This story actually starts a few years before Kelsey and Austin ever met. Kelsey had started Spartan Racing (obstacle course racing) back in 2017 and through a friend of a friend, met Austin's mom, Linda, at an AirBnB for racers in 2018. Kelsey and Linda ended up at several of the same races over the next year or two until Linda invited Kelsey to join her team for a Ragnar Race in fall of 2019. Austin came as the volunteer for that race with his girlfriend at the time. Good times were had by all and they went their separate ways. In June of 2020, while reconnecting with Spartan friends, Kelsey and Austin ran into each other again, both now single. After a wild first date (8 mile hike in 100 degree heat in July), they sparked a plan for adventure, and a few weeks later it was official!

Our first date was a 9.4 mile round trip hike up Virginia's popular Old Rag trail in Shenandoah National Park. Known for its challenge (rock scrambles, large boulders, and more!), we of course decided to do it in the blistering July heat starting at 12 noon. That hike was full of candid conversation about all varieties of life topics. As we reached the summit, we discovered we were out of water, and on the hike back down, it started to rain (with no rain gear packed). What could have been a disastrous first date, turned out to be the best! It's amazing what you learn about a person and how they handle discomfort in that kind of situation. We both learned the other's ability to "hang" as Austin likes to put it. It was enough to spur a love for adventuring together.