The USA Olympic Marathon Trials footrace is an extremely short 12 days away. I have a wild range of emotion(s) existing deep within by belly at the moment: elation, fear, excitement, delight, curiosity, nervousness, etc. Oh, and melancholy.
You see we have been training extremely hard here in Minnesota over the last three months for this footrace. We have covered all of our bases. I, for one, think that I am in the best fitness of my life including the few times I thought that I couldn’t get much fitter and went on to run 13:30 for 5000m. Even last June when I put together a 2:13 marathon, I wondered how I could gain the next 1% needed for a huge jump to that 2:11 give or take range; I’m not wondering how, but when. And that’s all good and exciting and everything.
But something is missing. Or rather someone.
Antonio Vega. For all that is fair and just, I really wish he could have physically been a part of this training cycle. This boy is the toughest distance runner I have personally known, and this includes Brian Sell. He would have brought that little extra edge that could have capped it all off. But he is recovering from a torn hip labrum that required surgery to repair. The good news: he is running and soon enough will be training and he will have his shot. And the shot will be loud.
Yet, while he was not with us physically, I will use his near perfect example of grittiness that he takes with him every time he toes the line to get the most I possibly can out of myself in Houston. Wherever that places me I will be at peace with. The experience I have gained from my previous marathons, for better or for worse, have allowed me the opportunity to go into this next marathon brimming with confidence. I cannot wait to race.
Finishing in the top 3 here will be a monumental task. Heck, finishing in the top 10 will be. Whatever happens out there on the roads of Houston, Texas, on January thee 14th 2012, I just want to display that grit and that dauntlessness that Antoino always enjoys when he races. The training is there, if I can bring what Vega brings to a race, well then things will work out the way they work out.
The trailer is up and RUNNING. Enjoy! Thanks to Dennis Barker, Dan Vogel, Riley Conway, Josh Moen, Jason Lehmkuhle, Andrew Carlson, and (especially) Paul Sanft.
More athlete blogs for Olympic Marathon Trials
You see we have been training extremely hard here in Minnesota over the last three months for this footrace. We have covered all of our bases. I, for one, think that I am in the best fitness of my life including the few times I thought that I couldn’t get much fitter and went on to run 13:30 for 5000m. Even last June when I put together a 2:13 marathon, I wondered how I could gain the next 1% needed for a huge jump to that 2:11 give or take range; I’m not wondering how, but when. And that’s all good and exciting and everything.
But something is missing. Or rather someone.
Antonio Vega. For all that is fair and just, I really wish he could have physically been a part of this training cycle. This boy is the toughest distance runner I have personally known, and this includes Brian Sell. He would have brought that little extra edge that could have capped it all off. But he is recovering from a torn hip labrum that required surgery to repair. The good news: he is running and soon enough will be training and he will have his shot. And the shot will be loud.
Yet, while he was not with us physically, I will use his near perfect example of grittiness that he takes with him every time he toes the line to get the most I possibly can out of myself in Houston. Wherever that places me I will be at peace with. The experience I have gained from my previous marathons, for better or for worse, have allowed me the opportunity to go into this next marathon brimming with confidence. I cannot wait to race.
Finishing in the top 3 here will be a monumental task. Heck, finishing in the top 10 will be. Whatever happens out there on the roads of Houston, Texas, on January thee 14th 2012, I just want to display that grit and that dauntlessness that Antoino always enjoys when he races. The training is there, if I can bring what Vega brings to a race, well then things will work out the way they work out.
The trailer is up and RUNNING. Enjoy! Thanks to Dennis Barker, Dan Vogel, Riley Conway, Josh Moen, Jason Lehmkuhle, Andrew Carlson, and (especially) Paul Sanft.
More athlete blogs for Olympic Marathon Trials
. . . he is talking 2:11 and going to run 2:09. . . Go USA Minnesota Go!