Written by Chad Abbadessa
Thomas Mcnamara was born March 25, 1997, in Gibson Indiana where his journey began. He was later diagnosed with epilepsy and was told that he was not going to live a normal life. McNamara would have to worry about getting seizers in public places, he had to live with this burden throughout his life. Luckily for him, he was born into a loving and supportive family that pushed him to go after his dreams with determination.
From day one, McNamara had to beat the odds, when someone said that he could not achieve something he worked until he conquered it. Teachers would say throughout his childhood that he would never get good grades in college and coaches would say that he has already hit his ceiling and can not improve any further. McNamara takes this burning anger on and off the track where he continues to surprises himself with the progression he has made in his later years of high school and in college. McNamara started his journey as a long-distance runner in sixth grade when his swim coach recommended long-distance running to improve his lung capacity.
Yes, the long-distance runner who owns the record for the 3K, 6K, distance medley relay, and the sprint medley relay at Concordia University Chicago (CUC) was a swimmer initially. McNamara did not fall in love with the sport until he was a sophomore in high school where he started to see improvement in his times. He also noticed that he loved the atmosphere on the cross country and track teams, but you could say that he found his calling with running.
If you were to bump into anybody who has heard his name, they would know him as the dedicated runner who wears short shorts. McNamara has been regarded as the perfect teammate, whether that is showing his generous side by taking most of the team out to Denny’s and paying for all of it or cooking pasta and inviting the entire track team to his dorm to eat and hang out.
His teammate and roommate, Shemar Casteel-Payne, who is a sprinter on the team describes him as outgoing, goofy, nonchalant, genuine and easy-going which are perfect terms for a guy like McNamara. His Coach, Phil, describes McNamara as dedicated, focused, committed, overachieved and genuine. You can start to notice a pattern about how those close to him view him.
When Coach Phil first saw and met McNamara, he knew he had a legitimate runner who knew his stuff. Coach Phil then continued to push McNamara every day challenging him to be the best he could be. Outside the sport, Coach Phil knew McNamara will have a successful career wherever he is. He recognizes that after McNamara receives his degree and leaves campus, “Thomas [McNamara] will be the one I remember the most and wonder how he is doing.” Those around him acknowledge his peaks and his one in a million personality especially with a track record of accomplishing every challenge that comes his way.
Thomas McNamara has pushed himself so much that he has blown expectations and limits that others have placed on him out of the water. Not only does McNamara own four records here at CUC but he also has a 3.64 GPA and a sub-four-minute twenty-second-mile time.
The ones he cares about in life are the ones in his corner during his darkest times, not just his highlights. In the fall of 2017, Thomas McNamara lost his grandma, grandpa and his uncle within months of each other. For McNamara, family is everything so this took a lot out of him to see three beloved family members pass away. Typical McNamara, he did not let his dark times keep him down. Instead, he used it as fuel for his burning fire within him to have one of the best moments of his life the very next semester in February 2018.
McNamara managed to place third at the Carthage Invitational for the indoor mile, he was predicted to finish eighth. When asking how he felt after the race, he said, “I ran for them since I knew they were watching me.” Thomas did not care that his legs were on fire, or that his heart was pounding out of his chest, the only thought he had was of family. Family is everything to him and that is why he has been sacrificing sleep for a.m. runs while others are sleeping, biking for hours on Sundays or while others relax. He is not one to quit just because you do not think he can do it; all he needs are his closest friends and his family. Thomas Mcnamara will be a successful man, runner, and father because he refuses to quit no matter what.
