Things we do to hurdle

This is dedicated to my fellow IH buddy Jess. On the way to New Englands, as I proceed to get lost in the burbs, we started blurting out the things that we do just to hurdle. Oh the madness and I know that there are many more we haven't come across yet!

1. Take an hour to drive to a meet that's only 20min away
2. Drive for 2.5hrs one way then a couple hours later drive back 2.5 hrs
3. Do a half bitten power 15min warmup before a race
4. Endure absurd temperatures
5. Wait inbetween monsoons to go for a run
6. Run in those monsoons when they just won't break
7. Take the entire side of a knee off
8. Lie and say that you're still in college and maintaining yourself while "on break" all the while practicing on a track your not supposed to be on
9. Dip into the cash reserve to buy plane tickets
10. Wake up early on a morning you could be sleeping in
11. Find obscure objects like barricades and hurdle them (even moving ones)
12. Watch the sky get really dark and light up then continue to do the workout
13. Get excited when you find out that jumping in the air if lighting's about to stike you could save your life
14. Bruise toes, feet, legs to no end
15. Miss out on parties during holidays
16. Get lost in the wrong part of town (aka the ghetto)

To be continued....

There's no place like...

KANSAS!! Dorothy has clicked her spikes 3 times and is on her way to Club Nationals! I got my break in the 400 hurdles today, I hit the qualifying standard with a few seconds to spare. Though I won't pretend that it was a pretty sight, I still need some work with my form, but for what it's worth it was my debut race and I haven't had as much time working with the hurdles as I should have under my belt, I'll take it. I have 4 weeks to pelter out form and rack up some speed. In the line up for the meet today I also threw in the 800 for good measure. It wasn't disasterous, obviously needs work (as much of my racing does), but my time is going in the right direction...down, I'll take that one too. Then I topped off the absurd double with a leg in the 4x4. Hey we can't win then all, but not totally a bust.

The highlight of my day besides my hurdle time was my family came down to watch and cheer me on, even though today was Father's Day and they could have been doing other things with my Dad. It's a blessing to me that they finally are much more supportive with my running than in the past and take the effort to come to meets when possible. Might have to be with the baby sis who's following in her big sister's footsteps or that they realize that it's my passion and want to support it. Whatever the cicumstance may be, I'll take it.

What a fabulous day. Got to believe that anything's possible if you set your mind to it!

My lil 100m hurdler

Another Simple Thanks

"A father gives a child his DNA but a Dad gives a child his heart."

A special thank you to my Dad, grandfather, and all the other dads out there. What's a girl to do with out the guidance and unconditional love of her dad (and Pepere). Oh and who would be there to fix her car when the thing goes awry, or to disapprove of all the guys she dates. Thanks for being the men in my life that I know I can always count on!

HAPPY DAD'S DAY!

Dedication or Just Plain Craziness

Today's one of those days when I wonder what's really going on in my head. Am I a sheer mental case or truly dedicated? Maybe a bit of both? You won't find many people out doing a grueling workout in the 90 degree heat and blazing sun at noon. There certainly wasn't anyone out on the track joining in my madness. I guess my passion and drive exceeds the pain? Which coincidentally yesterday a regular at my restaurant and I had somehow gotten on the topic of running (not a hard thing to do), he then said to me at the end of our conversation that he's never seen someone talk about something and light up the way I did when I talked about running. What a way to put it in to perspective. Thank you dear patron for making me not doubt or confuse my devotion to the sport.

Following the 'Red Rubberized Road'

The munchkins told me that if I follow the 'Red Rubberized/Synthetic Road' that it would lead me to Emerald City then I'd be on my way to Kansas. Well I've been following this road for a very long time and I can see the Emerald City across the field through all the jumpers and throwers but I'm not there yet. It's all that witches fault making it so difficult to get there. And now she's put a sleeping spell on me. I will fight my way through this little detour though, smack right into Emerald City-it won't know what hit it- then jet set my way to Kansas.
Haha I couldn't resist using that analogy, first because "The Wizard of Oz" is one of my all time favorite movies and because the club National meet just happens to be in Kansas. I seriously feel like Dorothy trying to find her way to the EC running into setbacks and overcoming them to finally get home. Though I was hoping for my breakthrough at the HiPi meet yesterday it didn't happen. I'm not devastated, bummed a bit yes, but I will give myself on leap forward since I did run the most even split 800 that I've run in a long time. Now the task at hand is getting good leg turn over, which with speedy workouts I shouldn't have too much of an issue. The next task is figuring out what exactly I want to try to qualify for.There's 3 races that I could potentially hit the mark, but timing is everything. I think that I'm going to have to let the next couple of practices dictate that. To hurdle or not to hurdle that is the biggest question. Hmmmmm...can you smell the smoke. --Hey watch it now, it's not what you're thinking-it's the witch melting away.