When Ryan and I were first dating, we would often play a game when hanging out or on long car rides, where you come up with questions and both of you have to answer them.  One day, I asked, "Would you rather run a world record or win a gold medal?" I was shocked when Ryan replied, "That's easy, a world record!"  I felt the opposite, that it would be so much better to win a gold medal.  Records come and go, time is relative, but getting the "W", that stands for itself.  However, Ryan thought differently, and I soon learned that he wasn't the only one. It was then that I first realized that I'm not someone that is as motivated by time in comparison to other runners.

I don't think it's coincidence that Ryan and I have such different perspectives on this issue.  I think that people's experiences early in their youth running career shape their outlook even 10 years later as a professional runner.  When I first started running, I always remember my goals being place-oriented rather than time-oriented.  My goal was to win the State and National Championship.  Period.  Whatever time it took to do that.  Partly because at my league races, I weekly ran against other State and National champions that lived in my county (Trina Cox, Jenny Aldredge, Amber Trotter) so my focus was on winning.  Ryan on the other hand, was the opposite.  Winning wasn't a challenge.  Growing up in an isolated mountain town that didn't even have a running team, his competition was the clock.  Thus, his goals were time-oriented, 4:05 written in a concrete slab in his backyard.

Fast forward to today.  4:07.0, the Olympic A-standard in the 1500m.  This time is on the forefront of my mind now.  It motivates me when I'm out on the track running repeats and when I'm choosing to rest over going to the beach.  This isn't typical for me to have such a strong time goal.  Though I've learned throughout college and pro running to be motivated and excited by running fast times, it still doesn't get me out the door like being the first to cross the tape. But to meet my place-goal of top three at the Olympic Trials, 4:07 stands as the gate keeper to whether or not I make the team.  Granted, it's may not be the end-all-be-all, it's possible to not run the time and make it on the team.  But at this point, I feel ready to run at least that, and it's better to cover your bases as much as possible before the Trials.

And so, with the indoor season behind me and a double at Mt. SAC to wake my legs up, my seaon has turned a corner in its focus: 4:07.0.  And so I set of to return to my "home track" for the Cardinal Invite (Stanford still feels like home for me!).  It will be a great opportunity to chase the time, and see where I'm at.  And I'll definitely be watching the clock a little more than usual.