Advice on difficult decision to make

Mexrunner,

Sounds like you have quite the predicament you are facing.

The question you have to ask yourself is, "do you truly believe that international competition and running in the Olympics are possible?"

The reason I say that is, if you feel it really is a possibility then go for it.

That sort of chance does not come often, and you have no clue what even greater opportunities may come from it because of the elite status it will bring.

You are young and can always go back into a career down the road.

If you were able to get into the position you are now at this age, why wouldn't you have the assets to return to such a great opportunity if you either succeed or fail at your running dream.

Honestly, if I were you, I would go for my dream and see how everything else pans out later.

Hope my feedback helps!

If you have any further questions feel free to shoot me an e-mail.

Find a good post-collegiate distance coach who works with 800m runners who are seriously training for the Olympics (e.g., Frank Gagliano), and have a frank conversation with them about where you are with your training/fitness, your age, your goals (to make the next Olympic team for Mexico?), etc. and see what they suggest for changing the work/life situation around to accomodate your goals. I'm sure lots of people would be willing to talk to you on the phone. Moving to Iten, Kenya may not be the only or best idea. Could you change jobs and stay in your field and get in a situation with fewer hours and more time to train and work with a coach locally or long-distance? Could you move and change jobs and do the same thing? If you get out of your field for a year or more, it may be hard to get back into it and explain that you took time off to train for the Olympics and that didn't pan out. You might want to go back to graduate school and then get back into a career after.

Not even close to your level, but have done quite a bit of traveling and running. The US is a superior training environment for your regular north american. being comfortable and relaxed is a huge part of this. If you are great at traveling, unphased by changing your diet and environment, and minimalist when it comes to physical therapy, ect - you may do well in kenya, but you could do well anywhere.

Moving to kenya may serve as a catalyst, but how much time do you really need to train for the 8. a couple hours gym time, a couple hours running, and good sleep. This would be easy to make time for with a 9-5 and some focus. Stop making excuses and do it - here or in kenya makes little difference.

Now - if you need to move to get away from your social circle, that is understandable. Social obligations take a lot of time and can inhibit progress toward specific goals. Obviously human relations are important, and being away makes it easy to focus on yourself without the people you care about feeling neglected.

What do you get out of running?^^ So if you do make it to the Olympics, what's the outcome? If this startup becomes a big corporate success then what? You work more to make sure it stays that way? I feel you have run a 1:52 and believe you can run faster than that, and if you think you can then go and do it. Iten doesn't have to be the only place, but making a big change and going out on your own and chasing a dream is sometimes worth it. Do you want to be known? Or do you want to the best? Many questions, really keep on thinking about it.