Brandon Doughty is a really, really good runner and has been since high school. State cross country and 1600m champion, First team All-American honors and multiple Big 12 titles and top 5 NCAA finishes at the University of Oklahoma, a sub 8:30 steeplechaser as a pro.
On Friday Brandon was in position to qualify for the USA Championship steeplechase final with a lap to go, but when he called on his legs to deliver a strong finish it wasn’t there.
Sharing from Brandon’s Instagram, with permission:
Putting together some thoughts from last nights heartbreaking performance…
36 week build-up. 9 months solely dedicated to a moment this weekend that should’ve been a lot closer to 8 minutes and 20 seconds.
Is that too long of training block? Maybe.
Is coming back from an injury no one’s ever come back from (double haglund surgeries on the same achilles) to run the steeple (hardest track race on said achilles) too big of an ask? Maybe.
Is leaving your home, coach, team, friends, and long-term romantic relationship mid-season too much for your mind to bounce back from? Maybe.
Is uprooting your life and moving across the country between races too much for your body to recover from? Maybe.
Is moving from 7000 feet to sea level too much of a physiological transition in one season? Maybe.
Is coaching yourself in every aspect of the sport too hard psychologically? Maybe.
This season has been one of excuses.
I’m showing fitness in training I haven’t seen in myself since 2017 (pre-surgeries), but after each race I always seem to have a great excuse on why I didn’t show it.
A lot of people in my corner have slowly tapped-out over the last 5 years (especially this year), while I chase this impossibly elusive dream. I don’t blame them, if I saw someone else go this long without results showing the greatness they claim ‘lies within’, I’d say they should move on too. But I’m not someone else, I’m me. And it doesn’t matter who stops believing in me, as long as I still believe in myself – I do.
This season, I’ve truly found out how resilient my spirit is, I legitimately can’t be broken. I have this deep rooted belief in my capabilities that seems unshakable, no matter how many times I fail (A LOT like, A LOT, A LOT). So, I guess that leaves me with excuses being the only way to try and logically describe this season.
Special shoutout to Johnny Crain, Melanie Brender, and Lucia Armel for being my support crew. They help me carry my emotional luggage more than you can imagine, as well as my actual luggage when they drop me off at the airport.
My heart hurts, but that’s part of what I signed up for. Thanks for taking the time to read. Brandon
