Two of our athletes, Amber Morrison and Alyson Klein have big races this weekend. Morrison will attempt the OTQ at Rock & Roll Arizona Marathon and Klein hopes to PR in the Louisiana 1/2 Marathon. As a send off, I thought I’d recap what Competitor Group, Inc’s Rock & Roll Arizona has in store, the short history of the Louisiana Marathon (c. 2012), and just why you should send positive vibes to these two amazing women this weekend.
The Rock & Roll Marathon Series is known for its livelihood, for its live bands along multiple points in each race of the series. Also: spirited cheerleaders and themed water stations. There are 31 events in the series, spanning 9 countries. In 2004, the first PF Chang’s R&R AZ set the record for the largest inaugural running event in history. With a flat and fast course that winds throughout Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix, this event location is regarded as a perfect winter running destination. The race hosts one of the largest running expos in the industry, a rockin’ double headliner concert, finish line festival with beer and elite runners traveling from around the globe. The race expects to see 22,400+ participants & 55,000+ spectators. On January 17, 2016 at 7:50 am, from the Arizona Center – Van Buren St. & 2nd St. in Phoenix, the gun will sound. In the spring of last year, Morrison earned a PR at Grandma’s Marathon. Following a break thereafter, she began a marathon training stint with her coach, Gary, aiming for that 2:43:00. With a couple races in sight, nothing felt right until CIM, 2015; but just a week before, Morrison suffered a torn oblique and had to sit the race out. After meticulous and passionate cross-training, and a dream that won’t quit, Morrison is healthy enough to toe Rock & Roll AZ, with the added benefit of a 2-minute addition to the OTQ. No matter what happens, January 17th will be a weekend charged in passion, the very last day to qualify for the Olympic Trials. To track Amber, see: https://www.competitorwireless.com/.
The Louisiana Marathon was established in 2012 as a way to bulk up the winter road racing calendar, and as a means of combining a running festival which celebrates passion for the sport alongside Louisiana culture. On January 17, 2016, the 5th annual running of the Louisiana Marathon will take place in Baton Rouge. The course is fast, flat & festive, taking runners from downtown, along the river, through the University Lakes, the LSU campus and through historic rivertown neighborhoods. What is super cool about this race for Klein, is that it’s a tour-de-her-alma-mater. For those of you who might not have known, Alyson has a super stacked history in gymnastics and diving. As a 3-year standout at Juanita High School, she earned All-American honors her senior year & was Student Athlete of the Month, honored by the Seattle Times. She was a Junior National finalist, 2-time District champion in the 1-meter, and on top of this lettered in track for 3 years, placing top 6 at State in the 100-meter hurdles, all of which led her to LSU. During her run at LSU, Klein competed at the SEC Championships, just missing qualifying for the 1-meter finals, placing 10th with a score of 248.10; the finish was the second highest by an LSU diver, ever. There is much more to note on her remarkable athleticism, but this is a little of her back-story leading her to compete at the Louisiana 1/2 Marathon, and what an incredible reason that is. Klein enters the race with just as turbulent of a training stint as Morrison, albeit for their separate reasons. Having spent the last 2 years testing the boundaries of her broken 5th meta, strengthening it back to health, and racing throughout the summer and a little bit of cross country, all of it will culminate in this weekend’s race at 7:00 am. To track Alyson, see: http://tracking.endresultcompany.com/2015/louisiana/index.php or http://www.racejoy.com/races.html.
To Amber and Alyson, there’s no pressure – a culmination doesn’t have to be daunting, it’s just the chapter’s end. Whatever happens in each of your prospective races is just how the world turns. Is just what needs to happen to get you to the next platform of self-awareness, of progression, of incubating that nugget of passion inside you that never says die. Please, if anything, use all of your pain, leave it on the streets of Tempe and Baton Rouge. What else is there to do but that?
