One More Time

Post Race/Pre Race

11:40pm

I'M IN THE QUARTERFINALS BABY!!!!!!

By the grace of God I made it through the semis to the quarterfinals. I will be the first to say that I didn't have a perfect race but that imperfect race extended my season. So elated. Before the race all I could think of was, "Make the top 3 and you're in." I wish I would have taken my own advice. I wound up finishing fourth in my heat and had to wait 20 mins after my heat to see if I made it in. That was the longest 20 mins of my life!!! Thank goodness I made it in. The news also calmed Riley's nerves. We have been training too hard for me not to advance. It's all starting to pay off.

My season has been extended until tomorrow. I run one more time. I have one more chance to make it to Nationals in Iowa next month. You don't have to tell me how HUGE making it to the next stage is; I know all too well. After failing to make it to the the second round in years past, I will NOT make the mistake of letting this opportunity slip away from me. This is the most important meet of my career and between me and you I felt the pressure. As I got dressed I was so nervous, I had to sit down and control my breathing. Being here just seemed so surreal and what's even more surreal is the fact that I actually have a legitimate chance of making it to Nationals.

From humble beginnings I came to now competing on the one of the biggest stages in college athletics. I cannot thank God and all of the experience I have been allowed to endure enough for preparing me for this moment in time. I admit, I'm not the most humble person when it comes to certain things but sometimes in life there are moments where the culmination of everything you've accomplished becomes meaningless. One of my teammates Dominic texted me and encouraged me. His text read, "You're right there with everyone, Anyone can make it in (Nationals). Why not DeAngelo Wilson." He's exactly right, why not me? Why not now?

Tomorrow I will need to bring more heart, more determination and more focus than I did today. Tomorrow will be my moment in time and I MUST show up. Currently, I sitting 14th going into the quarterfinals. The top 12 go to Nationals and I plan on making it to Nationals. My start has to be smoother and my finish stronger. I will keep those two thing sin mind while I'm in the blocks. When that gun goes off tomorrow, that will be my signal to make history and Shock The World!

And if I don't make it to Nationals, I am more than pleased with my career and even more thankful for my coaching staff, teammates, friends and family for believing and supporting me through it all. You all are who I do it all for. Of course I want the glory too but if it wasn't for you all I would just be running without a purpose. This one's for you. I will never forget what I've learned and will forever be a Ram.

Signing off,

-d

Tomorrow is the Beginning of the Rest of My Life

5:06pm

5.25.11

Pre Race Thoughts

Tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of my life. Well my track life at least. Tomorrow is my 3rd NCAA East Regionals appearance in 5 years and this is the most important one. Tomorrow sums up 5 years of ups, downs and sacrifices. It also will sum of 5 years of mental, physical and spiritual battles. Coupled with coaching changes, injuries that reignited my love for my craft and the reintroduction of me. This has by far been my best season. they say good things come to those that wait. It feels like it took an eternity to get to this moment in time. As cliche as this may sound, its all true. All in all, I know that everything happens for a reason. This is the perfect time for me to showcase what I have learned and to overcome myself, the doubts, the times I wanted to give up and the 2 hamstring injuries that almost stole my love for track & field.

Over this year I have learned a lot about myself. My teammates say that I'm old. but I'm aged like fine wine. I believe that my age has been a great advantage for me on the track this season. My experience and knowledge of track and field has grown over the years. I have a bette understanding of how to my body works and how my body responds to certain types of training. This season, I am in the best shape of my life. I have never been so focused, determined and anxious to get better. There has never been a time in my career where I had truly had the will to be the best as I do now. This meet tomorrow will showcase what I have learned over these past 5 years. Yet, I know I still have more to learn.

Truthfully, the two main reasons for me coming back and competing in my final season were my team and my dream of going pro. Through all the unsuccessful tries of winning a conference championship, I still believed that above all, NOT winning a conference championship was the best thing for my career. Some may say that I'm crazy for feeling this way but I believe that all of the knowledge, experience and success that I have acquired with out winning one is just a powerful as being a multiple conference champion. Going pro has always been my dream since I was a little kid. My dream of becoming the best and being recognized as the best is so rewarding to me. I pray that I will NEVER lose the hunger I have now.

To me, nothing is more powerful than learning from those who have been around for a long time. I had guys like Dirty, Davion and Jackie (former teammates) to teach me how to both be a competitor and a man. Learning to be a competitor and a man go hand in hand. Learning how to practice, compete and live with integrity and discipline is to me what makes you a true champion. Aside from the medals, ribbons and recognition, being able to hone these traits are immensely important to making the transition from adolescent hood to manhood.

Tomorrow is the day that everything comes to fruition. What I have learned, what I haven't learned and what I have taught myself. I'm both excited and anxious to lace up my spikes, put on my VCU, black and gold and fly. Tomorrow I run for my family, my team and my dreams. George Washington once said, "No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving something behind." I pray that when my time is done on the track, I will have left something behind for someone to take hold of and run with.

Signing off,

-d