Runners Q&A: Aaron Horton
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Virginia Tech alumnus Aaron Horton had an understandable reason for running the Hokie Half Marathon in Blacksburg, Va.
"When you finished it, you got a Hokie bird medal," Horton says. "I was like, 'I gotta have one of those.'"
That race in 2015 came early in a running journey that has turned into a triathlon pursuit. Horton is an Ironman, and he recently traveled to Finland to compete in the unique Ironman 70.3 Lahti.
Horton is the subject of today's Runners Q&A.
The Warmup
Age
41
Residence
Lewisville
Family
Colleen Sands, girlfriend
Day job
Health and physical education teacher
Why I run, swim and cycle
"I just fell in love with it when I started doing it. I love the community. They're just all good, genuine people, and they're all out there to help everybody else, to help me. And I can help somebody. Since I moved to Winston (in 2011), I really felt like I fit in, and they just accepted me. It's been probably the most wonderful thing I have done since I've moved. I've met wonderful people, and I just couldn't be thankful enough for the opportunity to be a part of this community."
On sharing common ground
"First of all, Colleen is a two-time Ironman, and I'm a one-time Ironman, so I'm trying to get myself up to being a two-time Ironman so we don't have an imbalance in this relationship.
"But you know what? It's just wonderful to have a teammate, one that you can count on, reliable, is looking out for me. After a race, to congratulate each other. Or if one of us is a sherpa for the other, has a real good feel of how we want things to go during a race, before a race, after a race. That's invaluable. That is one of the true testaments that's come out of our relationship. We just jelled. It has really helped in my athletic pursuits. I hope it is helping her athletic pursuits."
The Middle Miles
Running tribe
Twin City Track Club and Run Like a Fish (Fiddlin' Fish Run Club)
Runbragging
Being the Trivium Racing Multisport Series 40-49 champion in 2023
My weekly mileage
120 (cycling and running)
Must-have running gear
Aftershokz headphones
My shoe of choice
Nike Vaporfly
Favorite place to run
Reynolda Village area, Winston-Salem
Pre-race fueling
Banana and chocolate Power Crunch protein bar
Post-race celebration
Ice-cold Dr Pepper
What I'm watching
Tour de France: Unchained on Netflix
My favorite mantra
"Always make tomorrow the best day of your life."
My running inspiration
"The people I train and have trained with have all been an inspiration, through their motivation, determination and encouragement. They all have and continue to have a positive impact on me."
A favorite race
Smiley Sprint Triathlon, Clemmons, July 28.
"This race is run like a world-class event."
My last race
Ironman 70.3, Lahti, Finland, June 29
"The reason I wanted to do the race is it's the only evening half Ironman in the world. They want you finishing under that Nordic midnight sun. It was 12:30 at night after we got back to the hotel from the race, and it was still daylight.
"I think seven years in a row now the Finns have been voted the happiest people in the world, and I really needed to know what that was all about. We had an incredible time. It got windy the day of the race. I got beat up on the swim and the bike a little bit. But just super nice people. Everybody over there rides a bike, and if you ever get a chance to go over there, you need to take advantage of the feeling a true Finnish sauna experience."
My next race
Beat the Heat 5K, Winston-Salem, July 20.
The Cooldown
What I've learned about myself through my athletic endeavors
"As you grow older, sometimes you lose sight of a goal or an achievement. Being involved with triathlon, running and mentoring, it keeps me looking forward and having something to look forward to. That is invaluable as you grow older in life. You're around people that are younger and older you that are still striving for something, striving to be better. I really hold a lot of value in that."
My words to the wise
"Find a group to train with, find a group to do things with. You're going to make more memories in the things you do as a group than you probably ever are racing. Those are going to be your friends and your companions and the people that, when you're having your good times and your bad times, they're there for you."