The U.S. Olympic Trials

Newsletter #10 - Olympic Trials

It’s been about a month since the U.S. Olympic Trials, but I have finally put some words together to describe the experience, so here we go! I’ll keep this fairly short, but I just wanted to share some things I’ve learned from competing at the Trials. To everyone who sponsored our trip, bought a shirt, sent a text, shared a post, or screamed at their TV for me, THANK YOU! Your support means more than words can express to my family and me. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Round 1 of 1500m 

I drew the third heat and the fastest all-around. Heat three is a good place to be so you can watch the other heats before you and see what qualifying time you’ll need to run to get to the next round. I assumed it would be fast with the 2021 & 2024 Trials champ in my heat (Cole Hocker). We got out at a good pace and held it... Seven athletes in each heat automatically qualified for the semifinal, so I focused on the top seven spots the whole race. With 300 meters to go, I was in 10th but felt I had several more gears to give that last lap. By 150 meters to go, I was in 7th and passing 6th. At this point, I kept telling myself, “Stay relaxed” and “Pump the knees.” I felt great!! With 50 meters to go, I knew I would qualify for the next round. I ended 7th and the 7th fastest time overall going into the semifinals. Mission accomplished! My next step was to get to sleep and do it again the next day. 

Round 2

...The sleep thing did not happen. But, you try not to think about the things that aren’t in your control. I was assigned to heat two in the semifinal, which was good again because I could see what the time qualifiers ran in the first heat. I knew I needed to run under 3:38 and be in the top 6 of my heat. It’s tempting to throw out a list of excuses for why I didn't make the final, but I won’t do that. I didn't fully have it on the day that mattered most -- and that stings. The same pace I ran the day before felt 100 times harder in the semifinal, and I ran out of gas. 

After finishing the race, I was gutted about my performance and instantly felt like I had let everyone down. Then, I took about 10 more steps; standing by the rail were Kelly and Judah - a moment I will always remember. I knew that 1. JJ had no clue what just happened, so I was thankful for that, haha, and 2. A race (even at the Olympic Trials) does not define me as a person. At the end of the day, my people will still be there for me, no matter the outcome. 

The Pre-Meet

The day before my prelim, I headed to Hayward Field to jog for 25 minutes, do a few threshold laps, and spike up for short strides! I arrived at about 11:00 AM and noticed there weren't many athletes practicing, which I thought was odd. As I entered the stadium, I noticed Noah Lyles sprinting on the backstretch and Joe Kovaks throwing the shot with his wife/coach standing near him! They were the only two practicing on the whole track. Oh, and then me, a guy from Kansas… At first, I wondered if they reserved the track just for the top guys in the country, and somehow, I snuck by security! But then I remembered they’re just simple guys like me dealing with nerves about the week ahead (maybe not). 

Once I started my drills and warming up, I began thinking a lot, probably because I was just in awe of how amazing the stadium was and how cool the opportunity at hand was. This type of thing is typical when I’m alone on the track, but I started to feel a deep sense of joy and somewhat emotional. I thought back to when I was a young kid in middle school who loved sports so much. Whatever season it was, I was outside playing the sport, throwing a football to myself, pitching against the garage, and shooting hoops until midnight. I don’t know if our neighbors appreciated the repeated throws and bouncing basketballs. ;) I dreamed of being a professional athlete, winning championships, and pitching no-hitters. Thinking back on the little guy with a dream, I thought, “Man, I bet my younger self would be super excited to know what he would become.” Little Brett would probably ask about the gear and all the shoes he’d receive from a fancy professional contract. I’d have to let him know that isn’t how it would unfold, but that’s also not what it’s about. I think he’d still be proud of what was to come. 

“Kid, I didn’t have a professional contract to run, but I still chased our dreams. I ran nearly every day, twice a day, worked a full-time job, and coached at the university on the side, and I loved it! Something deep inside made me believe I could race against the best in the country. That probably came from making all of those buzzer-beaters in the driveway! We received so much support from small town Scott City, and now Hays, America. Our community has our back. But really, the coolest thing that changed my life this year was becoming a dad and seeing my high school sweetheart become the best mom we could ask for! So, kid, to keep this short, never stop chasing your dreams. Sports will prove to be an amazing lesson for you. There will be so many highs, followed by many lows, but keep fighting and going for what you believe you can do. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. Always enjoy the thrill of competing and keep running the race. Hold Fast to the scriptures and what Christ has done for us, and understand that there are far more valuable things in this life than sports.” 

What's Next? 

Right now, I don’t exactly know what the future looks like for me in running. There is a part of me that wants to back off a bit, and then the other part of me understands the compound interest of running and the encouragement that I’ve gotten better each year. These are hard decisions, but all of this is in God's hands, and if it's His will for me to keep running, that would be great! If it isn't, I will be very excited about what is next. So, in other words, I won't be worrying about this (James 4:13-17). Do Not Boast About Tomorrow. 

 Hold Fast

Work Hard

Be Humble

Brett, Kelly & Judah