The October Runner Spotlight is on “International Man of Mystery”: TSA Tom.
Tom Crawford is an International Program Analyst with Transportation Security Administration (TSA). He “moved to the area and wanted to meet people outside of work” in September of 2021. After seeing “an advertisement on Facebook for a race at Cobbler Mountain with a free hard cider upon completion,” he signed up for his first event in March 2022. Tom’s work sends him traveling the world “for weeks at a time,” so he tries to fit in as many races as possible while he is home. “I did 20+ events in 2022 and 60+ in 2023. Who knows how many I will attend this year, but I am looking to make it to my 200th event by the end of 2024,” he says. A true man of mystery, Tom notes that “a lot of people know that if they don’t see me at a race, I am off to another country for work, but what they may not know is that I don’t like to fly.”
All those months of frequent runs with Bishop’s Events have led to two notable accomplishments for Tom: “The first big accomplishment is running a half marathon on my birthday weekend with no real training. Sorry to say this was a non-Bishop’s event, but it was with some of my friends from Bishop’s Events. I have only been running the 5ks with Bishop’s Events so this was a big distance change. The second big accomplishment is running a 25:13 
5k at Old Mill Park this year. I never really looked at time for my runs, just wanted to get out and have fun, but knowing that I am getting faster is a good feeling.”
Tom describes Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg—where he achieved his 5k PR time—as his favorite course, “not just because that was my fastest, but because it is fairly flat, paved, and we run right alongside the Rappahannock River with some gorgeous views. I have even spotted a bald eagle diving for food early in the morning at one of the races.” Tom hopes to someday run his hometown event, “the Cooper River Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina,” where he says—much like the Old Mill course—“the scenery is beautiful.”
It hasn’t all been rainbows and sunshine for Tom out on the trail though. During one event, he recalls: “I saw a small stick on the ground as I was running and thought I would kick it out of the way so no one would trip on it behind me. Well, that small stick was attached to a huge tree and I ended up breaking my toe.” To his credit, Tom “did finish the race” and made a quick return to running with his friends. “The biggest reason for me to keep coming back to more events with Bishop’s,” says Tom, “is the people. It’s like a family… I have met some of the best people from all walks of life through Bishop’s and have made some lifelong friendships.”
Join Tom for a cold drink after a Sippin’ Series run. He looks forward to “seeing all of the friends [he has] made and the new ones that [he] will make at future events.”