Member Spotlight: Adam Thomas
Adam Thomas has been a long-time runner and member of the Trail Roots community. He first joined the group around 2015 looking to add more structure to his training and meet new people. Although Austin is home, Adam is often overseas on different work assignments. He has worked with UNICEF for many years as a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene specialist focused on emergency response in Africa and the Middle East. When not on work assignments with UNICEF, Adam is busy renovating houses. Outside work, he even started a nonprofit in Togo after serving there as a Peace Corp volunteer. Adam has been running ultra-races regularly for the past few years and is always up for an adventurous vacation. He’s just back from running the Paris marathon and placed 2nd in the Salmagundi 50k last weekend. We wanted to ask him a few questions about his life inside and outside of Trail Roots.
What inspired you to start running and how did you find out about Trail Roots?
Growing up we always were doing something active. I’m from upstate NY so in the winters we were always cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, and playing in the snow. The rest of the year we were biking, playing soccer, dirt biking, swimming, riding horses, and generally raising hell. Running was a way to stay fit during off season from sports. Being a bit tall and lanky, running was natural for me and as I have gotten older a way to burn off hyper energy.
You seem to like both trail and road runs, do you have a preference and why?
Actually, I rarely run on the roads and had convinced myself that I hate it. The Paris Marathon last month was my first road marathon and I loved it. While more road marathons are now probably in my future, I still prefer running in nature with the peace and solitude we find on the trails.
What made you want to join Trail Roots?
I started trail running with the Rogue crew when Erik was leading the group over there. At a certain point, I was away on a work assignment and when I returned to Austin, Trail Roots had been born. I first transitioned over to Trail Roots because a number of acquaintances had moved over, and I liked the energy Erik brought to the group. I have stayed because I love the philosophy of Trails Roots and the awesome community that has been growing more and more over the years.
How has training with a group helped you? How did your running change after beginning to train with Trail Roots?
“I first transitioned over to Trail Roots because a number of acquaintances had moved over, and I liked the energy Erik brought to the group. I have stayed because I love the philosophy of Trails Roots and the awesome community that has been growing more and more over the years. ”
So, I am introvert and have always had a fair amount of social anxiety. I don’t have a problem with getting miles in, so it was not about accountability, but rather I joined and stayed with Trail Roots for all this time as means to force myself out of my shell. There were many years I was in the group but was not very engaged. Overtime, it has gotten much better and has helped me a lot. Other than that, I started working with Erik last year with a more structured training plan which has been great to run farther, feel stronger, and enjoy it all so much more.
What’s your favorite trail with Trail Roots?
Moonshadow and the backside of the Greenbelt are my go-to. I also love Canyonlands/ Mt Lakeway.
What’s your dream run or race?
I will do the Comrades Marathon in South Africa at some point… it’s on the road but the history as the oldest ultra-marathon and the energy of the participants and spectators looks amazing. Also, I’d love to do one of the marathons or ultras in the Masai Mara or run in the rift valley with animals. So cool!
Can you tell us a bit about your experience at the Paris marathon? How did it compare to other races you’ve done?
Amazing. It was sort of a last-minute decision and as I said, despite having done a bunch of trails marathons and ultras it was my first road marathon, so I had no clear expectation. The weather was perfect – dry and cool. And I mean, its Paris and you are running by of the city’s most iconic monuments, so yeah, an incredible place to race that’s for sure.
You used to be in the Peace Corp and developed a love for Togo, can you tell us a bit about that experience and why this place is special to you?
Peace Corps is undoubtably one of the best things I ever did and positively shaped the trajectory of my life. I was in Togo for 2 years and Bolivia for a year. Togo just stuck with me. I was a community health educator in a rural area – stereotypical Peace Corp – riding my bike around villages doing health talks, managing latrine building projects, working with small cooperatives and stuff like that. It’s a tiny country, not a tourist destination really, but ever since finishing my service there in 2001, I have gone back once or twice a year. It’s incredible that after all these years when even now I go out to the villages, my friends and acquaintances are still there, and we fall right back into it. It makes me so happy.
Can you tell us a bit about the nonprofit you started there?
YES! Dzidzo (pronounced “Gee-Jo” and means “Joy” in Ewé) was started in July 2020 with an incredible Togolese friend of mine who is a medical doctor. Dzidzo focuses on health, entrepreneurship, and community development. We are very small and still developing but have been able to complete a few projects we are very proud of including building a water system in a hard-to-reach rural community (one where I worked as Peace Corps Volunteer) and provide training, mentorship, and seed funding to 5 entrepreneurial young women to launch their small businesses. We also just launched an adult literacy program. There were also several other small-scale initiatives we have done in response to covid and back to school campaigns. Please check out the website in French and English and talk to me about it!
What’s next for you?
Well, its my big 5-0 in December, so I have decided to do my first 50 miler. The Ray Miller 50m in California on the 4th. Oh dang, now that I put it out there, I guess I have to actually do it!