As track and field restarted in 2021, Cole Hocker鈥檚 fame began to grow seemingly overnight. The Indianapolis Cathedral High School track standout, now a sophomore at the University of Oregon, first ran the second-fastest NCAA indoor mile ever on February 12, finishing two-tenths of a second behind teammate Cooper Teare (3:50.39, 3:50.55). Then Hocker made a rather impressive name for himself at NCAA DI Indoor Track & Field Championships, winning the mile with a new meet record of 3:53.71, and winning the 3000 in 7:46.15. Moving outdoors Hocker continued to turn heads. At the Oregon Relays he became the eighth American collegiate runner to break 13:20 in the 5000, the youngest ever to do so, while also securing Olympic qualifying standards in both the 5000 and the 1500.

Make it two qualifiers for Cole Hocker, secures his spot in the 5,000 meters.

Will tackle the 1500-5K double at Hayward Field. |

— oregontf (@OregonTF)

With the Olympic trials on the horizon, Hocker seems poised to continue his breakout year. Yet, before we look too far forward, it鈥檚 important to look back at Hocker鈥檚 history. How has the young Oregon sophomore put together some of the fastest times in 2021? We recently sat down with Hocker between his classes in Eugene where he is a business major to ask him some questions about his training and to learn his secret to success. Hocker shared four tips that have helped him become the runner he is today.

Keep Mileage Low

The question of mileage is always a topic of contention. Which doctrine is correct: the church of quality miles, or quantity? Each school of thought can point to gurus and role models professing the benefits of their strategy. The becomes even more of a challenge for high school coaches, as they look to develop young talent while still keeping an eye on the future health and career of their athletes.

For Hocker鈥檚 high school coach Jim Nohl, the answer was low mileage. According to Hocker, he was only running 30 or so miles a week for most of high school, and cites this as one of the main reasons he was able to develop into the runner he is today.

鈥淚 didn’t get injured all four years of high school, and I don’t think that was by chance,鈥� Hocker says. 鈥淚t was because of our mileage鈥�. our coach was cautious with our mileage and even believed that 60 miles a week, was way too much. His focus was on getting us to run at our desired college, and that required us to stay healthy.鈥�

Focus on the Next Race

Mental training for racing has become more widely acknowledged in recent years, with most accepting it as an essential aspect of running fitness, even equally as important as physical training. Hocker cites mindful focusing as a key practice that helps him keep a good perspective and fight burnout.

鈥淥ur coach does a really good job at helping us focus on the next race and nothing more; and so right now all my focus is only on my next race.鈥� Hocker says. 鈥淲hen you start thinking about the entire season, you can get mentally burned out. You鈥檙e like, 鈥業 gotta race how many times?鈥� And yeah, it takes a toll for sure.鈥�

While 5-year goals are vital, it鈥檚 also important to maintain perspective, focussing only on the next task, run or race. Cole admits that the are never far from his mind this year, but he keeps his focus dialed in on his next race and tries not to think too far ahead.

Take a Rest Day

Hocker points to a unique aspect of the Oregon training plan that also helps avoid burnout: a scheduled day off.

鈥淗aving Sundays off is a big component of our training,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think knowing you have a day completely off is super helpful, and that’s not real typical with a D1 Program. I think it’s working flawlessly with our program. We know how to rest while still keeping training in mind.鈥�

Very few programs or even runners take an entire day off from training, and yet, as with his high school training mileage, sometimes less is more. For Cole and the rest of the Duck runners, having Sundays as a rest day gives them both the mental and physical freshness to attack each week of training.

Embrace Your Competitiveness

鈥淚 like to win,鈥� Hocker says, with a chuckle, when asked what he likes most about running.鈥淭hat’s what keeps me coming back. I mean, every race I’m in, I want to win.鈥�

Every great athlete, regardless of the sport, has the same mindset. From Michael Jordan to Leonel Messi to Steve Prefontaine 鈥� they all approach each day as an opportunity to win. Not only an opportunity, but an expectation that they will excel. It is this expectation, this almost idealistic viewpoint, that pushes them to truly compete at their best.

And, while winning is the end-goal, it is the competing that brings the thrill. 鈥淲hen you finish a race,鈥� Hocker says, 鈥淓ven if you don’t win but you run a fast time that you’re happy with, you to have a feeling of gratitude that’s hard to match in doing anything else.鈥�

Will we see Hocker at the Olympics? It’s anyone鈥檚 guess, but he鈥檒l certainly compete. For now, it’s safe to say he is just beginning to hit his stride, and, with his guiding principles and perspectives, is poised for a long, successful career.

The post Four Keys to Cole Hocker鈥檚 Breakout Track Season appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Desiree Linden 鈥� Boston Marathon winner and Olympian 鈥� had made her intentions for the 50k聽distance well known over the past few weeks: She intended to break the standing world鈥檚 best聽time of 3:07:20, and hopefully become the first woman to break the 3 hour barrier for the 50k.

Race day began as a cold, clear and beautiful morning in early April. The race was scheduled聽to begin at 8:30am on a flat, picturesque bike path just outside of Eugene, Oregon. With race officials present to authentic the course and the potential record, Linden did her best to聽stay warm as she went through the necessary pre-race obligations.

With the clock ticking down to race time, Linden prepared herself to run the聽farthest distance she had ever run.

Despite the cold and the nerves, Linden was all smiles as she warmed up.

The event was also an opportunity to do some final testing on a new Brooks prototype road running shoe Linden had worked聽closely with the brand to develop 鈥� the Hyperion Elite 3.

As the sun rose, Linden walked to the start, ready to face the unknown.

With the race underway, Linden settled in along side her pacer, Charlie Lawson.

To break the existing record Linden needed to run sub 6 minutes/mile consistently. While the record was her initial goal, the real goal was breaking 3聽hour mark, requiring a 5:45 pace.

Despite the blistering pace, the miles spun by without much drama.

The main disruption to聽the consistent miles were aid stations providing nutrition and hydration every 3 miles.

Working聽past the marathon mark Linden never showed any signs of fatigue, rounding the final turnaround聽looking strong.

Squeaking in under the 3 hour mark, Linden ran a 2:59:54, setting a new World Best and聽becoming the first woman to run sub 3 hours for the 50k.

Celebrations were in order, of course.

The end of a good day.

The post Des Linden’s 50K World’s Best in Photos appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Everyone鈥檚 first marathon is filled with nerves, questions of doubt, and excitement. Regardless of the pace you hope to run, the question most people are confronted with as they step up to the starting line is “Can I really do this?” Ben Preisner, an elite runner and newly minted marathoner, was no exception leading up to his first marathon.

A rising star in the long-distance running scene, Preisner made his marathon debut last month at . The race 鈥� held on a nearly flat course in Chandler, Arizona, designed specifically for fast marathon times 鈥� was one of the few opportunities in 2020 for elite athletes to race fast times. With the stage set for an exciting and monumental debut race, Preisner executed his race strategy to perfection, with a time of 2:10:17. Preisner, a Canadian Olympic hopeful, flew well under the Olympic Standard time of 2:11:30, and in the process was the first Canadian to cross the finish line.聽

Whether you鈥檝e run numerous marathons or are eying your first, Preisner’s debut race offers every runner helpful insight into how to train and race the marathon.聽

Remove Race Day Variables

Every race consists of hundreds of different variables, some controllable and others not. These range from the shoes you wear, to what you eat, to the road surface you run on, and even to the elevation or humidity of the race location. Every variable has the potential to impact the outcome of the race. Inevitably there will be uncontrollable variables 鈥� but there are also dozens of variables that you can control and eliminate before race day.聽

鈥淎cknowledging all of the variables in training and then controlling as many as you can before race day is a really important part of training,鈥� says Preisner. He tested his clothing, his nutrition, his hydration, his shoes, and even how he performed in the climate of the race. Removing race day variables and eliminating the factors that could potentially derail a marathon debut was key to increasing Preisner鈥檚 chance of a fast debut.聽

Simulate Racing in Training

Fear of the unknown is somewhat inherent in marathon debuts. By definition a debut includes firsts, and often those unknown firsts can fill runners with doubts. In training for his marathon debut, Preisner made sure to simulate his race as much as possible. 鈥淓xperience speaks a lot in the marathon,鈥� said Preisner. 鈥淒oing some sort of race simulation in your training will benefit you on race day.鈥�

During his training for The Marathon Project, Preisner ran a trial solo marathon, clocking an impressive 2:15:24 time. While this solo time trial differed in many ways from his actual race, it still mimicked the physical and mental atmosphere, preparing him well for his debut at the Marathon Project.聽

Train for Mental Strength

The is half of the race, if not more,鈥� commented Preisner when asked about his preparation for the race. 鈥淚 prepared myself mentally in the weeks leading up to the race, working on my self-talk, and learning how to interact with my negative thoughts.鈥澛�

Mental strength and fortitude are a large part of race day and yet little time is given to adequately prepare and train for it. For Preisner he focused on his mental training during his long or tempo runs, honing in on doubts, fears, and negative self-talk, ensuring that when race day came he wouldn鈥檛 be derailed by mental weakness.聽

Create Mental Check-ins During the Race

Discussing his race strategy, Preisner described three checkpoints where he refocuses on his body, evaluating how he鈥檚 feeling and allowing him to change his strategy if needed. His checkpoints were at miles 13, the crucial halfway mark, 16, when it starts to get long, and 20, ensuring that he was in touch with how he was running as the race came to a close.

鈥淗aving the focus to adjust your plan mid-race is an important thing,鈥� Preisner explains. 鈥淚t gives you the chance to check in with what’s annoying you, what’s hurting you, and what’s going to be potentially detrimental in the long run.鈥� For him he focuses on turning off his brain for most of the race, letting his body do most of the work, only checking in at key points through the race.

At the end of the day, every marathon is different with training and preparation taking on many different forms. Yet, almost every runner can glean wisdom from Preisner鈥檚 monumental marathon debut.聽

The post How to Run an Impressive Marathon Debut appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The week before Christmas, returned in style to the marathon. After a 7-year hiatus, the 10,000m Canadian record holder returned to the 26.2-mile race finishing with a 10-minute PR, easily securing the Olympic Standard time. With a goal of 2:26 at the , she delivered as promised, running perfectly consistent 5:35 mile splits to finish 4th, her 2:26:19 making her the 2nd fastest woman in Canada鈥檚 history.

Wodak鈥檚 return to the marathon occurred at the Marathon Project on Sunday, Dec. 20. The race 鈥� held on a nearly flat course in Chandler, Ariz., designed specifically for fast marathon times 鈥� was one of the few opportunities in 2020 for elite athletes to race fast times. At the age of 39, Wodak knew that returning to the marathon distance was a challenging and potentially risky endeavor. Yet, entering the race she was ready to go. The combination of her training, coaching, mental game, and strategy poised her to run a phenomenal race. Without a doubt, Wodak arrived in Arizona with a plan to run her own race, and she did exactly that. Here are a few of the strategies she used to meet her goal.

Have a Coach

Beginning her training block for the marathon, Wodak knew that she would have to do things differently from past training regiments. Acknowledging her history of injuries and burnout, it was imperative to change the way she thought about training; her new motto leading up to the Marathon Project was: Run Free, Run Happy. For Wodak, the shift occurred in large part because of her coach, Lynn Kanuka. Working together they created a plan that would 鈥渕ake me happy and in a way that I would enjoy the process.鈥� While having a coach isn鈥檛 a necessity to running a fast marathon, it is deeply beneficial for Wodak, giving her the freedom to think less about her training plan and to focus more on executing the plan well.

There will always be doubts leading into a race, so it is even more important to believe in the work you are doing. 鈥淵ou have to be confident and self-assured that what you鈥檙e doing is working鈥� says Wodak. Having a coach and a plan she trusted enabled her to focus on training instead of stressing about the plan: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e stressing about your training it鈥檚 probably taking valuable energy away from your training.鈥�

Have a Race Strategy

Toeing the starting line Wodak had a strategy in place 鈥� run 26 even 5:35 miles. While a lot can go wrong in a race to disrupt a plan it’s vital to know what pace you can set and to attempt to execute it. Working with the 2:26 pace group she described the pacers as 鈥渕etronomes鈥� clocking near-perfect 5:35 miles. While the pacers didn鈥檛 make the miles any easier, they helped Wodak and her coach execute their plan.

Own Your Plan

鈥淲e all know there are many different paths to the same destination,鈥� said Wodak describing her training for the Marathon Project. For every runner the journey to the starting line is different; each athlete must build off of different strengths and weaknesses. While it is easy to try and conform your training to others it’s essential to remember that every athlete is different.

For Wodak, she understood that her approach to training for her second marathon would be different from other top runners. One big change she describes was her cross-training. 鈥淲e did a lot of cross-training, especially on the elliptical. Instead of running twice a day I would cross-train in the afternoon.鈥� While training for a marathon on an elliptical is not the most conventional method, Wodak knew that she had to tailor her training to her own body, working her engine while lessening the stress on her legs.

Have a Checklist聽

鈥淭hey say it鈥檚 easy until it鈥檚 not; it got hard quick,鈥� said Wodak in a post race interview. Regardless of the pace, marathons are hard. At times every mile requires mental strength to push through the pain. For Wodak she found reprieve from the suffering in the form of a mental checklist. Working through the list in her mind, she was able to distract herself and simultaneously refocus her mind on the things that matter.

Wodak’s checklist included: 鈥淗ow am I breathing; Where are my arms 鈥� bring them in; Count each step 鈥� one-two-one-two; Repeat my affirmation phrases; Think about my form.鈥� When the going gets hard, this checklist is seared into Wodak鈥檚 mind from her countless hours of training, helping her focus on the important things instead of the pain.

Have Perspective

Regardless of who you are, running a marathon PR is an accomplishment to be proud of. It is a beautiful and satisfying reward for months and years of training. Yet, after decades of racing Wodak believes that a PR cannot be the only metric to a good race. When describing her training she says, 鈥淥f course there is a large amount of grinding, but I have one life to live and I need to enjoy it.鈥� At the end of the day, we all want to race well but often to race well means giving ourselves space and perspective to rest, recover, and enjoy life.聽

The post The Importance of Running Your Own Race, and a Case Study on How To Do It appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Gingerly stepping off the treadmill, looked around the room, her eyes glimmering with joy, “Shoot, I should have kicked earlier,鈥� she laughs, slightly annoyed. “Should I hop back on and go for the 100k record too?”

The last eight years have been anything but easy for Metivier. In 2012, she suffered a potentially career-altering Achilles tear, forcing her to take a step back from racing. Then again, at the end of 2016, nearing the end of her recovery, Metivier suffered another career-ending injury, shattering her ankle on an icy trail near her home. The combinations of these two injuries set her back from being a 2:27 marathoner to barely being able to leave her house.

Phoenix Rising

As a pro-runner, it was the perfect storm: back-to-back career-ending injuries at the tail end of her career. Thinking back on the injuries, Metivier recalls, 鈥淢ultiple coaches told me 鈥� you had a good run, it might be time to retire.鈥� Most athletes nearing the end of their thirties would have decided to throw in the towel, yet Metivier persisted, explaining, 鈥淚 knew the best was yet to come. Regardless of the future my only goal was to be better that day than I was the day before.鈥� Drawing inspiration from the large Phoenix tattoo on her side, Metivier has combined unwavering optimism with a persistent commitment to personal growth to slowly crawl her way back to peak form.

Metivier thought her comeback moment would come during the Olympic Trials marathon this past February, and yet she was once again forced to be patient, dropping out halfway through the race. It wasn鈥檛 until earlier this month on June 6 that Metivier finally got her Phoenix rising moment.

During a virtual treadmill race hosted by the training group , Metivier smashed three separate treadmill world records, capturing the half-marathon (1:19:29), marathon (2:41:11) and the 50k (3:11:38) world records. This feat solidified her return to competitive running. 鈥淚t’s huge,鈥� she exclaimed after the race. 鈥淏eing 38 and coming back from multiple surgeries. A lot of people gave up on me. Yet it shows that we are capable of more than we often think we are.鈥�

The Comeback Formula

Sitting down with Metivier after her trifecta of treadmill world records we learned of her strategies and tips for recovering well and staying motivated despite continual setbacks.

1. Don鈥檛 rush it

Quite a few of us know what its like to jump back into training too early after an injury and delayed the healing. Throughout her comeback, Metivier knew the dangers of ego. On her return to racing at the Honolulu Marathon last December, Metivier wrote 鈥淣O EGO鈥� on both arms, as a constant reminder to stay on pace and not get carried away in racing. Thinking back on the race she commented, 鈥淭here will always be steps forward and steps back. It’s super important to remember that it takes time to rebuild.鈥澛� Without a doubt, patience is one of the greatest gifts and hardest lessons of recovery. Metivier鈥檚 slogan of NO EGO is a fantastic mantra during all injuries, reminding us to surrender to our body鈥檚 healing timeline.

2. Stay positive

鈥淓very single one of my injuries should have been career-ending,鈥� Metivier openly admits. 鈥淚t took time and perseverance to fight my way back.鈥� Talking to Metivier, you discover quickly that she is fiercely optimistic; yet throughout her journey she has had constant doubts. Her strategy for staying positive was to focus on the moment and to be present on that day of healing. Thinking back to that time Metivier recalls, 鈥淜nowing I was focusing on recovery really helped; it was my focus on recovery, not racing, that helped keep me positive.鈥�

3. Focus on the little things

Regardless of the severity of the injury, there are always small tasks and exercises that will help speed recovery. Metivier advises, 鈥淓ven if it’s as small as working on getting more sleep or getting your glutes to fire better there is always something to work on.鈥� Often throughout recovery, we are so focused on the one action or movement that we can’t do that we miss the work and strength conditioning needed to strengthen the rest of our bodies. As the owner of , a recovery, fitness, and health clinic, Metivier understood the importance of continual small work. The question she focused on throughout recovery was 鈥渨hat can I do today that will aid my recovery?鈥� Answering this question each day drove her return to form.

4. Listen to the voices that matter the most

When hearing Renee鈥檚 story I was struck by her perseverance and her ability to push through doubts and fear on the long road back to health. 鈥淭here have always been doubts, and there will always be doubts,鈥� she confided. Thinking for a second, she continued, 鈥淏ut the people who matter the most always believed in me, and that was more important.鈥澛�

Hold firm to the voices of belief and ignore the voices 鈥� quite often our own 鈥� that foster seeds of doubt. Healing takes time and it is vital to listen to those around us who keep us motivated and push us to be better.

Metivier鈥檚 treadmill world record trifecta is only the start of her comeback. Seeing how she dominated these record attempts goes to show that she still has something to prove. Her tread mill world records might have been her Phoenix rising moment, but Metivier acknowledges, 鈥淭his was not my last hurrah; now I鈥檓 just curious, what else can I do?鈥�

The post The Comeback Queen: Renee Metivier鈥檚 Tips for Overcoming Injury appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Last weekend Mario Mendoza, Renee Metivier, and Max King quietly packed three treadmills into a U-Haul and drove the three hours from Bend to Eugene, Oregon. At sea level, in a building with quality air conditioning, the three runners got ready to each break a treadmill ultramarathon world record. Each athlete prepared both mentally and physically for the monotony, pain, and suffering they each knew would come during their world record attempts.

While King and Metivier aimed to break the more coveted 50K world record, Mendoza was the sole athlete gunning for the 100K record. Running for 6 hours, 39 minutes and 25 second, Mendoza ran an average pace of 6:25 for his 62-mile record-breaking run, smashing the previous treadmill 100K record by an hour and ten minutes. His accomplishment is an amazing example of physical endurance, but an even more impressive feat of mental strength and fortitude. For over six-and-a-half hours Mario stared out the same window, ran the same pace and incline, and had little to distract his mind from the numbing pain that inevitably comes with running a 100k.

In every race there comes a point where the physical pain is ensnared in a larger mental battle. While the mental battle is not waged separately from the physical fight, it can often decide the outcome of a race. We鈥檝e all felt the nagging sensation of doubt and fear creep into our minds as we contemplated the number of miles or laps left until the finish. Having now and 100k treadmill world records in the same year, Mario is uniquely qualified to share his strategies for combating mental fatigue, preparing for pain, and motivating oneself through the hardest parts of a race. Here are some of his key tactics.

Break the race into bite-size pieces

Some of us have heard of this strategy before, but it becomes more poignant when you think about the monotony of running 62 miles on a treadmill. Mendoza described this as the record’s greatest challenge, 鈥淚n trail running you can really break up your run, you can study the course and look forward to seeing and experiencing different things throughout, but on a treadmill you really have to make the boring space comfortable and that’s really hard.鈥�

To combat this monotony, Mendoza decided to break the 62 miles into smaller segments. Initially breaking it into thirds, as the race progressed he gave himself smaller goals, optimizing the mental satisfaction and motivation each small success brought.

鈥淎s I hit 45 miles I started splitting it up into short 3 mile segments. I just kept telling myself 鈥業 can do three more miles, I can do three more miles,鈥� and then once I felt like I couldn鈥檛 do three more miles, I started telling myself 鈥業 can do one more mile, I can do one more mile,鈥欌�� he said.聽

Regardless of the distance, sectioning the race into small digestible parts gives our minds small goals to achieve and creates a positive feedback loop of satisfaction as we continue to hit our goals.

Know your 鈥榳hy鈥�

Regardless of how much you may like running on a treadmill, it’s hard to imagine running for over 6 hours in the same spot. Most sane people at some point arrive at the ‘why’ question: “Why am I doing this?” Without a strong answer, there isn鈥檛 the internal motivation to win the mental battle and to keep on fighting when the pain is overwhelming.

For Mendoza, his 100k record attempt was part of a . The fundraiser鈥檚 goal is to provide resources for young runners, helping promote running to a more diverse audience. It was this internal motivator that pushed Mendoza through the dark moments in his race. Without a compelling 鈥榳hy鈥�, there is little motivation to push through the pain. For your next race refine your 鈥榳hy鈥�. Discover the motivation that will push you through to the end.

鈥淲ithout a 鈥榳hy鈥�, there is little motivation to push through the pain.鈥�

Photo: Luke Webster

Visualize and mentally prepare for the pain

Prior to the race, Mendoza mentally prepared for the hardest parts of the attempt.

“Throughout the whole week prior to my attempt I was preparing myself to make my mental space as positive as I could,” he explained. “I strove to create a really good headspace, emotional space, and spiritual space where I could be ready to suffer and dig deep. I took time to pray, reflect, and meditate on what was going to happen so that when those challenges arose I wasn鈥檛 surprised by them.鈥�

Most runners understand that at some point in every race there is bound to be pain and suffering. Mendoza鈥檚 tactic allowed him to visualize and expect those miles of suffering. He knew that at some point there would be miles in which he would have to push through the pain and therefore he was prepared for battle when the pain came.

Practice Positivity

As Mendoza entered into the final third of the race, the gravity of his attempt hit him: 鈥淭here were times when I wondered if I was going to cramp,” he said. “As I picked up the pace I had a few moments of fear but the majority of my thoughts were positive. I made the decision that I would rather try and fail, than not try and not know if I could have gotten it.鈥�

It was only through Mendoza鈥檚 surrender to the outcome, and his positive mindset, that he was able to push through the hardest 5 miles. The way we think about our running is sometimes as important as how we run. For Mendoza, practicing positivity throughout his attempt gave him the assurance that he could persevere to the end.

鈥淚t was these mental tricks that helped me ignore my legs screaming at me.鈥�

Photo: Luke Webster

In the same way that you wouldn鈥檛 run your next race without training, it’s essential to prepare and mentally train for the fatigue and challenges you will face in a race. As for Mendoza, 鈥渋t were these mental tricks that helped me ignore my legs screaming at me.鈥澛�

Looking to the future, Mendoza sees treadmill running as a crucial benefit for his own running: 鈥淩unning on a treadmill is a different mental battle than other disciplines,” he said. “I think it’s going to make me a better runner and it’s going to pay off in the long run.鈥�

Whether you鈥檙e training for a 5k or a hundred miler, Mendoza鈥檚 intentional focus on using treadmill running as a tool for mental training and strength is something to think about. Maybe we should all run our next race on a treadmill?

Return to the

The post Key Mental Strategies We Can Learn From A World Record Shattering Treadmill 100k appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

鈥�We can鈥檛 let others tell us that we are dreaming too big. If we keep hitting our goals over and over again then we clearly aren鈥檛 dreaming big enough鈥ife is too easy if we are just checking off all of our goals鈥� 鈥擩anae Baron, Hungry Runner Girl, OTQ dreamer.

Few places on earth show the full range of human emotion better than the finish line of a marathon: Both the gut-wrenching pain and the triumphant elation of human existence are on full display. In the faces of all runners鈥攖hose near the top of their field and those looking to complete their first marathon鈥攊s the pain of 26.2 miles, the satisfaction of finishing and the exhaustion of giving it their all. And while finishers all share a common emotion and experience, there is a unique display of gut-wrenching emotion on display for those pursuing the once-every-four-years chance of an Olympic Trials berth.

As the clock slowly crawls to Olympic Trials Qualifier (OTQ) times of 2:19:00 and 2:45:00, years of training are condensed into the expiring seconds of the countdown to qualifying times. Amongst the dozens of successes and countless more misses are the individual stories and dreams of those hoping to have their shot at qualifying for the Olympics.

A few weeks ago we of Janae Baron, better known as , as she set out to pursue the OTQ time. Like most runners, for over a decade she had only dreamt of the possibility of qualifying for the Olympic Trials. Then this year at the St George Marathon she clocked a new PR of 2:49:00, and suddenly her dream of achieving the OTQ time of 2:45:00 was within reach. She set her sights on the California International Marathon (CIM) at the beginning of December.

Coming into the CIM Baron had hoped to knock off four minutes from her previous PR, breaking the 2:45:00 time and claiming her spot at the Olympic Trials in Atlanta on February 29. In the months leading up to the race she knew the challenges she faced trying to run a 2:45 marathon were daunting, yet even with her coach predicting only a 60-65 percent to reach the OTQ, she still went for it.

Baron’s story, while unique in its own right, is one that is deeply relatable to all runners. She set an audacious goal, and in her words, 鈥淚t was kind of a big flop!鈥�

For a myriad of reasons Baron missed the OTQ time by 13 minutes and 42 seconds. 鈥淚 dreamed big and failed,鈥� she said. Listening to Baron recount the race and reveal her thoughts after the race I was struck by how little the failure fazed her; she was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥� but had already moved on:

I see it as a failure鈥攖he race was a fail, it was nowhere near what I wanted or trained for鈥攂ut I think people鈥檚 perspectives on the word failure are different. To me, when I say, ‘It was a failure, I bombed it,’ it’s not a bad thing. Yeah, I wish it was different, but I鈥檓 not saying I am a failure or a bad person鈥ust because I failed it doesn鈥檛 make me a failure, it’s just part of the process.鈥�

This is the beauty of running鈥攖o run is to risk failure. To dream and set big goals will not only ensure you risk failure but will also promise that at some point you fail to achieve those audacious goals. As runners we not only feel this during races but we also feel it every week in training, we feel the ebb and flow of strength and weakness, good training days and bad training days.

“The challenge with running is that we don鈥檛 get a new chance every weekend to prove ourselves. Sadly it doesn鈥檛 work like that. But I think that鈥檚 what makes us love running too; we are just so curious about how we will do鈥� Even though at the CIM I have never wanted to quit more badly in my life for all 26 miles, I never thought this would be my last marathon. It just made me more curious to see how I would do in my next one.鈥�

As runners, Baron鈥檚 wisdom is something that we continually need to hear. Whether we reach our goals or fail miserably we still tried. At the risk of sounding clich茅, to dream big and set goals is to succeed. As we move towards the new year, Baron鈥檚 words are applicable to all of us as we begin to plan鈥攐r are already midway through training for鈥攐ur next big goals in 2020.

鈥淚 tried for eight years to get a sub 3, and I failed over 10 times on the way to get that goal, but that’s part of the process. As I look forward, who knows what the next OTQ time will be, but I know I will just have to keep failing my way there.鈥�

Standing at the finish line of the CIM the pain of failure was acutely on display and not an emotion that anyone would envy. Yet in some weird way the runner in me longed to share that deep human experience: To have set a daunting goal, given it our all and fallen short.

While none of us hope to fail, we are naive to think that we won鈥檛 at some point be injured and miss a start, get a DNF or miss our goal cut-off time. To run is to ensure failure. If you forget this truth, head to your next local marathon and experience the life and agony of what it means to chase after big goals.

The post To Run Is To Risk Failure appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.