Gwen Thomas

Nominated by Lindsay Paulson

Some runners chase goals. Others bring people with them. Gwen Thomas does both and she does it with a smile, a plan, and just enough hype to make you believe you can do more than you thought possible.

Gwen and Lindsay unofficially met about 15 years ago at a race finishing 2nd and 3rd, no big deal. They didn’t really talk that day, but Gwen figured out who she was afterward and invited her to join a pace team she was part of. That invitation turned into a friendship, a long-standing pacing partnership, and years of shared miles.

If one word fits Gwen best, it’s strong. She shows up for people. She speaks her mind. She leads with confidence. And she backs it all up with action. Gwen sets big goals like running multiple marathons in a year, chasing personal bests, qualifying for Boston, and then she goes after them. What makes it even more inspiring? She’s turning 50 this year and celebrating by pacing the 50th anniversary of Grandma’s Marathon. That’s Gwen in a nutshell.

She’s also an incredible pacer. Co-pacing the Fargo Marathon with her was described as “a blast”! She kept runners engaged, motivated, and smiling all the way to the finish. She’s the ultimate hype woman. And yes, she waved at or had to pet every dog along the route, which honestly tells you everything you need to know about her character.

Gwen welcomes everyone into the running community. Nervous first-timer? She’ll invite you to the weekly Let’s Go Running Sunday run. Seasoned runner chasing a goal? She’ll have a spot for you in her pace group on race day. She leads the Lost Dog Pacers, organizes dozens of pace teams every year, and somehow manages all the logistics while still running several races herself. Organized doesn’t even begin to cover it.

She’s helped countless runners hit their goals. She gave Lindsay her first chance to pace and continued to trust her with that responsibility over the years, opening doors, building confidence, and creating friendships along the way.

Gwen also knows resilience. She once missed a Boston Marathon qualifying time by just a few seconds. Instead of letting it define her, she got better and has since qualified and run Boston multiple times. Her advice reflects that experience: run a few seconds under pace because effort matters, and details matter.

And then there’s classic Gwen. The last-minute switch. Planning to pace a half? Suddenly she’s pacing the full. Planning a 9:54 pace? Nope, now it’s 8:24. No hesitation. No drama. Just stepping up when the team needs her. Who does that? Gwen does.

If Gwen were a running shoe, she’d be the Saucony Guide — stable, reliable, quick, and always ready to work.

Some of the best memories aren’t even from races. Like the Essentia photoshoot she did with friends. Beautiful final photos, but plenty of behind-the-scenes laughter, awkward poses, and trying not to crack up. The kind of moments that turn teammates into lifelong friends.

Everyone deserves a hype woman like Gwen. And for those lucky enough to run with her, pace with her, or be welcomed by her, the miles are better because she’s there.

Let’s do this for another 15 years… and then some more. -Lindsay