Going the Distance for Autism : Austin Marathon 2025   Recently updated !


Joby Sanchez and his wife, Stacy, have a heart for helping others.

One of the reasons they keep their family-owned business small is so they have time to volunteer for charities in their hometown of Midland. Joby and Stacy support a wide range of causes, but they have a personal connection to Autism – their 11-year-old son, Rhett. Joby began running on and off for fitness in 2023 but started taking it more seriously last year to set a healthy role model for Rhett and other children with Autism.

For the past 6 months, Joby has been training to race in the half marathon at the Austin Marathon on February 16 th as a member of the Autism Society of Texas’ #TeamAutism. “I have never raced before,” Joby says, “but the run community has a lot of eyes on it right now and I believe this is the best way to start.” And, this is just the start for Joby. He already has two other progressively challenging runs on his calendar this year, the 3-day Texas Triple and a 50-mile ultra marathon – all with the goal of increasing awareness, creating acceptance, and raising money for Autism. “There needs to be more awareness about how to help and relate to people with Autism,” says Joby. “I believe running can help bring communities and people together and I want to do that around Autism.”

Click here to learn how you can run, volunteer, or donate to support Joby and #TeamAutism through the Austin Marathon.