Episode 549: Sara and Kiki Vaughn – Parent-Athlete Series Episode One

I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein Podcast

I’m thrilled to introduce a new series on the podcast – the Parent-Athlete Series! In this series, I interview both parents and their children, exploring their unique journeys together. We’re kicking things off with one of my favorite runners, Sara Vaughn, and her daughter, Kiki Vaughn.

You probably know Sara as the 1500-meter runner turned marathoner, with an impressive 2:23 marathon personal best. She’s also a Puma athlete, a mom of four, a realtor, and the founder of the Vaughn Child Care Fund. On top of that, she’s achieved two top-10 finishes at the Chicago Marathon.

Kiki, her eldest daughter, has recently started college at Northern Arizona University (NAU), where she’ll be running track and cross country. In this episode, we dive into their experiences – Kiki growing up with a dedicated and accomplished athlete as her mom, and Sara balancing her athletic career while raising a family.

This conversation was a lot of fun, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share their story. Best of luck to Kiki this fall at NAU, and to Sara as she prepares for the Chicago Marathon! If you enjoy the episode, please take a moment to leave a rating and review. Let Sara and Kiki know what you think, and I hope you enjoy listening!

What we talked about:

3:00- How Sara allowed Kiki to find her own passion for running

6:20- How Kiki tries to keep the pressure off of her running

10:10- Deciding on which college to run at

18:30- Walking through a dissapointment and showing her kids how to experience failure

21:45- The balance of school, work, and athletics

30:45- How hard work was instilled in her

32:45- Their relationship as mom and daughter

35:40- Finding your identity outside of running

37:00- Picking the best college for you

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