Balancing careers, family life, and personal well-being can feel like its own endurance event. For three colleagues from Roadshow BMW on Germantown Parkway, the literal finish line ahead is helping them find strength and community.

General Manager Karen Dawson, alongside teammates Eric Frey (shop foreman) and David Adamski (Master Technician and Team Leader), will represent the Memphis dealership on December 14 at the BMW Dallas Marathon Weekend, with David and Eric taking on the full marathon and Karen racing the half. What began as a casual conversation in the shop soon turned into a commitment to push beyond comfort zones, support one another, and show what’s possible with the right team at your back.

Karen never considered herself a long-distance runner until recently. After a complicated birth and a stressful NICU stay with her youngest, who she calls her miracle baby, she found running to be both healing and empowering.

“I ran my first half-marathon 11 months after Ethan was born,” she says. “After everything he endured, I felt like if he could fight through 58 days in the NICU, I could do something hard too.” She finished that St. Jude half-marathon in December 2024 at 37, proving to herself she could accomplish something brand new. For Karen, running now doubles as her exercise and therapy, especially with two toddlers at home.

“Sundays are my big running day. It’s my time to focus on myself for a few hours a week, and it makes me a better wife, mom, colleague, and leader,” she says. And I’m so grateful that my husband, Larry, is my biggest supporter and doesn’t hesitate when I need to leave to train or race.

Eric has been running seriously since his late 20s. At 45, he still picks a major goal race each year, this one being Dallas. He recently paced at the St. Jude Marathon and has set his sights on a sub-three-hour finish for the full marathon. “The training is hard mentally and physically,” he admits. “But I’ve never once felt worse after a workout. You always feel better after taking some time for yourself and moving your body.” Eric appreciates that Roadshow BMW is so close to Shelby Farms Park and enjoys the convenience of running or biking the Greenline to work. Eric also gets his miles in at track night with Paul Sax at the University of Memphis and with Breakaway Running Group. Eric loves that his wife, Amber, and his daughter, Ruby, are his biggest cheerleaders!

David didn’t start running until he moved to Memphis 25 years ago, first for social 5Ks, then half marathons, and now ultra-distance events. He’s completed challenging 100-mile races and runs with the Mamba Trail Runners and Collierville Run Club. David also trains with Gibson Kelley at Bandit Coaching, who helps him to develop a training plan that balances intensity around his life as a husband and dad of three. This Dallas race will actually be his first official marathon. “For me, running is a stress reliever,” he says. “It’s time in nature and time to clear my mind,” David says.

On November 8, David completed the Mamba 100 Miler ultramarathon, finishing third overall among males in an impressive 19 hours and 6 minutes. A testament to their friendship and mutual support, Eric went out and paced David in his final stretch of the race. David says his wife, Bethany, is the one who’s really working hard, taking on all the hard work at home with their three daughters when he’s away for extensive periods to train or race.

Karen, Eric, and David all describe the same juggling act: early wake-ups, late-night miles, weekend long runs that require understanding partners and flexible family schedules. Retail life, especially in the auto industry, can be demanding. Karen actively encourages her team to move their bodies when work pressure rises. “One of the first questions I ask when someone seems overwhelmed is, ‘When is the last time you exercised?”’, she says. “We get so caught up in obligations. Prioritizing health improves everything else.”

The BMW Dallas Marathon on December 14 is more than a race day — it’s a celebration of commitment, community, and grit. The Roadshow team is excited to run in BMW’s signature marathon event, represent their dealership, and return home stronger. As Karen puts it, “If you have a plan and support, goals like this become 100% achievable. Setting goals outside of work and parenting reminds you who you are, and what you are capable of.”

By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens