Hi everyone. My fan base is starting to span all across the world which is becoming very exciting. I keep getting more friend request on my facebook from young throwers and thrower enthusiasts from all over the world. It reminds me of the time I went to France and I met a thrower and he’s first words in broken English were, “I saw you on the toilet.” Referring to the photo I staged over a porcelain hole in the ground that was called a toilet. hehe Famous or Infamous… only a few letters separate the two.
First off let me say thank you to New York Athletic Club for sponsoring me and letting me be me. I would also like to thank all my fans/friends/family/throwing world/strangers/everyone out there who wished me luck, have sent me supportive emails and letter, care boxes, and donated to my training to make this possible. I just got my highest placing in USA’s of my career and it is just the beginning…. Let’s get ready for the American Record in Outdoors!
Hope you had a great weekend and got to check out the closing ceremonies of the Olympics and catch some of the action. My favorite is the bobsled events. I love watching it. I think before this body is retired, I might have to try my hand at it as well. It seems to be a theme among us top hammer throwers as of late.
But I also hope you got a chance to see in person or on ESPN the USATF Indoor Championships where I got to compete this past weekend. For the first time ever, it was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I thought they did a great job of presenting the events and getting butts in the seats!
So before I go spoiling everything that happened, I have arranged the blog in
Going into the Big Meet:
I got a little sick earlier in the week and was feeling so lousy we actually had to cut one of the training practices and then be really careful with other. We had been working on some great things in my technique and I was getting really excited, so when I started to get sick, I panicked a little. Well, on the inside. I didn’t want anyone else to know how bad I really felt and that I was worried it would affect my competition on Saturday.
However, I knew the work I had put in the past months and knew how close I was to figuring out some things and just needed to feel half way good to figure out a way to make it happen. I pretty much kept to myself, trying to focus on staying mentally strong even if I felt physically weak. I focus on the things I can control and not the ones I cannot. I was downing my EmergenC like I do and was going to bed super early as well.
Training, I just kept focusing on finishing out the plan. My hamstring and shoulder that have been plaguing me all season were controllable and starting to feel pretty good. I have a shortened peak for indoors, nothing like outdoors, so I still didn’t feel as sharp as I would have hoped. Also, I came out here in November instead of a little earlier because I was still trying to raise a few more dollars to live on. But overall pleased with the hard work I have been putting in and what I have been getting out of it.
I have noticed over the years an inner strength is started to grow inside when I walk into competitions. I jokingly talk about how old I am getting, but there is a stronger confidence coming from this experience. While in years past I would have panicked or second guess myself, wanting to slip in last minute practices because the last week wasn’t a great as I wanted, but I knew that I was good. I just needed to compete. That calm really helped me going into Saturday.
I flew in the day before. It was nice to have my own giant bed and room. Not that I don’t enjoy staying with Abby, but I’m always a quiet reflection type when preparing for big meets and it’s nice to get some alone time with me and my computer and my good ol’ fashion romance novel. Yep, I don’t think a single major competition has ever passed that I did not read a romance novel. Even getting ready for trials, that morning, just reading and relaxing to prepare.
Throwing at Indoor Nationals:
I am completely focused, I am zen.
We had a new venue this year for indoor championships at the convention center in New Mexico. It was a really great facility and the crowd was amazing. Though I’m usually not a big fan of being separate from the track area to compete, New Mexico and USATF did a great job of making sure we were incorporated in the meet in announcements, on the big screen, and we had a great crowd around the throwing area!
Warming up, I was cool, calm, and collected. I had started to feel better by the weekend, and for the first time in many years, I was going into a competition ready to throw far. Though I think I definitely had the skills to throw further in the past, I competed too scared, too timid, and afraid to mess up. I’m typically not a big warm-up type throwing, but I had some pretty impressive, “easy” warm-ups that went flying. It made me very excited to see what would happen when I put some heat on the ball.
My first throw was a little off. I unveiled my uniform for USA’s and was stepping in the circle. I still get the jitters when I take that first inhale when I get in the ring, just like the very first day I competed in the hammer. I hope never to lose that feeling, but sometimes it helps a big throw come and sometimes… sometimes you’re just jittery.
Second and third throw I was easing further and further from Erin. I never discount her as an athlete because she is so talented and has thrown the weight 81! Amber was securely in first, and while I hate to lose, I know the weight throw is not an Olympic event, the hammer is. I use the weight as tool to throw the hammer far. I sacrifice distance in indoors with that, but I get the benefit come outdoors.
By the time finals was rolling around, I was getting anxious to hit my big mark. I kept just missing the feel I was going for and was running out of opportunities. Plus, my stupid hamstring really started to bug me again as the comp went on. I think my best throw came on my5th. I realized how much I had missed the finish and last turn by and felt confident for my last throw that all would come together.
Erin’s last throw was her best coming within centimeters from me. It was a little nerve racking knowing my spot was not secure until them, but I’ve learned not to worry about your competitors or what they do. If I execute probably, none of that will even matter.
So in the end, I placed 2nd with a throw of 21.99m, just over 72ft one of best throws in years. There are some things I am happy with, but also some things I am excited on working on in outdoors. Like I said, I placed 2nd my highest finish yet at USA’s but I am not content. Instead of sitting back, content, I am using this as a spring board to keep me moving ever closer to my goal of an Olympic medal in the hammer.
They actually put the top three of us on ESPN. Check it out.
Hope everyone’s training and life is going well and I look forward to seeing everyone for outdoors!
“Some succeed because they are destined to; most succeed because they are determined.”
I am determined.
P.s. Thanks to Gill Athletics who put on the after party in the hotel to allow us athletes to mingle and take a load off after the meet! The electric slide was fun!
March 2nd, 2010
This is just a quick rant after watching some of the Winter Olympics over the t.v. the past couple of days.
This is sad. Bronze medalist using his Olympic medal as a fake penis and having slutty drunk girl pretend to suck it. Classy
Now as a summer Olympic athlete, the media sometimes wants to know how we view our colder cousin or what our favorite sports are the watch during the Winter Olympics. I personally enjoy watching the human body perform many different things. During the summer love the diving, gymnastics, and of course track and field. Also, during the winter I love the speed skating and ice skating, and have even caught a few curling matches, however, there is one event in particular that leaves bad taste in my mouth. It’s the X-game type events at the Olympics.
Okay what’s my gripe? It’s not that I don’t think these people are athletic, or talented, or that what they do is hard. It is the athlete’s themselves. I remember watching the Winter Olympics at Salt Lake and in an interview after winning a medal, the female snow boarder and her teammate were obviously on something and bragging about going and “puffing the magic dragon” after they left. (Yes drug reference).
But being proud of being a pot head isn’t the only thing. It doesn’t seem they understand or really care about what it means to be an Olympian. We train our whole lives, give everything, fight for every inch and every second, hours of dedication, and here comes a group of ski bums who are rich enough to snowboard year round and given an Olympic uniform (even if it is ugly plaid and blue jeans). The Australian gold medalist female snow boarder was asked what it felt like to be the first in her country to win a gold medal in the winter Olympics. She literally starts her answer with the Olympics are like any other competition… Really, something that only comes every 4 years and is you representing something bigger than yourself, your COUNTRY!, and something that can be lost in just the smallest of error is just like every other snow boarding competition? Really?
Then I look at their behavior at the Olympics. One getting kicked out of the village for a bar fight, the other taking his bronze medal at a party and pretending that a girl is giving him fellatio. Wow, your medal must be pretty important to you if you allow slutty girls to put it in their mouths and you act like it is your weiner… Disgraceful.
There are also a lot of other things where they mock athletes/athleticism, mock working hard. All in all, the X-game athletes don’t really seem to embody the Olympic spirit. Yeah it’s exciting to watch, yeah it makes the Olympics a lot of money, but is that really what it is about? Shouldn’t it mean something to be an Olympian, to represent your country? It’s sad and shameful that some of those athletes and myself can both say we are Olympians. I feel it some how darkens my accomplishments and sacrifice. What being an Olympian means to me and what it means to me is different. It’s not just another title, it’s who I am.
Very very sad indeed.
February 21st, 2010
Hi all,
Hope you had a great weekend and was able to spend Valentine’s Day with someone special (or able to eat that carton of ice cream, watching cheesy romance comedies, while crying and trying not to call every past relationship you’ve every had.) um…
Life at the World Throws Center:
Well we’ve added some new faces to the World Throws Center, O.P. from India and his coach Dihlon (I spelled that wrong… I’m too lazy to google it right now). So that’s brings our elite training group to Abby Ruston-shot, Kevin Bookout-shot, Dan Taylor-shot, Vikas Gowda-discus, O.P.-shotput, and still the lowly hammer thrower of the group who has the most pathetic upper body strength to everyone me, Loree Smith.
We have a fun group and not only do we have fun pushing one another, we have fun just having fun. Before workout starts during warm-up, we sometimes throw the football around, make our favorite t.v. show quotes, share a hilarious story, make fun of one another, and other forms of tomfoolery.
We are getting excited as a group as our energy comes up and we are peaking for USA’s. I think it will be a great meet for us.
NAU Feb 13th Run Down:
(I won)
O.P. is either really tall or I am really short!
This past weekend I was able to compete at NAU again with the weight throw. After a very stressful week where I once again asked myself what am I doing, I was able to feel some things getting better for the meet. My right foot was very unresponsive last meet and was causing a lot of other problems like an over active left side, catching the ball late, and bending slightly forward instead of sitting back in the throw. That getting better resulted in a more powerful feeling during the throw, but I wasn’t able to put together a full three throws.
I won the event and may have even got the meet record… I’ll have to check my facts before stating it for sure. I threw 21.75m or about 71 and a half feet with a 20lbs ball, the next closest right there at 21.74m and that was the throw I spun out of the finish. Imagine if I would have stuck it… Anyway.
There were some very close ones missed because of the finish! But that should be better by indoor nationals. I have been having some better practices and it’s really starting to feel better now that I can go into practice and not feel like crap and am focusing in on specifics verses having the feeling that everything is off.
All in all, Dave Dumble and I are really excited for changes I am starting to feel and it will come out even more so with the hammer. American Record anyone?
Life and Such:
Loree and Abby's "Superbed" Bedroom
I was the recipient of a grant from USATF Foundation! I am very excited to announce this. The Foundation has done so much for my career as an athlete, I can’t even begin to show my gratitude and appreciation for their help over the years. This grant will help with so much especially since I’ve been living off my credit card for a while.
Speaking of saving money, my teammate/training partner/friend Abby Ruston and I just moved into our room, as in single room. Yes I am an Olympic athlete, 27 year old female with a college degree, and genius IQ and everything I own not only fits into my ‘05 matrix but also fits neatly into a single room of another 26 equally accomplished female thrower… Does that make me a winner? Yes, yes it does. lol
Any way, I guess that’s it for now. I’m looking forward to USA’s and then sneaking in some time to visit friends before outdoors gets too crazy. Hope everyone the best of luck this week and we’ll chat soon.
February 18th, 2010
Something I try to tell myself anyway…
Hope everyone has had a great couple of weeks. So what has happened here in the world of Loree Smith at Athletes’ Performance.
Well, not a lot. I am currently nursing a hamstring injury back to full health that has been nagging and woke up again at the last meet. I’ve also had some on going shoulder, elbow, wrist pain-hurt fun stuff that I’m not excited about. I’m angry and disappointed when I get hurt seeing the time missed and wondering if my body is falling apart! Sometimes things hurt and I didn’t even realize I had them.
I started this entry in the blog and I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to write about since nothing special ever happens in my life and I already spoke of my under whelming performance the previous weekend.
I throw again this weekend at NAU hoping to improve upon my opening meet results. I have a clear picture of what I would like to do with my throw, I understand the technique I want, however energy and injuries and lack of getting a clear understanding of what I am doing wrong is very frustrating at the moment! I go to bed tired, I wake up tired, train tired. I am looking forward to the magical moment when things will not hurt and I will have energy and my technique falls into place and then… BOOM!
My training partner (Abby) and I are about to move into my roommate’s bedroom. She has the larger of the two rooms and in order to save some money, Abby and I are going to split rent and share a room. Yes, you heard it here. Superbed as we playfully call it. Others would call it a full-size and queen-size bed shoved together in the corner of an empty room because everything we own fits in our car and we don’t own anything…. um. So we are looking forward to Valentine’s of sharing our first night together in superbed.
We are going to take a video and put it up on my youtube page (you should check it out if you haven’t seen it yet). It will look something like MTV cribs but be way more ghetto and shorter because like we said, we will be sharing one room and don’t own anything besides our superbed.
Abby is also making an awesome montage of video clips and pictures of me, so look for that soon.
My outfit this weekend will be amazing, very cute and playful, and my throwing should be further!
Good luck this week and happy valentine’s day! (not really if I am alone and sad, you should be too)
February 10th, 2010
“But I compare myself to my potential and will always continue to be better than I am.”
Hello all and hope you had a great new year’s. I was able to slip away from the life at the World Throws Center long enough to feel normal and see my good friends for a few days. It was even nice to trade in my sports bra for a push up and my tennis shoes for some mean looking heels for a day. Here is a quick photo of me at new year’s. My hair is getting so long from the great mullet cut disaster of ‘04.
No that isn't a shirt, it's my dress
However, now it is back to business and preparing for the indoor season.
So it’s been a while sense I’ve updated my blog. I’ve done a few video blogs that for some reason the sound doesn’t link up when I upload it and the free Internet I steal at home because I cannot afford Internet service is very hit and miss.
Training:
People want to know how training is going, so here is a run down.
I’m getting stronger and getting more fit. I’m pushing weight for reps that I have only done in the past for singles and there are lifts that I have returned to that I haven’t done in years. I’m looking forward to the next phase in lifting as my body is on the brink of exhaustion (it being that part of the phase) and I’m starting to get little tweaks. Just in time for the recovery week!
I admit that it is a little new going back to so much strength training after the bare minimum under Stewart, but contrary to what people think of me, I don’t hate being strong or lifting. Stewart never hated strength, he hated dumb muscle. He once told me I should be able to clean my body weight for five and I thought he was crazy. Now I could gain 30lbs and clean my body weight for 5. I like it when I can start to see muscles in my body or I lift a weight I’ve never done. Lifting is one of those things you almost see an immediate return on your effort investment. You lift, you get stronger. Throwing not so much.
However, the most important thing for me as a THROWER is throwing. I only want to be as strong as I can use in my throw, anything else it a waist of time and energy. If I get giant pecs and can’t put my arms together to grab the hammer, then that is stupid. If my shoulders get so chunky and strong that I cannot relax and elongate my arms, then that is stupid. If I spend so much energy and time and effort trying to max out in bench press that I cannot throw for three days, then that is stupid. I’m not against being strong, I’m against things that hinder my growth in the technique and throw.
Having strength isn’t bad. However, for women’s throwing, the implement is very light. It is a speed event. There is a certain finesse you should feel (I feel) when it goes from 66m to 70m and I am looking for it as I am trying to hit 74,18m (just a number I thought up and am fixed on). Adding power to the hammer can be very tricky and if I overpower the hammer or do sudden jerky motions, I lose the finesse. The reason I have preached against strength in the past because I feel most people fixate on strength rather than technique.
For some, it’s easier to just be weaker so as not to be inclined to do this (but you are limited). For some, it is easier to be strong as shit so you don’t think about technique and just rip it (but you are limited). I think I am at a place right now where I know the feeling I am looking for and I can add strength and power without losing sight of what I am doing in the throw. I feel like this year I will be a good balance of power, strength, speed, and technique. I’m not on either extreme.
So what am I doing in training?
Clean: 105k x 4, Push Press: 85k x 4, Snatch 70k x 4 (hurt shoulder so easy on these), Ft. Squat: 250lbs x 6, um… bench lol: 150lbs x 6. Plus I do a bunch of other stuff that is amazing! lol
The combine players (or football players who are here training for the draft) have told me how impressed they are with my strength and I tell them that I am waiting to be impressed by theirs…lol.
Throwing:
Throwing is getting better all the time. I have really been working on moving my energy across the circle. With Stewart, he ingrained the idea of 180 in my skull every waking moment of the day. However, I really didn’t understand it, what it meant. I would see it every time, however there were flaws in my technique. In an effort to exaggerate seeing 180, I had a pause in my turns, a weird glitch. I was also very rotational. My power turned with me instead of moving TO 180.
With Dave, I am really working on the elliptical and allowing the ball to move to 180 and not just through. However, there is still a lot of work to be done. When I was in Hungary this summer, the coach so I could throw 74 to 75m and while I wanted to believe, I didn’t see how. But now knowing how much speed and power I possess, how tight my technique can be, and now getting all of it into the throw. I will go that far.
Competitions:
My indoor season opener will be at NAU on January 30th. Just an easy throw, easing into the season. No expectations yet.
Life:
Uh, what life. I wake up thinking about track and then I practice, then I eat in my car on the way to lifting, then I lift, then I come home and eat dinner and usually babysit, and then I go to sleep thinking about track.
I have been reading a lot more inspirational writing and mental toughness books because I think it is not only important to be strong in technique, strong in body, but also strong in will and strong and mind.
Sometimes your heart gives up before your body. Sometimes you lose sight of what you are working for. Sometimes even the best of us lose a little hope.
It’s great to have good friends, training partners and coaches, but it is even more important to be able to rely on yourself.
As for my social life. I have gotten some facebook messages from young male throwers who have told me they wished I was their girlfriend… I am super flattered. I never really think of myself of this hot chick. However, in real life I have went on a couple of online dates that have resulted in super losers. Sorry if you are reading this and realize I am talking to you (actually I’m sorry I went on a date with you).
One, if I have asked you to stop contacting me and you are a grown man, please stop emailing me and speaking of our future together. Don’t send me a video of your house telling me the only thing missing is me. Don’t talk about “our child” when I told you I don’t like you and will never have yours or anyone’s baby. Don’t text me at 5am. Don’t make a new facebook and try to befriend me. Stop quoting my blog to me. You are creepy and I think you want to kill me and wear my skin.
Two, if you went to prison and bragged about screwing over your boss and have no car because of trafficking drugs and are on probation and didn’t tell me until our date and I’ve stopped answering your messages, please stop sending them. I’m not judging you, just don’t want to date you or run you around my car.
Three, if you showed up to our date 1.5 hours late, took me to Fat Burger (where I had to pay because your card was rejected and I said no fast food please) and you ran me around in your car all day bragging about your mythical 50 sets of 50 lifting doing all while running your errands, no I don’t want a second date.
Okay, um…. that’s the end of that rant.
Loree’s Word’s of Wisdom:
So in conclusion, I am constantly humbled by the emails I receive of people who say I inspire them or love to watch me throw. I am humbled by my friends, family, and strangers who have donated to make my training possible. I am humbled by the opportunity I am given every day to train and go after such a prestigious goal.
To those out there who are training, remember it’s not how long the journey takes you, it’s not how hard to journey is. It is simply that the direction you are going will eventually take you to the place you want to be.
January 22nd, 2010
Hey all,
Hope every one’s training and life is going well. I’m still training, still healthy, getting stronger, eat every day, and still have a roof over my head so I can’t complain… I could but I won’t. lol
A lot has happened over the past two weeks so I will go ahead and separate them in headlines so you can skip to the stuff you want to read about. All of them have good stuff in there. Also don’t forget to check out my website at www.loreesmith.com and youtube page www.youtube.com/trkgal08 for other updates and photos!
Annual Meeting:
As many of you know, I try to stay active in my sport beyond that of the field. I feel if you don’t at least try to contribute to make it better then you have no place to complain about how things are run. I also enjoy giving back in areas where I am able. My contribution to this sport go beyond my athletic performance and I’d like to believe they will leave a longer lasting impression.
I serve as the women’s throw chair for the AAC, so if you are a female thrower and have questions, comments, or concerns just let me know. There are several exciting things happening in track and field right now surrounding Project 30 and Doug’s new position. We are really pushing to make USATF a bigger name and sport in the US. We are trying to raise more money and a lot of that will be going back to the athletes who need it.
There are some things with flaws, there are some things that are happening that are moving at the speed of slow, but there is a lot of good stuff too.
My next goal is to get involved in the local associations as I have yet to reach out before. We will see. I’ve email the Arizona and Long Island and waiting to hear a response…
Training:
Training here in Arizona is going well. I’m moving out of my base phase and into the strength phase, so I am enjoying the less repetitions and a little more rest. I’m seeing results of my training through my strength levels, fitness, and also (yeah I’m a girl) my appearance is changing.
Training is still hard, but we have a great supportive environment with Kevin, Abby, Trevor, Dan and newly added Vikas. We laugh a lot and joke around but when it’s time to work hard, we work hard. There is a difference between someone who is truly dedicated and someone who is just going through the motions. For myself and my training partners, good enough is not good enough and track is our first priority.
I think having to pay so much for your training through time commitment and financial it weeds out those who are partimers and slackers. Nothing worse than when you’re giving your all and you have a training partner who skips things or doesn’t push his or herself. We have a very good group in that respect.
Strength levels for those who are curious, my front squat is up to 235lbs for 6×6 reps with 1.5 min rest. I did 75k for 4×5 reps push jerk, 65k for 6×8 walking front lunges… uh, and lots of other stuff that is hard. Don’t make me flex on ya’ll. (Abby says ya’ll all the time, so now I say it more.)
Throwing is going well and I’m working on a lot of exciting things, some are very familiar feelings I had in college, technical things Stewart was working on, some things very similar to the Hungary Coach Nemeth was sharing with me, and working with Dave Dumble trying to discover the secrets of this stupid metal ball!!! I want that AR this year and I am fully committed to doing what ever I need to get where I know I can get.
As for fat camp. I was down about 3lbs, but kinda of at a standstill right now as I am obviously adding more muscle and my composition is changing. I’m still dieting and I miss ice cream, meat balls, cookies, cake, alcohol (in moderation), and all the other things that weren’t whole wheat or grew out of the ground! I still ride the elliptical twice a week and so that’s not too bad. My six pack will help me throw farther or get me a sponsor.
And for those who are interested, I will be opening indoors at the end of Jan. beginning of Feb.
Life and Thoughts:
Something recently came up (more than my usual worries of how to pay for things in 4 months) and I realized how alone I feel out here. I needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to be there and make me feel that everything was going to be alright. Sure I called my friends and family. My mother listened helpless on the phone and at the end confessed she wished there was something she could do, but couldn’t help me.
I guess I’ve learned a few lessons. I’m becoming a stronger person in the sense I look to myself for strength and help. I’ve always been pretty independent, but I realize friends and family help emotional, physical whatever is a luxury and I need to be able to first and foremost be able to take care of myself.
I also realize that sometimes I am not strong enough to do everything on my own and do have to reach out for help and there are friends and family who are more than willing while there are those who are not. I need to be thankful and I am when I receive that help and not get discouraged nor be surprised when I don’t.
I still feel this sense of emptiness here. I train and while I train, I am Loree the hammer thrower, the athlete. At the end of the day, I go home, alone, and play on my computer and I become what?
I’ve tried to share what I am doing and why but sometimes it’s hard to explain why I sacrifice so much, give so much, and try so hard. My mother (she loves me) keeps offering for me to come home, but I don’t know how to explain why I can’t. Why giving in and giving up is the worst thing I could do. I’m trying to find something about myself through this sport. I want to know what I am made of, what I am capable, and it means that much more that I fight tooth and nail to get there. If it was just handed to me, I wouldn’t deserve nor respect what I accomplished. When it happens, when I find this self discovery, I will look back at all the hardship and be proud not in the destination I achieved, but the journey I traveled.
Unless you travel your own journey and try to discover something about yourself…. it’s just hard to understand why someone would rather wait and see what happens when the bank account runs out in 4 months or trains till you want to cry when they could go home and live rent free and get a home cooked meal from their mother.
December 10th, 2009
Hello All and Hope you are enjoying the holiday season. I am enjoying Thanksgiving this year with my new training group and coach in the nice warm weather of Phoenix (well Mesa at John’s house). It was a great dinner with moist turkey, all the side fixings thanks to John’s mother and her friend. John’s wife made some awesome pies which I really shouldn’t have eaten but regret nothing! My family was so scared I would spend today alone. Unlike my birthday, I was not alone.
I am almost at the end of week three of training at the World Throws Center and my first month in Phoenix. My life is becoming routine of training, eating, and sleeping. It’s good for me because I do well with routine and I am confident everything I am dong is bringing me one step closer to my goal. My training has taken on full structure and purpose, I have a supportive coaching system, and great training partners. So I am happy even though I feel like this is the hardest I’ve ever worked… ever.
Training:
So for those who want more info about my training. Here it is. John is really good about mapping out our entire year training, so we can see what we are doing and where we are going. But he is also great with allowing room for our voice in there too by monitoring how we are feeling, asking how we are doing, and addressing those issues with the training.
Right now I am finishing up my base training of 6 sets of 8 reps with one minute rest. It doesn’t sound that bad at first, but actually try it for yourself. It’s hard. The idea is to “fail at four” which means by the 4th set you should be at your maximum effort. Not hard considering how tired you get. It’s nice to have John’s encouragement, along with my teammates pushing me as well.
A weird thing happens when you push yourself to a certain level. I’m not sure if others experience this. When I’m lifting and working out hard, feeling tired, hurting from soreness, muscles burning something happens. I approach the weight and know that it’s going to make me feel worse, know that it’s going to hurt, know it’s gonna be hard and will take everything I have to give, but I pick it up anyway. During the lift, with each rep is gets harder and harder. I’m breathing heavier, but not pulling enough oxygen to help anyway. My muscles are burning to the point that I’m not sure I’m even pushing anymore and then, then it’s over. Right after putting down the weight, I get this feeling that sort of washes over me. To be frank, it’s the feeling of crying. I don’t cry (well, I haven’t yet), but the feeling is there. I’m not sure if it’s of relief that the lift is over or knowing that it’s not over and I have more sets, days, weeks, and months of the same.
Like I said we are in a base right now so it’s 6 sets of 8 reps with a minute rest. Monday is Front Squat, Kettle Swings, Bent over row, two more rows, abs, 10×60 yard strides, and keiser runs. Then stretch, roll, and ice.
Tuesday mornings are “fat camp” as I call it which consists of several full body circuits and then elliptical training. The afternoon lifting session is push jerks, bench, three shoulders, tricep and then stretch, roll and ice.
Wednesday is the recovery day of kettle snatch, biceps, abs then stretch, roll and ice bath.
Thursday is fat camp in the morning with the circuit training and elliptical. The afternoon is back to legs with walking lunges, one arm bent over row, two more backs, and tricep 10x 60 yard strides, keisers runners again 10 x 15 secs on/ 30 secs off. Then stretch, roll, and ice bath.
Friday is kettle bell swings, bench, alt. military, two more shoulders then tricep and abs. Oh yeah and then stretch, roll, and ice bath.
Throwing:
Training with Dave is going very well. We throw Monday, Wednesday,and Saturday right now and I am looking forward to Sarah joining me so I can have some company. There are somethings really starting to feel good right now. I think a lot of it are ideas that Stewart had always wanted me to do, but I was unable. Dave’s approach has worked well for me in that sense because he lets me find the right positions. I know it sounds weird, but with Stewart he knew the right places I should be, but when I tried to force it, I was segmented, robotic while with Dave, my body finds it with balance. It’s very similar t the tings I was doing when I first learned the hammer with coach Bedard at CSU.
Dave is very supportive and encouraging and we have some great talks about the hammer. I don’t want to brag but… I really think this hammer is gonna fly this out door.
Life:
So how am I adjusting to being in a new area so far from friends and family? Well, it’s nice to have a great training group. Abby and I have turned out to be good friends with similar humors and are able to talk about our experiences and feelings in training. Sometimes it’s hard to talk to people about what I am doing, why, and how it feels because they just don’t understand. So that’s nice. The others in the training group, Kevin, Dan, Trevor, even Paul are great because we have a fun, friendly, but hard working environment. John is great because he really pushes me hard. Even when I don’t think I can, he lets me know that he believes I can, so I do it.
It gets lonely though. All I do is workout, throw, and come home to recover. My roommate and I get a long well her son is so cute. I’ve met a few of Heather’s friends and family and they have all been kind to me.
We have an awesome chiropractor, Dr. Laurie Trapp, who is also a former thrower while at LSU. I’m looking forward our girls night out.
Love life… don’t ask. I’ve already accepted there is something wrong with me and I will spend the rest of my life alone.
I feel tired all the time and cranky because I’m tired. I feel lonely a lot. I worry about a lot of things, mostly money. I watch my dwindling bank account and calculate how much longer with full-time training can last. I entertain the idea of working and then try to figure out what job will fit around training and will not tax me so much to the point that training will not be affected. Already I go to bed near 9 because I’m so exhausted and don’t get home until 5 on most nights!
I worry because I lack a safety net. Once the bank account is empty, that’s it. My family doesn’t have any money for me to borrow, even if it’s just a month’s rent. I don’t have a big sponsorship paying these bills. My friends and family have been more than gracious in helping raise some money. I have had people I haven’even had the chance to meet or thank in person who have been generous. But the truth is, I need something bigger if it is going to work. The cost of my training and coaching alone is 700 a month. That puts a lot of pressure on this season for success. I need to throw far and I need to pick up some sort of sponsorship to help make a dent.
I am a very frugal person by nature. I steal wireless Internet from across the street. I use coupons. I don’t go out to eat, don’t go to movies, don’t buy stuff. I don’t even fly home for the holidays because I can’t afford it. And even if I did have the extra $400, I would spend it on rent or bills.
Anyway, training is going well. I feel like I am finally becoming the athlete I always thought I could be and should be. Every practice has purpose and is making me better. I know I am going to throw not only further than I ever have but fighting for that American Record.
Anyway, it’s late and I’m full from an awesome dinner with great friends. I don’t feel bad about eating either, because John and I worked out this morning! Hope all of you have a great Thanksgving and thank you for reading. Oh and thank you, thank you to all who have donated and supported me. You make this possible.
Night
November 27th, 2009
It occured to me, I never shared my awesome adventure traveling 20 + hours across the west cost and three states alone. I stayed in one Rapemurder Hotel, drank around four redbulls and five venti coffees, and filled up my own gas tank for the first time in almost three years… weird!
So my trip started with trying to fit in all the good-byes to all my friends while also trying to work up to the last minute because I knew I was gonna be hurting financially as soon as I came out here. It turned out not to be a great idea and the last two weeks were very stressful and busy. I also don’t know if I’ve shared this much, but I don’t do well with emotions. It’s easier for me to go to anger than it is to admit saddness. So needless to say, I was angry and busy most of my last few days.
On Monday Monday morning, after saying my last good-byes, the previous night saying good-bye to the children of the house I lived in (my White family as my mother called them, though all my family is white… um). Oh we got waffles at Off the Waffle. So anyway, everything I owned was in the back of my Matrix with just enough room in the passenger seat to hold my goodie bag, Christina made for me complete with home-made meatballs.
Just shoes how little I've accumulated in my 27 years of life.
Shortly after leaving at 4am, I realized what a stupid idea that was. I did make it about 3 hours of driving in the dark, before I pulled the car over at a rest stop and allowed myself to close my eyes for about twenty minutes. It only took me falling asleep three times and the last time waking up from a car horn to realize I needed to lie down.
After my rest (and two venti coffees and two redbulls later) I was doing a lot better. I pulled into my hotel, the RapeMurder Inn $29 special and realized that I may not survive the night. I walked in the room, pulled off the comforter and pillows, double locked the door where I could still make out the light around the edges, and could hear people walking in the hall, coughing next door, and the cars driving on the highway. It was a classy place and the mint on my pillow was probably rat poop.
I awoke the next day to discovered not only had I not been raped, I had not been murdered either. I ran out to my car to make sure that nothing was stolen, because really, that was all I owned. Everything was there including my bikes. I stopped by the contenintal breakfast that included warm, old coffee and some powderd doughnuts and then headed back on the road to AZ and my new life.
Once getting there, I was forced to crash on Abby’s couch because I didn’t own a bed, a towel, you know the neccisities one needs to survive. But the sun was shinning, and I would start taining soon so it wasn’t too bad.
I met Heather my new roommate and her son, Brayden. Our place is just off the freeway and right hear Athlete’s Performance and not too far from ASU either. It’s a pretty good set up.
I bought a towel, a hand cloth, a shower curtan, and a bed. My room is a little like a college dorm in the sense everything is just kinda thrown together and hand me down. I don’t mind, but I’m sure at 27 I should have accomplished more in my life and accumulated a few more things than a backseat full of hammers.
I dunno. This post is starting to depress me.
November 23rd, 2009
First week of training with John Godina at Athlete’s Performance and Dave Dumble at ASU
Continue Reading November 13th, 2009
So last week was my last week in Eugene and it was absolutely crazy. Not only did my computer crash once again and Geek Squad (who sucks and doesn’t fix things the third time and can’t stick to a return date) were not able to return it, so it was shipped to Phoenix. I also worked all the last week I was here. I needed the money and I wanted to make sure all my clients were taken care of before I left.
It was also a stuffing of last minute good byes. I was able to get a meal or a night out with a couple of friends, not all that I would like to see, but the ones I did it was very nice. I said good bye to my little dog Koji and the family I have been living with the last year nd a half. I even had a going away party at work and cried two tears! lol
I would first like to thank all the people who have wished me well, welcomed me while I was in Eugene, and/or donated to my fresh start. I am so nervous and excited for what is to come. It is hard never really feeling like you have a real home, just moving place to place, and staying somewhere shortly before moving on to the next… It’s been over a year since I have visited my biological family!
But I’m on the road. I did the 12 hour drive yesterday from Eugene to Buttonwillow. I left at 4am and my roommate woke up to make me coffee and see me off. Even after stopping for more coffee and having a red bull, I still almost fell asleep several times. It’s boring, long and hot!!! I finally stopped off at a very inexpensive hotel. $30 bucks. I am trying to save money, but there were three bugs in the bed (I pulled off off the covers and pillows and slept in the sheets with my own), the water in the shower has no pressure just a small warm trickle, so it could have been someone peeing on the other side of the wall, the windows and walls are so thin it shakes when people walk by and I can hear everything, and the room has a funny smell that is making my nose run. But I woke up alive and thankfully no one stole all my earthly possessions that fit into the back of my Matrix.
So I am up and about to get some breakfast. I just have just under 8 hours to Phoenix where I will be crashing with Abby tonight and then meeting my roommate tomorrow morning. I am super excited and I will keep everyone posted.
As soon as I get my computer back I can update my actually website and get all the stuff from my harddrive!
Thank you again to all those who have donated, it is much appreciated and goes directly to my training and making this crazy idea happen and also thank you all to those who have made Eugene my home the last three years! It is great to have such awesome family and friends when mine are so far away!
I start my intense training on Monday and it will be awesome. I will start putting specific updates and progress reports too!
Everything I own fits in this car!
November 3rd, 2009
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