most races, which is a testament to how rare it is to be as fit as she is at her age.

The Miles That Actually Matter

Without my mom and sister sharing their love of running with me and encouraging me to sign up for the same races they are doing, I wouldn’t be who I am today. The amount of miles we have shared as a family is irrelevant because the bonds we have deepened along the way is all that matters. I’m extremely fortunate to have a family that introduced me to the sport of running and has supported me whole heartedly, no matter what I want to pursue. Without them I’m really not sure where I would be, but I don’t care to know. I know I am here and happy.

Subscribe to Austin’s Substack HERE

ADVERTISEMENT