Soaring

"When the Prayers Go Up, The Blessings Come Down!"

Hello Readers!

It's been an exciting couple of weeks! I have to catch up with you guys before anything else happens. Lol. My family and I have themes for every month, this month is "When the Prayers go up, The Blessings come down" :o) And boy have they been coming down!! I'll start with my family life and then move to track.

I went to visit my family for Mother's Day/ My mom's birthday! My mom's birthday is the 7th and my brother had the bright idea to surprise her and have all her children together. We haven't all been together since last September when my grandfather passed away. Since we have 3 newborns in the family I was extra pressed to go and lucky I could. I was only there for 2 days but 2 days are better than none. Lol. It was an absolute delight to see my family and the babies! All them are so cute <3

I'm finally getting out in Atlanta... A little bit Lol. I've been hanging out with my teammates and attempting to meet people. Which is good for me because I am definitely anti-social. Now that it's warm outside I have no reason not to see the best of Atlanta! I'm in a great city and it would be such a shame not to explore it!!

Trackside... And we have lift off!!!

As you all know, (At least those who have read my other posts) I have had a very rough and rocky start into the professional track and field world. From injuries to just plain bad races it wasn't as smooth as a transition as I would have liked BUT finally a break-through! I went to Clemson on the 7th and doubled running both the 100 hurdles and the 400 hurdles. So, warming up for the 100 hurdles, I felt GREAT! I was moving over them and just feeling awesome, def thought I was going to set a new p.r. (personal record) but maybe I went over just one time too many or maybe my mind was too focused on me killing everybody because I surely got out there and ran 13.4 smh and tied for 3rd. I was feeling so down and out I didn't know how I was going to come back and run the 400 hurdles. I was just praying and praying because my spirits were low. I didn't even consult my coach while I was warming up for them. And then... Magic. I don't know if it was because all I was thinking about was getting out to the first hurdle (so I wouldn't get yelled at) and picking it up at the 200 or if it was because I was so down I didn't have any chance to over think but it happened. Everything just went together, no stutter steps, no weird jumping motion just a smooth (for the most part still have things to work on) race. =D I p.r.'d and ran 56.7!!!! And won :D

The next weekend (5/13-14) I headed back to Clemson this time to run the 100 hurdles and the open 400. It was a two day meet this time. I was feeling pretty good warming up for the hurdles but when I got in the race I noticed my lack of speed :/ I couldn't switch gears for some reason and ended up running ANOTHER 13.4 :o( I was super, super sad about it and frustrated. I was ashamed to call myself a professional athlete! :Embarrassed Face: But the next day I came back determined to run faster and super focused! I ran 13.25. My 4th best time ever and I would've been satisfied if the wind wasn't illegal (ERRRRRRRRRRR!!!!). In some races in track and field the wind can only blow 2.0 and under for the time to count. The wind was 2.7 during my race -____- I'll take it tho. I forced myself to switch gears but I couldn't hold it for long :/ And ended up losing my momentum on the last few hurdles. I'm just happy my time came down and I'm not far from my p.r. After the race I was suppose to run the open 400 but my right hamstring was supppperrr tight so I scratched.

It remained tight until Wednesday (Yesterday). I had a deep tissue massage on Tuesday (:Pain Face:) that knocked the tightness out but I was still a little sore on Wednesday but today I feel better and was able to sprint over some short hurdles at practices :D

Well, my coach set up some meets for me in Europe for the next couple of weeks (Blessing!). So I'll be heading over on the 25th and coming back... TBA... Lol. But my first meet will be in Dakar, Senegal (Africa), then St. Polten, Austria. Big things are happening! Just gotta keep working hard :D

3 Races, 2 Meets, 1 Rookie

"Good people go through a lot of tests and trials. Each hurdle they pass makes them one step closer to their dreams."

Hey Readers!

I've just been a busy little rookie Lol. I meant to write a blog right after I came back from Jamaica but I didn't get a chance and before I knew it I was on my way to Kansas. Well I guess first I'll talk about my trip to Jamaica mon. Lol.

Jamaica was a great experience! I've never been before so I was super excited (As you all know)!!! I went to Kingston so it wasn't like the tourist part, which if you know me you'd know that wasn't a bad thing. I like to get to see the culture of different places, not the Americanized version. Kingston was great I got to see the slums a little bit and the uppity part. I almost missed my flight going there tho O_O! My training partner and I was running through the airport like Home Alone 1 hahaha I swear as many times as I've been to the Atlanta airport it has NEVER been as crowded as it was that Friday!!! And on the way back we got delayed! We were suppose to arrive at 5:30/6 and I didn't touch down until 11:30 -__- We got to the airport at 10:30. Anyways, about my races.

The 400 hurdle race. Well there was some good news and some bad news. The good news is I won my race!!! Yay! And I got a trophy and flowers and got to stand on the podium and if you know me, you know I love to smile and wave. Lmao! The bad news is I was the only person in the race. Smh. Yes, I ran the whole race alone. It was originally 4 of us. 2 girls scratched and the other girl.... Well I was in lane 4 and she was in lane 5 and she fell over the first hurdle. So the whole race I was like REALLY!! I have to run alone! I thought about stopping but decided against it. So, I ran a slow time of 101, which was really sad because I ran that time last year at MEAC Championships when I had fell over the second hurdle -__-

The 100 hurdle race was after the 400 hurdles so my legs had a race on them. The good news is I came in second! Yay! Got a medal, stood on the podium, waved and smiled :D ... The bad news is I ran 13.6... Yuck! I felt like I got out the blocks and that was about it. I normally can switch gears but not that day... I speed up a little mid-way through the race but overall it was really the same pace. My legs weren't feeling that great at practice all week tho. I had ok to bad practices. I think they were just tapped out from the week before (We had a very hard and long week :/ ). I'm hoping (and praying) my next hurdle race will be 10x better. :)

But my overall experience was great! I'd love to go back to the meet next year. The people were really nice, the food was great, and the track was nice. :)

Kansas Relays!

So, when I got back from Jamaica I found out I was headed to Kansas Relays. I've never been to Kansas before so I was excited and I found out there would be a lot of professionals there so I was super excited to make my first appearance on the circuit :) I met a lot of really fast people and even made a rookie friend :o) It was a great experience being around all the track stars! My race on the other hand was nothing short of a hot mess. Lol. I ran the 400 hurdles and I don't know if my nervous got the best of me or what happened. I ended up running 59.3 and placed 4th :/ Not what I planned at all :( I got out okay, better than I did in college but my second hurdle was awful. I went to switch legs and for some odd reason my right leg forgot how to trail and I ended up doing this funky jump over the hurdle instead of actually... hurdling o.O Then I stutter stepped at the 4th AND 6th hurdle. WTF!?!?!?!? As the 4. something wind hit me in my face lol I still managed to stay with the girls who finished 2nd and 3rd (1st place was wayy up yonder Lol) until the 8th hurdle. I suppose they were relaxed on the back stretch not using much energy into the wind, while I was struggling to keep up since I had all those errors because as soon as we got out of that last curve, them girls took off. I maintained around the same speed until I got to the last hurdle and then I started to die off :/ So the top 3 finished in low 57's and I came around 2 whole seconds later -__- What an awful race... smh.

In retrospect, I think I was thinking wayyyy too much during the race. Just thinking about how I needed to run fast and basically ended up chasing a time. Isn't of just running and seeing what time I got. My next races I'm definitely going to relax more. In college, I never thought about what time I was going to run. I would just think I need to run fast or stay with/pass my competition. If a good time came it came and if it didn't I was still pushing myself. So from now on I'm just going to run because I can't have another race like that... That's for the birds Lol If you want to check out my awful race you can look at it on Flotrack.com under Kansas Relays Women 400H (invite).

In other news, my sister had her twins!!! And what cute twins they are :) 3 nephews in one month! Truly Blessed :) If you want to check out my pics from Jamaica just go on my facebook page and look under the Welcome to JamRock album! :)

Good News!

"When the prayers go up, The blessings come down"

Hey Readers!

So, there has been, yet another, change of plans. I won't be running this weekend at Florida State and I won't be running next weekend at Auburn, instead I'll be heading south to Jamaica! I'm going to be running in Kingston on the 16th!!! My agent set it up, so a few of my training partners and I are going. I'm super excited, I've never been to Jamaica before and I feel like this is my first leap into being a professional athlete. Although, it's not my first race as a professional, it is my first race as a professional in my respective events and my first international meet as a professional. I've run in Canada a few times when I was in High School being from Michigan and Windsor being 30 minutes from my house. I'm really excited to see the island and even though I won't be in the tourist part of the island, I'm still pumped about the experience! Hopefully I run well :) Thanks for reading! Ttyl

Oh yea, my brother just had another baby boy yesterday!!! His name is Jeremiah and he's super cute :) P.s. I went to the doctor today for a check up and I weigh 129 now ohhh yeaa get yo weight up lol

Change of Plans

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans."
~Woody Allen

Hey guys,

There has been a change of plans. So, I will be running this weekend after all. I'll be heading down to Florida State and running the 400 hurdles! Wish me luck. :o) Ttyl.

Jumping...

First you jump off the cliff and you build wings on the way down.
~ Ray Bradbury

Hey Everyone,

So, I had my first professional meet this weekend! I ran the open 400, it was... different. Lol. I haven't ran an open 400 since High School so I had no idea what my time would be like. It is definitely a completely different race from the 400 hurdles. I finished running 53.7 and like I have said in previous post I was only hoping to run 53 something (53 low would've been nice but hey *shrug*). I ran at the Auburn University and they have a great 9 lane track. Their campus is huge and it took me a while to find the track, the people I asked didn't really give me a good description of where the track was ... which was basically hidden. Lol. One of my training partners, Monica Hargrove, came down to support me! It was nice having someone in the stands cheering for me.

Now, more of a break down of what I was thinking pre-race, during the race, and post-race.

I was so excited not to wear a Howard, Romulus, or Michigan Accelerators uniform. Lol. My roommate, Monica, had given me some uniforms and warm-up gear (How sweet <3). I decided to run in a USA uniform. I did feel like it was a little bold of me but at the same time I felt like it was me making a statement to myself and trying to make it a reality. I had a good warm up and my body was feeling pretty good, no aches, no pains, just nice, smooth running. I was a little nervous of course but confident that I would run well. It was different not being surrounded by teammates. Before I knew it, it was time to go to the bull-pin.

I was ready, I knew I was ready and I just kept thinking about my race plan. It was time to get into the blocks and of course I was saying my prayers like I always do before I run. The first start was a dud and we were told to stand up. Every runner hates that! But you always have to shake it off and remain focused. The second start was good. And I was off, attacking the curve like I had been practicing and I actually had a pretty decent start. My start has always been a major weakness in all of my races. My back straight away was not so great tho and I found myself running next to the girl who was in the inside lane of me (Lane 5, definitely not a good look). Somewhere in there I zoned out and for about 150/200 meters I was in coast mode for some odd reason O.o When I finally remembered/realized what was going on lol it was around the 250/300 mark and I was tired and was about ready to stop running. LOL. But coming out of the curve I realized that first place was way up yonder and third place was almost at my side. So, I snapped out of it and started hitting the gas! I took a deep breath so I could gain control of my body and started pushing it. Before I knew it I was on the first place girls heels and I knew I could take her! .................. Not so much, Lol. Unlike in college, I just couldn't manage to pass her :( and according to Monica (Even though it didn't feel like it) I ended up walking across the line. :/ I finished 53.79 and she finished 53.69 (Apparently, according to Monica I leaned backwards at the line instead of forward :/ Lmao!).

I think my race was good for the first race and my shaking off all the cobb webs. I know I could've ran faster if I would have executed the race better and didn't hit cruise control. But I like the way I'm starting off the year, a nice solid base. I also realized why I am a hurdler. Open races are not for me! Lol. The 400 hurdles is definitely easier than the open. In the hurdles you can gain momentum and it's easier to be aggressive the entire race because... well ... you have something to attack. I do love my hurdles. =)

Well, in two weeks I am suppose to be opening up in my 400 hurdle race! Hopefully I can run 56 low! This race definitely gave me the confidence I needed to go into my next race. Thanks for reading, talk to you soon :)

P.s. I went to church today! It was a great service. I wish I could go more often but I work on Sundays and I have trouble waking up for the 8am service :/ Today someone asked for my morning shift so I made sure I took my butt to church. All glory given to the Lord!

Stretching My Wings

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be”

-George Sheehan

Bonjour Readers,

Let's see, what's been going on. Well my sister didn't have her twins, yet but they are coming soon :) And my roommate is back from Aussie Land and she had a great time! Hopefully I'll be able to make an appearance soon. Lol. My personal life as been extra dull. Lol. I've been trapped in Georgia getting ready for the season and there's really nothing going on in my life. I want to go to DC to visit, so I can see all my homies from Howard! I plan on going to MEAC Championships in Greensboro this year or at least I want to :/ but we'll see. I do plan on going home soon so I can see my nephews and family. I just don't know when yet.

I'm a coach now! I just started coaching these high school hurdlers last week. It's really fun and exciting. They are all improving so much and the head coach gave me complete control over them! I get to come up with workouts and everything. I currently am not getting paid but it will look good on my resume and I'm thinking about getting certified so who knows I may become a coach when I'm done with track. They have a meet this Saturday and I think all of them will p.r. :o)

Well that's all in my personal life... boring right.Lol. I'm going to have to spice it up a little. Anyways, moving to the track. Practice is going really well. I feel good and strong. There's been a change in my meet schedule tho. I won't be participating in Florida Relays this year, instead I'm going to be running at Tiger Track Classic at Auburn on April 2nd! I'll still be running the open 400 my goal is to run at least 53 ... 53 anything and I'll be jumping for joy. Lol. I'm really excited. I also have the few weeks after that lined up. April 8-9 I'll be running at the University of Georgia and I plan on running the 400 Hurdles!! Ahhh, Season opener!!! Lol. And the weekend after that I'll be back at Auburn running the 100 Hurdles and 400 Hurdles! The season is sooo close gotta get it tight, get it right. Lol.

I'm super nervous and scared but also excited and anxious. Endless practice is boring, especially when you're not sure what you're capable of or where you currently are as far as running but practice is safe, once you start running that's it. It's so definite lol This is where you currently are! The first race is always nerve racking because it's so unknown, you have no idea how your going to perform and you know your game plan isn't going to be the best. It's like a rough draft, you have to keep tweaking it to get it just right. My current first race goals are: 100 Hurdles anything under 13.18 which will be a p.r. hopefully I can run something crazy like a 13 flat or sub 13 but little goals first, 400 Hurdles 56 anything which would be another p.r. For the 400 hurdles I really want to run 56 in April so I can get into a lot of European meets and plan my summer early. If I run that fast in April I'm definitely going to Europe this summer, which is the goal. For the 100 hurdles because of my minor set back I'm just looking for improvement. But I HAVE to run the A-standard by June!!! In order to compete at USA Nationals and get some funding from USATF.

Well that's what's going on... I'll probably write another post after my meet! Wish me luck!! Thanks for Reading ... Ttyl... P.s. thanks for all the comments and reactions ;)

Off to a Great Start

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Hey Readers!

I'm glad that a lot of people are reading my blog =) But sad that most of you aren't commenting -__- Feed back is always nice, guys. Lol. Anyways, I'm so proud of myself for keeping up with the blog :Pats Back: I'm really making an effort to do better, I know a lot of people are interested in my track journey and like to know how I'm doing down here in the A. Well not much has been going on these last few weeks but I suppose I can give you guys a little update.

My personal goals are coming into full effect and I am working on myself. I'm making efforts in becoming a better person. Staying focused and figuring myself out. My motivation has yet to fade away and I'm really starting life habits instead of just doing stuff for a temporary goal. I am not perfect tho, I do have days where I just relax but even in that I think everyone needs a day off every once in a while. I know if I keep going and going and going... I'll run out of gas. Lol. My personal life has been kind of boring as of late. I don't really have anything to say about it. Lol. My new theme is Self-Love. So, I'm going to be doing things for myself and focusing on making me happy and doing things that need to be done in my life. Learning and Loving myself. =) One of the things that reflect that is wearing my hair in it's natural state, so far, I love it and it has only made me feel better about myself. My hair is an extension of me, by taking care of it and accepting it, I'm just accepting me.

Unfortunately, my eating habits are still pretty bad. I know, I know... I'm working on it :/ it's definitely going to be one of my biggest challenges. I think I binge eat. Lol. I eat healthy, healthy, healthy, and then I have a few days of overdoing the fast food and junk food. Then I feel bad and go back to healthy. Lol. I'm going to have to find a balance. :Sigh:

Track is going great! We have a start date! My first meet will be Florida Relays, April 2nd. I'm going to be running the open 400. I'm very excited. I'm sooooo ready for the season to start!!!! I'm sick of practicing, it's like never ending and FINALLY I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Today was my first day back in spikes! They felt soo weird. The first run out I did felt extra fast for no reason. Lol. It was nice having on spikes again and they were new spikes. I think I'm going to get some more tho, I don't like the way they feel going over short hurdles. I prefer a spike with a stiff plate for short hurdles but I'll definitely use them for the 400 hurdles. It was also my first time going over short hurdles since January! I went over one set of 5 steps last week but that doesn't count because I only did one.

It was so weird going over short hurdles again but fun and exhausting! lol We had sooooo mannnnyyy and it was my first day. My coach clearly didn't care and expected me to be on point even with the cobwebs on. Lol. So, I was doing 3 point starts over the hurdles and one I did really really well and he told me to do my last two in blocks... O_o ... O_O .... -__- .... Really?!?! My first day in spikes and over short hurdles and now blocks???? I was really looking at him like he was crazy. I didn't even really get any run outs or anything in the blocks, I did 2 pop outs. I went over with the blocks and he was disappointed and said it looked pretty but that was about it. LMAO. That just reminded me of what my old coach (Coach Grigsby) use to say to me ALLLL the time my freshman year.

The second one, however, was awesome! I just had to shake the cobwebs off... and adjust my blocks a little. I never felt sooo much POWER coming out and going over the hurdles! It felt amazing, so different from before. I guess that's what weight room does. Anyways, after that one he said it looked really really good and it was 13 flat/sub 13 pace and I need to do that all the time. Honestly, I was looking like c'mon give me a break, it's my first day back :smile: but clearly he wasn't havin it. He gave me a high five and said good job.

I've been feeling so great at practice and I'm sooo glad to be back!!! My practices have been going great. I think it has a lot to do with all the extra work I've been putting in. I've never been this physically fit and although practice is hard some days, I find myself pushing through and doing really well. My coach seems really impressed and excited about my season. I think he really sees my potential beginning to flourish. My teammates are also seeming to be impressed with my improvement. I think everyone is either excited or interested in seeing how I do this year.

Well that's all for now... Thanks for reading... Ttyl

P.s. My big sis might be having her twin babies today... I'll def give a update if she does!!!

A Quick Post

Hey Everyone,

Currently my computer charger is broken and I'm waiting for Best Buy to send me another one. :/ So there won't be a cute quote for this post. I just decided to check my yahoo horoscope today and this is what it said:


Today: Mar 09, 2011

The physical changes you seek may be coming at a frustratingly slow pace, but they are coming. To speed things up, all that's required of you is self-discipline and positive thinking. Cast your mind ahead a few months and visualize things as you want them to be (and want them to look). Your full commitment to a tough task will be required, but a strong dedication on your part will benefit your reputation and your attitude. A big confidence boost is coming.


I felt inspired to keep pushing through... I'll update when I get my charger. Thanks for reading... Ttyl.

Natural Hair :s

“Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like.”

-Unknown

Hey Guys!

I told you all I was trying this natural thing or rather wearing my hair in its natural state, well I decided to upload some pictures of my journey. I'm kind of starting to figure my hair out, by accident tho. Lol
This is the last time I straightened it. About a month ago.
Curly two-strand twists. This is my protective hairstyle. It prevents me from damaging it by combing or brushing. This is after I left practice, the twists weren't so bad. I kept them in for about 5 days.


I took the twists out and this is what I had. :/

After playing with it this is what I got... a puff!!! Finally!!! I've been trying to figure out the puff for the longest!!! Lol

Well that's all for now. Thanks for checking in. Ttyl

High Hopes

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."

- Robert Collier

Hola Bloggers!

Ha! I know most of you didn't think I would keep up with the blog but I am proving you wrong! Lol Let's see, what has been going on in Landria's world. I guess I'll start with my personal life again.

Well, I'm still kind of looking for a job. I had an opportunity to work a few places but one of the places hours weren't going to work and another well... I might as well not have had the job the way they pay. Lol. But I'm not worried, something will pop up.

I sent my whole (immediate) family cards last week. Sometimes it's nice to have someone surprise you with a card saying they love you and appreciate you. I'm kind of a softy when it comes to making people feel special. I like to make people know how much they mean to me and when I have a little extra money sometimes I will do a little something. Little things go a long way :)

On another note, my old coach no longer works for Howard and I feel all types of ways. If it wasn't for her there is no way I would be where I'm at today. She not only helped me on the track (dropping me from a 14.00 to 13.18 almost a full second) but she looked out for me outside of the track too. She has always been a friend to me and came through with support and jokes when I needed it. Now when I go to DC to visit and pop up at a track practice it just won't be the same, especially when she always pretended not to be happy to see me and I would jump on her and give her a hug :) Even though she will no longer be there, I'm going to make sure I see her whenever I come in town.

The weather here has been amazing for the last 2 or 3 weeks! It's been over 60 everyday! I'm not use to this kind of weather so early in the year and I am loving it! Training is great when it's warm, you can be free and not bundled down in clothes. I can definitely get use to this.

My roommate has ventured off to Australia to compete in two meets. I can't wait until I get to the level where meets will pay for me to go run. Hopefully it will be in a few months. Lol. I'm definitely going to miss her while she's gone, once you get use to seeing someone daily it's weird for them to be gone.

I'm back to natural. After a short break from my hair being in it's natural state it is back. This time I am more prepared to take care of it. I plan to Henna my hair when I get a little extra cash and do a lot of other stuff to it, but in the mean time I'll keep it simple. Currently it's in two-strand twist, I'm still working on mastering that style. Lol.

I'm working on myself. Trying to get closer to God, figure out more interests and hobbies, and what I want to do Post-Track. I have an idea of what I want to do after track but I want to start working towards those things now because you never know when it comes to sports, one day you can be on top and the next working at Burger King lol. As far as getting closer to God, it's something that I really need to do because I have been beyond blessed!!! So many things have come into my life purely through the Grace of God. I was actually talking to my father today and he asked me if I had any testimonies and I told him I am a testimony. Me even being down in Georgia pursing my dream is a testimony, there have been a lot of times when things where not adding up and all of a sudden a door would open. So that is another one of my goals.

Now, for trackside. I am sooooo happy it's March! The season is right around the corner and it is grind time, I'm in countdown mode! I plan to open up in the open 400, so I can see where I'm at and set up my 400 hurdle race. I'm really excited about my first season out of college. I have high hopes! I want to go at least 53 something in the 400 to open but I'll take a 54 if I must lol After all, it will be the my first race and all. I'm definitely stronger then I've ever been and the massage guy I go to said my body is finally starting to look like a track athlete lol (speaking of my lack of hamstrings and muscle). Everyone (a few people lol) kept telling me I looked bigger so I stepped on the scale the other day and I gained weight. I am currently 127. I guess :shrug: it doesn't bother me or excite me, it's just whatever lol

I finally got to get over hurdles!!!! I missed them sooo much, just flat running is soooo boring!!! And I did 400 hurdle alternate leg, as much as I didn't want to do the 400 hurdles this year I did actually miss them, or maybe I was just happy to be jumping over something lol. I'm not going to lie, I was scared a little before we started as I was looking at the 10 hurdles lined up with 9 inches between them. But it felt great going over and by the end of practice my alternate leg was looking and feeling pretty good.

Practice is going great! I feel like I'm back! I'm keeping up with the workouts and my coach is telling me I'm looking pretty good. I'm doing extra stuff to get me right for the season. Runs, drinking lots of water, ice baths, icing, stretching, and whatever else I can to make this season great. I'm making routines and setting myself into habits. Now all I need to tackle is my eating habits. They have gotten soooo bad but I'm working on it. It's been a lot better in these past few weeks but this month I'm really going to put in work to eat better.

My goals for this season is to at least obtain the A standard in each of my events (100h 12.96, 400h 55.4) so I can qualify for the USATF Post-Grad Fund and so I can run in Europe this summer. I know I can do it! I put my goals as my background on my phone, so I can see it everyday and motivate myself when I'm the least motivated lol And it's been working. I've been super motivated these last couple of weeks and sticking to my habits. I have to make it, I don't have time for an adjustment year. Go hard or go back to Michigan lol And I ain't goin' back! Lol.'

Well, that's all for now... Sorry it's so long :Blush: Thanks for reading... ttyl :o)

A Budding Rose

"Most of the important things in the World have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."-Dale Carnegie

Hey Bloggers,

I know it's been a very long time since I've updated you guys, I just haven't been in the writing mood. Needless to say, a lot has been going on in these last months. I want to start by saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and Happy Valentines Day! Wow it's been that long huh? lol I don't know where to begin so the blog is going to be kind of short because I have to touch bases on EVERYTHING that has been going on.

I'll start with a little of my private life and move on to track.Let's see, for Christmas I went to Texas for the first time! I went to visit my brother and his family. My nephew is so cute I miss him mucho. It was great spending time with family and seeing my brother and how he's living! lol For New Years my friends, Yetty, Alysa, and Jasmine came down to the A to visit me!!!! We had a blast! Besides the endless mall trips trying to get our outfits together we had a good ol' time and I enjoyed showing and exploring the city with them. I went to DC a few weeks back and that was wonderful. I was only there for a few days but I had fun seeing all my friends and old teammates! I love my #HU theyalways show me love and my old coaches definitely helped me out a lot! God has definitely been blessing me as I try and venture out on my own (As well as my very supportive mother.)

I'd like to take a little time to shoutout my mother by the way. She is an amazing person and has helped me out beyond belief! She is just as, if not more, invested in me in pursuing this track thing. Without her support there is no way I would be able to even attempt to do anything between her and God I've been down here surviving and making things work.

I moved!!! I live in Smyrna now. I stay with Monica Hargrove, a 400 runner in my group. I really love my apartment. I love my room and I love the location. It's great! I'm going to post pics in a few days of everything. I got a job as a host at a restaurant just a little side thing to get a little extra cash but I'm looking for another job that will provide more income. I think I'm going to be getting one in the next few days. For those who don't know I've taken bartending classes and I'm hoping to make a lot of money (enough to survive lol) doing that. I mean with my smile I think I can get a few tips lmao ;) I have high hopes this week, I've really been grinding looking for a job!

I'm trying this new thing with my hair. Wearing it in it's natural state. I've had natural hair for some years now (last perm Nov. 2006) but I've never worn it in it's natural state and as of late I've been completely fascinated with the idea. So, I have a few goals and things I'm going to try out to see if my hair grows not only healthy but thick! The first two weeks were kind of rough but I'm determined to figure it out!

Now that all that personal stuff is out of the way let's move to the track! I had training camp from the 2nd until the 15th in Naples, Florida. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be but it wasn't a piece of cake. The weather was great!!!! And I felt myself getting a lot better and really getting into the swing of things. I was lifting more and running faster, not to mention feeling more explosive! My first few hurdles had gotten a lot quicker and I felt as if I was moving towards 12.8 pace. Butttttttt in the middle of training camp I sprained my hamstring :( Unsure of if it was a tweak or sprain I continued to jog and do light workouts on it. When I got back it was confirmed and I was off for two weeks. I just started back today and I feel pretty good :) It's okay because I'm not going to be running until Outdoor so I have time to recovery! THANK GOD!!!

I'm feeling pretty comfortable down here now. I still need more friends lol but I'm pretty familiar with things and when I get my money up and the weather gets warmer I'm going to really explore the city!

Well that's everything in a very, very short summary. Thanks for reading... ttyl. P.s. I promise I'll write at LEAST once a month from now on :)

A New Chapter

Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish but you only spend it once.
-Lillian Dickson

Hey Everyone!

I know a lot of you are wondering how I am doing and what I've been up to and most importantly how the beginning of my new life is coming along. Well let's begin with the last month or so. I suffered a terrible loss. My grandfather passed away about a month ago and I was really effected by it. My family is really close to our grandparents they have been such great influences in my brothers, sisters, and I lives. I remember last semester I made sure to call my grandparents every week just to check on them. I'm glad my grandfather died of natural causes it gives me peace that it was just his time.

Enough of the sad stuff... I'm down here in Georgia, not too far from Hotlanta! I stay in Marietta. I found a place like the second day I was here. My Agent (it's so cool to say that) set me up in a house with other track people. I live with two guys and one girl , it's funny because I actually live with my coach, our assistant, and a 400 runner. I have what I like to call the Pimp Suite! I pay a little more but I basically have my own apartment and share a kitchen. When I fix it up I'll put up pics. I have a walk-in closet, bath with separate shower/bath plus little room for the toilet and double sink, a huge bedroom and another office room that I'll transform into something else. The rest of the house is really nice too. It has an open kitchen with a small island and a dinning room, family room and an office room on the first floor.

Practice started last week but I went to DC to get my stuff. I spent a great week in DC. Seeing friends and teammates and freshies. I really enjoyed being back in the city that taught me so much about life. I learned how to be an adult there. I wished I could've stayed longer but at the same time I was ready to leave. While I was there I think I touched a lot of people tho :o) it was nice.

So, I started practice this week. The first chapter of a new adventure. I was scared and not looking forward to the first day back. Since I hadn't been doing much but eating and getting fat lol but it wasn't that bad. So far (of two days lol) the workouts aren't really that hard, it's the warm ups that kill me! Our warm ups are soooo long and sooooo much! I have always been against warm ups and these hour long workout warm ups are killing me. It's like do random exercise such as squats, push ups, hurdle rocks, then run 50 meters, repeat with other random exercise. By the time we are done with the warm up I'm worn out! lol Currently, I'm in the sore stage but that doesn't really bother me. I figure I'm working muscles that are getting stronger and Lord knows I need strength (since I skipped out on that part of track lol). Weight room doesn't start until November! I'm happy about that.

I love the professional atmosphere! Everyone is older than me, so I'm like the youngin. Right now the group is small and a lot of the people haven't started yet. So, it's nice to be with a small focused group and a coach and assistant coach who gives everyone a lot of attention. I don't complain (out loud lol) about anything. I just do it and smile at the end. Unlike in college when everything was a negotiation, I miss those days.

I explored the city a little and loved it! I'm definitely going to get out more once I get settled. I wish I knew more people down here but I guess this is a perfect opportunity to make friends :o) I'm currently looking for a job. I'm at this temp agency now. I told them I was training for the Olympics and the two ladies got extra excited. In there office they have a lot of posters of famous runners with quotes. It's awesomely weird to say "I'm training for the Olympics" but hey that's my life lol

Well that's the update for now... thanks for reading... ttyl

I Be On It, If You Want Me You Can Find Me In The AAAAAA

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
- Eleanor Roosevelt


So, it's getting closer to the big move date and soon I'll be in Atlanta Atl chillin lol. To say the least I'm excited!! I'm leaving Michigan on Saturday after a whole 5 weeks stay. It really wasn't that bad and honestly I really just started to know the city. Being under 21 the city is pretty much a L but when you're over 21 it's really not that bad. I had fun with friends, hitting up a few of the hot spots, exploring the city, bonding with my family, and relaxing. I guess it wouldn't be that bad living here :shrug:.

I've been working out doing distance work and I feel like by time I start training I'm probably going to be out of shape lol. I hate base work and it's hard for me to keep up with it. I don't know how people can run for miles and miles and miles I hate it. Lol But I'm excited about what's to come! Living in Atlanta with my own one bedroom apartment, training and working and soon going to school! My life is really just starting :o) I hope I like it down there, if not, I'll make another big move lol

The reason why I'm moving down there early is because I was accepted into this AmeriCorps program called Gulfsouth Youth Action: Operation Reach. I'll be working with kids and giving back to the Community so I'm pretty excited about it. I always wanted to do a community service type of program but I never had the time. We'll see how this program goes.

I'm so happy that Summer is basically over and Fall is here! It's my favorite season!!! I love the fashion of fall, the colors that the trees change, the cool weather, and just everything!!! I'm extra thirsty for it to be officially fall =)

Well I can't think of anything else so I guess I'll keep you posted about the big move!

Running By Faith

“What God Has For You Is For You”

“Nothing can stop the man (woman) with the right mental attitude from achieving his (her) goals; nothing on earth can help the man (woman) with the wrong mental attitude.” -Thomas Jefferson

Greetings Bloggers,

Once again I’ve been gone for while but a lot has been going on. I’ll try to be better with updates and every now and then a video blog (because it’s much easier to talk then to type lol). Anyways let’s see where to start.

My season ended pretty well not as great as I would have liked but I’m not complaining. I made it to Nationals but didn’t do too well. I hit the third hurdle and didn’t make it to the finals and had the worst placing at Nationals that I’ve ever had (17th) but at least I was there! =) I also made it to USA Nationals and made it to the prelims! I placed 14^th! The wind was blowing extra hard so my time wasn’t good but no one’s time was that great. The wind was 2.7 and 2.9!!! And I’m wayyy too little to run into that kind of wind! I def need to hit the weight room! Lol

This summer was interesting. I got a job working at Washington Sports Club, a gym in Washington, DC. The job was cool but the pay was wack and I worked from 5:30am until 1pm. Then my hours started getting cut so it went to 12pm and then right before I left 11am. So, I wasn’t making that much money and I was waking up before the sun, literally! I didn’t really care for the job but some money is better than none. I also took a trip to New York to visit a friend! I didn’t really like the city tho :/ I think I’m going to have to go back when I have a lot of money and time to blow and really see what it’s all about! I was phoneless for most of July but it was kind of nice not being connected to the World lol

Well, currently I’m no longer in DC I’m back home in boring old Michigan. My family and I decided it would be best for me to come home for a while before I make my big move! I’m excited about moving down to Atlanta and I’m currently looking for employment, housing, and different programs I might be able to get into, once everything is set in stone I’ll give you guys an update.

I found a coach down in Atlanta to train me! I’m really excited about the program because it’s focus is exactly what I’m lacking. I’m training down with Rana Reider, we haven’t worked out all the details yet but everything is a go! His camp focuses on strength and conditioning, the exact two things I’ve been avoiding my whole track career. Lol. Even in high school I was M.I.A. when it came to weight room lol. I guess it’s time to get to business :o) Anyways, I think his program will be good for me and with those two very important things I think I can be great!

I also just found this program called Sponsor An Athlete. It’s really good for accepting Donations and Sponsorships for Post-Collegiate athletes. So if anybody wants to make a donation to me just go to the website: www.sponsorathlete.net my information should be up there soon!

I talked to my father on my bday and he was telling me about trusting in God and doing things by faith without fear, knowing that God has everything handled that’s how you move mountains! I took that conversation and I’ve really been thinking on it and from now on I’ll be running by faith. Having no fear when I approach the starting line and know “what God has for me is for me!” I did it when I pr’d at Regional’s! I felt like something was within me that was greater than me and I did great! So, I’m just going to keep thinking, believing, and trusting that! Also, I’ve been on this positive energy thing as of late and every since a lot of positive things have been happening for/to me. I’ve just really been washing the negativity out of my thoughts and focusing on the positive. I feel with the combination of both of these things, only great things are to come!

So pretty much right everything I do is geared towards the big move! Hotlanta here I come! =D

It's Been Forever, I Know

"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally." - David Frost


I know it's been a very long time but I've been so busy. So I guess I can give somewhat of a brief summary of the last five months. *Sigh* Here it goes...

I didn't make it to Indoor Nationals but I did make it to USA Indoor. It was amazing! It made me see and feel that the Professional Track and Field environment is where I belong. I was surrounded by an elite group of runners and I felt as if I was in the right place. I, unfortunately, did not do well at the meet but that was okay. New Mexico was beautiful the mountians didn't even look real, it was really clean and everything looked like a post card. And that's how I ended my indoor season.

For Spring Break this year we didn't have a meet both weekends, just the second! So, this year about 11 of us on the track team went to THE BAHAMAS! My mom really came through with paying for me to go! And it was nothing short of AMAZING! The water was beautiful, the Island was beautiful, the people were ... not so beautiful LMAO! I really bonded with my teammates and I take SOOOOO many memories and inside jokes away with me from that experience!

As for my Outdoor track season, everything has been kind of shakey. I only ran in four meets during the season. And the times weren't as great as I wanted them to be. I wanted to run blazing times throughout the season to create a buzz around me but as always I ran okay times and there was zero buzz lol But I was running faster than I normally run during the season so I knew by the end I would P.R. something big!

I graduated from Howard University! I didn't get to attend graduation though, I was at MEAC Conference Championships instead :/ I was never big on graduation ceremonies anyway I was just sad I couldn't party with my class one last time. On a brighter note, I finally became MEAC Champion in the 100 hurdles! And I held my title for the 3 time Champion in the 400 hurdles. I fell in the 400 hurdles prelims, picked myself up and came in second qualifying for the finals with a time of 1:01. I came back the next day and won the event!

Regionals was this past weekend! I ran both the 100 hurdles and the 400 hurdles. Prior to Regionals I decided which hurdles I wanted to run professionally. I decided on the 100 hurdles, I don't want to run both because I really want to focus and not have so much stress on my body. The reason why I picked the shorts is because I know nothing about the 400 hurdles, nor do I have the same passion for them, at least not the amount of passion it takes to actually train for them. Anyways, at regionals I made it to the quarterfinals in the 400 hurdles but didn't make it to Nationals. I was running in line 1 and no matter how I got out I ended up on my left leg... which ruined the whole first half of my race.

In the 100 hurdles, I p.r.'d something big! 13.18 in the prelims and 13.20 (13.198) in the quarterfinals. I barely made it to Nationals! Each region takes top 12 and I had the 12th spot! These were the times for the 11th through 14th places, 11. 13.197, 12. 13.198, 13. 13.200, 14. 13.200 ... needless to say it was very close! So, I'm off to Nationals next week in Oregon! Running that time felt AMAZING! Before I ran I felt like I had something in me just wanting to explode! I was in line 1 heat 2 and when the gun went off I blasted to the first hurdle. I came in second in my heat and the girl that won was in line 5... it really felt like I was by myself the whole race, I even got a shoutout from the Announcer lol I can't really remember the race though I only remember getting out and half way through forcing my lead leg a little faster. My splits between the hurdles were crazy. In the quarterfinals I felt really good especially since I ran almost the same time! Consistance is great!

Well that's all folks... 5 months in a very breif summary! I'm going to try and keep you updated! Ttyl

The Road to Nationals

"The greatest thing in the World is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving"

-Oliver Holmes

Greetings Bloggers!

I know, I know it's been a while but it's been a crazy couple of weeks! 2 track meets and one horrible week! Let's see, last week I was sick, washed my phone, left my purse at the hotel, and had a friend stay with me. Being sick with a friend staying with you is NOT the business! But we made it work. Lol. I also got a new computer! HP with a built in video camera and speakers! I like it, it's def an upgrade!

Moving on to the track meets... I had a track meet at Virginia Tech and Penn State these last two weeks. These are the two biggest meets of the season. They are really good meets for me because I run against the 2 fastest hurdles in the Nation right now, so competition is def there! And I tend to do well with competition.

Virginia Tech

I guess I'll start with the V-tech meet since it was first. I was feeling pretty good. I pr'd in the prelims of the 60 meter hurdles by .01! I felt some kind of way! How am I only going to p.r. by .01! I ran 8.41. Lol. I was happy though because me running that fast in the prelims only meant good things for the finals, right? Wrong. I ran 8.51 in the finals. I hit the back of my caff with my trail leg. But it was kool. I still placed 3rd. =) And I had high hopes of dropping my time. I also ran the 200, I won my heat with a time of 24.53 and placed 6th overall! I had given up on the 200, thinking I would never be fast in it but now I'm starting to rethink it. I'm currently ranked number 55 in the Nation in it with a time of 24.39 and I ran that at the very first meet of the season. Maybe if I gave it a chance I can be alright in it.... Hmmm... Moving on. I also ran the 4x4. I ran about a 55/56 our relay ran 3:49. It was an okay race but my ham wasn't really feeling it.

Penn State

Penn State is a really exciting meet! 3 rounds of the 60 hurdles on a fast track! It's like heaven! Lol. I only ran the 60 hurdles and the 4x4 this meet. The first round of the 60 hurdles I pr'd again by .01 AGAIN!!! I was sooo blown!!! Like what THEE heck! If I don't break 8.4 I'm going to go crazy!!!! I ran 8.40! Once again I was excited because I had 2 more rounds and I was going into the simi's with the 4th fastest time. I've never made it to the finals (that I can recall) at Penn State, so running a pr in the prelims was really cool. The second round I was right next to the girl who has the fastest time in the Nation right now, so I knew I needed to MOVE! And let her pull me under the 8.4 mark I made in the simi's. And that's exactly what I did! I ran 8.32! Now that is a p.r.!!!! Lol Almost in the 8.2's!!! I figure I need to run at least an 8.27 in order to make it to Nationals. So, I was extra excited! One more round left too and I was going into the finals with the 4th fastest time. In the finals I only ran a 8.35 now my second fastest time. I finished 4th at the meet. Currently my ranking is 13 in the Nation! Which is great because they only take the top 16 to Nationals! But we have a whole month until Nationals so right now I'm just trying to hold on to my spot! And drop my time to at least a 8.27. I know I can do it because last week I was soooo sick! I was still sick at the track meet and p.r.'d so I can only go down from here! =)
Our 4x4 ran 3:47.1!!! I think that's the fastest we have ever run indoor (since I've been at Howard) I'm really excited to see what we can do! Because we won our heat and I was chillin on my leg. Hopefully we can win our conference meet! My leg went 54/55.

If you are interested in seeing the races they are on my facebook page links!

Well that's all I can think of right now! Thanks for reading! Ttyl

Waking Up... Busy Bee

"If you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention!"

-Sister Mary Clarence

Hello Bloggers!!! I know, I know it's been a long time!!!! But my computer is currently broken and I plan to get a new one within the next couple of days!! :o) How have you guys been??? Do tell! Lol. Me? Well, let me start by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR and MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS! Lol. Good stuff has been going on. I'm in the final stretch of my undergraduate career. 17 credits away!!! I'm taking 18 though. Let's see... this semester has 18 credits, a part time job, a internship, and a track season, in store!! Yay!! Lol Let's start with the 18 credits.

This semester my schedule is crazy but my classes are fairly easy. Only 3 (9 credits) real classes. The other 9 credits are ... blow offs ... kind of. Lol. I'm talking swim, health science, and golf. 3 P.E.'s that I need in order to graduate. My golf instructor told us that class starts March 1st! For the Win!!! Lol. My swim teacher is very, very nice... I took the easiest one. Lol. I'm soo afraid of deep water! Then I'm taking a 3 credit internship class, all we do is write a paper and get a letter from our supervisor. My next class is Humanities. The professor just wants you to buy his books and show them at the test. This class is actually during my internship. Lol. So I'm just going to go for the test! There are like 3. My 3 hard classes are Spanish 4, Judicial Process, and American Presidency. My Judicial Process Professor is extra kool. =) I took him before. Spanish is going to be a struggle because I know NOTHING!! But I'm going to try to learn really fast lol. And American Presidency is about to be an L... He is about to have us doing a lot for no reason, smh. So, those are my classes.

Today is the first day of my internship! I think I'm going to like it. The people are really nice! It reminds of my job at Romulus City Hall... only with Internet!!! lol Anyways I work here on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and some Fridays (when don't have track meets). I'm starting to feel like a grown up. Lol. Now if only it was a paid internship! Lol. But I need the experience. =)

I'm currently looking for a part time job that I can have during Monday and Wednesday nights from 6- 12pm. I was thinking about being a lobby monitor again but I really don't feel like working at the Towers again, especially since I don't live their anymore. I was also looking into a valet job. That seems like easy money, plus madd tips! And I might even work on Sundays. Idk yet but I need to get a job ASAP!

Now TRACK!!! I know you've all been waiting for it ;o) We had a track meet this past weekend. I did ... decent. I only ran the 60 hurdles and the 4x4. The first race of the 60 hurdles I did ... ugh. Lol I ran a 8.65. Faster than the first race at the first meet but I am not trying to see above 8.5 ever again! Lol. In the finals, I ran a 8.47. Eh. It was okay but I'll take it. I didn't get a chance to go over hurdles all break so, it'll take a few races and practice to get back in the swing of things but I'm not too far off from where I was. In the 4x4, I split a 55. Which is pretty good! Especially just coming back from break. Our fourth leg fell right before the line so we don't really know what our time was. But it was a REALLY good race. My hamstring is tweaking a little bit, so I think I'm going to take the week off. I've been in rehab all week but the trainer says I'm good ... just entirely TOO sore and need to relax and lay off the running for a little bit. My ham is already feeling better too!=) Not 100, like 95. By next week it'll be 100. but I'm going to keep doing my rehab exercises as well as practice. So, really random. Remember at the first meet I ran 24.89 in the 200. Well apparently, NCAA converted the time because it wasn't on a bank track and it turns out, the converted it to a 24.39!!! I've never run anything close to that before!!! LOL And now I'm ranked like #3 in the 200!! Wth! Soooo random haha

In regards of the quote, I want to go somewhere and be somebody!!! So I'm paying attention and doing what I have to do ... GRINDING!!!

Anyways, that's everything... basically. Catch you on the fly. Thanks for reading =)

Ttyl

Thinking About The Future

“The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.”

-Abraham Lincoln


As I end my second to last semester of undergrad, I can't help but think ... "what next?" I mean, of course I want to go to Grad school but I'm not sure if I really want to work in Politics. I want to attain an M.P.A. (Masters of Public Administration), maybe get my J.D. (Law Degree) when I'm 30. I really want to go to Georgia State for Grad School. Or at least somewhere in Georgia because they have really good Political Science programs. Eh, still not 100 percent sure I want to work in government.

Of course, I'm going to attempt to go pro in Track and Field but even with that comes a lot of uncertainty. Like, what event will I run? Will I get an endorsement? And if not, how will I pay for my expenses? Ahh, life is coming really fast at me now. The only thing I know for sure is that I don't want to go to back to school until January. I NEED a break.

I do want to coach though. Being an assistant coach at a major university would be extra tight. I would only want to coach hurdles though. I'm selfish that way. And maybe motivational speaking too. Ugh, but I would only do that if I did great things in Track! Like get an Olympic Gold medal!!!!! I have no idea what life has in store. Guess I'm just going to take it one day at a time and follow God's plan.

Trials and Tribulations/ A Role Model

"Champions are made when no one is watching"

-Unknown

I know I've stated previously that I tend not to work hard, but I've failed to mention a lot of things. Knowing your potential and living up to it is two very different things. I personally don't believe I work hard because I know I can work harder. So, it isn't that I don't work hard it's I'm not working the hardest I can. Every time I get on the track to run, I put my all into it. Whether it be at a track meet or practice, I never half do it. But I thought it would be good if I gave a little Landria History lesson. Man, I've put in some HOURS on the track. Natural talent only gets someone so far and without effort it will get you no where. I've always been a runner but I haven't always been a hurdler.

All throughout high school, I kind of got individual training. I've kind always been around people who run track and aren't necessarily track runners, there is a difference. So, I was always kind of ... alone, when it came to girls at least. So, I kind of had personal workouts from Coach Cook (my high school coach), especially after most people's seasons were over and I was training for States. When I was in 11th grade, however, all that personal attention wasn't really needed anymore because we actually had a good track team! But 11th grade I wasn't just a runner anymore, I was a hurdler now, a new born hurdler, who needed a lot of attention to get the hang of things. I will say hurdles came naturally, even though I was the most clumsy girl anyone had probably ever met. So, once again I was smothered with attention. Hurdles was soo exciting, so new to me I kind of became obsessed. I would practiced for hours. Practiced started at 3, I would stay until it would start to get dark trying to perfect the race. I would practice hurdles every single day, from about 3 to 7, my coach would literally make me leave practice! He would say stuff like "Look, I'm not about to be out here with you all night, I have a wife and a life." lol... And I would beg for just five more minutes. Lol.

Fast forward to college. Freshman year, I worked hard... but there was a point in the season where I was really determined to run really fast and I went back into OCD mode. Man, I was doin a lot lol Working extra hard, and it paid off... I pr'd, then I went back into chill mode lol. I remember going to Regionals and choking, basically. I didn't make it to the finals =( I remember sitting in the stands as the ran the 100 meter hurdle finals and thinking I should be down there. Then I looked at all the times and realized my times were no where near those. It kind of hit me, "I'm not really all that fast" I was determined to be in the finals the next year. I remember thinking "Next time, that's gonna be me" Sure enough it was! Sophomore year, I worked hard came to practice did what I was suppose to do but I never really went above and beyond, just did the basics. That's why I don't think I work hard, because I just did the basics, nothing spectacular on the side, just what everyone else was doing. I made it pretty far though, all the way to the Olympic Trials! Junior year wasn't so great, but I learned a valuable lesson from Junior year. Track is 90% mental.

Now, people say "Landria is just a freak of nature, she can not practice and still be great" but how do we know this? Not because Landria just doesn't practice, it's because Landria was forced not to for a whole season. It wasn't like I was just sitting around doing nothing for a whole season lol. I strained my hamstring. I was advised not to run at all but I'm wayy to stubborn for all that lol I was gonna run, injured or not. It was just making it through that got me. I was banned from practicing by the head athletic trainer and forced to go to rehab everyday. And I was in there everyday, only missing a few here and there. I was really working hard to try and come back from my injury. I wore tape on my leg the entire season, from January until May I hadn't raced one time without tape, not until Regionals. I didn't start back practicing until the week before MEACS (Conference). It's really something to be injured. It's the worst feeling ever, knowing you aren't performing to your potential and there is nothing you can do about it. I regained myself though.

Every time I stepped on the track I gave it my all, pushed as hard as I could in that moment and I ran decent times. And that's how I learned that track is a mental game. You can literally do anything you put your mind to, even if your body isn't feeling up to par, even if the odds are against you, if you want it bad enough, if you're really hungry for it, you can't fail. I'm a hungry individual. I hate to lose, and I'm not just about to sit there and let someone beat me, I'm going to fight for it! I don't care who they are, in my mind, I'm going to win this race and if I don't I'm going to give you a run for it. That's the kind of mentality I've always had, thanks to my father. Whether, I lose by a lot or a little or if I even win, my mentality stays the same. I'm hungry. Sometimes, being so hungry you forget food is on your plate lol if that makes any sense. I always think of myself as the underdog, the one no one expects anything out of, it keeps me humble. So, I tend to be hard on myself, and sometimes others around me, but it's all love. Maybe because I expect a lot from myself and others and I don't like to settle for mediocrity. I personally believe track is about 1. mentality, 2. timing and then 3. training or becoming technically efficient , if one can perfect those, then they will be a beast.

Sometimes, by thinking of myself as an underdog I forget that people look up to me, especially from back home, a lot of people are glad I'm out here doing well in sports and a lot of girls want to develop into a track athlete like myself. I guess because I really don't have a role model and I never really had one, I forget that I am one, at least to somebody (especially my little niece). I've realized this more and more this year (2009) and I've started giving back and doing more as a person. I realize sometimes people think I advertise not working hard or slacking, mainly because they don't know my background or what is going on when they aren't looking, hence the quote. I do a lot of things that people don't know about. Like for example, doing the season, I eat really healthy, I shop at whole foods and buy only healthy things, bet you didn't know that did you lol ;o). But I can't let all my secrets out. Lol. Anyways, that's all I have to say, thanks for reading and remember mentality is everything, in whatever you do... ttyl =)

Off To A Great Start

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should accomplish with your ability."

-John Wooden


I love this quote! It's exactly how I feel about myself when it comes to track! Our first meet was yesterday! It was at Bucknell University. Even though everyone hates on this meet, I love it! It gives me a sneak peak of what's to come for the season and I liked what I saw! Take away all the track team drama and it was a pretty good meet. We did alright as a team, I was a little disappointed in the overall performance though. I expected more, but that's only because I have high hopes for everyone this year. I tend to look at performances on another level though; I set the bar pretty high, lol.

Anyways, I was feeling great on Friday when we went to the track to practice. Everything is so different when you're not injured. I only experienced two injury free meets last season (Regionals and Nationals) and it was different because I was coming off of injury and I wasn't completely sure if I would pull something or not. So, Friday when we went to the track to warm up I was feeling extra great and excited for the meet.

Saturday, omgosh I was sooo freaking tired!!!! I was up talking to my teammate Brittany (we have been roommates since Sophomore year!!) and Saturday was her birthday. I didn't go to sleep until 1am ish and woke up at 7:30. Not the best idea. But I believe that your best times happen when you didn't get much sleep the night before lol. Almost all my pr's happened when I stayed up, so it works. So, before I was nervous and excited before I ran the prelims for the 60 hurdles. The warm up was pretty good and I was feeling alright. My Coach (Coach Grigsby) was impressed with my warm up, which never happens lol. She said my blocks were actually good and everything was looking pretty tight. =) It was funny because I went to look at the schedule to see who ran first and I was like since I'm looking what's the record so I can try to beat it. Turns out I have the stadium or meet record (I can't remember which one) I got it last year lol. So, I ran the prelims. I ran a wack ass 8.70 ... I mean it could've at least be a 8.69. I was feeling great and I was sure it was under 8.5 but nope... wack ass 8.70. I mean I had the fastest time going into the finals but like I said ... I have high standards. lol. I was extra disappointed but I talked to Coach and she told me to get my lead leg down and start forcing it before I got over the hurdle. In my warm up for finals I worked on and fixed the problem (as best I could) and when I was working on it I banged the mess outta my knee... but that comes with the territory lol

So, the finals roll around. I'm feeling good! I have a nice rhythm I'm just hoping I get out the blocks like I did in the prelims. My start is clearly the weakest part of my race so I try to really focus on it. I was proud that all the female hurdlers made it to the finals!! The boys did good too. =) Anyways, I get out and I'm feeling great... then I hit a hurdle and fall! Jk. haha. Nah I finished and won the race. I was feeling really good, really pushing and getting my lead leg down and keeping my arms tight, even though I was basically running by myself. I got the feeling I get when I run fast in the short hurdles when everything becomes slightly blurry and I kind of lose control of my body... it's like an out of body experience... it's really kool lol. Anyways, I finished with a 8.42 much better than the prelims. I was extra geeked! I did a happy dance lol. Not only did I run my p.r. (personal record) the first meet! I qualified provisionally for Nationals. Last year I was off by .01!! And my teammate Alex ran a 8.74!!! I was extra geeked for her because that's a great start! Normally, she doesn't break 9.0 until mid season and she smashed it at the first meet! Our Freshman Keisha did well also =)

I'm never satisfied for long though. Gotta get down to 8.18 so I can be an A standard athlete... or at least 8.25 so I can get on the World List!! =) I also ran the 200. I HATE the 200. I would have been sooooo upset if I would have ran 25 seconds like I always do the first meet but I ran 24.89 and that was good, I was satisfied. I won that event too. I also ran 3rd leg on the 4x4. My leg was 56 seconds, I wasn't really trying though, I was actually surprised it was that fast... We were really far behind and I wasn't about to waste energy because by this time I was sooo tired and I hadn't eaten all day! Our relay ran 3:59 which is not good but whatever lol it wasn't the A team anyway. I'm kind of excited about the 4x4 A team, we are going to be good this year, I can tell. I miss Lauren, much! I wish she was still here! She was our lead leg last year.

So, I'm very hopeful of this season and our first meet went great! Once again Good Luck with finals and all your endeavors, thanks for reading ... Ttyl =)