Cross country runner focuses summer on strength, science

At 7 years old, Emily Thomas ’13 ran her first 5-kilometer race. Today, she’s an integral member of the Lewis & Clark women’s cross country team, which earned its second consecutive Northwest Conference Championship earlier this year.

Last year, Thomas took home All-Northwest Conference honors for cross country and track, and set school records in the 3,000-, 5,000-, and 10,000-meter runs. She received the Mary Hunter Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year award and was co-winner of the Lois Smithwick Athlete of the Year honor.

“I was totally surprised,” Thomas said of winning the awards. “I’ve been lucky to have a great team to work with and a great coach. It’s allowed me to go out and enjoy it every day, which has really added to my college experience.”

In addition to running 70 miles a week and working out in the weight room, Thomas’s summer includes an internship studying spiders with Associate Professor of Biology Greta Binford.

“It’s part of my molecular and biochemical research, where we characterize what proteins are in their venom,” said Thomas.

After graduation, she hopes to become a veterinarian. “I love animals and I love science, so for me, it’s a perfect fit.”

Learn more about Emily Thomas ’13 in this article from the Grand Haven Tribune.