Track and Field Blogs - Dot McMahan

Hi, I’m Dot and this is my opening blog on Flotrackr. I am one of five women athletes on the Hansons’-Brooks Saturn Distance Project.

It has been nearly 3 years since I moved here to Rochester, MI to join the team, and it has been one of my best decisions. However, you may not have agreed with me this morning, based on the weather we had during our first official OT workout. It was 23 degrees, with probably 7” of snow on the ground, that fell overnight, and we were on a new course. This was quite a change from the relatively mild winter weather we just had while in Seattle last week (with 35-40 degree days and no ice or snow).

Weather aside, this new course is meant to prepare us for the actual trials course. It even has a few hairpin turns - but hopefully we won’t have ice on the actual OT turns, like we had today. If there is though, heck we’ll be ready! And that is just one example of why I can honestly say that I can’t think of a better place to be training. Obviously, the conditions aren’t always the greatest. But, I have the best marathon coaches in the world AND some great teammates. Our coaches seem to think of every possible OT situation and have our training tailored so that we are can react to them. My teammates are there day in and day out. I can count on them to run with me, laugh with me (sometimes at me, thanks ladies), and get fired up with me. Yes, sometimes we get mad at the stupid stuff we can’t control, like icy spots or street lights that don’t change fast enough. But overall, I know when I toe the line on April 20th, I’ll be one of five women completely prepared to compete for an Olympic spot over the following 2+ hours (did you REALLY THINK I was going to give a time prediction?! ). See you in Boston!