Around mile 14 of the 2019 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Rena Elmer made a choice.
The 2:45 pacer confirmed that she would be running into the wind the rest of the race. For a moment, Elmer planned to tuck into the pack and draft her way to an Olympic Trials Qualifying time – a worthwhile achievement in her debut at the distance.
But another thought swiftly surfaced: “I can prove myself and see what I’m capable of,” Elmer told Runner’s World. She forged ahead alone, into the headwind, and finished in 2:40:21, earning her a spot at the Trials’ starting line on 29 February in Atlanta.
Elmer, 37, has rarely taken the easy route. She went from a walk-on at Brigham Young University to placing third in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2005 NCAA outdoor championships during her junior year.
Between then and now came two heartbreaking near-misses before she finally qualified for the 2016 Olympics Trials in the steeplechase, four births (one perilous), and a personal trauma so devastating she was tempted to quit the sport.
But she prayed and decided otherwise. “The Lord always keeps coming back and saying: ‘No,'” said Elmer, who belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “‘Running is this gift I’ve given you, and its going to help you get through your challenges.'”
Read the Full Article here: After Trauma, Mother of Nine Qualifies for Olympic Marathon Trials
Article Credit:
Original Author: Cindy Kuzma of Runner’s World
Article Syndicated from Runner’s World.
