Emotionally Conflicted

by Antonio Vega on January 23, 2012

There's no question that watching the U.S Olympic Marathon Trials at home brought a range of emotions to me.  I was excited for my fellow Team USA Minnesota and Mizuno teammates, but I was naturally frustrated that I wasn't on the starting line with them in Houston.

After the race, I made two promises: This would be the last Olympic Trials that I am going to watch on television and secondly, it's time for me to double my efforts and train like a mad man to get back into racing shape.  

Getting back into shape is well underway. I have started putting in some decent mileage, but my workouts—as could be expected after such a long layoff--have been anything but perfect. Sometimes, I feel like that high school kid who goes out way too hard in the first mile, only to find myself doubled over two miles later.  After catching my breath, I laugh it off and decide next time to start at a more reasonable pace.

But with each workout, I can see improvements in my fitness level. I even welcome a little sore from the previous day’s workout. The best news is that the hip pain that has bothered me for well over a year continues to get better every day. So every morning I wake up and can't wait to get out the door and train. 

I'm not all the way back yet, but I'm excited to see where my running takes me this year. I can now see a point where I'll be back competing with the top guys once again.

While it's true that I missed the Marathon Trials, I will pursue a 10,000-meter qualifying time that will get me on the starting line for the Olympic Track in June in Eugene.