A New Generation of Believers

The fall weather has rolled into Portland and it makes me ready to start my long buildup towards the marathon trials in January.  After some time off and a heavy dose of physical therapy, I have returned to running.  It is not lost on me that it was exactly a year ago that I started my return to running after Colt’s birth.  Now a year later I am coming back again, albeit a hip injury is much easier to return from than childbirth!

Each time I start preparing for a new season, I take inspiration from others and from what I have seen in the past year.  We have a lot of big dreamers here in the U.S. that have accomplished a lot of big things.  But this past year there has been a whole new generation of dreamers.  There were so many great performances this year, but for me there were three women that have really inspired me as I head into the Olympic year.

The first was when Desiree Davila came within steps of winning the Boston Marathon in April.  I didn’t get to see this race live as I was racing more than two minutes behind her, but to watch the replay leaves me with goosebumps.  Jenny Simpson did the impossible this summer– she became the World Champion at the 1500 meters.  Her race was absolutely fantastic and I challenge anyone to watch her last lap without jumping out of their seat and cheering.  Finally, Morgan Uceny impressed me with her consistent racing.  She won the Diamond League 1,500-meter title and ran the fastest 1,500 meters in the world this year.  Morgan came off of a great year last year and continued to build on that foundation to become the most consistent 1,500 meter runner in the world.

These three women believed in themselves and their preparation.  They refused to set limits on themselves and they accomplished things that a lot of people thought were impossible.  It was amazing to watch and it has left me with a renewed sense of optimism.  These women have showed that with hard work, determination, and proper preparation anything is possible.  I’ll be taking their success with me as I train this fall and it will inspire me to continue dreaming that no goal is out of reach.

Good luck with your goals!