Runner from Potomac could head to Olympics

This year, Ficker’s running time at the Austin Marathon — 2 hours, 40 seconds — qualified her for the Olympic Team Trials in women’s marathon. The Olympic Team Trials, slated to take place in Boston in April, will determine who goes on to represent the United States on the world stage in the women’s marathon category in Beijing.

‘‘That would, of course, be a dream come true,” Desiree Ficker said. ‘‘I’ve been watching the Olympics since I was little... but I never thought I would make it until now.”

The trials, which will take place the day before the Boston Marathon, will be hosted by the Boston Athletic Association. In order to qualify for the trials, runners must complete a certified marathon in 2:47 or under, said Marc Chalufour, communications manager for the Boston Athletic Association.

About 120 runners are expected to participate in the trials this year, and the top three will go on to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games, Chalufour said.

Ficker, who first qualified for Ironman in 1999, has made a name for herself in competitive sports as a professional triathlete. But she’s gearing up to turn her focus back to running — the sport she grew up with in her early years in Potomac.

‘‘I like the simplicity of the marathon training compared to the Ironman training,” Ficker said. Her biggest challenge in training for the tri-sport competition, she said, was learning to swim competitively. ‘‘I was really awful. You feel like you’re just floundering around in the water.”

‘‘I think she’ll do well — she’s extremely competitive,” said Robin Ficker, a Boyds resident who has run for several political offices, including House of Delegates and county executive. ‘‘After doing Ironman, I think the marathon almost seems like a warm-up.”

Robin Ficker and Desiree’s mother, Potomac resident Annette Ficker, are track fans who encouraged their daughter to run as a child. Desiree Ficker ran in several area track teams starting at a young age, including the Montgomery County Firebirds.

‘‘She was really good — she was winning everything!” Annette Ficker said.

Robin Ficker said he built a track in the backyard of his Potomac home using the plans for Madison Square Garden’s indoor track. The father and daughter would also take early-morning runs along the Falls Road golf course, counting stray golf balls as they went, before the golfers has arrived to tee off.

‘‘I was fortunate to grow up in Potomac,” Desiree Ficker said. ‘‘I love running along the canal. Every time I come home, the first thing I do is head down to MacArthur and run down to Great Falls.”

Growing up, Ficker also traveled extensively with her family — at a young age, she was in the stands of world-class athletic competitions, including the Olympics in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seoul, Korea, and Barcelona, Spain.

Robin Ficker said the early introduction to the running lifestyle left his daughter with few misconceptions about the challenges professional athletes face.

‘‘She knew there was a lot of work involved — she’s talked to a lot of these athletes over the years,” Robin Ficker said. ‘‘She has persistence to train for something like this. You have to focus ... instead of going out to a party, you go out for a run.”

Though she’ll need to put her triathlon career on hold while she trains for the Olympic Team Trials, Desiree Ficker said a shot at the gold is worth the risk.

‘‘I’m going to try and do all I can with the hopes of making the team,” she said. ‘‘If not, I’ll put my eyes back towards triathlon.”