Running Down the Dream: The Last-Minute OTQ Chasers

Throughout my Olympic Trials Qualifying time-chase, I've connected with many amazing women who shared the same goal. Over the past couple of years, I've celebrated with several who have reached the goal. I've commiserated with several who have missed. I've connected with many who kept dreaming.

Before the Houston Marathon, I was included in a message group with the 2:45 pacer and other women planning to run with the group. While I struggled with feeling like an outsider because I was struggling to find the same importance in the pursuit as I previously did after losing my brother, I related to the women and their passion.

Group photo before Saturday's shake-out run

No one plans to try for the OTQ on the very last day the qualifying window is open, 6 weeks before the Trials. The women in this group hadn't achieved the standard for one reason or another: near misses (one woman had run 2:45:02), injury (one woman was in a boot at her goal race), disagreeable weather, pregnancy, illness, simply a bad day, etc. Some had breakthrough performances in the fall, such as dropping 5-10 minute PRs for 2:48-2:52s and wondered if they could dream a little bigger still. Some had already raced 3 fall marathons, coming close each time. Some had raced attempts just 2 weeks prior to Houston!

Pre-race note in Runners World

Pre-race note in Fast Women newsletter

These ladies were the most determined grittiest women you'll find. Every single person felt that the perfect day would be her finishing in the very back of the huge pack in 2:45:00. I passionately wanted every one of the women to get it, and I believe they all have a sub-2:45 in them. I really realized that the difference between those who qualified and those who didn't was often just things aligning slightly differently - whether that was weather, a pace group, health, timing, etc. It's just a different perspective when you're one of the 2:46s versus one of the 2:44s.

My friend Liz from Portland was among the
dreamers - she & I ran the Portland Marathon
together in 2009 (I ran a PR of 3:08 then)

Everyone loves the stories about the woman who got the standard in her first marathon, of the woman who ran it off of 50 miles a week, of the woman who ran it despite surgery or injury, of the woman who ran it 6 months postpartum (or while pregnant!), of the woman who did it because she just wanted it bad enough, of the woman who deserved it. I guarantee that every women in the Houston last chance group wanted it more than bad enough and deserved it. I'm thrilled for every woman who made it to the Trials - especially those for whom it didn't come easy to - and I celebrate this amazing time in U.S. women's marathoning. But! I admire the tenacity of the underdogs so much. Some women tried for 10 years before they got it - others tried for 10 years to narrowly miss it. Some ran several 2:45:XXs. Some debuted with 4:00 marathons and kept showing up. Talent is a beautiful thing, but hard work is even more beautiful.

Shake-out run taking off

Pre-shake out chatter

I am so thankful this goal has connected me with so many strong women, with so many hard-working dreamers. I was so honored to be part of the Houston group. I now have friends all over the U.S. who understand how I felt on January 20. The goal is gone, but the spirit and community live on.

My dad's video from the OTQ shake-out run is here.

See the pre-race mention of the 2:45 pace group in the Fast Women Newsletter here.

My short Houston race recap is here.

Read my longer race recap part 1 here, and part 2 here.

Our group was featured in Runners World here (3 screenshots from article below)!