We've Only Just Begun

Tuesday July 27, 2010
Laying in Bed

So I'm back at it this week gang....

This morning weights nearly killed me; not the actual weights but the surprise run we had before them. Well it was surprise to me at least, everyone else was suited, booted and ready to go. I was sorta of as I walk in eating a bowl of broccoli and cheese of course. Devouring it like Lions during a fresh kill, I am then notified that we have a 15 minute run to warm up before weights. I'm thinking this and saying it simultaneously, "Are you serious? Really? Like is this a joke of something? Mm hello, broccoli and cheese here, eating it right this moment is kind of not conducive to running." I look to Karise for a confirmation, a explanation, and as a scape goat. I find only two and end up running through campus with a stomach full of broccoli and cheese. Why broccoli and cheese you ask? I dunno, is "poor mans breakfast" a good response? No? I guess I already used that one before.

In any case and at any rate, I inhale the rest of my breakfast, yes I said breakfast, and head out to door with my ipod Touch in hand and full stomach ready to burst. We run for about 6 minutes then we're back in the weight room doing and I watch them do their warm up stretches. Yes, I watched because I was about to erupt and spew yellow and green over everything and everyone, not cool by the way. As I watch them I notice that I'm 2 exercises behind everyone, taking small breaks to make sure my food was going to stay down. Thank God in Heaven on a white cloud it did and I started my lift. I finish my lift and that was that. Nothing really exciting today. Kind of a somber day to be honest.

In other news, I turned my "undergraduate paperwork" in today. Just the sound of those words make me feel 18 again. If you know like I know you'd do best to walk your paperwork to the office because it would somehow get "lost". I also tried to work my charm to ge tout of paying another $40 application fee but was "very" unsuccessful. VCU said, "Where my money! I need, I need, I need cash!" And I gave it to them. Yeah I'm such a rebel, now arguments, no objections. Oh well, I'm back in school y'all and I'm happy.

when I think about it my track debut isn't until March 2011, so until then I will be running and training. Gotta get back on top of the CAA, then back to Regionals. I am destined for greatness as long as God keeps me healthy. We've only just begun. Still well over 100 days for me to get better. I can only go up from here. Team N.D.O. I love you! No matter what you have to have like-minded people around you to keep you on the straight and narrow.

"One thing about life is that with or without you, it will continue to move along. Will you be ready?"

Signing off,

D

Post Workout
Friday July 23, 2010

Today's workout went really well. Pretty simple day; Box Squats, Russian Split Squats, Back Extensions and abs. Yes #ftw!!! But it wasn't easy. The key to have a down week is working as hard as you can. Staying focused on the purpose behind what you're doing. So if its doing and extra rep or taking extra time to make sure your form is perfect, all makes a huge difference in the long run.

Once again a group of my friends and I talked about different training techniques and the reason behind why you do certain things in the weight room that mimic what you're doing while you perform your sport. to be honest I've been kind of bored with the assistance work I've been doing and you might grow tired of the technical stuff but it goes a long way.

It's all about repetition, reception and sooner or later you'll make gains in your speed, strength and endurance because you put the extra work in. I know everyone wants to lift heavy and workout hard but if you do that day in and day out you will burn out. Still, you have to be patient and stay focused on the purpose behind what you're doing. I have been attempting to keep myself honest. Getting into shape is easy but getting into the right shape takes time and discipline.

My training Ryan systematically breaks every exercise to me so that I understand the purpose behind them. Box Squats for example probably the toughest exercise I do because it takes patience, form and patience. The purpose behind doing them is so that I get used to pausing in the blocks when in the set position, then firing as soon as the gun sounds. Certain exercises are all about teaching your muscles to fire a certain way. Keeping in mind why you're doing it will help you while you're performing your sport.

I'm learning to practice, live and lift like I'm bulletproof. Strengthening every muscle in my body so that I will be less prone to injury so stretching, icing and fueling your system before, during and after you workout are key.

Here are a few things I incorporate into my day to help me recover and maintain before, during or after my workouts during the day and week:

Breakfast: Oatmeal (3 packets or 105g's of oatmeal), protein (3 pieces of sausage or bacon), 2 eggs, at least 48 oz's of water.
Before Workout: 2 11oz protein shakes, 48oz's of water
During workout: 96 oz's of water or 1 11oz's of protein shake
After Workout: 2 cups of rice, Turkey Sandwich with Cheese, light Mayo, Mustard on Wheat Bread, 96oz's of water
Dinner: Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Turkey Breast, 2 Veggies (one light and one dark), 48 oz's water

Remember your body is like a car. You want to fuel your body right that it will perform at a high level. Good luck!

Always remember, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."--Bernt Notke


Signing off,

D

You Are NOT Alone

Real talk from a real guy....

A kid came into my job last week and said, "Hey don't you run for VCU? I remember you." Initially I was kind of surprised that someone actually remembered who I was. If you know me you know how much respect I've received in 4 years for my accomplishments and achievements as an athlete and you also know how unrecognizable VCU Track & Field athletes are on campus and to other athletes. Most athletes only know of us because of the annual athletic banquet or by seeing our names dominate the performance board in the weight room.

When the kid spoke to me, I didn't realize at the time the significance behind what he asked. Now that I think on it once more, I can't help but think about how important his question was. He actually remembered me but not only me, he remembered what I represented. He doesn't know if he will ever see me again. All he knew I was just another VCU athlete. I didn't catch his name but he did tell me he went to Hermitage High and that he was a hurdler. So I have to go back and catch some meets. Maybe he will be out there. Who knows.

One thing that encounter taught me is that I'm not a insignificant as I once thought I was. Of course you get praise from your team and the athletic department for doing well but when it's all said and done, who else is watching? Who really cares? I've won conference championships, run against now Olympians and won awards for my accolades but when I look at my career I can't really say that I've done something so special that I will really be remembered for being great. My career number are 10.55sec in the 100m dash and 21.13sec in the 200m, both meager numbers to my standards and yet these time shave yet to be surpassed in 2 years. Still the only person who cares about them is me.

I was 20 when I ran those times. I still remember how I felt when I ran both of those times. How surreal it was. I didn't expect to run them at all. I just went out there an ran. It was to my surprise that those times were going to be the fastest times I ran as an undergrad. Injuries the final two years of my career kept me cautious and therefore I was unable to improve those times. Now I have a second wind and I'm breathing deep.

Micheal Johnson, one of my favorite sprinters, said that he never put limits on his performances, times or abilities on the track because he himself didn't even know how fast he could potentially go. Micheal Johnson is arguably the most recognizable track and field name in the history of the sport and the world. He never settled and we all know what he did at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, winning the 200 and 400m dashes in World Record fashion. What an inspiration that kid was to me. Even if only one person remembers me I will be happy. I'd rather be remembered by one than overlooked by 100.

Don't put limitations on yourself or your life. Impossible is nothing. In fact, impossible shouldn't be a word in your vocab. Never take for granted what you have. Never waste your talent or abilities. Never be afraid to fail. Never be afraid to be great. Never allow the opinion of others to deter you from accomplishing your goals.

I'm teaching myself that my rivals are everyone that I run against. That's why I'm working everyday to be better, faster and stronger than everyone I run against. There will always be someone to beat, always. Strive to simply be the best, that's all. If you do that, you will always reach your goals and eventually you will surprise yourself.

Signing off,

D

My Vow

From here on out I promise to take my training and my life serious, period.

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Feelin' Good Feelin' Great

Post-Lifting Session
Wednesday July 21, 2010

I feel great. I had a great lifting session. An hour and a half of hard work. I can definitely see a change in my mind set already. The more I think about the purpose behind what I'm doing, It becomes easier for me to push harder. I have been thinking a lot about being the best once again and what it's going to take to do so. In high school I was the best in my District, the best in my Region but when it came to the State Championships, I didn't perform at the level I think I should have.

One reason is because I didn't honestly work that hard in practice or outside of practice. Grant it I did play soccer and run track in the same season, so I did workout a lot but that still didn't amount to success necessarily on the field or track. I never did extra work, I never did anything to necessarily be better than those guys, I was just VERY talented. But I am learning in college that talent does not always beat skill. Some guys have it and some guys don't. If you have it it's more about refining what you have and making yourself more efficient and eventually superseding what talent you have currently.

Talent doesn't always beat hard work. Even if you're the most talented person in the world, you still have to work hard to keep that level of talent you already posses at the highest possible level it can be. Trust me I learned that from experience. Every time I was complacent either during my training session or weight room sessions, I didn't compete at the level I wanted to. It can ALL be contributed to a part of my life when I was not EXCELLENT. So everyday I make it a point to do "something, anything" to get better. Whether it's 1000 crunches, 200 push-ups, or stretching. Everyday you have to do something to help you reach the level of excellence you want to perform and compete at everyday. And to reach even higher heights, you have to strive to reach those heights. No person who was ever called great, sat around waiting for their greatness to fall in their laps from the sky. Working harder may not pay off all the time but if you know that you've worked as hard as you possibly could, then you will have no regrets.

Newt Gingrich once said, "Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you've already did."

I take that quote to heart because it's so true. You have to grind hard to achieve great things. Being lazy never made anyone successful. Even a thief works hard not to get caught. I'm not saying you have to go out and cheat and steal to be the best, but even a burglar knows the fundamentals principles of practicing his/her craft to become good at it. I hope this post inspires you to be better than you were the day before. There's always someone working hard when you're not; somewhere.

Signing off,

D

Up and at'em!

Wednesday July, 21, 2010

Greetings everyone. I realized just this second that I didn't have a formal greeting for those either are stumbling across my blog for the first time for those of your who read it more than the Bible. This generic greeting will suffice until I can think of a more appropriate and less In any case, hello and good morning. now that the formalities are out of the way....

This morning was extremely hard for me to get up for a number of reasons. For starters I am a bit sore from me lifting session on Monday, which shouldn't be a surprise, I'm always in a permanent stasis of soreness and pain. Every time I yawn or walk or stretch or twist or turn, I feel a new part of my body screaming in agony. In any case you have to suck it up and mash on. Another reason is my second denial into a graduate study!

I am so frustrated with this entire process and the NCAA, that I want to forfeit my 5th year, the same 5th year that I waited on for almost 3 months, missing any and every deadline in the graduate school only to find out that I will be taking undergraduates classes again in the Fall! (taking a breath...aaahhhh) I feel as if I am in a hole lined with quicksand and no matter how hard I scratch and claw I only sink deeper and deeper into frustration and unimaginable disppoitment.

when this process is over I will one happy camper.....IN OTHER NEWS

I am eating oatmeal for breakfast...yes, again. Once again I am poor and this is all I can afford. On other note, it looks as if it will rain today so I debating whether or not to hit the track today. (i.e. soggy ain't the way to be)

I finally made it to the weight room. It's definitely overcast outside, so I know I am not going to be able to run today. Well I can but I do not want to get wet. Being wet is not where it's at. Okay people, I'm about to start my workout as soon as I finish my oatmeal. Team N.D.O.


Signing off,

D

What a Workout

Post-Workout Monday July, 19, 2010

Training today was a bit tougher than usual. Instead of me working out with Team N.D.O. I was worked out personally by Ryan. As soon as hit the door he was upset. So I knew that today would be especially hard. I thought his head was going to pop off, he was so red and drenched in sweat, so I'm assuming he had just finished working out or he was so mad his pores began to spew sulfuric acid.

<<<<<<This is Ryan:













So you imagine that I didn't want any parts of what he was dishing out. So immediately I go into "Make Everything Better Mode". I hop on the treadmill. He hops on the elliptical. We talk about this and that. I take his mind of of that idiot who almost got me killed v.i.a workout.
My advice to anyone who talks out of turn: "If you don't know nothin' don't say nothin'." I feel like sometimes a humans we allow our emotions, feelings and opnions get the best of us. Sometimes we need to reflect and keep certain thing son the inside.

Don't get me wrong, I will never back down from a challenge but it's Monday and I definitely was not trying to die from my first workout of the week. Do you see how big he is?!!!!! You know he can inflict some pain. That weight on his back is sweating at just the sight of him. all in all pain or not I love this guy, he's a hell of a trainer. The best I've had. I love him because he reminds you to, "focus on why you are doing what you're doing, if you know the purpose behind it you will see how and why you benefit from it.

Any-who here was my workout today...

Warm-up- Med Ball Circuit - ALL HIP. We are working on getting my hips stronger so that I will be more explosive out of the blocks.

A** Machine 3X8
Fire Hydrants 3X8
Hip Circles 3X8

Squats @ 70% of my max 5X5- 1 minute rest
Back extensions- weighted 4X8
Hanging Leg Raises- Feet to bar 4X8

So far I have ingested two 11oz Protein shakes, and 2 Gatorade Perform's and I'm still tired! On top of that I have been attempting to sort out this Graduate school mess. So far I've sent 8 emails and still have no answers. Let's hope I can get it all sorted out, less I will be enrolling as an undergraduate student again. Trust me when I say this, THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING.

Next stop, choooooo, chooooo; home. I need some R&R from this long today already. Maybe I will go for a run if it doesn't rain cats and dogs outside. We actually need the rain so bring it on sky.

Stumbling, rumbling & fumbling

Monday July, 19th

This morning started off the same as my normal Monday. Getting up, fighting falling back to sleep, stumbling down the stairs, brushing teeth, washing face, then packing my bag to train and then on my way to train.

Items in my bag today:
Trainers (for comfort)
Sprint Spikes (for practice)
Running pants (just in case it rains)
iPod Touch & headphones (for sanity)
Change of clothing (for hygiene)
Cell Phone (for emergency)
Vans (for lifting)

I left my laptop today because I am attempting to teach myself to not be so dependent on it. I have also decided to retire from Facebook and Twitter altogether until I find myself in a place where I have them around but don't necessarily need them. I guess my life is a life long journey teaching me the subtle ways of humility and self sacrifice.

This morning I am also praying for my grandmother who was rushed to the hospital yesterday in excruciating pain. I pray that she is alright. She was released with pain medication but who knows what those docs are encouraging her to put into her body. Well fingers and heart crossed. I'm off to weights. God is good and so are you.

Signing off,

D

Dream Shoes

My Dream Shoes: I need these!!! $160.00 RETAIL. At those prices I won't ever be able to afford these babies. wishfulthinking*

Get Involved with Nike Shoe Recycling | Reuse-A-Shoe & Nike Grind

Get Involved with Nike Shoe Recycling | Reuse-A-Shoe & Nike Grind

I try to donate every old pair of my running shoes. Its a great way to reduce waste.

scorcher = torture

Friday July 16, 2010

So to begin this I will tell the truth, "It was friggin hot today!!!!" I literally thought my skin was going to melt away from my flesh. I warmed up and 30 minutes later Skate-to-Foot. I managed 6 steps this time. Still 6 decent steps. Norvell and Joe killed me. I was sad for a moment, next. Everything seemed normal until I started the running part of our workout. Sun + Humidity + Being out of Shape = Death

It felt as if someone injected a straw into my body and began to slurp all of my energy. The thermometer on my phone displayed 93 degrees but it felt like 193 degrees. I mean it literally was hazy on the track from the Sun beams raining down on me. Good thing I hydrated really well before I left the house. Otherwise I would still be out on the track now, passed out and turning into a raisin.

One more truth: I am out of shape but I won't feel sorry for myself. I've learned to take it a day at a time. Step by step, slow and steady. The entire time I ran I kept telling myself, "This will all pass, its going to be alright." Comforting words from my inner me willing me to continue. Once I was done in from the running. This time it was at least 20 degrees hotter than Wednesday, so I couldn't be too hard on myself. In the end I have to continue to push myself to become better everyday. Whether its running a little harder or doing more reps in the gym. It begins will sacrifice. I question and challenge myself to work hard even when no one is looking. That's when it counts. When the only person staring back at you is the track or a dumbbell, what do you do?

I've learned that over the years as a collegiate athlete I cheated myself so much. There where days where I eased off when I should have went harder. Lifting sessions where I had 2 more reps but quit instead. Nights where I should have studied and went to bed at a decent hour. The list goes on and on. What I learned from my past experiences is that life, school, track will give you what you put in. If you don't give 100% every time don't expect a miracle to fall from the sky. The next time I come to a fork and want to give up or quit or slack I will tell myself, "All progress in my life will occur when I dare to be better. Because I want to be better." Everyday I try to be a man of value. Exceeding what I did yesterday. Even if I am an ounce better, that's progress. Do you dare to be better?

Signing off,

D

Wakie, Wakie, Eggs & Bakie

Friday July 16, 2010

Creak, creak, creak, splash...me rolling and falling out of bed

I wake up this morning and not to my surprise I am sore. I go to raise my arms to stretch and yarn and couldn't. Ryan set me up yesterday in the weight room. On top of that my glutes, hams and hips are still sore from Tuesdays lifting session and Wednesdays track workout. So double trouble. On top of that I have a track workout today at 12 noon, so things are looking up, right? I guess I should stretch and hydrate because it's supposed to reach 100 degrees today. I don't want to pass out from heat exhaustion or spew my breakfast on my shiny new track. I'm still trying to figure out why my ankles hurt so bad as well. Maybe it was from squatting without shoes on Tuesday. Thank you Ryan.

In other news: "Le Bug" did not come to visit me last night and I was thrilled. I still had trouble sleeping. Sleeping with one eye open is difficult. I have yet to master it yet but with practice I think I will get it. Last night I declared that I couldn't allow "Le Bug" to run my life. So I took my bedroom back and continued my normal day-to-day functions but I still have my eyes open just in case he or she decides to violate again. I have a more tactical plan this time to combat its next attack. Solution: Windex! The ammonia will kill it drop dead for sure. I hate to burn a creature to death with ammonia but its either me or the bug. And the last time I checked it was my room, lol.

I think I may have found out where "Le Bug" originated from. Maybe it was this HUGE whole in my ceiling developed by rain water from a past storm that has increasingly gotten worse . Solution: Roof guy coming by today to repair it. YES!!! So hopefully by the time I'm through with the track, the hole will be patched up. Let us pray,"Dear ceiling god please will the repair man to fix my ceiling and roof today in a timely and professional manner. Amen."

Lastly, I have decided what program to take. Drum-roll please....Sports Leadership it is. Its an excellerated program, so I will earn my Master's Degree in one year as opposed to a year and a half. So all in all it took me about two days to figure this out. And the icing on the cake is that I get to go to Europe at the end of the year!!!!! You know I'm not passing that up. Let me order my passport this week. I'm excited if you can't already tell. Well that's all the excitement I have for you this morning. Off to eat and hydrate.

Signing off,

D

Can I Get an Order of Weights and a Side of Headache?

Thursday July 15, 2010

Today's training session went well. The only problem was that I had a raging headache!!! I mean this headache woke me out of my sleep this morning. So I have been up since 7 a.m. struggling. Please don't feel bad for me, lol. I need some meds.

Weights today weren't bad other than Ryan kicking my butt the entire workout. I mean on every single exercise. And if you know Ryan you know he was very modest about it too. Sarge and I were sitting back watching him cheat on push-ups. Then yelling, "You can't keep up with the old man! I'm smoking y'all!" Ryan is an entirely different animal in the weight room. this guys made a guy cry in the weight room last week during a workout. I'm talking slobber, spit, tear and boogers. I won't say what team because you may know which team would cry during a workout.. Dude is a beast, literally. Its great working beside him because he pushed you to be better. That's one of the reasons I respect him so much because he not only instructs you while you workout but he does it with you. Gotta love a trainer like that. Much respect.

Eddie came in today with his camera taking action shots. Even though I was struggling I made sure I had a straight face when he started snapping. Sometimes you gotta fake it til' you make it, lol.

In other news I have a HUGE headache, which I already mentioned but since it has yet to subside I thought I'd inform you again. I also still have no figured out what classes I want to take in the Fall. I believe I will be applying to the Sports Leadership Graduate program. Turns out that I have to reapply to the university. That should be fun. I also do not know how to do that. So that's what I will be spending the next week. Sounds like fun right? Yeah I know.

I hit the track again tomorrow. Wish me luck. I desperately need to get into so type of shape. I swear I almost died on Wednesday. Tried more skate to foot today. I only managed two steps again but it's coming along. I will master the ways of Skate-to-Foot soon. Let's hope Riley doesn't try to kill me tomorrow afternoon.

Signing off,

D

It's Official: The Good. The Bad. The Great.

Thursday July 15, 2010

I have some Good News and I have some Bad News....

The Good News: The time has finally come. After waiting for over 3 months, I finally received confirmation that I have been granted my 5th year of competition by the NCAA and the CAA. The funny thing is I was sent an email yesterday but overlooked it. In any case, I am so amped about this great news! Good thing I already have one degree. I feel that this process will be a lot smoother because I have already went through it once. Now all I have to do is do it all over again. Reminds me of practice; repetition, repetition, repetition. Secretly, I didn't want to go back to school but I did want to train and compete. I guess that's any athlete right? Can you hear me out there, lol!?


S/N: My uncle told me this morning, "I want to see you on books, television, buses, and on the Whitehouse. As soon as you get on top I want tickets to every meet." I don't know if I can pull off having the Whitehouse paint a mural of me on the outside of it but I believe Lord willing, I can muster appearing on television, lol. The reason I'm laughing because my uncle is the countriest (sp) man in the world. I can barely understand what he says sometimes because of his super think southern accent. Hahah. I can hear him now!

And the bad news....

I don't know what I want to get my Masters Degree in. I want to teach high school but I wasn't sire what. No, I don't want to be physical education teacher. I feel like that would be a cop out as much as I love to workout, I definitely do not want to chase kids all day. Then I thought about teaching History, but I know I would get bored very easily. I need to study something exciting like Pyrotechnics or Chemistry, so that I can make explosions all day!!! Oh yeah I forget I know nothing about Chemistry lol. Can you picture me as the Present Day George Washington Carver? I can. On that note the memory of Mr. Carver reminds me of something he said,

"No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving something behind."

My plan is to leave something behind for the generations behind me. I'm not sure what it will be but I'm sure it will be something great. Make sure you do the same. Challenge yourself today: Try to do something for someone else not to get credit or recognition but because you sincerely want to bring joy to their life.

The Great News is: I'M ALIVE AND SO ARE YOU!!

Signing off, gotta hit the weights,

D

Bittersweet:: The Legend of Skate to Foot

Wednesday July 14, 2010

Day 3 of the rest of my life.....

Today was the first time I stepped foot on any track in 74 days since May 15th at IC4A's. In an instance I could still imagine my coach yelling at me to run faster, harder, correcting my form as I came through the finish. I could hear the feet of my teammates strike the bleachers going up and down. 4 years of working out Monday through Friday and sometimes on Saturdays by myself working on my craft, clearing my mind, becoming one with the track. Bittersweet memories came to mind as well I could hear Jones' voice crack through the air, "Go, pick it up! Imma ride you like a pony til' you show me the money!" All distant memories now in his absence. Still in his absence I still work harder to get back where I once was. I will because I can only go up from where I came from. Faithful Farmville.

On that very track, well that very location, was the first time I ran on a huge stage. As a senior in high school I ran the 100 and 200 meter dashes, solo, at the 2006 Southern Track Classic. On that same track I went on to perfect my craft and as a sophomore at VCU I ran 21.1 and 10.5, winning the 100 and 200 meter dashes in 2007, reigning as the conferences fastest man. All distant memories now that I have graduated. My medals, trophies, certificates and articles all collect dust these days. They scream for more company. So you know I will try to please them. Anything in my path this year will be conquered.

In the end I realized that being the best in your team doesn't matter much. Being the best in the conference does. Then being the best in the Region, then the Nation. And eventually the World. I have been blessed to this point to be fortunate to experience the top and the bottom. What a humbling experience that I thank God for every morning. Everyday I can get out of bed with my full motor functions is another day I can get better.

The track looks different now, it has been resurfaced. It feels different too but at the end of the day a track is a track. I don't know if its fast or slow. I've never heard of someone calling a track fast until a fast person has run on it. As for my new track, we will do war sometime in the near future but as for now, I will train and get back in shape so that when I am challenged by you, I will conquer you. I promise.

Today I attempted to learn Skate to Foot, key word "attempted" and yes I failed miserably. I only managed two decent steps (if that). I hate not being able to get something down on the same day. Coach Riley says it takes time and I suppose I do have time, not but time. I will practice it everyday until I get it. This at least gives me something to work on and master. Its so hard to change something you've been doing for so long. You all have no idea how frustrated I was. And if you know me you know I will do it over and over until I get it right. Karise video taped me over and over. I could tell she was getting tired so I stopped after an hour. I will get it soon. I have too.

Weights tomorrow at 10 a.m. with Ryan and I'm still sore from yesterday. Gotta push through it. My man Einstein wrote, "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value." Well since I value success I will be just fine.

Signing off,

D

Attack of "Le Bug"

Wednesday July, 14, 2010

So, last night I figured I'd get a really good night of sleep, being that I will be hitting the track for a noontime practice, "Le Bug" had other plans. I come into my room and I'm greeted by this huge bug. The first thing that comes to my mind is Darwin, "Survival of the Fittest" echoed through my mind. If thought, "It's only a bug, you kill it and you get to go to sleep.

So I proceed my siege of this creature that was keeping me from my comfie bed. I swat at it, I chase it but somehow it must have mastered the ways of ninja stealth. Maybe it was watching movies with me these past two months. No matter it learned I had to destroy it or woo it to another room that wasn't my own.

In my delirium, mental and physical exhaustion I retired to my bed. I decided to wait for it to make its move. I cut the lights off and waited. After 20 minutes of waiting or so, I heard it. Well I heard some sort of flapping. I look up and it was crawling on my ceiling. Now I'm thinking, "How did it get from the floor to the ceiling that fast."

In any case I sought to destroy this enemy of mine. I grab my weapon on choice, a box of mini blinds, figuring I could kill it with one swipe. I landed a glancing blow and it survived! Perplexed and confused I made my next attack more calculated. But this time it sensed it was in real danger and scurried on the ceiling with incredible speed. I hit swiped it again and it sprouted wings and flew. This is when I realized that this was no normal bug.

Now I'm kinda of scared, I hit "Le Bug" twice with everything I had and it wasn't fazed. It mocked me by flying. After an hour of searching for it again, with not results I immediately I packed my laptop, phone, pillows and comforter up and sleep downstairs on the couch.

So after a night of laying on the couch, I realized that I should never be defeated by anything, no matter how large or small it is. I once read a quote that said, "Never ask God to give you a lighter load, ask Him for a stronger back." Well God I am asking you for just that.

Signing off,

D

Day 2 of My Journey

Tuesday July 13, 2010

Today was a lot different from any normal day of training. Yes, I did lift. Yes, I did run. But something was different. Maybe its just me but this morning I woke up with purpose. more purpose and determination than I have had in a long time. It felt good to feel good.

Yesterday's 30 min run can still be felt right now, after my 3 hour personal workout alongside my trainer Ryan. This guy is a machine and a top notch trainer. He knows so much about my sport that he amazes me when he explains why he's having me do the exercises. I respect him even more because he does them with me. Its kind of like we're growing together through this entire process.

Did I mention I am so sore already. I will be hurting tomorrow I'm sure. Oh well it's apart of the process of getting back on top of the CAA. I will do it with my team behind me. Much love to Team No Days Off, which consist of a conglomerate of athletes from a number of different disciplines. Karise, Price, Ryan, Niko, Sarge and myself. We get after it 4 days a week in the weight room, getting better everyday and growing together as a unit. Together we push each other to be better each session. I love them.

Well this is my first log, stay tuned to my progress and my thoughts during this journey.

Signing off,

D