THIS is How I’m Going to Qualify for the US Olympic Trials

This is my LAST CHANCE to qualify for the trials, and I am in the THICK of training... again... Here I share my insights and plans to get a solid PR and OTQ in just a few short weeks!
Check out some of the gear I use:
My favorite daily running shoes!
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My Current Marathon Race Shoe!
amzn.to/3QpVc6p
Mt GPS watch of choice!
amzn.to/3ss2puD
Check out my socials for more more content at
linktr.ee/mottesen_runs

[@rasoolporhemmat1418]

Good luck Michael. These videos are motivating. This channel has a bright future.

[@mottesen_runs]

I appreciate that! I hope you're right about the future;)

[@kiltrokills5527]

The fact that you spend this much time editing with 1.37K subs. Impressive. You are ON THAT GRIND. KEEP PUSHING.

[@mottesen_runs]

I appreciate that! I did only start this month, so I’m feeling very grateful for the quick growth 🙏

[@nahum2h]

Super excited to see what you got cooking up man. Praying you get that OTQ!!!!

[@mottesen_runs]

Lots of ideas are stewing. Thank you!

[@cierabartholomew4058]

Loving the videos! Thanks for sharing your journey!

[@mottesen_runs]

Glad you like them!

[@SpiritTheGhoul.]

Your really an inspiration to runners everywhere

[@milesramos239]

I'll be there too! Good Luck!

[@amazanto]

Cheering for you! Let's go!

[@mottesen_runs]

I'll give it my best shot!

[@jeffmarvell1873]

Great video! Entertaining and informative. Keep it up!

[@mottesen_runs]

I appreciate the kind feedback, I’ll keep ‘em coming! It’s too fun lol

[@motivation_daily333]

keep these vids coming i love this!

[@mottesen_runs]

Thank you! Will do!

[@alexanderlatham2090]

I know there’s so few weeks left, but if you haven’t been absolutely slamming soleus raises or single leg calf raises, that could help as long as you taper those towards the end too. Glad you know electrolyte cramp theories are pseudoscience, but generally pure muscular strength helps to delay cramping. Especially if you do lots of long runs in plated shoes that do some of the bouncing your soleus normally would, it would make sense that it might be underdeveloped muscularly.

[@mottesen_runs]

Haha I’m always glad to hear from others I’m on the right track. And yeah, Ive been doing single-leg weighted calf raises every week for the last 3 months or so now 😅

[@kevinchiu6436]

Keep up the high quality videos I really enjoy them

[@mottesen_runs]

Of course! I love making them, it’s a lot of fun

[@AndrewCottle]

All the best, i hope you can snag that OTQ time. That being said "giving myself a buffer" rarely ends well in a marathon. But seriously, I hope you pull it out!

[@mottesen_runs]

You're right about that! It doesn't usually end well.. I think I'll be OK, though, I've been training for a 2:13-2:14 marathon and then goin going out at 2:17 pace lately. I'm just planning to go out closer to the pace I trained for this time

[@ChaseDvD]

Good luck!

[@mottesen_runs]

Thank you!

[@Arki2019]

Toe splay if your shoes/sock are bunching your toes, more tension on your lower tendons especially over distances at high intensity. Toe socks actually help me with lower leg pain it’s bizzare, also why most hoka shoes kill my calves (albeit it afterwards) because the narrow fit was crushing my foot causing more tension. Great content and good look at CIM

[@JuanDa-zz6vx]

good video! Cheers from Guatemala

[@mottesen_runs]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@joelcollings5620]

Amazing bro ❤

[@JasmineTaylor-e3m]

Okay I hear you on the electrolytes. I hear you! But have you had a sweat composition test done? I see you use Gatorade, but even Gatorade Endurance is really not that high in electrolytes. Saltier sweaters could need 2, 3, or 4 times as much sodium per hour as what's in Gatorade. Ignore me if you've already tried that, but I wouldn't give up on experimenting with electrolytes until you've done a sweat composition test!!

[@mottesen_runs]

Haha Alright, I didn't ignore this comment;) Here's the background behind that note... I haven't had the test done, but I have played with vastly differing amounts of electrolytes taken in before and during marathons and had literally no difference in cramping. And I am aware of how different the concentration of sweat athletes can have. I think this is more relevant in long endurance races like ultras and Ironmans than a quick road marathon though. In June, I ran Grandma's marathon and took about 3-4 times more electrolytes (I used pedialtye and ate several salt tablets) during the race and had the SAME cramping as before. No Improvement. This last marathon a month ago, I went back to the low amount of electrolytes from before, and had HUGE improvements. The difference was strength training, certainly not anything to do with electrolytes. And the peer-reviewed research on EAMC is fairly clear on the electrolyte theory too, so I've given up on it. I may still need to do the sweat test out of curiosity though! cause I am curious

[@JasmineTaylor-e3m]

@@mottesen_runs Dang. Calf cramps are the absolute worst! Have you seen a PT? I just saw one for the first time and found out I have super limited mobility in the arch of my foot, which apparently can cause your calves to cramp up. Not saying that's it for you, but maybe something like that?

[@victordub]

good luck mate... im working to break 3 one of these days lol

[@mottesen_runs]

Love it, keep working, it’ll come!

[@carmenmedina8936]

With the same theory that it can be the shoes, maybe you can do a biomechanic study and compare how your stride changes with normal trainers vs race shoes. Maybe if you do your long runs with the shoe you plan to race with or use them more you can get us to it? I don't know just a theory for your cramps, hope you qualify

[@mottesen_runs]

Yeah that’s a good idea. I even have easy access with a professor on University campus right here to try something like that.. definitely worth looking into! The issue is that I’ve never cramped in training. Only once I run race pace for 18+ miles

[@limemartini2902]

My coach qualified there

[@rachelnelson0301]

Let's gooooo 🎉

[@kelseynakanelua3051]

You should check to see if they don't allow competitors even if they do not make the trials, they do it in track

[@Davidm-u7g]

hey bro how long u been training like this? u got this bro you'll make it!

[@mottesen_runs]

I love been running competitively for many years. But marathon training just for the last couple years since graduating out of the NCAA!

[@nberkel]

Do you notice that the cramping seems less on long runs/workouts where you don't wear plated shoes? Just wondering if it seems to flare up more on races when you are wearing them 🤷‍♂️

[@mottesen_runs]

I wear plated shoes pretty frequently in training too, but have never cramped in training still. Just marathon races

[@nberkel]

There goes that theory haha...Very interesting. Hope it stays at bay through the buildup and race!

[@matiz504]

I have a question, how does threshold pace change in the last 2 miles of that marathon workout you did? I thought threshold was a specific pace and anything faster/slower isnt really threshold anymore. For example Jack Daniels has one pace and he says that threshold is at that pace specifically i think. I might be wrong, just curious

[@mottesen_runs]

Yeah it doesn’t change. At 4:50- 4:45 I’d be running a little faster than threshold. That’s how I wrote It to make it easier to understand. That would still be the primary system I’d be working

[@carmenmedina8936]

Do you think maybe the cramps are because of the shoes?

[@mottesen_runs]

I have wondered… interestingly, I have only had 2 marathons that my legs never fully seized up, both in Adidas. The really bad cramping has always been in Nike 🤷‍♂️. But I have run in 3 different shoe models across 6 marathons, so I don’t think it solves the issue to switch shoes

[@tylerottesen2994]

Insane

[@mottesen_runs]

And this KEEPS me sane haha

[@RunnersUniteCoaching]

Hey, any tips for someone like myself trying to qualify? I took up running this year at 22 and broke 16 in the 5k. Currently doing different training cycles for 5/10/half

[@lorenzoquirante8685]

have you tried negative splitting?

[@mottesen_runs]

Technically I’ve tried that every time;) negative splitting down to an OTQ really leaves no room for error. I may try it in the future, but it’s too risky with only one more shot!

[@Davbaldwin1]

Do you try to train with Conner Mantz and/or Clayton Young?...just curious since they are former teammates.

[@mottesen_runs]

I typically join them for long runs on Saturdays, but my schedule with work doesn’t allow me to train with them during the week. And I’m not gonna pretend that I could train ‘with’ them anyway 😅.

[@Davbaldwin1]

@@mottesen_runs Sorry, I finished the video and you have a clip of Conner. Impressive ya'll still run together.

[@mottesen_runs]

@@Davbaldwin1 No worries! Yeah, I love that we all still get together on weekends to run together!

[@rz9wb]

How fast do you have to run to qualify?

[@mottesen_runs]

Had to run sub 2:18:00, came up short with 2:18:55. Got sick before the last attempt and dropped out :/

[@rz9wb]

@@mottesen_runsI am confused, paris entry standards say 2:08:10 but the olympics say 2:18:00, which is it? if you qualify for 2:18:00, can you not run in paris 2024? So you are just doing it to say you ran a qualifying time or hoping one year the respective country matches what the olympics have?

[@matthewmah3745]

Lmao electrolyte solutions will be ignored.

[@mottesen_runs]

Glad someone appreciated the note haha. I've been marathoning for a couple years, if electrolytes were the simple problem, I wouldn't be cramping anymore;)