Last week in Palo Alto I raced the 10k at the Stanford Invitation. Like I'd said in my prerace blog on Flotrack, I was chasing a new number - a number that would define me as a runner, a time hopefully fast enough to earn my way to Eugene in June.
I'm thrilled to report that after over a year of hard work and countless miles, my new number is 33:16 -- a 45 second PR, 44 seconds under the Olympic Trials B Standard, and currently 15th in the country for 2012! Happy does not even BEGIN to describe my emotions in the week since the race :-)
I'm obviously over the moon about this big PR - the look on my race after the race captures my emotions perfectly (thanks photographer Mom!).
And while the days since the race and all the congratulatory messages have been wonderful, what's really important is not what's happened since I crossed the finish line, but days, weeks, and months leading up to the race. What's important are the people who helped me get to the starting line - so I dedicate this blog post to all of YOU! THANK YOU for being such an integral part of my running success!
First, thank you to my coach, who is none other than my good old dad! Dad, you've taken a 34:00 minute 10k runner and turned her into an Olympic Trials qualifier - you continue to work your coaching magic, like you have for so many years with so many athletes. Not only do you write masterful workouts, but more importantly you listen - you allow me the space to speak freely and communicate openly about my training. You've brought the joy back to my running, and for that I'm eternally grateful!
Thanks to my family, for believing in me and supporting me in this nontraditional career path. Not all families are supportive of dreams like mine - I know I'm lucky to have such encouraging family members who understand my crazy running addiction! Mom, Brendan, Kallie, Bryce, Grannie & Granddad, Aunt Sue, Uncle Rich - thanks for making the trip to Stanford to cheer me on for all 25 laps! Family, you're the BEST!
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| Grannie and Granddad, braving the chilly night to watch the races at Stanford! |
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| Aunt Sue, who made the trip all the way from Fresno to cheer me and Brendan on! |
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| The BEST siblings in the world! |
Thanks to Avi (who I just might love even more than running!), for being by my side through the good times and especially the bad. When I've wanted to give up on this dream and throw in the towel, you encourage me and help me find my confidence again. From the meals you have ready to eat after a long run, to the calf massages after a track workout, to patiently listening to me tell you each and every split from my workout, you are the best boyfriend a running gal could ask for - I <3 you!
Thanks to my team, New Balance Silicon Valley, and Dena Evans, our coach/manager/agent/friend/team mom! The support of NBSV, the Apercen Olympic Development Program, and our community partners allow me to travel to competitions, stay injury-free, and receive the training support I need. Dena, you're the one who makes this all possible - what an incredible elite training group you've built! Thank you for your contagious passion and enthusiasm for the sport, and for reminding me to dream bigger than I thought possible.
Thanks to my teammates - you're SO much more than training partners - you're my best friends! Tuesday night practices with you all are the highlight of my week. You're all awesome people doing awesome things both on and off the track, and you inspire me each day with your running and non-running endeavors :) Go NBSV!
Finally, a HUGE thank you and a million appreciations to my friends, former teammates, relatives, coworkers, Twitter followers, and YOU, my blog readers! All your messages of support, good luck wishes, and post-race congratulations mean the world to me! When the going got tough in the middle of the 10k (and believe me, it did!), I thought of all the people believing in me, and your faith in me helped me regain confidence in myself. With such a big cheering section, how could I NOT run well? Thank you everyone, so much!
Instead of giving you a play by play of the race, I'll direct you to the race video, courtesy of Flotrack. You can watch the race here and check out my post-race interview below:
Thanks again for everyone's wonderful support! While my 33:16 is a provisional qualifying time for the Olympic Trials (and in years past would have been fast enough to go to the Trials), only 24 women get to toe the line in Eugene. I think it will take a faster time to secure a spot at the Trials in June, so next up for me is another crack at the 10k at Payton Jordan at the end of the month! Sub 33, here I come!
