I am an Olympic Trials Finisher
Thousands of women (and men) trained for years to qualify for the Olympic Trials. I qualified in December and I was ecstatic. Then, I realized I got to (and had to) race ANOTHER 26.2mile race in February at the Olympic Trials. I had some rough nagging hamstring injuries before the race, along with being tired from a igorous year of marathon training. However, I still thought I could race and compete well at the Trials.
*NOTE: Photo credit to my talented little sister, Janelle Davis. Instagram link to Janelle HERE.
I learned the difference between RACING and RUNNING at the Olympic Trials. Kara, Des, Amy, Shalane, Kellyn, many Oiselle elites --to name a few---RACED the Trials. I raced for the first 10 miles and then it became survival. The heat was rough, I got very dizzy, but I wanted my finisher’s medal. I thought about all my friends that wanted to be racing the LA streets that I was standing on. I thought about dropping out because countless women that I was running beside had stepped off the course.
I even asked myself if I was having fun because running is supposed to bring me joy; I wasn’t having fun. In that moment I was scared that I was losing the joy of the sport. So, I let those thoughts go and changed my mindset that I was lucky to be at the Olympic Trials. I didn’t need to drop out because I was hurt or in excruciating pain---albeit I was overheating from the high temperatures.
The race supplied cold towels to help with the heat. The reflecting sun off the LA streets was intense.
I needed to run slower and finish a long run! When do you get to run for 3 hours with people cheering ecstatically for you saying "USA, USA, USA"? I changed my thinking that this was a long run with lots of people supporting me on the side lines. I swallowed the fact that I wasn’t racing, rather completing the Olympic Trials. So, I ran. I ran the Olympic Trials and I finished. It wasn’t easy, in fact it was brutal. It was a victory lap honoring my hard work and the supporters that helped me qualify for the Trials.
The support was phenomenal, the streets were lined deep with spectators. Oiselle fans were CRAZY!
Several times I had to stop and drink water, I could not hydrate enough while running. I also had to walk for a little, a foreign feeling in a race. My teammate Becki Spellman was on the same ride. We both fought back tears as we walked stride by stride on the back loop of the course---about 3 miles away from the finish. We both finished.
Stephanie Rothstein Bruce sent an inspiring message to the Haute Volee Racers after the Trials: “… we have disappointments in this sport but the sooner we let ourselves off the hook and move forward, the freer we are to see what's next in our running story.” I am ready for the next journey. But first, I am resting for 2 weeks!
*NOTE: Photo credit to my talented little sister, Janelle Davis. Instagram link to Janelle HERE.