I wish I could have written something immediately after my final to let everyone know exactly what I'm going through, but I am simply at a loss for what to say or where to begin. So, instead of trying to create some allegory or inspirational message, I'll just share some thoughts on the last 18 months. Most everyone knows by now that I've been through a lot transition over the past 18 months. I've gone professional, moved, changed coaches, gotten married, and switched my focus from the steeplechase to the 1500m. All of these decisions were made...
**Just before we begin, I hope to be able to blog here throughout the championships and you can also follow me on twitter @trackjenny** The Air Force Academy fieldhouse, at four o'clock in the afternoon, is never still. Around a 267m track there are pole vaulters doing runs down the homestretch, distance runners warming up or striding across the turf, sprinters begin with drills on a short stretch of track, and the throwing team is aiming for any spot that I haven't mentioned yet. Sounds like a pretty typical track team right? Well, that's what...
At the risk of sounding clich, I'll admit that I've been thinking about mountains a lot this week and how they illustrate my racing season. Now, you can't really blame a person that wakes up in the morning and runs due West directly toward one of the most majestic mountains in all of Colorado. A towering mark of God's creativity, reaching over 14,000 ft, and welcoming me to each new day with a different morning hew, is Pikes Peak. I am a little disposed to thinking about mountains with this sort of scenery at every westward turn. So, in the mor...
This morning wasn't unlike many others I've had in Boulder the past few years. I woke up, laced up my shoes, and after a few half-hearted stretches I hit the trails for a chilly morning run. What has been different the past few mornings is my catalogue of thoughts as I put in the miles. I'm in the thick of seeking out a sponsorship for my future running career. It might seem easy, like an athlete just gets an offer here and there and then sits down to make up their mind over a cup of coffee. I'm finding though that there is a lot more involved ...
Have you ever played a musical instrument? Take the piano for example. You sit down at a bench and press the keys. Really, how hard could it be? First, there's the craft. When you plop down on the bench and raise one finger to strike your first key, lying before you are eighty eight keys to choose from. Each of those eighty eight keys is attached to a hammer that then strikes not one, not two, but three finely tuned strings. That's 264 strings. Then, there are three pedals on the floor that can be skillfully timed and negotiated to reduce the n...
August 8th, 2008 I stepped into my very first Olympic stadium. I marched into the “bird’s nest” accompanied by hundreds of other USA athletes and following the Stars and Stripes, carried by our own Lopez Lomong. It was such an incredible experience of pride and opportunity. I could hear the booming fireworks, see the crowd of thousands, feel the expectation, and smell the competition ahead. The noise was deafening as the Chinese and Olympic crowd welcomed us into the stadium. We walked a lap of the track and circled the very ...
So, I heard the word is out. I ran 2:02.56 tonight in Cottbus and got third in the race. I'll give you the play-by-play but with the understanding that when you're IN the race it's sometimes difficult to know exactly how the race is unfolding. So, I'll give you my account conceding that it's my own perspective and not objective: The gun went off just in time to prevent the ulcer that was beginning to develop in my stomach while I was waiting for the race to begin. I was as nervous as ever. Everyone took off, a lot faster than I'm used to, and I...
I moved into the athlete hotel yesterday evening. It's fun to watch the athletes and staff all begin to gather in one place. The atmosphere of the World Championships really begins here in the hotels with the athletes in lounges, playing the wii, typing away on the internet, and physio in the next room. There's nothing like being with the whole team preparing for our events, watching each other race, and just experiencing the whole trip together. I went out to the track for an easy shake-out today. I'm excited to race tomorrow but I know it's f...
To my family: Sorry it has taken me so long to get to a computer. Ihave had very limited internet access up to this point. But, here I am:) and I'll take a minute to catch everyone up.Heather and I left Boulder on the 26th of July and flew intoStockholm, Sweden. We traveled and settled in with ease. My first racewas the D.N. Galan Super Grand Prix meet on the 31st where I competedin the 5k. I experienced a really fun success being able to pull out awin despite getting caugh by a pack, ending my early lead, in the latestages of the race. The onl...
Hey all, Just a quick final post before this whole thing is all over and I'm back in Boulder. I'm didn't stay one day too short or one day too long. I'm ready for it all to be over but happy for each day with its own adventures and lessons. Last night a few remaining USATF team members walked to the dining hall together for a final dinner. We were such a small group! Then, just when Billy and I thought the trip was getting way too long and were really longing for that beautiful Boulder Valley, we ran into some more fun. The kiwis were having a ...
