As the U.S. Olympic trials begin, one Chicago runner is dreaming of the road to Rio. Tera Moody qualified for the Olympic trials during the 2015 Chicago Marathon, and is competing in Los Angeles Saturday to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
Moody finished the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:39:32, ending in 16th place for women, and 181st overall. Women who ran the race in 2 hours and 43 minutes or less qualified for the trials.
"This is it. This is what I've been training for for the last 8 years," Moody told NBC 5's Stefan Holt earlier this week.
Since the week after the Chicago Marathon, Moody has run an average of 100 miles each week in training for the Olympic trials. While tapering before Saturday's race, Moody said Feb. 10 was the first day since the marathon that she has taken off from exercise.
"Last week felt like nothing and I ran 85 miles," Moody said. "It's been a lot. I've put in a lot, lot, lot of work and I'm hoping it all pays off on Saturday."
The women's race begins at 12:22 p.m. CST, and the top three men and top three women qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
