It is no easy thing to live an inspired life. Passing inspiration on to others is even harder. 

It requires sustained passion, courage, perseverance and a bit of tenacity, all of which Adam Lindahl gained during his time in Eden Prairie Schools — and all of which he now continuously gives back. And it all started when his foot hit the start line during a little race at then-Oak Point Intermediate School. 

That day, Lindahl’s fifth grade gym teacher set everything in motion. An assignment to run a timed mile uncovered a talent and sparked a passion that shaped the course of Lindahl’s life. He felt something click that day as he crossed the line having run the fastest mile in the entire school. The experience laid the foundation not only for a lifelong love of running, but also a profound appreciation for the power of inspiration and opportunity. 

“I almost became a super freak when it came to running,” Lindahl shared. “I loved it so much.” 

He explored his new passion by competing in cross country and track at Central Middle School, and by the time he reached Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), he hit his stride. Lindahl became a standout runner for the EPHS cross country and track teams, as well as an accomplished Nordic skier. He was named All-State three times, helped lead his cross country team to a second place finish in 1998, and was State runner-up in the 3,200 meters his senior year. 

But more importantly than his pace-setting accomplishments, what stays with Lindahl are the deep belonging, abiding friendships and personal care he experienced through the EPHS running community. Coaches and teachers consistently challenged him to reach his fullest potential — inspiring him inside the classroom just as much as outside of it. “I think Eden Prairie Schools did a lot of things to give you a chance and an opportunity to find something either you’re really good at or something you’re interested in,” he said. 

He remembers taking every high school business class he could, including his senior seminar class with Karen Brettingen (now the district’s industry partnerships coordinator). In a way, that class was a different kind of starting line: A launching point for Lindahl’s future business. He began to dream about combining his passion for running and entrepreneurship. “Every project that I ever did within business classes in high school, DECA… everything was always either a business plan for a running store or something to do with a company like Nike. But it was always running, if I could get away with it,” he laughed. 

He would chase that dream through college and beyond. After running at the University of South Dakota and earning his business degree, Lindahl became the founder and owner of a specialty running store, TC Running Company, at the age of 25. Drawing on formative experiences from high school and relationships with the local running community, Adam innovated, served customers with care, inspired young employees and expanded his business. Almost two decades later, TC Running has taken off and now has five locations across the metro area. 

But perhaps even more notable than his career success is the way Lindahl gives others a head start. He hasn’t lost his humility, and he’s quick to credit the Eden Prairie coaches, teachers, facilities and academic programs that fostered an environment in which he thrived. Now, he strives to pass that on to others. “I want to keep giving back to Eden Prairie,” he said. “We need more alumni to keep giving back — whether it’s through a program, in our schools or making our community better.” 

Lindahl regularly hires EPHS students in his store, returns to the high school as a guest speaker, shares his story with current students and offers practical advice for turning passions into careers. He personally designs and donates special jerseys for cross country and track & field athletes headed to the State meet and provides shoes when there’s a track student in need. When Covid-19 disrupted the Minnesota State High School League State Meet in 2020, TC Running creatively followed social distancing rules while giving student athletes an opportunity to compete. 

Lindahl was also the driving force (and sponsor) behind revamping the EPHS cross country team’s annual Metro Invitational, which has become a premier nighttime meet at Flying Cloud Fields. Known as the Under the Lights Metro Invite, the fun and unique event draws so many teams from around the region that it now has a waitlist. And it doesn’t stop there — this idea of contributing purposefully to our ever-changing world (as the Eden Prairie Schools mission states) runs deep in the Lindahl family.

Adam’s father, Dan, spent 10 years as an Eden Prairie Schools bus driver. Linda, his mother, served the district for almost three decades, including as a member of the human resources team. Adam’s sister Hattie (Lindahl) Cronk (‘03) and her family reside in Eden Prairie, and Hattie’s daughter Luella Cronk attends Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion. Adam’s wife, Molly (Banbury) Lindahl (‘99), provides key support to TC Running while she and Adam raise daughters Presley and Monterey. Together, the Lindahl family remains heavily invested not only in Eden Prairie, but also in the broader Twin Cities community. TC Running sponsors Mile 24 of the Twin Cities Marathon, where Linda hands out homemade banana bread to motivate runners through the last two grueling miles of the race. 

This journey from student to community contributor, from seat to starting line, underscores the power of each person pursuing their individual gifts, interests and talents. Through finding his purpose — and by generously sharing it with others — Lindahl is inspiring EP students, alumni and so many people to live what he calls an “electric life.” And it all started because of a little race at Oak Point.