For track and field athletes, staying healthy is part of the job, but finding time to keep up with everything can be another challenge. Gabby Thomas knows that firsthand, with her hectic week filled with track sessions, sprint work, weightlifting, and recovery from Monday through Friday before turning to rest on the weekend. With so much of her routine focused on keeping her body ready to compete, Thomas admits that she, along with other Olympians, still needs reminders to stay on top of her health. And that reminder can come from people she trusts.

Thomas has partnered with BetterWay for its Track Like Gabby campaign, where she has opened up about how Olympians need help staying on top of their health. Speaking about her own experience on October 6, the three-time Olympic gold medalist explained how her career makes taking care of her body a priority. “As an Olympian, you know, it is our job to stay healthy. So that does make it a little bit easier because our entire job kind of thinks on taking care of our body. But we also get really busy too,” Thomas said.

The 29-year-old also explained that making healthcare more convenient can make it easier for athletes to keep up with everything they need to do. “So the key is to really meet people where they’re at. And when you can do that and make it as convenient as possible, then it’s helpful. And so even Olympians, we need that too,” she added.

Thomas then revealed that she and other athletes also have support from USA Track and Field doctors. “We have our doctors from USA Track and Field checking in, calling us, texting us, like, have you done this? Have you completed that? And it’s quite literally our job,” she said. For Thomas, staying healthy goes beyond what happens during training. 

The Olympic champion has a background in public health, having graduated from Harvard with a degree in neuroscience before earning a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has also worked in public health, including directing a hypertension prevention program and volunteering at a clinic in Austin that served uninsured and underserved patients. Her work with BetterWay through the Track Like Gabby campaign now gives her another way to encourage people to pay more attention to their health.

The campaign focuses on keeping track of health through regular blood testing, along with paying attention to sleep, nutrition and how the body feels. BetterWay promotes a fingertip blood collection that uses a small amount of blood and can be done through participating pharmacies. However, this is not the first time Thomas has been involved in programs focused on health and helping communities. 

Gabby Thomas eyes a future in healthcare

Thomas has volunteered at the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic in Austin since 2019, where she directed a hypertension program and worked with patients on managing their health. She was also a member of an Eli Lilly and Company partnership with Team USA athletes in 2024 to promote health outcomes in communities. She later became a Women’s Sports Foundation trustee in 2025.

Thomas also became a member of the Athletes for Hope Athlete Leadership Council in January 2026, where she provided support to the CHAMPS program and promoted healthy habits among underserved children. Her passion for health care has also been a lifelong goal, although she admits those plans have taken a backseat while she continues her running career.

“My plan A of being in healthcare has definitely taken a backseat for a while, while I’m still in my track career,” Thomas said. Still, her time working directly with patients has made her certain that she wants to remain in healthcare once her running career eventually ends. 

Thomas had once imagined an even bigger role for herself in healthcare, including one day running a hospital. “I think before, I had these huge dreams and passions, and I wanted to run a hospital one day,” she said. While she has not ruled that out, her experience in the clinic has changed what she sees for her future. “And that could still very well happen, but I’m so passionate about what I do in the clinic, and I will definitely stay involved,” Thomas said.

For now, Thomas remains focused on her career on the track while continuing to build her work in healthcare and community programs.