Kyle King's Journal

Introductory Entry (Posted May 28, 2008)

Howdy folks. Greetings from Tulsa, OK. How ya’ll doin’? Sorry, I just had to kick this off with a little southern twang. I promise Oklahoma isn’t all cowboys and horses. Or anything like the Broadway musical for that matter.

Well, I am down to 30 days to go. Thirty days until the Olympic Trials 5K. And coincidentally, 30+ days until retirement. A mere 30 days until I say “goodbye” to the sport that I have devoted my life to for so long. It’s a weird feeling. The Olympic Trials has been something I’ve dreamed about since I was 15 and picked up this sport (technically I dreamed about making the Olympics, but you have to run in the Trials for that to happen). In fact, I have raced the Olympic Trials in my head for the past 12 years. During practically every run, of every day, I have visualized the race imagining a top-three finish. And now it’s so close I can feel it! Oh, it’s exciting!

Just recently, I ran the last 3K of my career. This got me thinking about the first 3K (rather 3200) of my career. I was a freshman in high school and broke 12 minutes with a lean. I think there were a number of freshman girls that would have beaten me. On the way home, my father made a comment to me that has stuck with me forever. He said, “Kyle, some people may have more talent or ability than you, but you can out-work talent.” Now, looking back, I would say that’s mostly the case. If you have enough desire and dedication, you can achieve far beyond what your abilities would indicate. You just have to believe. You have to believe you can do something special.

It also helps when you have a coach and program like ZAP Fitness that believes in you. Zika and Pete have been so supportive with my running career that I could never thank them enough. They gave me a chance out of college even though my PR was only 13:56. Then, even after my wife got a job coaching at the University of Tulsa, they chose to support me with some travel help when they can as a satellite athlete. I honestly believe that developmental groups like ZAP, with the help of New York Road Runners, are an important part to the resurgence of American distance running. In 2002, when ZAP opened, the top American 5 K time was 13:21.8, which would have been 11th in 2007 and outside of the Olympic “A” Standard. It’s awesome to see how far this country has come in just a short time, and that I was able to be a part of it. Thank you ZAP, NYRR, and Reebok.

I can honestly say that I would be nowhere near the caliber I am without these groups. I have become acutely aware this year of just how much of a role financial support plays in an athlete’s career. And believe me, these groups should be commended. I look forward to having an actual paying job, so that I can undoubtedly donate back to other athletes with similar dreams and aspirations.

Forgive me if I have gone too long. But, since this likely will be my one and only entry, I hope you don’t mind if I throw a couple pieces of advice in here. Number 1, I hope you enjoy every day that God has given us. Live life to the fullest for tomorrow is promised to no one. And number 2, don’t let your bad races consume you. I know all too well the depression that a bad race can put me in. God bless my wife for having to deal with me in those situations. I have put up some stinkers, but trust me when I say that the best thing you can do is use them as motivation for the next one. Please don’t derive your self-worth from your PR’s like I did for far too long. It truly is a lesson I have learned much too late in my career.

So, as I get pumped for the Olympic Trials, I am absorbing every bit of positive energy I can. Any negative thoughts are forgotten as quickly as they come. It’s going to take one of those “special” moments to make an Olympic team. I know that I’m not one of the favorites going in. And that’s fine. Believe me when I say that I’ve been the underdog before. In fact, I have gotten pretty comfortable in the role. But, I can still remember watching the 2000 Olympic Trials on the floor of my living room, and seeing another relative underdog named Nick Rogers make the team. That’s the greatest thing about our sport. It’s the pure competition and the “special” performances that result. It’s absolutely the one thing I will miss. I won’t miss the 20+ mile long runs or the excruciating interval sessions. What I will miss though, will be lining up with 20 other competitors for 13 minutes of intense pain. You can’t beat that feeling. You never know what can happen! And this year will be no exception.