Audrey Ashburn
Run Along with Thomas Chiang
Running: a sport, an activity and a pastime, but for senior soccer player Thomas Chiang it’s for endurance, power and free time.
“I’ve been running since about 6th grade,” Chiang said. “I’ve been playing soccer since I was about five years old.”
His hobby soon turned into a lifestyle, as Chiang usually can’t go a day without running.
“I run every day of the week, and on weekends I run more than on weekdays,” Chiang said. “I usually train for about an hour a day.”
One of the many ways people can improve their running ability is training for or even participating in marathons. Austin is a city that hosts many marathons each year, such as the Turkey Trot, Capital 10k and Fun Run marathons. Chiang enjoys running and has no issue signing up and running in a marathon.
“With all the miles that I put in, I’ve run a little over three marathons,” Chiang said.
One of the marathons Chiang participated in was the Trail of Lights Fun Run, where he finished second place.
“I couldn’t believe how fast he finished, there were people still crossing the starting line, and Thomas was already done,” senior Fun Run volunteer Lauren Voorhies said. “He didn’t even look tired.”
A part of running is testing your limits, which is exactly what Chiang did to figure out how fast he would be able to run.
“At one point we were running like 60 yards and I finished in six seconds flat,” Chiang said.
Being in his senior year, Chiang is looking for opportunities and ways that he can incorporate running and soccer into his future.
“I do plan on running in the future,” Chiang said. “I want to focus on running rather than soccer, because I get hurt a lot in soccer.”
Running does not only incorporate endurance but also contributes to mentality and perseverance to cross the finish line.
“It’s just getting to that next step and getting further than I want to be,” Chiang said. “When I get tired I just have to keep going, It’s all about keeping [on] going.”
For any students wanting to become a serious runner, Chiang has a piece of advice you can follow: “Just don’t quit,” Chiang said. “Always look for that next step.”