Meet Thomas Cantara
Hi, I’m Thomas Cantara! I’m a Special Olympics athlete and I’ve been running marathons since 2012. Running helped me lose about 80 pounds after high school. My marathon PR is 2:31 and I am the returning T20 champion of the Boston Marathon.
For a peek at my recent race in Tokyo, check out this blog post!
What advice would you give to Special Olympics athletes who are taking on the TRY-ATHLETE challenge this summer?
For athletes going into the TRY-ATHLETE challenge, start with small goals and keep building off those goals and eventually you will have big goals and be patient with the process. This is one of the big reasons I am now a pro runner!
Who inspires you to keep running? How / why do they inspire you?
My running friends keep inspiring me to run. When I had some bad/tough races, they keep me in it emotionally which keep me shooting for my goals.
How do you stay motivated on a tough run, when you are facing injury, or when you’d rather just sleep in?
Once I develop a routine it is tough to break it. When I face a tough run I will go by effort and in my mind I think about the times I have overcome tough obstacles before (such as running a marathon on little to no sleep before). My goals also keep me going no matter what I face.
Favorite pre-workout meal? Favorite post-workout meal?
My favorite pre-race or workout meal is either lasagna or chicken parmesan. I’d eat spaghetti and meatballs too with marinara sauce. Post workout meal can be anything, but a good pizza is a favorite.
Favorite or must-have running gear or recovery equipment?
My running gear (particularly for marathon racing) is my Garmin watch, my shoes (New Balance currently), tank top, shorts, sometimes a runner cap, sometimes kt tape, and nip guards or waterproof band-aids. Also GU with my GU belt.