Our next Runner Spotlight found his way to NRC in 2013 through our beloved Couch to 5K program and from participant to mentor, Jay Adamson is making quite an impact on that program and the Nolensville Running Club.

Read on to learn more about Jay’s favorite races, his time in the Army including running all night avoiding poisonous snakes with no light, and his passion for helping fellow runners achieve their goals. It was truly inspirational to hear him speak of runners who have inspired him and those he has inspired through C25K and there’s no better time to celebrate Jay than at the conclusion of our 2023 C25K program!

NRC: Where are you from and how did you make your way to the Nolensville area?

Jay: I was born in Terre Haute, Indiana and moved to Clinton, NJ when I was 6 years old. I loved growing up in New Jersey playing sports and we were 2 hours from everywhere- New York City, Philly, and the Jersey Shore. I moved to Nashville in 1994; truthfully, I wanted to move to Dallas, but my wife at the time was the first to land a job and it happened to be here in Nashville.

NRC: What is your occupation and something you enjoy about it?

Jay: I work in Sales for Siemens. We do “smart” buildings that offer all the awesome automation. I love the challenge of learning about customer needs and the sales process from start to finish.

NRC: So it sounds like you were quite athletic as a kid. Which sports did you play and do you think that’s where you learned to love running?

Jay: I played basketball, baseball, and football as a kid, but my favorite was basketball! I played point guard in high school but knew I wasn’t talented enough to play in college. I joined the Army and got my fill of running though I am not sure I’d always say it was “fun.”

NRC: Thank you for your service! Any fun Army stories you can share?

Jay: I ran through the night chasing some Army Rangers at Fort Benning while stationed there. I was out with a few fellow soldiers “bivouacking” (for those like me who don’t know what that means- it’s camping with little or no shelter) and we ran into some Army Rangers who were out for a trail run. They asked if we wanted to hang with them for a bit, so we did; then, they started giving us a hard time a few miles in and asked if we were “ready for the run to start?” Of course, we couldn’t stop then so we did our best to keep up with them. I recall two distinct things about that night: 1) they had glowsticks hanging from their bags and that was the only light we had so we had to stay close and 2) my biggest fear wasn’t losing them/getting lost but encountering a poisonous snake in the woods of Southern Georgia. The Army Rangers smoked us and we ended up lost in the woods and running all night until the sun came up. They did eventually come and get us but that was quite the night of running!

NRC: Wow, you probably ran an ultramarathon chasing those Rangers all night! So when did you decide to give running for fun a try and how did you hear about NRC?

Jay: I had some neighbors who ran with NRC, Lauren and Richard Reed, and I’d see Lauren out running a lot. She talked me into attending the Couch to 5K program back in 2013.

NRC: That’s great you found us via C25K. What are some of your favorite memories with NRC?

Jay: There are so many to choose from! One of my favorites would be my first Couch to 5K program, which got me back into running and living a healthier lifestyle. I’ve developed so many great friendships through NRC and have had a chance to pay it forward by becoming a C25K mentor myself; it’s so incredibly rewarding to help others achieve their goal of completing a 5K. I tell all my mentees that “it doesn’t matter if you run a mile in seven or seventeen minutes; a mile covered is a mile, regardless of pace.” I believe anyone who gets out there, puts their best effort forward, and finishes what they started is a winner in my opinion. And we all know training runs can become hard- when that happens, I tell them to simply “embrace the suck!”

NRC: You’re so full of running wisdom and C25K is lucky to have you! Who in NRC motivates you?

Jay: Lisa Singer and Jo Anne King helped me train for my first half marathon, and Jo Anne even paced me. Scott and Kelli Alexander have built such an amazing running (and walking) club and Scott is so encouraging. I was so inspired by the late Jimmy Alexander too- it’s incredible how he started running later in life and finished his first marathon in his 70s! My peers in the 3:1 interval group help hold me accountable so that’s very motivating for me. My Ragnar teams, including Stephanie Spann and Terri Peterson; you get really close to your van mates in the 24 hours you spend with them!

NRC: Since we just finished up the 2023 Couch to 5K program, let’s revisit that. What do you think makes that program so successful and do you have any favorite or memorable mentees?

Jay: I love the Couch to 5K program because I think it makes our running club approachable for people who think NRC is only full of amazingly fast runners and are intimated thinking they’ll look stupid or too slow if they join us on Wednesday. Our name (Nolensville Running Club) is a little misleading if you think about it- we have all kinds of paces every week: from walkers to Boston-qualifying paces! Wendy and Kathy do such a great job building a community focused on encouraging others to keep moving. I joined the program as a participant 10 years ago and it changed my life- I wanted to get back to running faster and Lisa and Jo Anne helped me realize my goal of running a sub-2-hour half-marathon. Now, as a mentor myself, I’ve had so many great mentees. Pam Taylor comes to mind as a great C25K alumni- she was a participant a few years ago, caught the running bug, and now mentors alongside me with the 3:1 group. My advice to someone who is thinking about joining us, whether it’s a random Wednesday or C25K, is “get up and get out- you’ll make friends doing it.”

NRC: What a legacy you are building within the C25K program and thus NRC. Also, I think we need you to create a few motivational quotes to print on our next round of NRC Bling! Let’s talk about some of your most memorable races/accomplishments thus far.

Jay: I am really proud of my first half marathon, the Middle Half in 2013, which was only about 3-4 months after joining NRC via C25K. I wanted to finish under 2 hours and I hit my goal at 1 hour 52 minutes, with support from Lisa and Jo Anne. Carmel Half Marathon is another one of my favorite races with NRC; I’ve broken 2 hours in the half there and I have fond memories of running the race with David Ramos in 2017, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

NRC: Let’s talk about how you’ve dealt with injuries or training setbacks. How do you train through those challenges?

Jay: Setbacks are inevitable, and I get through them with disappointment and stalwartness. I’ve developed back pain from my time serving in the Army so that’s really impacted my running and speed. I used to be able to run 8-minute miles and experience that runner’s high every time I ran. A few years ago, I reinjured my back and that’s slowed me down. Now that I am older, I am slower and I find recovery and pain lingers longer than it used to. Bayer Back and Body pills and Biofreeze are my best friends now!

NRC: I can only imagine how a back injury could slow you down. That said, are you currently training for any races?

Jay: I’d like to find another half marathon but don’t have anything picked yet.

NRC: Knowing our running club, I am sure you could talk some friends into joining you for that half! Let’s talk family; does anyone in your family run too?

Jay: I have one son, Luke, who just turned 18 and graduated from Nolensville High School. When he was younger, I signed him up for running events at school and I even made him join me for Couch to 5K a few years; unfortunately, the running bug didn’t stick. That said, hopefully I planted a seed and he’ll enjoy running and the friendships it brings like I do at some point in his life. Luke has plans to attend Columbia State University then Belmont and is pursuing a career in acting and film.

NRC: That’s so exciting for Luke and we wish him all the best post-graduation. Last question before the lightning round… if there were no limitations, what race would you love to run?

Jay: The Boston Marathon! I am too old and slow now to even imagine trying to qualify. I have a lot of respect for those who dedicate themselves to training and qualifying for that race; it says a lot about one’s focus and dedication. In fact, while working at UPS, I had a chance to run with a corporate bib without having to qualify and while I would have loved the chance to finally run such an iconic race, I didn’t feel right doing it without earning my spot, especially among my NRC peers. Someday… maybe!

NRC: Well, we are rooting for you to qualify some day so you can earn your spot there and enjoy such a legendary race! Thank you again for all that you’ve contributed to the Couch to 5K program, as a participant and a mentor. Congratulations, Jay, and we are so glad you are a part of the NRC family!

Speed Round:

NRC: Favorite mid run fuel?

Jay: Oranges or bananas.

NRC: Name a hidden talent or something surprising about you that no one in NRC would guess.

Jay: As part of the Army, I was almost deployed to Operation Desert Storm. Luckily, it ended before I was sent over. I have a single and multiengine commercial pilot’s license with an instrument rating; I am also a part-time flight instructor. I love teaching and was supposed to be a high school history teacher but then I chose sales instead for my career.

NRC: Most scenic or unique run?

Jay: Scenic would be the beach; unique would be the all-night trail run with the Army Rangers at Fort Benning.

NRC: Any hobbies?

Jay: Running, flying.

NRC: Favorite thing about summer?

Jay: The warm weather, spending time at the pool, riding in our convertible, and an annual fishing trip I take with my fraternity brothers (I’ve only missed it once since 1994!)