Unconventional Path: Amy’s Endurance Sports Journey 

Amy Ben-Horin didn’t start out as a runner or endurance athlete. For most of her life, she worked in the nonprofit world, helping youth and adults unlock their full potential. Running was not really on her radar. This is the story of Amy Ben-Horin’s unconventional path into the endurance sports world. 

I Hated It 

In 2013, Amy’s sister, who was into running, convinced Amy to train for and run a half marathon with her in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Amy figured she could give it a try, so she started training. After mile 8 the half marathon ended up being a miserable experience for her. “I hated it,” Amy admits.

Executive Director

Skip ahead to 2019 when Amy’s life took an unexpected turn towards the endurance sports world. She was hired as the Executive Director of Wander Project, a fundraising organization that works with endurance racing events to provide athletes with charity bibs and the opportunity to run for a cause. Suddenly, Amy found herself immersed in the endurance community, despite having no real background in it herself. Amy quickly grew to appreciate the giving, service-based nature of the endurance crowd. “It was incredibly inspiring,” she says. “Running was their inspiration to do more, not just for themselves but for causes they cared about.”

Wander Project 

In her first year at Wander Project, Amy supported athletes in raising over $100,000 for organizations across the U.S. impacted by COVID, like food banks and nature nonprofits. She was moved by the stories of the athletes who would run ultra-distance races while raising money for charities. Hearing their “whys” – the reasons they chose to push themselves to extremes – motivated Amy.

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Endurance Culture 

Amy began to immerse herself in the endurance culture, supporting athletes who were raising funds through various races like the Cocodona 250 mile event in Arizona. She was in awe of the physical and mental toughness it took to cover those distances. More importantly, she was inspired by the communities that formed through shared suffering and purpose. After a few years, however, Amy’s role at Wander Project shifted to more of an administrative position, removing her from the day-to-day interaction with athletes that fueled her passion. In 2023, she made the difficult decision to leave Wander Project.

Director of Community and Culture 

It was perfect timing, as several of Amy’s friends and former colleagues were also leaving to start their own endeavor called Milestone Events. Amy joined them, becoming the Director of Community and Culture. Amy returned to her roots – interacting with athletes, facilitating personal growth, and providing supportive spaces for people to redefine their limits. 

More Than We Ever Thought Possible

“Endurance is such an amazing space to realize we can do more than we ever thought possible,” she explains. As an everyday athlete herself, Amy has found her own ways to test her endurance, like climbing over 20 of Colorado’s 14ers. She recognizes how meaningful those boundary-pushing experiences can be, especially when surrounded by an uplifting community.

Six Key Values 

With Milestone Events, Amy is passionate about cultivating that type of environment for “everyday athletes” from all backgrounds. The company has codified six key values – community, collaboration, empathy, integrity, personal growth, and joy. Amy’s job is to ensure those values permeate every decision and interaction. “We want people to feel seen, heard and cared for on and off the course,” she says. 

Redefine Your Limits

While Amy’s endurance journey took an unconventional path, she has found her calling in facilitating transformative experiences for others through athletics. By building a values-driven community, she hopes Milestone Events can be a catalyst for people to redefine their limits and unlock new potential.

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