Santiago Hardy, The First Member Of Wings' New Elite Program, Will Compete At USATF Cross Country Championships; Junior Teams Also Set For Virginia

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Nestled in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, N.M., was Dustin Martin’s vision: A 4,700- square foot “lodge” just a stone's throw away from a plethora of running trails.

Martin could see the budding potential before him. 

“I saw that place and thought, ‘Wow, this could really be a place for runners,” he said. 

Martin is the Executive Director of Wings of America – an organization founded in 1988 that provides Native youth a platform to express their identity through running. Once a product of the Wings program, Martin later joined the organization staff in 2011.

He has always shared a collective goal to expand the program's wings – literally — and provide more opportunities. That goal started to blossom in May of 2021 when Wings bought the group's new headquarters in Albuquerque – an idyllic location for world-class runners to train. 

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“In a place like Albuquerque, that is a logical place to train for athletes,” Martin said. “So thankfully with the support of the Board of Directors and also private donors, we’ve just made this jump.”

A little more than a year later, in the fall of 2022, the Wings Elite Program  was launched – the first known program exclusively with a mission to foster Native runners in pursuit of their dreams of continuing distance running at the highest-level possible, while giving back to their community.

The announcement included naming a former Wings national team member, Santiago Hardy (Diné), as the first professional runner for the Wings Elite Program. Three-time Boston Marathon runner-up and multiple American and world record-holder Patti Dillon (Mi’kmaq) is the head coach.

On Saturday, Jan. 21 at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Va., Santiago will make his professional debut for Wings Elite in the Open Division race at the USATF Cross Country Championships. 

“The goal is creating a community of runners that support each other as they compete in world class events,” Martin said. 

A Vision For Native Runners

As a Native runner himself, Martin knows what his community is up against: family pressure, obligations, financial burden. He’s seen a number of individuals start to pursue the dream and experience some success, but then lose the ability to sustain it. 

“Over and over again we hear the feedback and get the sense that it’s really difficult because they are still working a part-time job or they feel like their community is calling them back to start a career,” Martin said. “As the Wings Director over the last six years, I have urged the Board to begin providing that opportunity for young people and post collegiates.”

Martin explained the first Elite Team member could have been a number of individuals. But Hardy, who was a Wing National member as a teen, stood out. Hardy ran at Central Arizona Community College and then transferred to the University of Antelope Valley (Lancaster, Calif.) where he won the California Pacific Conference title (23:41) placed eighth at the NAIA Cross Country Championships. He was the 2021 Cal Pac Runner of the Year.

Hardy's roots in the Wings system made him the right fit. 

“Santiago has had an amazing collegiate career, both at CAC and the University of Antelope Valley, and right now he’s showing the real commitment and desire to take an opportunity like this that requires a person to essentially live like a monk,” Martin said. “He was a very logical fit and choice to try and get this project started.” 

The Right Fit

As Martin put it, the stars aligned when Dillon agreed to become the head coach. A highly-decorated distance runner herself ​​and a Mi'kmaq tribe member, Dillon brings a uniquely diverse resume and first-hand knowledge of what it takes to be successful and thrive as a professional. 

“It requires this level of interest and attention to details, not just how the athlete is running, but how the athlete is eating, their diet and sleep, and I am just consistently impressed by the depth of Patti’s knowledge of running and her current intuition of the athlete,” Martin said. “I’m thankful she's stepped up to provide that service because I just don’t have that experience.”

Dillion’s ascent to head coach was years in the making. Martin and Dillon’s paths first crossed in 2016 when he and a select number of American Indian high school juniors, who were part of Wings Boston Marathon “Pursuit” Program, traveled to Boston to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Native runner Ellison "Tarzan" Brown’s 1936 victory at the Boston Marathon. 

“I had almost no familiarity with Patti,” Martin said. “I had seen her name in a couple of old Wings files that had noted great Native American distance runners of the past, but that was the first time I got to meet her.” 

That relationship gradually grew throughout the year as Martin and the Pursuit Program annually attended the Boston Marathon Weekend, allowing for Martin and Dillon, who was also a frequent attendee of the event, more opportunities to connect, build familiarity and trust. Martin eventually asked Dillon to be on the Wings Board of Directors.

Martin said Dillon’s training philosophy is centered on strength, endurance and making sure there is a strong base to move forward. 

“You have to build that ability to stand and run and carry yourself before you can lean into specific training or race work,” Martin said.

While Santiago is currently the only Elite member, Martin explained Dillon is providing pro bono coaching for a few former Wings runners that hope to earn Elite Team sponsorship with their performances this year. The Wings Board is still developing the standards for Elite Team sponsorship, as well as exploring how to provide different levels of sponsorship and additional "B-level" standards for runners to aspire to.

Pipeline For The Future

A big part of the Wings Elite Program is framed on giving back and allowing the athletes opportunities to remain engaged regularly with the younger Wings participants.

Beside the Pursuit Program, Wings offers Summer Running and Fitness Camps, and the Wings National Team. Since 1988, Wings has sponsored a team of the fastest Native American runners (ages 14-19) to represent Wings at the USATF Cross Country Championships.

Next week, eight boys and eight girls will compete in the “Junior” division races. Hailing from all across the country, the Wings of American has won more than 30 national team titles.

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“What better release and sort of mental health break for (professional) athletes than to work with bright eyes and enthusiastic personalities that fortunately Wings has access to,” Martin said. “I personally don't know any other better feeling than that feeling that you're having a positive impact on another person.”

Martin said what set Wings Elite apart from other programs and will help it thrive is that connection. He hopes to see past, present and future runners helping each other out and building that network and creating the level of success to inspire to be the next Billy Mills, Patti Dillon or Santiago Hardy. 

“Between the younger generation and older generation of talented Native athletes, that’s why Wings still exists because we inspire each other,” Martin said.