Gabby Thomas only had one goal in mind. She wanted to clinch her maiden Olympic gold. While it didn’t happen at the 2020 Tokyo Games, she finally claimed the Olympic Champion title amid 80,000 fans at Stade de France. The Massachusetts native surged past the finish line in 21.83 seconds, redeeming herself from the third-place finish in the Japanese capital. But that’s not all! The track and field star went on to claim 2 more gold medals in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay. 

After her incredible run in the 200m, the sprinter revealed that this was 6 years in the making. It’s not easy winning races. It takes a lot of hard work, and the Olympian was willing to put the work into it. Even though she faced several roadblocks between Tokyo and Paris, she continued to train hard for it. “We didn’t want this [Paris] to be my first Olympics. We wanted Tokyo to be the first one to train and be prepared for the Paris Olympics to go for the gold this year,” she stated. Even though the games are done and dusted, the sprinter is preparing for another event now. What could it be?

Gabby Thomas picks up an annual habit 24 hours before D-Day

The 2024 New York Marathon is right around the corner. But this time it is bigger and better. But here’s the kicker! According to the New York Road Runners, the 5x Olympic medalist will serve as the Grand Marshal. So, how is the sprinter preparing for the event? On November 2, she posted a cheeky video to her story. “In Central Park doing a shakeout run before my marathon. I can’t wait,” she exclaimed while flashing her pearly whites. Now, what’s a shakeout run, you ask?

It’s a practice Gabby Thomas adapted to do a gut check. Shortly after clinching an Olympic gold in the French capital, the sprinter appeared on the Today Show. While discussing her training patterns, the Olympian made a strange revelation. We’re used to seeing her sprint past her competition on the track, but she couldn’t run beyond a mile. “We do a mile in the fall. It’s a gut check. So, we do it to tap into your mental side,” she confessed. 

It’s odd for us to believe that the 27-year-old would have difficulty running a mile. However, she confesses that, as a sprinter, it doesn’t come easy for her. She further adds that training for sprinting is entirely different. As a result, they don’t get a lot of mileage in, which is why one mile is enough to get them going. However, she shared a rainbow bagel sandwich on her Instagram story, captioned, “JK but I did run a mile to the bagel shop😉” So, if the Olympian isn’t contesting at the marathon, what should you expect? 

What does the Grand Marshal role entail?

New Balance announced that Gabby Thomas would be the Grand Marshal for the 2024 New York Marathon. So does that mean she will be contesting in the 26.2-mile course? No. However, the 3x Olympic gold medalist will greet all the winners at the finish line in Central Park. If you were hoping to see her throughout the five-borough course, you’d only see her after crossing the finishing line. 

But she isn’t the only Olympian who will grace the event. The reigning Olympic men’s marathon champion, Tamirat Tola, looks forward to defending his title from last year’s New York Marathon. The Ethiopian crossed the finish line in 2:04:58 at the 2023 New York Marathon. In fact, at the Paris Olympics, he went on to shatter Samuel Wanjiru’s record with a new time of 2:06:26. So it’s safe to say that this is definitely his turf.

On the other hand, Hellen Obiri will enter the women’s marathon to defend her title from last year. She clinched a shiny gold in the marathon with 2:27:23 on the clock. But things fell apart at the Paris Olympics when she had to settle for a bronze with a third-place finish. This didn’t add a dent to her reputation on the marathon circuit. After she won the New York and Boston Marathons last year, she became the first woman in 34 years to bag two wins in the same year. While she’s won the Boston Marathon this year as well, can she defend her title in the Big Apple?

Gabby Thomas has done her best to enjoy her off-season. She competed in Athlos, took a vacation, and did a few media tours. But her latest appearance in NYC seems to be the most anticipated. The Olympian might not contest in the event, but she looks forward to watching her favorites cross the finish line. Even though she can’t run for more than a mile, she’s excited about how everyone fares during the event. Will you be watching?