When your job means running toward things most people would rather avoid—chaos, grief, conflict—you need somewhere to recharge. A place to breathe, before you can go on with daily life as usual. For police officer and ultrarunner Taye Pugh, that place is the trail.
Taye’s been in the police for nearly two decades, walking into the unknown on a daily basis. The work is unpredictable and often invisible. But it demands your full attention, your calm, your care, and sometimes, your very soul.
“You see things,” he says, pausing. “Things that most people don’t. Things that stick.”
And so, he hits the trails. Not to escape, but to stay present. Not to forget, but to process. Running, for Taye, is how he manages to stay the person he wants to be both in and out of his job.
You’ve been in the NZ Police for almost two decades now. Is it safe to say it’s where you’re meant to be?
Yeah, I’m doing police work for nearly 20 years now. I probably couldn’t tell you exactly why I joined, but I can tell you why I stay. The work is difficult. It’s stressful. A lot of the time we’re dealing with people in crisis. But the rewards are huge. I’ve worked and still work with some pretty special people along the way, and helping victims of crime and seeing that you’ve made a difference is incredibly satisfying.
You started running to literally shake off the stresses of a workday. In what ways does it help?
When I’ve had a very stressful day—and some days are more stressful than others—and I go for a run, the problems and the stresses are still there, but I can maybe separate my work from my home - where I’m about to go next. We also live in such a noisy time. It’s 2025 and triggers are coming at us from literally all directions. Running helps me cut all of that out and just be. It’s the closest thing to a factory reset, a control-alt-delete for the brain. Afterwards everything feels lighter. The unfinished problems are still there, but they don’t feel that massive or daunting anymore.
So running is your bridge between two worlds, work and home?
Yes, it’s some sort of an in-between. That’s how it all started, about fifteen years ago. The trails provide me that space where I can switch gears and just be with myself for a while. It’s my time. Sometimes I process things while I’m running. Sometimes I switch off completely. Both are helpful in their own way.
What does it feel like when you’re actually out there running? What’s going on in your body and head?
The beauty of it is that I’m not dwelling on problems or playing out the day. I’m just thinking: don’t trip over that root, don’t step in that puddle, watch the next corner. I'm actually bringing the world to a focus point that’s right there.
My body does the same thing. It stops holding onto the day and just moves — one step at a time, always forward. The breathing settles, the rhythm kicks in, and the rest of the body starts to loosen up. It’s like everything lines up in that moment.
It sounds like mindfulness in motion…
That’s exactly what it is! I’ve always thought about it as the separation of work and home and not taking stresses from work home and vice versa, but I’ve never thought about what I’m taking from work to the trails. That’s a very different perspective.
It’s funny how things come to you. Despite often dealing with things that are horrific and well outside what most people would ever face, I still need to be a decent person and be fresh enough to take on new challenges the next day. So when I go out on the trails, it clears my mind. Without that outlet, it would all pile up. And eventually the weight becomes too much—something you just don’t want to happen. Running gives me a way to carry it.
What drew you into running events and ultra races?
I once heard someone describe events as the cherry on top, and that stuck with me. Running is probably the purest thing you can do, because the better you train, the easier the event will be. All the hard work happens before the event. You can't turn up to an event with no training and expect it to be easy. But if you’ve trained, if you’ve hiked the hills and done the distance, then you’re setting yourself up to enjoy the experience.
So it’s not about winning for you?
No, that’s not the point. I run events to be happy with my own performance and to display the values that I think are important in any human. Smiling, encouraging others, accepting encouragement in return. Sometimes it’s as small as offering someone a gel or getting a nod at the top of a brutal climb. That’s what really matters to me.
What I also love about the trail community is that the guy who wins is often the same guy cheering for the last runner to come in. It doesn’t matter where you finish. We all did the same course and climbed the same hills.
Is trail running a reflection of how you want to live?
Absolutely. And I also think that ultras and marathons are a condensed version of life. You start, you finish, and in between there’s a journey. You hit highs and lows. There are moments you feel incredible and others where you wonder what you’re doing.
You’ll face massive climbs that seem impossible, and sometimes you just have to put your big boy pants on and hike up that hill. But then there might be some times when someone will just come into your little bubble when you're hurting and give you that encouragement to carry on. Eventually, you reach the top. The view is worth it. Then you enjoy the downhill and catch your breath until the next hill arrives. Just like life.
And speaking of life…I also think that trail running might be a new version of going down to the pub and having a beer. Back in the old days you used to go, catch up with your mates, have a beer, have a chat and then you would get a few too many beers and get quite deep. Now, it’s trail running. You’re side by side. You’re both working hard and the beauty about having a yarn on the trail is that you can also go for miles without saying anything. And then—boom! You’re straight into it! It’s a very good way to catch up.
Do you have a memory on the trail that stands out as particularly meaningful?
A few years ago, my sister was dealing with cancer, and she was going through chemotherapy. During her treatment I asked if she would like to do the Mount Oxford 15K, which is quite gruelling, and she said yes. That was just who she was. Tenacious, always smiling, always willing to give things a go. She trained, showed up, and absolutely smashed it.
That memory is one of the most special moments I’ve had on the trails. It’s still hard to talk about. She hasn’t been gone that long. But I’ll hold that day close for the rest of my life.
Initially, you used the trails to disconnect from your work stresses and be able to be present in your daily life home without yelling at the toaster. But is there any way in which running also contributes to your work?
That’s a great question! I think the biggest thing is perspective. When I’ve done hard things like ultra races and GODZONE, it changes my baseline. What once felt impossible doesn’t anymore. And you don’t need to figure everything out all at once. Just do the next thing. Solve the next problem. Take the next step.
So when I’m being swamped at work or there’s stresses from going from one to another job as I’ve got multiple priorities, I remind myself I’m at the bottom of a mountain. I just gotta keep moving forward and deal with one problem at a time in front of me. If I can deal with a few things, and deal with them well, then that’s better than dealing with ten poorly.
With running and my police work, these are interchangeable skills that I’ve learned. I don’t want to do ten things poorly. I want to do one thing well. And just be in that moment. You do that long enough, and you realise you’re capable of more than you thought.
What positive skills or knowledge are you taking from the police station to the trails?
I don’t know if this is just police or just my work or just life in general, but you learn a lot more empathy. During work I’ve been exposed to people who’ve had horrific upbringings. Their lives have been filled with things I’ve never had to experience. I grew up in a loving family and a safe home. Not everyone gets that. So I try to be patient, to be helpful and not to judge.
I think that makes me more open on the trails too. You meet all kinds of people out there. Running can sometimes be a bit of a selfish sport as you need to go out and run by yourself, but I also really enjoy the social side of it. I’ve had some pretty special chats with people on the trails. Cos yeah, you get deep really quick.
Let’s talk about gear. Now you’re an ultra-runner, how important is good gear to you?
Oh, I always loved good gear (laughs)! But if you’re just getting started, it doesn’t need to be complicated. A pair of shorts, a T-shirt, some shoes, and you’re good to go. Once you’re running more regularly, or covering longer distances, good gear makes a huge difference. You need shoes that look after your joints. Clothes that keep your temperature right and don’t rub or chafe. And you need nutrition that works for your body and helps you recover.
What’s your must-have item you can’t go without?
My La Sportiva shoes. I’ve used them for six or seven years now. I started with the original Jackals and I can’t imagine running trails in anything else. As my body is aging it’s so important to look after your joints, your knees, your ankles, and having a good pair of shoes that are gonna stand up to the rigours of uneven terrain full of rocks, roots and mud. So yeah, good shoes are essential.
Any gear that surprised you with how useful it turned out to be?
Poles! When your legs are shot and you’re still climbing, they make everything easier. They take some pressure off and help keep you moving forward. My LEKI poles have been a game changer.
Tips from Taye for staying fuelled on the run?
I sweat a lot when I run, especially in summer, so hydration and nutrition are key. FIXX Nutrition has been great for me. It helps replenish what I lose and keeps my energy steady. That has made a big difference, especially on the longer runs.
Is running still mainly a form of therapy for you, or has your focus shifted more toward building physical endurance?
Running is still my safe space, because the work I do never gets less stressful (laughs), and it reminds me who I am. At the end of the day, when the uniform comes off, it gives me the space to reset and be present. It makes me a better father, husband, friend, cop, and colleague. I run because it brings out the best version of me—the one who’s needed once those miles are done. It returns me to a kind of strength that doesn’t shout, but listens, endures, and carries on.
