As the morning sun rises, 400 Meter Hurdler LaRon Bennett is hitting the track to get in some fine tuning
“I know it will take about 47.9 to 48.2 seconds to make the team and the good news is my practices are lining up with that.”
This year he’s hoping to qualify for u.s. Olympic team for the first time in his career.
“The closest I finished is fifth, so they say the spot you don’t want to be in is fourth”
And punching that ticket would mean
“Everything, but you know I think it would just solidify all of the hard work.”
For LaRon, he says he doesn’t get some of the luxuries of the typical elite athletes like the Usain Bolt’s of the world.
“for me you gotta balance job, you gotta balance family, gotta balance community.”
The job, coaching at drake under one of Iowa’s track royalty, Natasha Kaiser-Brown
“My wife told me I couldn’t play around on the track anymore I had to go out and get a real job. 128 denials later Natasha Kaiser-Brown gave me my first shot as a young coach and I just told her I was honored at just the chance she gave me.”
But it’s LaRon’s children that made him take a new outlook on his track career.
“I mean when he came on board it just kind of shifted everything. It let me know it wasn’t just about me. It wasn’t just about the Olympic medal which is at the end of the day it is just a medal and I realized it’s more about him and being able to inspire him to say dad was able to go do this. When Naomi came on the scene eleven months ago they told me when a father gets a daughter he changes I was like no I’ll be just as tough but when she came on the scene she just kind of melted my heart. I realized at the end of the day whether I win or lose they’re going to still love me and that’s really all that counts.”
Winning is still the goal, and to do so LaRon says he can’t run any race alone.
“Knowing that if I try to run this race by myself it’s gonna probably go bad. And so just understanding that god’s grace is what’s going to get me around this track.”
He says that faith will also guide him in the next phase of his career.
At 33, LaRon may not have another chance to compete for the stars and stripes in an Olympic game.
“Knowing that there is a realistic chance that this will be my last opportunity at the Olympic trials I mean it’s my fourth time so that’s sixteen years. So longevity wise and mentally I could do another four years but you know it’s about what’s best for my family.”
Family, grace, and a will to do what he’s never done before, all driving him to that finish line.
