2nd Monday in a row and I'm on a roll! :) I have SO many things I could write about that I'm having a hard time getting anything written because my mind is so scrambled.
STRESS.
Stress comes with the territory, this territory. In a profession where your livelihood and ability to provide for yourself is almost solely based on what your body can do and how it can perform, you begin to realize how important every little thing you do (and don't do) can affect your performance. And then comes the stress, exponentially piling up because you realize that you are no longer 100% in control of your actions so in turn, no longer in control of your stress levels.
The best way to describe my current situation is "the period of change". I briefly alluded to it on my last post but it's the changes in my living situation and training that are stressing me out the most. And when this Queen stresses, everybody watch out!
To those that don't know my coach (LJ) left his position out here at Clemson University last January and ever since then the burning question has been, "Where are we going next?" Last year because of good "pre-kicked out" preseason training, great coaching, greater hard work&talent, and the GRACE of GOD I was able to still have my best post-collegiate season thus far but that didn't come without struggle and a whole lot of hardship. But again those tales will be saved for another post but to give you a BIT of insight, below is a picture of me doing squats. Common right? Yeah, most track athletes squat but do you see where I'm doing them at? There is no gym and no squat rack, instead I am lifting at the high school track we had came to train at after getting put out of Clemson's track, weight room, etc.
Yeah, just take that in! lol Now I'm definitely not complaining, the job got done for the year and I finished with the #2 time in the WHOLE WORLD this season (Thank God!!) but sometimes I wonder if I subtracted the struggle and minus the cold days we were left without training, if it could've been an even grander season. ?? Answers I'll never know and can't find out so best not to dwell on them.
Instead I've just been focusing on this season and beyond and doing the things necessary to keep from ever being put in that kind of situation again, which can be pretty hard in this sport. Being a professional track and field athlete, unlike the NFL or NBA, doesn't mean being drafted to a team or getting picked up by an owner to represent them, getting flown out to a brand new city and receiving the best of the best treatments and training on a daily basis in order to perform at your highest level. Instead, most track athletes stay with their college coaches the first couple years out, pray they get a lucrative sponsorship from one of the major athletic shoe companies, and have to rely on their own money in order to receive treatment and necessary recovery methods to perform at their best level. Yes, that is professional athletics for you lol.
A change will come in this sport, that I am sure of, but in the mean time I have to rely on my own funds and the benefits that I get from being an elite Tier 1 athlete (health insurance, grant money, and access to the Olympic training center) to prepare me for years to come.
Speaking of Olympic training center (OTC), I recently (or not so recently) played with the idea of moving out to the training center in Chula Vista, CA to do my training during these cold weather months in South Carolina and while my coach is still ironing out the details of when we'll be leaving Clemson and where to. It's located right near San Diego is sunny Southern California boasting the best facilities, treatments, on campus dining, and Olympic coaches free of charge to me. If that's not reason enough for me to jump on the next thing smoking and want to move out West, my boyfriend now lives out there which makes this offer all the more tantalizing lol. One of the drawbacks though is that there are no sprint/hurdle coaches out there & I would have to be away from my coach. The OTC facilitates mostly jumpers, throwers, and multi-event athletes because they are known to usually receive the least funding in the sport so the center decided they want to offer these services to the most needy. But in a period where everything is so volatile in my life I think going out there to focus 100% on training and getting my workouts sent to me from my coach and looked over my the staff at the center, will give me a sense of ease and allow me to escape all the craziness going on with moving and relocating going on over here and especially since my lease at my current apartment is up the end of November so I HAVE to move regardless!
Now do you see why I'm stressing?? lol. I knew 25 was going to bring change and I prayed that it would all be for the better and I honestly think that with this new opportunity presenting itself to me is a testament to just that. Change is good, and change is going to come. I'll just have to trust my gut instincts and let my hard work and determination carry me the rest of the way.
Wow I actually feel a little better just from typing that!! :)
Well that's all folks! What are some ways you all deal when you have unwanted stress put upon you? And how do you keep reminding yourself that this isn't going to last forever? Let me know and thank you all for reading! Until next time..
*MUAH!
#MeTimeMondays
Usually when people think of "Me Time" I'm sure they think of a relaxing day full of pampering exercises such as massage, facials, manis and pedis and while that sounds GREAT it's time to usher in a new meaning, at least for me. Me Time Mondays will be regular days but before the day is up I am vowing to do at least one thing to make sure to further the Queen Harrison brand and updating my blog!! THIS BLOG!! (http://www.goqueengo.blogspot.com) Yes, every Monday you can expect a blog post from yours truly because whether I am aware or not there are a lot of people out there that look to me for help, encouragement, or just wanna see me because they think I'm interesting! And since I really love my fans, friends, and family ANYWAY what better way to show it then to give them funny stories, stimulating topics or just plain insight into what Queen Harrison is doing on the regular!
Getting started, I'm currently sitting at my dining room table in my house in South Carolina. I just finished eating dinner (1st dinner I've made in my OWN house in about 3 weeks) and now I'm reflecting on the day and how my life is playing out esp since turning 25 in September. Sometimes, I honestly can't believe I'm 25 not only because I don't feel a day over 20 but because time honestly seems like it's in hyperdrive! Be that as it may, I'm claiming my year of being 25 to be my BEST YEAR YET and I plan on doing whatever is necessary to make sure that happens, even if that means leaving places and people behind and making major changes.
Speaking of changes... Today was my first official day back to training with my coach, Lawrence Johnson, and the 'BoogieFast Track Club' & boy am I wiped out! This year's set up is totally different; from the location (temporary) we're training at, mindset, to the members of the group! Besides LJ (coach) I am the only original member of BFTC left!! My homegirls/old TPs (training partners) have decided to fly the coop and take their talents elsewhere for their own personal motivations, leaving me behind with funny/crazy LJ and replaced by two baby divas in Brianna Rollins (100mH) and T'erea Brown (400mh)! The dynamic of the group has definitely changed (noticeably even after only ONE day) but I think that this group has promise and ability to be a force to be reckon with. Combining talent, beauty, and a host of egos and personalities I am VERY interested to see what becomes of this new BoogieFast group. But, I am claiming the best and predicting 3 new faces of USATF to emerge and take over the hurdle scene :) I'll save more insight into my new TPs for a later date and just focus on me now.
I just got back to South Carolina from the USATF Elite Athlete Summit hosted in Miami, FL this year. For those of you who don't know, it's much more than just a fun weekend provided by USATF to celebrate the athletes' accomplishments and instead is an opportunity for us athletes in such an individualized sport to come together to toss around ideas of how to improve the sport in this country and voice our concerns of the current state of USA Track and Field. I went down there a bit hesitant thinking that this was just going to be another time that everyone would just be talking a good game and nothing gets done but surprisingly with our new CEO in Max Seigel I actually am starting to buy into the idea that USA track is headed in the right direction, for the organization and for the athletes that are apart of it! But Miami wasn't all work no play, one thing about track athletes and that is that we KNOW HOW TO PARTY and have a good time!! lol Between competitive beach volleyball, partying at Cameo night club and the talent show put on by our alumni association, there was a LOT of fun to be had!
Of COURSE everyone there was required to take part in the talent show so you had world class athletes up there acting, reciting poetry, "singing" and even a lil bit of twerking!! haha I'm sure some video footage from the event will eventually hit the internet but until then I will just let you all's imagination run wild but I will tell y'all that I WAS in the winning group (S/O and shooodooop to my talent show partners: DeeDee Trotter, Jeneba Tarmoh, Brianna Rollins, Christine Spence, and Jessica Beard) and our performance was definitely camera and video worthy :)
Well it's getting late and I have to wake up early again tomorrow to lift at 10am and then practice again at 3:30 (YAY for 2-a-days) plus I want to post this before my midnight deadline sooo with that I'll say happy reading, thanks for visiting and I'll see yall next Monday! This is some of how I spend my #MeTimeMonday, how will yall spend yours? No matter what walk of life or career path we've decided to take I think it's important to promote your positive points and always look to better yourself, so why not NOW! (aka at least every Monday)
Smooches! Oh, and go check out my Work, Rest, and Play IAAF Interview if you need a little bit more of Queen Harrison before the end of the day ;) *MUAH!*
