Courtesy Photo | Lt. j.g. Taylor Thompson competes during the Ironman 70.3 in St. George, Utah, in May,...... read more read more
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Lt. j.g. Taylor Thompson grew up surrounded by the Navy — and by runners. A self-described Navy brat from Washington State, she was raised in a family where military service was a legacy and long-distance running was a constant. Her father served 23 years in the Navy, earned three master’s degrees through the service, and competed in All-Navy cross country. Nearly all the men in her family graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy.
“I had some big shoes to fill,” Thompson said. “I found my own way in through the Nurse Candidate Program.”
Thompson said she always knew she wanted to help people, and her family’s positive experiences in the Navy shaped her career path early. “My family only has wonderful things to say about the Navy,” she said. “I would be lying if I said I did not want to grow up like my dad.” When a position opened for a new graduate nurse in the Emergency Department at Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, she chose it without hesitation. “I love challenging myself and I am glad I chose to take the spot.”
Her drive to take on challenges extends far beyond the hospital. In just her first year competing in endurance sports, Thompson earned positions on both the All-Navy Women’s Triathlon Team and the All-Navy Marathon Team, one of the most competitive marathon rosters in program history.
Her talent for running developed early. “My dad is an insane runner! He inspired me to get into it, mostly because I wanted to beat him when I was little,” she said. In fifth grade, she and her father entered their first 5K together and finished as the top male and female. She remembers him telling her that running would “take her places in life,” guidance she said she took to heart as she continued to race and train through the years.
This year marked her entry into the world of triathlon. Thompson competed with the All-Navy Women’s Triathlon Team at the San Diego Tri Classic held at Liberty Station. The course, which served as the venue for the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship, featured a 1500-meter swim in San Diego Bay, a 40k bike route up to the Point Loma statue, and a 10k run along the waterfront. “I took 12th in the race,” she said. The event was her first Olympic-distance triathlon. Before the Tri Classic, her only triathlon experience was completing an Ironman 70.3 in St. George, Utah, in May.
Around the same time, she found herself drawn into marathon running. A friend from her base’s spouse kickball team encouraged her to sign up for the Carlsbad Marathon. “I told her she was crazy,” Thompson said. But she signed up anyway, trained for less than two months, and completed the race well enough to fall in love with the challenge of the marathon. Shortly after, she submitted her application to the All-Navy Marathon Team and was selected.
“I feel incredibly honored,” she said. “I never had ever done a marathon before this year.”
Preparing for elite-level competition while stationed in Twentynine Palms requires dedication. Thompson routinely pushes through harsh conditions, unpredictable scheduling, and long nights in the Emergency Department. “Summer training here is very tough with many 0300 starts to beat the heat,” she said. The combination of elevation, desert climate, and extreme temperatures became part of her training advantage. “Running at sea level for the race feels like flying comparatively.”
Shift work presents its own set of challenges. “I work primarily nights which puts extra strain on my recovery process,” she said. “Shift work adds extra on top of everything because I cannot stick to a routine. I just have to be fluid and find the time to put the miles on.” She often trains during hours that most runners avoid, fitting in mileage before or after shifts depending on her schedule.
Thompson also experienced a demanding summer in the Emergency Department, which required long stretches of work. “I felt very exhausted but having the team on the back of my mind kept me motivated,” she said. She added that a quote from one of her favorite running influencers helped keep her grounded: “Not always easy, always worth it.”
Her training throughout the season combined marathon and triathlon preparation. Each week included one long run at around marathon pace, two speed workouts on the track, and three easy runs that she often completed with her dogs. She balanced this with swim sessions and cycling workouts, typically splitting them into double workout days. With the additional triathlon training layered in, her weekly training load reached 150 to 175 miles.
She said she hopes the example she sets is meaningful to the Sailors she works with and leads. “Everyone’s exhausted here, everyone is working multiple positions or jobs. I am no different,” she said. “I want to be an example of hard work despite rough conditions. You can still succeed. I want to prove that dreams still can be followed even in the middle of nowhere. You need to make the most of every situation. I think I show my Sailors anything is possible with determination.”
On Oct. 26, 2025, the Navy and Coast Guard Marathon Teams competed at the Armed Forces National Marathon Championship in Washington, D.C. The event yielded several standout performances for Navy Medicine and the broader Navy and Coast Guard team. Lt. Madison Overby finished second overall in the women’s championship with a time of 2:48:37. Lt. Megan Walsh placed third, finishing in 2:48:43. Lt. j.g. Jaquelynn Sheedy of the Coast Guard, competing for the Navy team, set a personal record with a time of 2:56 and placed sixth. On the men’s side, Lt. j.g. Brett Brady led the Navy with a fourth-place finish, crossing the line in 2:26:18.
Thompson said she was eager to compete alongside teammates from across the Navy and looked forward to the team aspect of the race. “I am looking forward to competing as a team,” she said before the event. “I think the strategy will be fun to plan together. I would love to get another team win. I think we have a good stack coming into the race.” Her personal goal was to run under three hours and contribute to her team’s success.
Thompson said her experience as an ER nurse continually shapes her strength as an athlete, and that training for endurance events reinforces the qualities she brings to Navy Medicine. “Running has taught me how to stay focused, composed and mission driven in the face of discomfort and uncertainty,” she said. “Just like in medicine, success in running comes down to preparation, resilience, and the ability to adapt.”
She said those traits align closely with the Navy’s emphasis on the warrior ethos. Her participation in All-Navy Sports, she said, allows her to demonstrate those values both in uniform and in competition.
“The warrior ethos is about pushing beyond limits, staying mission focused, and never quitting — even when things get hard,” she said. “That’s exactly what distance running demands.”
Thompson hopes her journey encourages more Sailors to explore opportunities in All-Navy Sports, even if they are new to competition. “The worst they can say is no,” she said. “I had no idea what I was capable of. I just put my name in the hat, and it worked out.”
As she continues working in the Emergency Department, advancing through graduate school to become a family nurse practitioner and training for future races, Thompson said she remains committed to the same mindset that carried her from childhood races to the All-Navy Marathon Team: work hard, stay determined and embrace every challenge along the way.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2025 15:43 |
| Story ID: | 552088 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Navy Officer Balances ER Nursing with Elite Competition on All-Navy Marathon, Triathlon Teams, by Christopher Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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