One of the things I love most about authoring Runner Spotlight articles (besides being in the know early on who the next one is) is getting to know the person outside of his or her life as a runner. Our next runner spotlight was fascinating to learn more about his life outside of NRC Wednesday nights and I could have talked to him for hours about his profession as an interim minister! My husband has logged many miles with Kyle Harris and I’ve shared a beer with him post-run and his sense of humor and positivity are infectious! Read on to get to know “Preacher Kyle” better, including how he got started running, his love of days-long family board games, and his favorite memory with the club thus far (spoiler alert: it includes a Santa suit). As always, it was so fun getting to know Kyle better and I hope you enjoy reading his story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

NRC: Where are you from and how did you make your way to the Nolensville area?

Kyle: I am originally from Enid, Oklahoma. I moved to Nashville in 2003 to serve as Associate Minister at a church and have been here ever since.

NRC: What is your occupation and something you enjoy about it?

Kyle: I am an interim church minister meaning I serve as pastor for a church while they search for a permanent minister. Most of the time, I serve a church for 12-18 months, which can be tough because change is always hard; many of these churches are smaller congregations that are declining in size which adds another layer of challenge as they might be fearful of closing. However, I absolutely love it as I love being around people!

NRC: That sounds like quite the challenge to lead a church during a time of transition. When you’re not at work, how do you like to spend time with your family? Can you tell us a little bit more about them?

Kyle: I have an 18-year old son who plays soccer and will be attending Xavier University starting in the fall; his team was runner up at the state soccer finals this past spring and he’ll play club soccer at school. I also have a 12-year old daughter who will be in 8th grade at Woodland Middle School; she plays soccer and basketball. When we’re not at a sports practice or game, we enjoy playing board games together, such as Katan and Rail Baron. For those not familiar, Rail Baron is a monopoly-style game based in the 1800s that my dad got the family into because he was a huge train buff; it’s a fun game but it can take a long time- one game with our extended family lasted 3 days!

 

NRC: Wow! 3 days- hope you won! It sounds like you have a very athletic family. Growing up, did you have experience with running? Did you play any sports yourself?

Kyle: I played baseball and basketball in high school then played soccer and golf in college. When I was younger, running was considered torture! In baseball, we had “attitude adjustment practice,” which just meant no cleats, no gloves, just running. It actually made me hate running for a long time.

NRC: I think many NRCers have similar experiences growing up to hate running, yet here we are as adults actually running for fun! When did running become a part of your life? Was there a specific motivation to start?

Kyle: I overheard a few guys at the church I was serving talking about running the Country Music Half Marathon in January 2004. They were about my age and I thought to myself, “If they can do it, I can too.” I followed Hal Higdon’s training plan for a half-marathon and successfully finished the race! Since then, I’ve done 6 more half marathons and one full marathon.

NRC: That’s impressive you trained solo for your first race! How did you hear about NRC?

Kyle: I heard about NRC on Facebook and came out several years ago but then stopped as I was in and out of running. Recently, I reached back out to Scott once I saw we were meeting at a new spot and I’ve been coming ever since! Wednesday nights can be tough with church as well as my kids’ sporting events but I always enjoy the time with the crew when I can join!

NRC: We always love having your positive energy on Wednesday night! What is one of your favorite memories with NRC thus far?

Kyle: There are so many fun ones that come to mind but my favorite would have to be the Christmas run we did back in 2022 when we wore the Santa suits! We ran the Achilles Hill route and as Craig Taylor and I came out of the bushes in the parking lot as we ran by Mill Creek Brewery, a man who might have drank too much (or maybe had not drank enough) to see two running Santas walked out of the brewery and just said, “Woah!” Craig and I got a good laugh out of it!

NRC: That must have been a sight! Who in NRC has been most motivating to you and in what ways?

Kyle: There are so many great runners and walkers in NRC! Everyone in the 10:30/mile pace group- Amy Owsley, Emily Witcher, and Matt Wilkins. It’s a fun group of people and the social aspect keeps me motivated to come and run, even when it’s hot or cold!

NRC: We could not agree more that running with friends makes less than ideal running conditions much more fun. Let’s talk about your running accomplishments thus far- any favorites or races you’re particularly proud of?

Kyle: I’ve done seven half marathons and one full marathon. I am particularly proud of my first half, which was Country Music in 2004 that got me running again. I did my first full marathon in San Diego in 2009 and I was so thrilled there was no half marathon option while out on the course because I might have made the decision to drop- the first 20 miles were “easy” but that last 10K was pretty rough!

NRC: I think all of us who have done a full marathon can relate to struggling through that last 10K a time or two! How have you dealt with injuries or training setbacks? What has helped you train through the challenges?

Kyle: I’ve been fortunate to have relatively few running injuries. Prior to starting back running, I blew my ACL, which was incidentally another motivator to get running again. The most challenging thing for me tends to be scheduling and carving out that time for myself, though I have found it is essential for me to have that time! I often use my runs as a good time to clear my brain while preparing for a sermon; and because everyone is always curious, I usually spend about 10 hours preparing my weekly sermon.

NRC: Finding time can definitely be a challenge for many of us. What are your current training goals?

Kyle: I don’t currently have one but I need to set one! I’d like to run another half marathon and one that’s on my running bucket list is the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon; my dad was a witness in the bombing trial and that one has always been on my list. Another Oklahoma race on my list is the Tulsa Half Marathon.

NRC: It’s always fun to complete races in cities or states that have significant meaning in your life. If there were no limitations, what race would you like to run?

Kyle: I don’t know about a race but I love Vancouver and think it’s an absolutely beautiful part of the world!

NRC: Anywhere in the Pacific Northwest sounds amazing (and cooler this time of year)!
It was wonderful to get to know Preacher Kyle better and we always enjoy catching a run and post-run beer with you. Congratulations, Kyle, and we are so grateful you’re a part of the NRC family!

Speed Round:

NRC: Favorite mid run fuel?

Kyle: Just water; no Gu gels for me anymore!

NRC: Name a hidden talent or something surprising about you that no one in NRC would guess.

Kyle: I am a licensed pharmacist in Jamaica; it’s not what you might think either! I did a medical mission in college with some doctors and with only one semester of college chemistry, I helped dispense medication as part of the mission work.

NRC: Most scenic or unique place you’ve run?

Kyle: San Diego Full. I lived there for 5 years and it was stunning.

NRC: Any hobbies?

Kyle: Besides running, golf and hanging out with my kids.

NRC: Favorite thing about summer?

Kyle: The long days and extra light!