When Athlos announced its 2025 plans back in March, excitement surged among athletes eager to make their mark at the all-women’s track and field spectacle. But just as the anticipation peaked, one major name had to step back: Gabby Thomas. Dealing with an Achilles injury, she mentioned, sadly, I won’t be running at Athlos, but I will be there and I will be meeting and talking to everybody there since I’m not running.” True to her word, as the inaugural event unfolded, Gabby Thomas graced her presence at the Athlos NYC, embracing her role off the track with renewed purpose and responsibility.

The three-time Olympic medalist may not be competing this time, but she’s certainly owning her new role as advisor-owner and promoter of the event. Lighting up Times Square with her presence, Thomas was joined by athlete and influencer Katelyn Hutchison. Representing Runnerscape, Hutchison caught up with Thomas for a quick chat, asking how it feels to be at the top of her game and whether the added responsibilities bring any extra pressure.

Thomas matched her energy on the dance floor, moving with effortless rhythm as she shared that it’s nothing short of a dream come true to be at the very top of her game, “I mean, this is literally a dream come true. I mean, you said it best. It’s like what I’ve always wanted for myself. I want to leave every place that I go to better than I found it, and I want to leave the sport better than I found it, and that’s what’s happening.”

Gabby Thomas was among the first athletes Alexis Ohanian approached to join the Athlos advisory board. She made a mark at the inaugural Athlos NYC track meet on September 26, 2024, at Icahn Stadium, finishing second in the women’s 200-meter with a time of 22.21 seconds. Though injuries forced her to sit out this year’s competition, Thomas remains fully committed to her role as co-advisor-owner, continuing to shape the league’s vision off the track.

Notably, several star athletes are missing from this year’s Athlos, including Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Sha’Carri Richardson, alongside Gabby Thomas. But there’s hope for next year, as Gabby Thomas’ injury is already on the mend.

Gabby Thomas completes the ‘Impossible Mile challenge’

Gabby Thomas has been battling an Achilles injury since May, which flared up again in July just before the USATF Championships. Despite the setback, she competed and earned a third-place finish in the 200m, securing her spot at the World Championships. Her fastest 200m this year, 21.95, ranks her fourth on the season’s leaderboard, behind fellow Americans Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, McKenzie Long, and Julien Alfred. Now, she’s choosing to rest and focus on healing her foot for the remainder of the year.

Well, months after her initial confession about taking time off to heal, the athlete, in a video post, reveals that she is doing the ‘Impossible Mile Challenge’. In the post, Thomas announced she’s teaming up with 400m hurdles ace Bianca Stubler to take on the viral “Impossible Mile” Challenge—showing that even in the offseason, her competitive spark is as fierce as ever. For those unfamiliar, the “Impossible Mile” is no ordinary workout. Created by entrepreneur and hybrid endurance athlete Eric Hinman, it’s a relentless four-part test of stamina, strength, and grit, all done back-to-back.

Competitors tackle 400 meters of burpee broad jumps to ignite explosive power, 400 meters of walking lunges to challenge lower-body balance, 400 meters of bear crawls to push core and upper-body strength, and finish with a 400-meter sprint to empty every last ounce of energy. The mission: conquer all four segments in succession, as fast as humanly possible. The athlete completed the Mile challenge in roughly 1 hour and 9 minutes showcasing that she is already healing and will be back in action next season.