Wining Finals
After a relatively short period of training starting Mid March after a knee injury in October 2014, training into Bahamas went really well and I ended up splitting a 51s leg in the 4x400m relay. We ended up in 6th and everything looked good going into the season.
However, after leaving Bahamas I had two weeks off with a chest infection which put all my plans back by 2-3 weeks to allow me to recover properly which meant I struggled to break 53s at the races leading up to the Pan Am Games selection. It was a horrible time, knowing I had run so quick in the World Relays but not being able to reproduce that!! Even though the people around me were telling me that come Nationals in Edmonton I would be returning to form, it never appeared that way. In fact, at several points during the weeks leading up to the Championships I almost quit, never got on a plane to Edmonton and when I eventually got there almost got back on the plane to Toronto.
After talking during the week with a few people I trust they persuaded me to turn up and trust myself and my body. Ive been blessed this season with a support group who are forever positive and totally professional in their approach to making sure I start to regain the standards from 7 years previous when I had reached the semi final of the Olympics in Beijing.
Even on the day of my first race, everything seemed to be going wrong. The schedule had been changed from the one earlier in the week, and no-one had thought to tell me. In fact, it was only when I got a call from one the coaches asking where I was did I realise I had two hours to race and I was still getting ready to leave!!! Luckily my ride was able to take me earlier than planned and I got there with enough time to do my warm up.
Once I get to start line it is all or nothing…its never been different. I don’t like losing to anyone and at times Im probably unrealistic with my running ambitions but that’s what has made me National Champion 4 times now despite injuries.
I couldn’t believe the time of my semi final. Even more than that the final, where I had time to plan my warm up, surprised me and I suspect a lot of other people that I ran even quicker!!
Medal Ceremony
Much of that has to go to the people who helped me during the winter, to do everything that I hadn’t done in the years before…get strong, stay healthy and stop chasing things, rather let them come to me. Luckily the work that was done earlier in the year helped me recover between races and even though I haven’t got out of bed for 2 days since the Nationals I’m injury free and now ready for another 6 weeks training through to Beijing for the World Champs…..hopefully a fitting return from being at my peak in 2008, going to the same place and track as my first Olympics!!
What have I learnt so far? Having positive people around you that believe in you and that you trust to deliver what they say they are going to deliver. Trying to eliminate those around you that just feed negativity. Not chasing things and allowing them to come to you when you are ready. Realising that I have good people around me in Toronto and Edmonton helping me….and that when I consider everything in my life Im blessed and thankful for everything that has happened to get me to here. Even though its been very hard road, I guess sometimes things happen to guide us to a certain point in our lives where we meet and connect with the right people for us to perform.
Now Im travelling back to Toronto for the Opening Night of ‘Metamorphosis’ Nude Athlete Exhibition at the Akasha Arts Project….very scary but hoping that we raise lots of money in support of Canadian Athletes. The show in open from July 9th August and everyone is welcome to come along to support us (See Blog below).