TRAILBLAZERS: Adam Loomis on endurance, mentorship, and mountain life

Trailblazer: Adam Loomis — From Nordic jumps to ultramarathon summits, the Park City athlete and coach channels endurance into community, mentoring the next generation while continuing to chase world-class mountain challenges. Photo: AdamLoomis

PARK CITY, Utah — For Adam Loomis, endurance goes beyond simply finishing races; it embodies a way of life. It is a practice in persistence, humility, and belonging that permeates both his athletic career and his commitment to the Park City community, which he now calls home.

Loomis, 33, grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he began ski jumping and cross-country skiing at an early age. By the age of 10, he was competing in Nordic combined, a challenging winter sport that combines both disciplines. A decade later, in 2012, he earned a spot on the U.S. Nordic Combined National Team and moved to Park City, where he competed internationally for six years.

After retiring from professional skiing in 2018, Loomis sought a new challenge. “That first spring I signed up for a 50K in Boulder,” he said. “I didn’t realize it would become such a big part of my life. But being an athlete has always been part of who I am — this gave me a way to maintain that identity while building a career and life after my nordic combined career.””

That year, Loomis also set the fastest known time (FKT) on Utah’s Wasatch Ultimate Ridge Linkup, completing the rugged 36-mile route, which includes 18,000 feet of elevation gain, in 15 hours and 59 minutes — a remarkable achievement that solidified his status among the region’s elite endurance athletes.

Since then, Loomis has become a well-known name in the mountain running community. This summer alone, he completed three ultra races in seven weeks: the Speedgoat 50K, the Telluride Mountain Run, and The Rut 50K in Montana, where he secured first place with a time of 5 hours and 13 minutes over 11,000 vertical feet.

“It was unlike any race I’ve ever done,” Loomis said. “It was a lesson in not giving up on both fronts — first, don’t count your chickens before they hatch, but also understand that it’s not over until it’s over.” In the final kilometer, he lost and then regained the lead to win. “I thought it was lost, but I still gave myself a chance — and that totally paid off.”

Today, Loomis channels that same persistence into his role as program director for Park City Ski & Snowboard’s Nordic Combined and Skimo programs, where he coaches athletes and helps organize events like the Moose on the Loose kids’ trail running series. “I’ve seen firsthand how sports build character and community,” he said. “The impact lasts long after the competition ends. I had coaches who shaped me deeply, and being able to do that for others now — that’s something I truly appreciate.”

For Loomis, running is as much a mental journey as it is a physical one—a way to stay present in the landscape. “It’s such a simple sport,” he said. “Of course, there’s gear, but it’s not what makes or breaks you. Whether in training or during a race, it’s easy to be in the moment. It’s just another way to experience the mountains.”

This sense of simplicity influences his approach to his upcoming challenge: Ultra Cape Town, a 100K race in South Africa that will be his most competitive event to date. “After racing so much this summer, it’s nice to finally have a solid training block,” he said. “Now, it’s just about consistency — showing up as ready as I can.”

Even as he prepares for a world-stage event, Loomis remains grounded in the values that define his adopted hometown. “The people I look up to here aren’t necessarily superstars,” he said. “They’re community leaders — folks who give back and are respected. That inspires me. I want to be someone who contributes to what makes this place special.”

Loomis believes Park City’s legacy of producing elite athletes and its sense of small-town connection are deeply intertwined. “You don’t have top-level athletes without a strong base — kids, parents, and people just getting outside,” he said. “Those two elements go hand in hand. That’s what keeps the culture alive.”

For anyone tempted to start running, Loomis’s advice is straightforward: “Start showing up. Get out to an event or a group run. You don’t have to begin with an ultra. The smaller mountain races — like the Cirque Series — are a great way to start. The community is what hooks people.”

As he prepares to race across the mountains of Cape Town next month, Loomis remains, at his core, a local—an athlete who embodies the endurance, humility, and shared spirit that define life in Park City.