Track and Field Blogs - Jenny Barringer

Wow, it's just before 8am in Boulder, Colorado and I just finished getting the last load of laundry into the washer. My bag is unpacked and back in the basement closet with numerous tags heralding its journey still clinging to the straps. Twenty-four days, twenty-five thousand miles, and all of the unpacking took a mere hour and twenty-five minutes.

Running really did take me around the world this time. My trip began on a "short" flight from Denver to San Francisco followed by the flight to Japan. A layover in South Korea served as intermission between the travels from Japan to France. And for the finale: Paris to Chicago, where Chicago in the good ol' US of A stood up to its renowned reputation and delayed our final "short" flight into Denver. I crossed by beautiful Boulder threshold right at 11pm.

In the past 24 days I've competed at the highest level my career has yet seen. I've experienced a disappointment yet also blessed with the opportunity to prove I could learn from it. I've met dozens of teammates and competitors. I've figured out dozens of international faucets, showers, and toilets (which is much more difficult at times than you might imagine!) I've trained in beautiful forests in Leuven in 60 degree weather and battled 100+ degrees in Osaka's industrial jungle. Excursions have added joy and culture to my trip while resting up in hotels and warming pre-race oatmeal have been precious nuggets of routine. I've traveled with the ever-so-dedicated CU assistant coach, Heather Burroughs but missed very much the close coaching of my head coach, Mark Wetmore and the company of my team. I've had almost a month in the life of a traveling athlete and been able to share much of it with all of you. As you have been reading, it sure has its highs and lows. The highs are being able to cash in on the months of hard work and sacrifices in order to be great at something. While being away from everything thatÂ’s comfortable and familiar magnifies the lows.

Fearing I might simplify this whole voyage to an inconsequential or elementary level, (being from Orlando) it's kind of like getting on a rollercoaster for the very first time. The instant it's all over you hardly even remember details of the ride but you're left with the overwhelming feeling of "I wanna do that again!"

Thank you to the whole CU athletic department who has supported me throughout my past two years here and especially to my thoughtful and wise coaches for having gotten me this far and then come along with me. Thanks to everyone for keeping in touch and reading my blogs :) Your support really comforted me after Osaka but even more it lit a fire in me for Paris. Keep checking in to read up on the aftermath and don't forget to check in on my cross-country season.

VERY VERY big thanks to Mark for creating Flocasts and letting me be part of such a professional and impressive website