AUSTIN, Texas — There's a saying that goes, "Life is a marathon. Not a sprint."
For three members of Austin running royalty, that's taken to heart. They know that to maintain their friendship, they'll have to run to great lengths and get to the race they've never missed.
"I asked, 'How many people have run all the Austin marathons?'" Steve Boone said.
For the 30th anniversary of the Austin Marathon, that number is down to three.
Boone, who traveled from Houston, is one of them, and has completed in an astonishing 800-plus marathons.
"I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve probably been alive," he said.
Douglas Yee, meanwhile, traveled from Arkansas to attend.
"I’m just very persistent," he said.
Rick Kaven is the only current Austin resident of the group.
"Well, it keeps you in shape if it doesn’t kill you," he said. "And it enables you to drink beer."
For these three friends, the race doubles as a reunion.
"The idea that we all get to do the same thing for 30 years in a row, we’ve all stayed healthy," Boone said.
"Everybody says, ‘Well, wouldn’t you want to be the last one?’ and it’s like, 'No I want my buddies there with me,'" Kaven added.
When asked how long they plan on keep the tradition going, they each quipped that it'll definitely be through Sunday.
Their approach to life is that it's a marathon.
"In the old days, we ran fast. Now we survive," Boone said.
And more important than the finish line are the people met along the way.
"Everybody ought to come out and do this because you'll make friends that will last you your whole lifetime," Boone said.
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