Catch Mo if You Can at the Olympic Trials

If you’re an Austin Fit Magazine reader, you know Mo. Monica Brant is the author of AFM’s long-running regular feature, “Kick Mo’s Butt!”, a perennial reader favorite. Many recognize Brant’s amazing physique, as she is a fitness competitor and coach. What readers may not know is that Brant started out her athletic career as a sprinter. And this summer, on June 30, she will be competing at a Showcase Event for Masters in the women’s 400 meter at the United States Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon (5:40 pm Pacific Time).

Since 1995, Brant has run sprints as part of her “go to” workout. She started out with short, fast distance in middle school and high school and had quite a bit of success until her family moved and she changed schools. Brant’s new, private school did not have the track program that her former public high school had and so her track career stalled. “I never felt like I got to finish,” Brant said, wistfully.

It was AFM that brought track back into her life. Brant was doing a Kick Mo’s Butt! piece with trainer Yancy Culp, part of the team at Sculpture Nutrition and Fitness. After the workout, they talked more and Brant talked about her love for the track. Culp invited her to come back another day. He also encouraged her to do a Master’s track event. Brant not only came back but she began to train with Culp and in November, 2011, she competed in her first track meet since high school. And she was fast. So fast that Brant took fourth in the country in her age group.

There have been a couple of other meets since then, all of which have solidified Brant’s qualification for the Master’s Showcase Event on June 30, though as of just a few days ago she was still watching the postings. The top eight women in the country in the 400m get to go to Eugene, and competitors were still posting qualifying times. However, there’s no need to keep checking; Brant’s time of 1:00.08 puts her in fifth place, and she has been officially accepted as a competitor.

Brant said preparing for this event has put her in the best shape of her life and she’s excited about the chance to get on the track with the best. “There’s never going to be another opportunity like this,” she said, and with typical Mo enthusiasm she talked about being in the moment and embracing what comes her way. “I’m never one who likes to plot too long into the future,” Brant explained when asked if there were more track events in her future. “Sprints will never go away for me, and I take each year as it comes. I just can’t wait to see how things go in Eugene.”

Go, Mo! We at Austin Fit Magazine know you will kick some 400-meter butt on Saturday!

TV link to US Trials coverage: http://www.usatf.org/Events—Calendar/2012/U-S–Olympic-Team-Trials-TF.aspx

Monica’s status for event (Women Masters 400 meter)