When James Hollister moved from snowy North Carolina to Tucson for graduate school, he was looking for sunshine and a way to stay active.

What he found instead was a running community that changed his life, and one that’s now gearing up for the Garmin Marathon Series, where Hollister will race in the half marathon on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Saturday’s Garmin event includes full and half marathons, as well as 5K and 10K races, and Hollister says he’s excited to hit the course with fellow Tucson runners.

Hollister, a PhD student in the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health, came to Tucson in 2019 and joined The Workout Group shortly after arriving to meet new people, explore the city and stay fit.

A former college track athlete, Hollister found a supportive community in his new running club, which encouraged him to take on longer distances.

“I never saw myself running a full marathon, but eventually all my friends in that group had all run marathons,” Hollister told Tucson Spotlight. “They said, ‘James, just try it. Train with us. Follow us. You'll be OK. You can do it. Try it.’ So I begrudgingly tried it and I loved it.”

After his first 26-mile run, Hollister was hooked. He now considers himself a distance runner, giving credit to Tucson’s desert views and running culture — two of the main reasons Garmin selected the city to host one of its series.

"I think the running community here is so supportive of one another,” Hollister said. “I think sometimes when people imagine joining a running group or something for the first time, they might be worried like, ‘Oh, what if it's way too competitive? What if people are standoffish? What if they just care about their times, their workouts?’ But it hasn't been that at all. People here just love seeing everybody improve. They just generally love running in groups together."

Hollister vividly remembers his first run up the steep Sabino Canyon Tram Road, saying he was stunned by how demanding the climb was. Despite the tough ascent, he says he loves the location.

“I complain about it all the time, especially when it's hot, but I don't know. That feeling when you get to the top and when you're finished is like nothing else in Tucson,” Hollister said.

Having spent most of his life as a sprinter, Hollister told Tucson Spotlight he’s enjoying his distance-running journey, and when fatigue hits, he focuses on keeping a positive mindset.

(I tell myself), “It's okay, just one foot in front of another and remember that it's just for fun. We enjoy the process of getting better and feeling the pain. It's a good pain. It is a privilege to be able to feel this pain,” Hollister said. “And then also when you're at Sabino, you can just look around and kind of forget about everything.”

Hollister got into athletics by way of his older sister. Wanting to be a good younger brother, he copied everything she did.

“If she learned to tie her shoes, I had to learn how to tie my shoes. She played piano, I played piano,” he said. “She ran track and I went to all of her track meets, so of course, I couldn't wait to get into track in junior high.”

A state champion in the 400 meters in high school, Hollister is used to a student-athlete lifestyle where days pass between studying and training. He believes running makes him more productive in his studies, saying it puts him in a better mindset to balance the stress of daily life.

As a Ph.D. student, Hollister says he spends a lot of time looking at his computer screen, and running provides a healthy escape.

"If I didn't have running, I think school would consume all of my time. Over six, seven years of grad school, that would wear me out instantly,” he said. “So running balances things. I'm still busy, but I think there's always time for one hour in the day to put that aside and focus on running.”

And while he no longer competes in college sports, his love for running hasn't ceased.

"I just love the adventure side of running. I mean, I love the races too. I like getting competitive every once in a while,” he said. “But being retired from college track means I can just enjoy running, and I really leaned into that and leaned into meeting people and exploring Tucson.”

Diana Ramos is a University of Arizona alum and Tucson Spotlight reporter. Contact her at diana@tucsonspotlight.org.  

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