Connor Meakin, a good friend that I used to work with, helped open my eyes to running ultras. We started running together and after we finished our first marathon he suggested we try a 50km race. I still don't know where he got the idea. I had only vaguely heard of people running that long and knew nothing about how to actually do it. To be fair, Connor didn't know either, but he was determined. After that first 50km, I had to take the rest of 2013 off from racing due to injuries, but Connor continued to race. He went on to win a few races and that really inspired me to push myself.
Connor has an incredible drive and determination to succeed that I'd never seen in someone before. He showed me it was possible to push yourself and win races despite having only run for 1 year. It really lit a fire in me. If he can do it, so can I. Without him, I honestly wouldn't be the runner I am today. I probably wouldn't even be a runner. It's funny to think that we just kind of threw ourselves into this sport with no idea of what we were doing. We educated ourselves by reading a lot online and just kept trying things until we found what worked.
Another person that's been instrumental in this journey is my girlfriend Stephanie. From the beginning, she's always encouraged and supported my decisions to keep exploring what I'm capable of in this sport. She's crewed me at every race, stuck by me through the frustrations of injury, and now even runs ultramarathons herself. Connor got me started and Steph's kept me in it.
I'm also very inspired by my parents. They've lived amazing, happy lives that they've worked very hard to build. They're both in their early 60s and still ski Whistler and downhill mountain bike on the North Shore. It's incredible. They've done it all: windsurfing, rock-climbing, whitewater kayaking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, mountaineering. For years they were active members in Lions Bay Search and Rescue and have saved countless people lost in the North Shore mountains. A few years ago they started long-distance hiking and have crossed England and Japan on foot. I would love to be as active as they are at their age.