Just as Dallas Robinson of S&S Tire in Lexington, Ky., knows.

Robinson trains six days a week in Lexington, hoping to make the 2008 U.S. team as a sprinter, despite the fact that the 6-4, 210 pound Robinson is much larger than most world-class sprinters.

At the same time, Robinson, 25, is posting world-class times, and has a legitimate shot at making the squad. He has already attracted the attention of the New York Times, which last week ran a feature story on the Olympic hopeful.

Following his dream meant total devotion to training. To do that, Robinson chucked a high paying sales job to work at S&S Tire, freeing himself up to work long hours as he trained alone.

With the long-distance help of a volunteer coach and free use of a Lexington training facility, Robinson grinds out sprint after sprint on a 60-yard stretch of well-worn artificial turf.

While considerably larger than most sprinters, Robinson recently posted fast 55- and 60-meter times, fast enough to gain Olympic team attention.

Robinson is no stranger to track and field, having competed as a sprinter while attending Eastern Kentucky. But once he graduated, he entered the working world and set his athletic career aside. Still, he was nagged by “what if” thoughts, and finally decided to take the chance.

The U.S. Olympic trials are in June, and as his training times have improved, Robinson has upgraded his initial goals of just getting invited to the trials. Now he has his sights set on making the team.

As an independent runner, Robinson does without the full-time coaching and top-class training center his competition has. He hopes to be able to hire a coach and move to a better facility, but needs a sponsor to help defray the costs.

Right now, for Robinson, the race is on. (Tire Review/Akron)