http://tiannamadison.com Tianna Madison Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:39:00 +0000 http://snappages.com en http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/12/11/hey-you-asked http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/12/11/hey-you-asked Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:39:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/12/11/hey-you-asked
Question: How do you keep your skin tone even?

The truth is....it’s not. I wear these Prada sunglasses to every workout that are kind of oversized so I have a perpetual raccoon eye-mask looking tan. Not to mention hyper-pigmentation (dark spots) sometimes stubbornly refuse to fade away. So my actual skin care regimen (twice daily) involves: salicylic acid cleanser, followed by a glycolic acid toner, and benzoyl peroxide lotion rounds out the trio. Proactiv’s Clear Face and Body pads clean my skin of dirt and sweat after my workouts. And MAC’s Select Cover Up Concealer balances the skin around my eyes, their Pro Longwear Concealer takes care of those stubborn dark spots, and their mineral foundation finishes the look, voila seemingly flawless skin!!

Question: Those Outfits?

I’m not really sure what was actually meant by this question BUT I’ll go for it anyway. On the track my wardrobe is provided by Saucony. Off the track I’d call the way I dress as edgy prep. I love layers, sweaters and polos, blazers, scarves, plaid...but I’ll wear a blazer with a graphic tee, skinny jeans and stilettos. I live in stilettos. I keep a pair in the trunk of my car, because you never know....And always always play with color and accessories! H&M, American Eagle, and New York and Co are my faves.

Whatever your style rock it with confidence. Confidence is attractive.

Question: How much water do you drink?

I try to drink a gallon of water a day. That’s about 128 ounces. It’s recommended that we drink 64 ounces a day. However, training in Florida makes me sweat about 64 ounces worth of water during a single workout so to be safe from dehydration I shoot for 128!! I also add salt to my Cytomax drinks for the needed electrolytes without the sugar of Gatordade or Powerade.


Got more questions for me? Ask in the comments, on my facebook page, twitter, or at Unation.

see.bird.fly


]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/11/29/birds-of-a-feather http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/11/29/birds-of-a-feather Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:10:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/11/29/birds-of-a-feather Here we go!! It's been four years and training has commenced for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England this summer.

There are two questions that I'm almost always asked immediately after I tell them, "I run professionally." The first is: Are you currently training for the Olympics? And the second is: If I'll be competing in the [...]]]> Here we go!! It's been four years and training has commenced for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England this summer.

There are two questions that I'm almost always asked immediately after I tell them, "I run professionally." The first is: Are you currently training for the Olympics? And the second is: If I'll be competing in the Games this summer.

The answer to the first question is "kind of".

Kind of?


Yes, kind of. See one thing stands between me and London and I'm not referring to the Atlantic Ocean. On the contrary, I'm referring to that grand event that takes place in the Pacific Northwest.

THE OLYMPIC TRIALS....in Eugene, Oregon

And guess what? The schedule is already posted. Anyway, back to my point. The Olympic Games are my ultimate goal for the season, but I have to first rock it at our team trials. And I don't know if you've heard but Team USA is one of the hardest teams to make. And that's exactly why we're the best, and exactly why I'm training to be there at my best.

This is how the Trials work. The top three finishers in each event qualify for Team USA. There is also a qualifying mark called the "A" Standard...it's a mark set by the IOC and/or IAAF in most cases you MUST also have this standard. So there are two goals to reach before setting my sights completely on London. 1st, jump that A standard as soon as possible. 2nd, place top three at the Olympic Trials and secure a spot on Team USA!

Speaking of teams, Team Bird check this out...You've been flying with me for years through fair and rough weather, so I'm super excited to announce that we've got a new headquarters!! So go register at www.unation.com and check there often for exclusive content and behind the scenes access to what prepping for the Olympic Trials and Games is really like. Oh, and don't forget to check back here at the "see.bird.fly" training blog too.

With hyper focus, eating, sleeping, and breathing all things London 2012...success is inevitable. There's nothing like standing up on that podium. And nothing like having a whole team to stand with me.


The time has come...


see.bird.fly

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/11/01/oh-my-how-youve-grown http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/11/01/oh-my-how-youve-grown Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:23:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/11/01/oh-my-how-youve-grown
I stumbled across this [...]]]>




Tomorrow marks a new chapter in my fast-paced life. Tomorrow I’ll wake up a different person, with different goals, with different obligations, and responsibilities. So it’s only normal to look backwards before you take that step across the threshold. So that’s what I was doing when....

I stumbled across this article....wait who am I kidding? I googled myself and was scrolling through the results (you know just to make sure I don’t need to do any damage control or email my publicist) when I found this article I did the summer of my sophomore year (before the World Championships) called “In the Exchange Zone” with Tianna Madison. It was a quirky question and answer piece and as I was reading I couldn’t help but think... “My, how you’ve grown.” I found the contrast so amusing that I decided to answer those same questions again for you here on my blog. You should probably check out the original article too- don’t worry it’s an incredibly quick read.

I hope you giggle ~> http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/060805aad.html


Q:What cd is in your cd player right now?
A: Cd's? Who still has cd’s? Just kidding. I actually do have a cd in right now it’s an audiobook: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.

Q:What do you do in your spare time?
A: What spare time?

Q:What is the best concert you’ve ever been to?
A: The FRAY hands down...I was screaming like a prepubescent school girl at a Hannah Montana concert.

Q:Who is your favorite Pro Athlete?
A: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Q:As a Lady Vol what do you want to be most remembered for?
A: I want to be remembered as the 19 year old who decided she wanted something so badly that she would defy all odds to get it, with Strep Throat, and a 3.8 GPA. #bam.

Q:What three words best describe you?
A: Off, pretty, intelligent- if you think the first and third words are contradictory you don’t know me at all.

Q:What’s your favorite farm animal?
A: I said horses back then because it sounded good. But honestly I haven’t liked horses since I was thrown off of one several years ago. But when I first moved to Florida my neighbor had a pet pig on the back patio...and i would go visit it and play with it through the screen it was really cute. And so was the one I dissected in biology. And I really liked the movie Babe. So I think I have an affinity for pigs.

Q:Which brand of Macaroni and Cheese is the best?
A: Those Velveeta Shells!!!!

Q:What is your dream car?
A: The Audi R8

Q:What are some tricks you use to prepare yourself for a meet?
A: I slow my music down because sometimes being too hype works against you. I’ve adopted chanting, meditation, and visualization to center and ground myself. I’m also skilled in the art of distraction- at some point there is no more preparation necessary and it’s best to just relax. For me, this means getting lost in a book, blogging, going to a museum, whatever it just has to be entirely unrelated to track and field.

Q:What lessons (academic or in life) have you learned at UTenn so far?
A: Well...looking back on it, the biggest academic lesson I learned is, if you test into calculus don’t take Algebra. And by that I mean- I should have gone the preMed route instead I tried to take the easy way out by choosing a less pressing major, I’m literally paying for that error in judgement now. An athletic lesson I learned at UTenn was an important one...don’t make it about the money. Ever.

Q:Are you an outdoorswoman or a beach bum?
A: I do not like the beach. Laying out is not appealing to me, the sand isn’t relaxing- I see sand and think “jump”. And I don’t really like the effect salt water has on my hair. I am more of an outdoorswoman. I went camping this year...I love to hike. I don’t mind getting dirty-just not at the beach.

Q:If you could be on a team with anyone who would be your teammates?
A: What are we playing. I need way more information.

Q:Why do you love Track and Field so much?
A: I love track and field because it has opened a door to the world for me. It has matured me in a way that no other job could have, and it continues to bait me towards greatness.

Q:What are your favorite pizza toppings?
A:Black olives, mushrooms, sometimes pepperoni.

Q:What quote or motto do you always keep in the back of your head?
A: “You would not have so great a desire if it were not possible to achieve it,” and “what you seek is already within you...draw it out.”

Q:What’s your idea of a perfect vacation?
A: La Residencia in Mallorca Spain. There would be some shopping involved, some getting lost in the city, star gazing...you know the romantical stuff.

Q:If you could invite four people to dinner who would you invite?
A: Man....this is tough. My mom, dad, little sister, and Mr. Right. Oh wait...that’s Thanksgiving.

Q:What will you buy with your first paycheck?
A: Bailey’s on the rocks and then that money’s going in the bank. I’ve learned my lesson.

Q:What is your most memorable sporting moment?
A: Crying my heart out on the runway before my last jump at the Indoor World Championships in Moscow. I was so embarrassed to be seventh place as the reigning World Champion I bursted into tears-on the runway! But I took a deep breath, bit my lip, took that first step...and leaped to a silver medal.

Q:Love or Money?
A: Love. Love for your job brings money. Love in your relationship brings happiness and the presence or absence of money can only magnify what you already have together.

Q:Do you ever look at the stars at night? What are you thinking?
A: I look at the stars often, and every time the same three thoughts run through my mind. 1) God is so big. 2)How many lightyears away is that? 3)I seriously need to get somewhere with less atmospheric disturbance.

Q:What is heaven on earth to you?
My boyfriend's closet. Nothing in it belongs to me but if it were my closet....omg. It'd be heaven. Shut up, you haven’t seen it. You’d agree with me if you did.

Q:What is your favorite holiday?
A: Thanksgiving because now this girl can Cook!!!

Q:Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
A:You know what...I can’t even say. I don’t know. Plus the word “famous” is relative right?

Q:When were you aware that you were athletically gifted?
A:Sometime in high school, I wasn’t getting beat anymore. That kind of drove the point home.

Q:What was the first event you competed in?
A: the 100m dash. I don’t know how you can run out of your lane in the 100m seeing as it’s pretty straight forward but I found a way to do it.

Q:Who’s your favorite Olympian?
A: Ask me this question again in September, so I can say, “me”

Q: If you weren’t competing in track and field which sport would you be competing in?
A: I wouldn’t. I’d be Dr. Madison-_____. And I’d be married with a kid, and a dog or two.

Q: What is your favorite book or magazine?
A: Fave book: Success Principles by Jack Canfield
Fave Magazine: Scientific American Mind

Q: What’s your favorite tv show?
A: I have a list: Grey’s Anatomy, True Blood, Dexter, The Mentalist, and The Big Bang Theory.

Q: What’s your favorite reality tv show?
A:My guilty pleasure is anything that comes on Bravo.

Q: Complete the sentence: You’d be surprised to know that...
A: I have a really bad temper. It takes a long time to get me to that boiling point but once I’m there, it manifests itself as crocodile tears. A part of me knows that I can’t act on my anger, the other part is frustrated with that knowledge, so the compromise is to cry-long and hard.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/08/01/struggle-success-and-bestsellers http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/08/01/struggle-success-and-bestsellers Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:58:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/08/01/struggle-success-and-bestsellers
A couple hours later I would learn my [...]]]>
A couple hours later I would learn my grandmother was dead: complications from a surgery I didn’t even know she was having.

Four weeks ago I touched down in Ireland inspired, motivated to salvage my season. I was convinced that my skipping nationals was the right decision, that I could still run 11.1 and jump 6.70...

I trained with that mindset for weeks...a train gaining momentum with each workout...

only to be derailed.

Then I talked to Marc Sylvester.

I used to watch him between the links in a fence at our regional track meet. I used to tell my coach, “Today, this time, I’m gonna go introduce myself” and then I’d chicken out.

So I admired him from afar. I watched him run the 800 and the 1600m relay. Watched his face blush red, his wind blown blond hair, and hemp necklace threatening to break against the tense muscles of his neck.

I watched him.

And when he went to Tennessee I politely insisted that they add him to my official visit’s itinerary, and maybe I said it would help with my decision...maybe.

Then life happens.

And I left Tennessee.

And so did Marc.

But somehow we’ve managed to speak more now than we ever did then. And it was our last conversation that inspired this blog.

Marc is coming back. Back to the sport. And he's ready and determined to leave his mark. And this is where the story gets good...

dream chasing is no easy thing...

it hurts too...

the hurt makes you doubt the validity of your dream. Makes you ask, “is this right?”

it’s right.

This is what I told Marc, “embrace your struggle. You’re ‘writing’ a story right now. And no story is complete without twists, turns, tragedy, and triumph. Embrace it and then let it go. This is a part of the story-your story.”

And I wish I’d remembered those words for myself when I decided my week was too much to overcome.

How unimportant a race feels when someone in your family dies.

How hard it is to get up and train when all you really want to do is run home to your grandad and make sure he’s ok.

This career hasn’t been easy for a long time. But I haven’t embraced the struggle and I most definitely haven’t been letting the fear and hurt go.

But I'm trying.

Because like Marc, we’re all writing a story. We’re all coming back.

And we all need support.


*follow Marc's journey on twitter, you'll be glad you did ---> @slydawg1853 on facebook and on his blog (he promises to start up again) and stay tuned we've got some tricks up our sleeves.

Oh and if you don't know how good this "kid" is google him.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/18/so-much-so-little http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/18/so-much-so-little Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:48:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/18/so-much-so-little
for that big break when...

I jump seven meters, run 10.9x...

and get the money and recognition that comes with that so that I can reach out and touch the lives of others

because what I want more than anything is to be able to afford to share [...]]]>
for that big break when...

I jump seven meters, run 10.9x...

and get the money and recognition that comes with that so that I can reach out and touch the lives of others

because what I want more than anything is to be able to afford to share and/or give away everything:

My time.
My heart.
My expertise.
My money.
My home.
My life.

As they say, “You can only keep what you give away.”

So I’ve been waiting...

as if for a windfall.

My pocketbook burdened.

My heart heavy in clear and obvious conflict with my analytical mind as both are caught up in this continuous contemplation

both asking, for two different reasons...

“what does caring for people really cost?”

Yesterday I explored Connemara and Cong a vast region in the West of Ireland full of mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and forests.

But what touched me the most was a building erected in the 14th century. Hardly standing, fighting the elements to be remembered well into the 21st.

This is all that’s left of the Franciscan Friary. I walked through the wind-battered gateway and was immediately transported to Ken Follet’s world a la Pillars of the Earth.

Drawing on imagery from the book and the scenery that was before me I began to see with my mind’s eye robed monks shuffling to and fro, chanting prayers, studying scriptures, tending to fields and animals, and most importantly caring for the sick, destitute, and broken people of the surrounding community.

Nevermind the fact that they had taken a vow of poverty, or that they, themselves, were barely fed thier daily bread, or that the only clothes they had was what they wore. Every. Single. Day. Yet somehow, giving was something they could always afford.

I couldn’t help but wonder if, all this time, my thinking that I couldn’t be of help because of my meager income was nothing more than...

an excuse?

I determined that it was.

I’ve determined it will be no longer.

and I will not allow my frustrations with track and field, sponsorships, endorsements, or lack thereof keep me from my calling.

I won’t allow disappointing relationships, contacts, and contracts define my worth.

This is bigger than that...

because I can’t lay down at night to sleep without my mind wondering, brainstorming, and plotting how I can get out into the world and change it...

or how I can positively influence the young people of my hometown.

Perhaps track and field is my platform.

Maybe it isn’t.

Regardless, today I’m reaching out...

and it cost me nothing.

I now see that it's hardly an impossible thing to do so much, with so little.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/10/madison-magic-hocus-pocus-and-other-spells http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/10/madison-magic-hocus-pocus-and-other-spells Sun, 10 Jul 2011 19:59:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/10/madison-magic-hocus-pocus-and-other-spells ***I had a fleeting thought early yesterday evening and was immediately compelled to write. The only problem was...I was on the starting line preparing to run the semifinal heat of the 100m dash in Madrid. So I revisit the thought today with the hope that I haven’t entirely lost what I had found lazily floating across my mind less than [...]]]> ***I had a fleeting thought early yesterday evening and was immediately compelled to write. The only problem was...I was on the starting line preparing to run the semifinal heat of the 100m dash in Madrid. So I revisit the thought today with the hope that I haven’t entirely lost what I had found lazily floating across my mind less than twenty-four hours ago.

I just finished a brilliant novel by Deborah Harkness called A Discovery of Witches. Before you roll your eyes let me say that I first learned of this book via a radio show on NPR. It came highly recommended. The book’s synopsis was so captivating that I remained parked in my assigned space, car running, for fifteen minutes scribbling down the name of both book and author. The story weaves fantasy with biology. And as most of you know, that’s right up my alley.

The heroine of this book is called Diana.She is a witch who has neglected her innate magical abilities. She wanted to fit in, to be normal, to be human and therefore believed magic had no place in her life or in her research as a professor at both Oxford and Yale. To avoid spoiling the story I’ll say this : through a series of events and unusual circumstances it became imperative that Diana use her long neglected powers, it was now a matter of life or death.

There is one scene in this story of 580 plus pages where the only way Diana can live is if she flies. She’d envisioned all of these colored ribbons securely wrapped around her body. Looking herself over, her eyes lingered on a silver ribbon. Gently, she pulled at the ribbon she acknowledged was responsible for grounding her and removing it with strong resolve, willingness, and proper intent she flew.

I replayed and reread the scene a million times over the last two days. It spoke to me on such a deep level. Here I am, Tianna, blessed with all of these gifts-some I refuse to even address. Yet, I wander through my own life exchanging my greatness for beautiful packaging and metaphorical ribbons.

**************************************************************************************************************

My eyes fluttered open the morning of the track meet. A whispered voice asked, “and what will you be running for today?” Somewhat puzzled I looked to my roommate who to my surprise was sleeping soundly. I answered with silent mental clarity that I would be running for “myself. For my life.” Apparently satisfied with my answer the already hushed voice remained silent.

I was making myself presentable in the bathroom mirror so I could face the public at breakfast when I wondered aloud, “if I’m just one jump and one race from changing my life why can’t I do it? Just one seven meter jump. Just one ten second hundred.” I nodded disapprovingly at myself and headed to the lobby.

The next time i returned to my room a bouquet of twelve hybrid yellow/pink roses and one blood red rose were waiting for me in a tall glass vase. A note accompanied them:

“You need eleven seconds to feel your life on the track...”

Later that evening I was struggling internally with conflicting attitudes. I wanted to run fast. I didn’t want to run rounds. If you know me personally you’d know that I can scold myself better than my parents ever could. As if by magic and with a surgeon's precision I dissected each thought and laid its underlying issues out in the “open”. A part of me wants to be great. Another part of me is scared to death.

It was then the voice returned, “see? This is why you can’t be trusted. We don’t trust you with greatness.” I inquisitively mused about who the "we" could have been but realized just as quickly that that was beside the point. On the line I let one of my beautiful ribbons go in exchange for the courage to put a world-class effort into a race I felt ill-prepared for.

As I released my fear and gave my body permission to do what it has long been capable of my whispered voice returned. “There she is!” it exclaimed as I was getting set in the blocks.

Unsurprisingly, “fly” was the last word I heard. carried on the wind into my face as my arms, like wings, carried me across the finish line.

***This really happened. Of course it’s possible my psychology was influenced by the book. It’s equally possible that immersing myself in the fantastical and supernatural left me especially attuned and open to-I don’t know, more spiritual perhaps mystical things. All I know is this:

I do not cast spells.

But I draw strength from scriptures and there is an understated power in my written words.

I may not be a seer of the future.

But my dreams often act as a reliable guide.

I may not be able to fly across the skies.

But my name is Bird and I fly in my own way.

I am not a witch.

But I am full of magic...

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/02/luck-of-the-irish http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/02/luck-of-the-irish Sat, 02 Jul 2011 19:55:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/07/02/luck-of-the-irish I started this trip off with a bang. I got a free first class upgrade across the water on Continental. I didn't even realize that I was Elite on that airline! Thank God my travel agent keeps all my frequent flyer numbers on file and enters them for me. Anyway...that was a mega plus. And everything was going well until...

I got to [...]]]> I started this trip off with a bang. I got a free first class upgrade across the water on Continental. I didn't even realize that I was Elite on that airline! Thank God my travel agent keeps all my frequent flyer numbers on file and enters them for me. Anyway...that was a mega plus. And everything was going well until...

I got to Amsterdam. See, that travel agent I mentioned earlier booked me on two separate airlines. So instead of having my bags checked all the way to Cork City Ireland I had to pick my bags up at baggage claim in Amsterdam, leave the terminal, and go check in for my next flight with Aer Lingus.

It wasn't a good morning for Aer Lingus. Their computers were down and so were there employees. I stood in line for over an hour, only to get to the desk to have the worker tell me I was too late to have my bags checked for the flight. I asked, "well who's fault is that?" So she offered to put me on the next flight to Cork. I agreed to that, only to learn that the next flight to Cork was twelve hours from then. Wtf!? Oh, and I had a million bags.

So...instead of getting all bent all out of shape I checked myself into a hotel for the day. I kicked my feet up, took a long shower, and a nice long nap. What started as an inconvenience really turned out to be a blessing. My legs weren't nearly as dead as they would have been had I not been able to rejuvenate them mid-trip!

But I made it! I have a cute little suite- you know with its own bathroom...tons of snacks...a banging sound dock, internet! I'm good.

As you know today (Saturday) was race day. And i don't usually blog about results but it was one of those feel good meets and I want to share that with you.

My first event was at 2.15pm. You know what that means:

8.00am- Breakfast plus Red Bull
8.45am- Ab Ripper X plus as much booty shakin' and pop & lockin’ I can handle to get my heart rate up
9.00am-10.00am-Update all Social Media. Respond to Fan Mail.
10.01am-11.00am- Pre-Meet Nap
11.01am-12.30pm- Shower/GameFace Application/Dress Drink Red Bull #2

Then I headed to the track.

Let me tell you...I almost didn't make it to the track. I couldn't find my Gillette Fusion Power razor...and I'm jumped today and that's not cool. And no...I never found it. So, sorry about the pictures from this meet. It was too late to do anything about it.

I won the 100m dash but only because I ran every zone like I was supposed to. Because even in slow motion technique wins on a bad day.

I also got on the podium in the Long Jump. I am finally coming around! After what half a decade!?

Whatever...

I'm clearly on God's timing...and five/six years is nothing to someone that transcends time.

I had a blast today...got the crowd hyped up and excited, signed autographs, passed out my new trading cards, and made some new pen pals. That's winning.

Next stop...Dublin...

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/06/08/the-low-down http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/06/08/the-low-down Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:45:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/06/08/the-low-down
It also gives you the opportunity to see me as a [...]]]>
It also gives you the opportunity to see me as a "person". Not that you didn't before. But I am quite the character, it sometimes seems that all my layers would clash with each other. My creator knew what he was doing! My intelligence, silliness, athleticism, and hidden talents and interests all come together to form the perfect storm the world knows as "Tianna". Watch and Laugh.



]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/05/18/you-should-know-that http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/05/18/you-should-know-that Wed, 18 May 2011 17:34:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/05/18/you-should-know-that

Turner Classic Movies is my favorite Channel. Black and White Does it Right.

I am left [...]]]>

Turner Classic Movies is my favorite Channel. Black and White Does it Right.

I am left handed and OCD so not only are my hangers in the closet facing the wrong way, my clothes are now color coordinated.

I am in love with Office Depot

I Really Want that KitchenAid Mixer

I’m in Love with Sheldon from “Big Bang Theory” because he’s so incredibly smart and that right there on its own is enough for me.

I watch pardon the interruption for Tony Kornheiser and around the horn to read what that crazy guy has written on that little chalkboard

I danced ballet for five years and even did a short tour with a company. That’s why I’m soooo flexible.

I have an alter ego, she’s asked to remain nameless as she has been showing out lately.

You’re VIP at the Club, I’m VIP at the Library

I love astronomy. If I can have a serious conversation with you about the universe you’ll have a hard time getting rid of me.

I don’t give away much about myself but I’ll remember even the tiniest detail about you. That’s how I’m able to give great gifts.

I handwrite every blog first, then type it, then copy it to my website. Third times the charm right?

I’m bilingual, working on three. I speak spanish, can write and say several things in Hebrew. French is up next.

I can sing even though I rarely do. I’ve starred in two musicals and earned every solo spot i auditioned for, Only to turn it down. #shy

I can cook but don’t ask me to make french toast ask me to make a gourmet soup, crepes, lamb chops, or seafood stuffed filets. You know, to name a few.

I have a ridiculous almost unbelievable Love of Mushrooms

I get legitimately excited when someone brings me Laffy Taffy, not the bite size ones. The ones from 711 that you can dang near break your teeth on trying to eat.

One Smirnoff Gets me Tipsy

My little sister punks me. I literally run for cover from her crazy...

My current GPA is 3.975 because I got an A minus. However, I rarely attended class because I actually read the textbook

I am spoiled. I called my dad (in Ohio) because I was lonely (in Tennessee) and seven hours later he knocked on my front door and drove me back to Ohio.

I keep my iMac on the counter in the kitchen for cooking purposes and for entertainment because otherwise washing dishes or cleaning up after a meal is BORING.

I don’t care what it Takes (as long as its legal) I will have an Audi R8.

One of these is a GOT DANG LIE. Do you know which?


]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/05/14/til-death http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/05/14/til-death Sat, 14 May 2011 01:54:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/05/14/til-death
On some days I tell myself, “it’s just a job, it’s what you do, not who you are.” On other days, after I’ve [...]]]>
On some days I tell myself, “it’s just a job, it’s what you do, not who you are.” On other days, after I’ve spiked up, I tell myself, “this is who i am, everyday has led up to this moment.”

Ok, so I’m a bit bipolar when it comes to track and field. It’s my husband to say the least. It’s good when it’s good and god awful when it's not. We got married in 2005 and our honeymoon phase ended in 2007. Life together has been a struggle ever since.

Part of our problem is that we let our so called “friends” and third parties earn our trust only to give bad advice and lead us astray driving the wedge between us even deeper creating such marital distress that when I’m stripped down and standing eye to eye with the very object of my affection I wince at the reality that we no longer trust each other.

We had been unfaithful.

I parade Stanford Medical School in his face as a public declaration that I’ll soon be leaving him. He parades women before my eyes with less hardware and more cash as if to say, “see this is what we could be, if you too were all in”.

But I say: you’re just a game.

And he says: but I’m your life.

So I say: you pay the bills.

Then he says: but you’re my wife, we've married, you promised you’d fight for our survival and I promised I’d be there for you to witness your revival, don’t you love me???

And I grow silent because that “L” word just won’t leave me alone.

I’m on the plane staring at the window, seeing nothing, contemplating how I could possibly lose anymore than I already had.

The answer is quite simple. The question quite complex: how hard will you fight for this love?

I searched my heart and found that all the life I have within me is willing to fight...

‘Til death.

Do us part.

And if we fail. At least we know I gave you my life.


*Go Hard or Go Home*

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/04/22/role-model http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/04/22/role-model Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:13:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/04/22/role-model
There’s something about “my face” being “the face” of something or some idea and sometimes I can’t pull it off [...]]]>
There’s something about “my face” being “the face” of something or some idea and sometimes I can’t pull it off because I know that behind this face lie hilarious movie quotes, scientific experiments, dumb questions, and logic puzzles. I’m by no means saying that other models don’t have thoughts. I’m saying that I cannot, with a straight face go into a shoot having just pretended to be Nicki Minaj or that Alien Opera Singer from The Fifth Element on the drive over.

So when I strike that pose...something in my mind says, “look at you, you think you’re doing it huh?” And I laugh, that’s right I crack myself up- and the moment is gone. So if you’re a photographer and you’re reading this and you STILL want to shoot me get that trigger finger ready.

My point is this, I’m not a model. I don’t pose for cameras. Yet, standing in the center of a room with a microphone, being a celebrity guest at a grand opening event, explaining goal setting to five year olds, and physics to a track clinic that’s ALL ME ALL DAY.

Of course, I dream about walking the red carpet at the Espy’s or going to the Oscar’s having been nominated for my portrayal of a super heroine in a Hollywood Blockbuster, or accepting the Nobel Peace Prize for my work either in service or literature (either one would be fine with me), and of course strutting fabulously across the stage to accept my MD from Stanford University being introduced as Dr. Tianna Madison.

And if there just so happens to be paparazzi...

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/04/14/island-standard-time http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/04/14/island-standard-time Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:32:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/04/14/island-standard-time
There’s nothing more stressful than wishing and willing your way home when you have absolutely no influence over the matter.

Look, I’ll try not to erase the beauty of the last seven days because the last twelve hours were hell.

I had a blast in St. Kitts. I didn’t think I would. I mean, we are all professional athletes not necessarily BFF’s. We come to practice we get the work done we go home. I get cussed out by my coach on a regular basis I go home. We repeat.

But this week we experienced a serious change of pace and scenery. I was the last person on the plane to Miami when we left Sunday morning. I’m not at liberty to tell you why...I just strolled onto the plane as if I was in no danger of missing the flight. I greeted and smiled at my training partners as I did what felt like the walk of shame (I had done nothing wrong- I think it was the “all eyes on me” feeling) towards the back of the plane to my seat.

As soon as my butt hit the seat I was asleep- I’m pretty sure one of the flight attendants buckled me up.

Getting there was easy. Getting out of there...well that’s another story and I’m getting ahead of myself.

Anyway...

Do you know Kim Collins? Google him. I can’t explain him to you, not really. Ok, to make a long story short he is the man in St. Kitts. So our group went down there to support him and his vision to encourage the young people in his country to get active and to set goals. We came as celebrity guests and we were asked to compete at his track meet at the end of the week exhibition style.

So Brooks (our coach) decided that we would use the days preceding the meet as a training camp. We had one practice at 9am, treatment mid-day, practice at 4pm, and treatment well into the night courtesy of Beth Mignano and her Magic Hands.

By day two we were all jacked up. I don’t think I could walk without my shins and back protesting. So two-a-days quickly turned into two jog and stretch sessions a day.

We got Thursday and Friday off to recover and enjoy ourselves not without first being warned that we “better not act a damn fool as we are guests on the island” as you know Brooks has a way with words.

We accomplished what we wanted to in our couple days of practice and at the meet but honestly, it was the shenanigans that took place in our downtime that strengthened my bond with the train gang forever.

Let’s just say nobody stopped laughing.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/02/21/from-tears-to-tears http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/02/21/from-tears-to-tears Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:06:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/02/21/from-tears-to-tears
I was having a disappointing indoor season. It started in Boston and although I had one of my faster opening races of my pro career I felt that I should have run faster based on the quality of my workouts.

I flew to Europe after Boston for a [...]]]>
I was having a disappointing indoor season. It started in Boston and although I had one of my faster opening races of my pro career I felt that I should have run faster based on the quality of my workouts.

I flew to Europe after Boston for a series of indoor meets. I expected (as all athletes should) to get better with each race. But that didn't happen.

I got worse. And at my second meet in Europe my hamstring did something really funny. I woke up to find that I could barely move my leg. For some reason the tendon behind my knee and one tiny spot in the belly of my hamstring were tight enough to keep my leg from reaching full extension. I figured I must have slept extremely weird I mean I am known for having strange sleeping positions.

At that point I thought the cure was a nice slow yoga session, a good warmup, a sufficient amount of liquids, and prayer. I was only going home anyway.

But then I got a call from my manager (G-d Love him) asking if I wanted to compete at an additional meet. Additional meets mean additional money, and of course another opportunity to get my race together and run a seasons' best at the very least. I thought, "the universe is giving me another chance! I think this is it, I'll run the time I was looking for!"

I celebrated my change in luck with my roommate and packed my bags. I awoke the next morning to an incredible stiffness in my leg. As we waited on the platform for our train to Karlsrhue I tried to stretch the hammy. It did not give, not even a little.

I told myself that another round of yoga, an extended warmup, and a serious rehydration campaign, would do the trick. I took the customary three hour nap in the hotel room and then got ready for a pre-meet workout.

My hamstring loosened enough to leave me optimistic about the meet the next day. However, I made a chiropractic appointment just to give myself any advantage possible.

The Doc worked on my hamstring for half an hour. It felt a lot better and he told me to see him again if I found that it was stiff again in the morning.

It was stiff in the morning. But I did a B.B.C. and a body check and convinced myself that it would get better as the day went on.

It didn't. Not really.

I shouldn't have tried to run the first round but I was convinced that I was given this meet as a second chance to prove I could make a splash in the sprints.

After the first round, I dragged my left leg behind me as I yelled for a doctor. The same doc greeted me in the mixed zone and after several minutes of poking and prodding he informed me that running in the final would be suicidal. So I scratched, and watched my second chance spiral away. There were tears then. Big rain drop tears of frustration.

The housekeeper was probably alarmed at the amount of wetness and mascara I left on the hotel's white pillows.

I switched gears and flew home with the hope that I can pull it together in ten days. You know, just in time for USA Nationals.

But today, I tore it. I have a tear. And I no longer have ten days, I have less than a week. That's not true. Because my indoor season is OVER. I'm bummed but there isn't one comeback story without plenty of setbacks.

So now I get to switch gears. I get to forget about the disappointing season, and heal myself from the inside out.

Here's to the hope of glory...even through the hamstring tears and wet tears.


]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/02/07/the-morning-afters http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/02/07/the-morning-afters Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:23:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/02/07/the-morning-afters
Oh wow...it’s the morning after.

My voice is layered with sultry, raspy, and dry notes. I take a look around.

Things are awkward, I’m not sure how I’ll be received, how many calls I’ve missed, and I know a review [...]]]>
Oh wow...it’s the morning after.

My voice is layered with sultry, raspy, and dry notes. I take a look around.

Things are awkward, I’m not sure how I’ll be received, how many calls I’ve missed, and I know a review of last night’s performance is waiting for me. I know that I was pleased but in cases such as this it isn’t my opinion that matters. It isn’t my opinion that will grant me access to seconds.

Yet, it is MY opinion that He asks for, so I’ll give it: I ran a good opening race. I’m almost positive I have never opened at 7.32 before. If I’m being completely honest I felt as though I never started to run, the drive phase we had been working on extending all last season finally extended itself. Unfortunately, the race is only 60meters long there wasn’t enough real estate for a drive phase like mine last night.

This is good news obviously. I executed exactly what I’ve been working on in training. Now I’ve just got to figure out how to tweak it just-so or ever so slightly so that I can run this dagnabbit 7.0something like I know I can. I’ve got nothing negative to say about my race or place. It’s just on to the next one....

In fact, I’m headed to the next one now, waiting to greet the still sleeping sun from Frankfurt Germany on my way to Paris, the race is tomorrow.

Stick around, I’ll see you in the morning.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/01/08/sorry-freud-im-gonna-stroke-this-ego http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/01/08/sorry-freud-im-gonna-stroke-this-ego Sat, 08 Jan 2011 10:04:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2011/01/08/sorry-freud-im-gonna-stroke-this-ego
That’s what I have been missing. I was too caught up in being realistic.

Back when I was in high school a track and field coach from Arizona came to my house for a home visit. He asked me what my goals were. I said, “to be a gold medalist”. He said, “first, you need to be realistic.” I dismissed him promptly.

Then I thought back to my first Golden Age (you like how I said “first” implying that there’ll be a “second”?). There was absolutely nothing realistic about that either.

I remember telling a reporter from my hometown right before I left for Helsinki, right after losing at Nationals that I was going to jump the best that I ever had. And that if I did I would win. In fact, I told her to “watch what happens”. If I was being “realistic” I would have told myself, “wait a minute, you didn’t even win nationals how are you going to beat the world?” But I didn’t. I actually forgot about that loss almost as quickly as it happened.

Then there’s this life I’m living. I’ve decided to change it. Not for the better. For the AWESOME. As soon as I decided I was no longer going to be “realistic” about what I wanted opportunities began to present themselves and I started to change.

There are side effects though. One of which has to do with friends. I realize now that back then I had few friends and that’s most likely because I was in my own world creating realities out of unrealistic expectations. Not everybody can ride with that. Is it coincidence that I become popular when my performances are sub par. I think not. The other side effect deals with relationships. If you are letting the ego roam free while in an intimate relationship of any kind (familial or romantic) you are more than likely going to offend someone. I am almost positive that I offended Coby every single day of last week, but guess what? By the end of the week Coby was a different man who’s ego has also come out to play. Both of our egos together create a delectable mix of brains, competition, and stupidity.

Ego. I have a lot of that. And for the longest time in track and field and in my everyday life I thought having an “ego” was a turnoff to a lot of people. Well, that’d be correct, but I’ve decided not to care. I’ve decided to be unrealistic about the effect my ego may have on others. This time around, I’m using my larger-than-life ego to create positive egos in others.

Yes, I might get annoying. Actually I know it’s annoying. I stayed up until 3am this morning working on a project of mine. I schedule 6am appointments with myself so that I can read or work on little projects I’ve developed or envisioned throughout the week. I have built my next car on the manufacturer’s website and printed the summary. I purchased the floor plans of my future house, made photo copies and those too are posted next to my car on my vision wall.

I am no longer afraid of myself, or failing. I don’t care that I haven’t been to a major championship in three years. I don’t care that I still have that one dreadful semester left of school. I am a child of God, and nothing, absolutely nothing is off limits to me.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” ~Nelson Mandela

And like some brilliant anonymous person said a long time ago, "Good things come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle".

So according to Beyonce (who I tend to channel ever so often) my ambitions, my hustle, makes me a DIVA....and diva's egos are GRANDIOSE (don't worry I won't post the Ego music video too). There's enough Ego in this video to last us for a week.

For some my ego might be too much....don't fret, I talk like this because I can back it up.





]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/10/07/dont-knock-em-til-you-rock-em http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/10/07/dont-knock-em-til-you-rock-em Thu, 07 Oct 2010 21:33:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/10/07/dont-knock-em-til-you-rock-em
I used to love telling people I was a professional athlete. Because then I could immediately follow that line up with, “I run for Nike!” Which was then immediately followed up with “wait, you get Nike stuff? For Free!?” and I could sit back and smile while nodding my head saying, “yea, anything I want.” I love the envious looks on strangers’ faces, as they sit back in their crowded airplane seats and imagine what their closets would look like if they were me.

All that has changed.

I run for Saucony. And 50% of the people fake a knowing nod and the other 50% immediately say, “Who!?” So instead of getting to brag about how cool I am and how I get merchandise for free I have to explain that they mostly sponsor marathoners, or distance runners and that this year they’ve finally decided to branch out into Track and Field.

And that kills it.

For both parties.

But that stops here.

I run for Saucony.

90% of you have no idea how to say it. So we’ll work that out now, the correct pronunciation is….(drum roll please)….. Sock-a-knee.

However, now that you know that, I’m almost positive you’ll go back to saying Sa-cone-knee because it sounds better to you. Whatever, however you choose to say it is your business. But at least now we’re on the same page.

I have a confession- I never ever wore Nike shoes off the track. Never. I’m not an Air Force 1’s kind of girl and I don’t like Jordans.

I like colors, stilettos, and flip-flops. I don’t do sneakers.

But I do these sneakers.

Actually, just the other night as I was getting dressed for a very romantic date to the dollar theater Coby remarked, “it’s kinda funny but your Saucony’s have allowed you to be even more fashionable.” I totally forgot to say thank you for the comment and instead exclaimed, “I know right!”

So what is it?

For me, it’s a lot of things. I could write a list. Yea! I’ll give you a list. I freakin’ love lists….

• The shoes are as rare as I am. You don’t see them everywhere, can’t buy them everywhere. You ain’t got deez.
• The Colors are amazing. I can have a shoe for every possible outfit.
• I can’t live in my stilettos like I used to. My knees aren’t having it…so I can get the comfort while keeping the style.
• I personally know the guy who makes mine and he’s not a six year old sweating in a dilapidated warehouse in China or Indonesia.
• Their motto or slogan is “Loyal to the Sport” which means at the end of the day impossible was always nothing and no one had to tell you to just do it. It’s been done.
• They make my feet look smaller!
• They come with alternate color shoe strings which totally changes the shoe- it’s like 2n1
• You can get creative with the laces because they were creative with the basics!
• They have VEGAN SHOES! I mean, isn’t that so conscientious of them?
• And finally, they are a feel good company with a feel good shoe. Looking at them reminds me of a time during middle school when my parents, Christina, and I were all trying to pronounce this strange new name on these running shoes. Mom and Dad came home with Saucony running shoes, and I ended up with blue suede Jazz Originals. I took one of our family portraits in those shoes. Talk about “Loyal to the Sport”. I was running in them then, and I’m running in them now.

Warning: You can’t just rock them straight out of the box. You’ve got to customize them, make them a part of you.

Not everybody can pull this off. There’s a certain way you’ve got to be:

1. Self Confident
2. Stylish
3. Trendsetting

I can’t just tell you though. I have to show you. So I spent the better part of the day with my photographer (Coby-who also modeled his!) trying to find the best way to get this point across. So enjoy the crazy pictures. And after you’re done laughing about our impromptu photo shoot head over to the Saucony website and browse the collection.

Which is your favorite?

I’m so confident in my Saucony family that I want you to see for yourself. I’m going to pick a person to send a pair to, but only if you tell me which is your fave in a comment either on this blog or facebook.

Rock ‘Em.






These are Saucony Jazz Vegan shoes. They are made entirely without animal products, by-products, or derivatives. I feel "Green" when I rock these shoes.







These are Jazz Originals in black. It's amazing what a colored lace can do (and yep the Jazz's come with two different color laces)!









These are also Jazz Originals (my favorite shoes) in Wine and Olive. I'm actually really playing the guitar in this picture, horribly.





These are my go-to pair of kicks. Saucony Bullets...in navy blue. Check out the lace job...love those shoes.









This might be the coolest thing I own (the hot pink electric guitar) and the shoes are the Saucony Jazz's in purple, white, and neon green they're pretty cool too.










Gotta love purple. These are Jazz Originals in purple and grey!








These are Shadow 5000's in Pink and Grey, they are accessorized with both yellow and pink laces.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/09/20/for-what-its-worth http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/09/20/for-what-its-worth Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:57:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/09/20/for-what-its-worth
I may have been the only one present that chose the second option. Yes, I got teased about taking it all too seriously, for distancing myself from the group while they discussed how many shots each would need to take in the call room BEFORE the race.

They picked with me at dinner for really taking my pre-meet practice to the next level.

What they didn’t know was that I was angry. See, flying to Japan is a big deal to me. 1) it’s super far 2) it’s super super far and 3) it’s super super super far. And it’s the last meet of the season, motivation is low so the incentive needs to be HIGH.

This was my thought process when I emailed my agent and told him to ask for more money. To make a long story really short, the meet director said I wasn’t worth the money. That I wasn’t their first choice and therefore they weren’t going to pay first choice money. My agent forwarded me this correspondence.

I got angry. But I remembered via “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” that anger is energy, and is often the very catalyst we need for change. So I resolved that I’d show them a teeny tiny glimpse of what I was worth. Because they for dang sure weren’t worth getting the whole show.

Of course, I still carried myself with poise and grace. And things started to fall into place: upgraded to first class, single room with a lounging area attached, and a great final practice.

In the elevator my ear picked up on a distorted pronunciation of my name being repeated over in over in question form…. Mad-eee-son? Mad-eee-son? The short Japanese man had asked every black girl except for me if they were me.

I stepped forward, being irrationally possessive and proud of my last name and all. “I’m MADISON”.

He had a gift for me. He began to stumble over his words. “I was there! I was there” he said excitedly. “You were the champion!” I was there. He pulls an American flag out of his bag, and asks me to once more hold it up like I did that day. Next, he pulled out a box and eagerly waited for me to open it, I opened the gift in the hallway and saw that he had gotten me Japanese flip flops. He begged me to put them on (they were way too small) and he snapped pictures. He was so happy to give them to me and asked me no less than ten times if they were ok. I told him they were, that I loved them, and I do.

Meet day comes and I realize they have a lot riding on their Japanese sprinter. She had just run a season’s best of 11.21, a new national record. Because my season’s best is only 11.20 they expected her to win, set a new record, set the country on fire. I believe she’s the reason they didn’t feel the need to pay me. They were probably thinking, “heck, we’ve got our own 11.20 sprinter!”

My anger was concealed beneath the MAC.

The Japanese girl and Gloria Asumnu got out of the blocks way faster than I did.

I didn’t care. “Let em go” I thought. I was in my lane. In my zone. Angry.

I caught them around fifty, left them at eighty. And won by over a tenth of a second- which is impressive considering how the race started.

They hardly cheered.

But I was victorious. Even more important than winning that race, was the battle I won against my emotions, disappointments, obstacles, this year’s setbacks, even peer pressure. I showed myself what a champion looks like, even in their last showdown of the year in an event worth very little, for people who had given me even less. They gave me what they thought I was worth…


But instead I took everything.

My cute little gift from my number one Japanese fan!

It's Jaaf. Really the letters on his shirt probably stand for Japanese Athletics Association Federation or some mumbo jumbo like that. He's one of my most favorite prizes!

Along with Jaaf, the winners got a really nice frame with a picture of Kawasaki Stadium. It's really pretty, the picture doesn't do it justice.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/08/24/relax-and-itll-all-be-over-soon http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/08/24/relax-and-itll-all-be-over-soon Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:22:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/08/24/relax-and-itll-all-be-over-soon
I’ll [...]]]>
I’ll make it up to you. Promise. I’ve got some amazing things in store for us.

Anyway, I’ve got to tell you about the craziness I pulled off this week.

It all started in Nazi Germany….

Just kidding. Let me start over….

It all started in Cologne, Germany. Beautiful city by the way. I didn’t have the time to play tourist but between trains and long walks to the station I know for a fact that it’s a place I need to revisit.

Anyway, I had a couple days to kill before heading to the next meet (Berlin) so it was decided that I would post up at the Training Camp in Cologne for three days. At the training center I would have access to a track, weight room, and allegedly free meals (I say allegedly because I was definitely charged five euros for an apple juice and a piece of bread).

Ok, honestly, I stayed at the Holiday Inn the first day, and skipped a workout because I was too tired. The next day I went to practice. Previously, I ran a race somewhere that I felt could have been better. I attacked this particular workout from an analytical angle. I walked the 100 a couple times, got acquainted with the markings on the track. I pulled out a piece of notebook paper and scribbled down the zones I needed to run and where, along with the lines on the track that correlated with each zone. I either walked or ran several hundreds that day to drill it into my brain.

In order for this to work I need to stay aware. It’s interesting really because if you’re in an eleven second race you don’t have a whole lot of time to see a mark and send the proper signals to the proper parts in order to do whatever it is you’re supposed to do. Ok, I’m boring you. What I’m trying to say is that I also had to couple this workout with awareness exercises. I put in good work during those three days.

I was feeling myself…

I felt so good about it…

I went to Konig Wusterhausen and ran 11.37 easily second place ran 11.91 or something. I felt good going into the Berlin meet.

I was going to be in a race with World Champs, Olympians, and Medalists, I didn’t have delusions of upsetting the entire field but dangit I was going to at least P.R. That’s exactly where I was headed.

Until….

I blew it.

I ran about forty meters and freaked out because the field got away from me, while I was doing my zones. So….my technique went to hell, and so did my place. I got sixth and ran 11.40! Unacceptable. Especially when the winner ran 11.09. Needless to say I was disappointed and I didn’t hesitate to let anyone know it.

My Coach (Brooks Johnson) said, “Well, now we’ll see how bad you want it. You’ll either use this as motivation or have a pity party” etc etc.

So I approached this meet differently.

Besides, this is France. But...

Once again, I had the slowest time coming in.

Once again, I was stuck in an outside lane.

But this time….

I stayed in my lane.

Figuratively Speaking.

I stayed relaxed…

And when I came out of my drive phase (thanks to Joel Brown for the last minute pointers)…

I thought, “Oh [expletive deleted] I’m [expletive deleted] winning!”

That was probably the wrong thing to do at that moment, because I got a little out of position when the realization hit me but by that time it didn’t matter.

I was so gone.

So the lesson of the day is after you put in the time (workouts) and you warm up the body (big shout out to Young Dro, Jeezy, and Trey Songz for getting that party started) there‘s nothing left for you to do but what you‘ve been training to do.

And for the intelligent people who don’t run track (overworked and underpaid) this applies to you too: when you want something really really bad and you’ve done the leg work and you’ve fully prepared yourself the only thing left for you to do is relax.

Relax and Go Get It.

Oh, and by the way the VIP party they had for the winners afterwards was ridiculous, and my trophy’s awesome too.

Wow I forgot to say that I ran 11.20 a season’s best for me…and I still have more corrections to make.

Things are looking up…








]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/08/13/how-come-every-time-i-come-around http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/08/13/how-come-every-time-i-come-around Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:24:00 +0000 http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/08/13/how-come-every-time-i-come-around
At What? I don’t know.

At Who? I’m not sure.

Maybe I took it all too literally, you know this new age idea that if you can control the mind all these wonderful things would come of it. That if you are on a path that is in line with your life’s purpose then the universe [...]]]>
At What? I don’t know.

At Who? I’m not sure.

Maybe I took it all too literally, you know this new age idea that if you can control the mind all these wonderful things would come of it. That if you are on a path that is in line with your life’s purpose then the universe conspires with you to make whatever awesomeness that is supposed to happen, happen.

So of course that’s what I was thinking (that the universe was conspiring) when at the very last minute I was confirmed in the London meet, for the long jump. See, I had a goal that I set for myself. I wanted to jump 6.70 by the end of the season. There was no logic or science behind that number- I just chose it because it sounds like a good place to be a year out from World Championships. But, my last jump meet, which was in Stockholm, Sweden was far short of my goal. The outcome was upsetting because I had failed to reach my jump goal for the season. So imagine my surprise when suddenly I’m presented with another chance to jump!

In the spirit of The Alchemist I was full of positive thoughts thinking that not only was I given another opportunity to jump, but that this had to be the meet where I was going to jump 6.70! After all the universe is conspiring right?

The day before the track meet a brief moment of enlightenment hits me. Brooks and I have made some changes to my approach which should allow me to accelerate to the board rather than hit a wall. After all F(force) does equal M(mass) times A(acceleration).

So naturally I was feeling good about myself and the fact that I had the laws of physics backing me up going into the meet. But it didn’t play out that way. Instead I opened the competition with a foul, jumped behind the board on the second jump, jumped off the wrong foot on the third jump, and terribly fouled the fourth and final jump.

WTF?

Where in the heck was the universe?

I could not self-talk myself into an optimistic attitude this time. I would have cried as soon as I took that final bow for the fans had I not remained conscious of the liquid eyeliner I decided to use to outline my eye in Cleopatra type fashion. I didn’t want to scare anyone by having mascara, liner, tears AND snot running down my face.

Mentally and emotionally, I broke down this meet. I’ve had the worst year of training in my personal history of this sport. I’ve done so much to keep myself from jumping off bridges and out of windows. I’ve read the books about success and how it happens and I’ve followed the steps, only to have it elude or evade me each time.

It allows me to be so close. It allows me to taste it. It tells me something big is coming and to hold on. It convinces me that I have to prove I want it by how hard I’m willing to work for it, show how many beatings I’m willing to take for its sake.

Well, If I'm honest the idea that things get tougher as you get closer was in The Alchemist too. When it gets to be too much. That’s when you keep going. One thing that I will always remember is this line spoken to me by my mother, “when you find you’ve done all you can do to stand, keep standing”.

I don’t know what this means for the long jump. I guess we’ll find out next year. But I’m going to finish the season strong by focusing strictly on execution these next six races in order to grab success by the pinky toe, I’m not coming home without it.


]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/07/20/the-jumper-who-played-with-fire http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/07/20/the-jumper-who-played-with-fire Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:24:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/07/20/the-jumper-who-played-with-fire
Why are they lined up already? I thought to myself.

Obviously, I was coming from the long jump pit, I was making the increasingly regular trek from the pit to the blocks. Just one minute before I had [...]]]>
Why are they lined up already? I thought to myself.

Obviously, I was coming from the long jump pit, I was making the increasingly regular trek from the pit to the blocks. Just one minute before I had completed a disastrously shoddy jump.

Merely hours before, I had been shopping at the open market, when I should have been laid up in my hotel room visualizing and goal setting for that evening’s meet.

Whatever. This is Morocco.

I might be getting paid but got-dang-it playtime is a must for me too.

But there were consequences to my unconventional approach to the last meet of my tour. I felt so uneasy as I stepped off the minibus and flashed my athlete credential to the uniformed guard. I didn’t feel mentally prepared for the completion at all. I walked through the area that had been designated for the warm-up it was nothing more than a cement driveway. In fact, it was uphill.

I needed to start my warm-up as soon as I got off the bus which I also never do….I usually come 15-30 minutes before my scheduled warm-up time in order to gather my thoughts and review my goals..

But there was no time for that.

Why? Because I missed the earlier bus trying to perfect this dramatic look I had planned for my eye makeup (don’t judge me).

I couldn’t get the body rolling. I knew it was the last meet.

I knew I had a certain distance I wanted to jump.

I knew the weather was decent.

I knew it would be a long flight home if I didn’t do well.

But I also knew that I was too chill for my own good.

I mean my energy levels were on: FULL---- HALF----- [EMPTY]

I hadn’t been sleeping. My roommate and I were just way too cool for school....and sleep for that matter.

It wasn’t until after my second jump when I glanced over at the 100 start that I realized that I was going to struggle. I was exhausted! My jumps had been so sloppy that my left shin and knee began to protest my inability to execute properly at the board.

But there they were already at the 100.

Sand often falls out of my racing top when I get into the set position. When I’m really focused I don’t notice it. When I’m not inside my superwoman phone booth I giggle about it. Today I just stared at the little mound forming at the line. Distracted.

John Smith brought new blocks over for Carmelita. She was in the lane to the right of me.

Must be nice, I thought, to be allowed to switch out unfavorable blocks right before a race. My mind wandered and settled on the thought that maybe I would be allowed to go put down a piece a tape at the very spot I needed to accelerate again since we were getting to bend rules for this race. But I was wrong…that was a privilege only reserved for lane four.

ANYWAY….

I did a practice start and gave up. I was too tired…and the field was stacked. I looked at the starting list the day before. Everyone’s P.R and Season’s Bests were way faster than mine. The race was shaping up to be a hot one...like fire.

Lane 1- Calvert: a Jamaican sprinter whom I unfortunately had the pleasure to room with on my first tour. I ran a really horrible 100 and later that evening she suggested (unsolicited) that it may be in my best interest to lose weight and return to the long jump. I ran a much better race the next go round and beat her….she had the nerve to ask, “where did that come from?” Trick.

Lane 2- Gloria Asumnu: former training partner. We may have a bit of a rivalry from our old training days together, who knows? friendly competition? Nah… more like Friendly Fire. In which I'm rarely the shooter.

Lane 3- Sheronne Simpson: one of the Jamaican sprinters I happen to get a little bit nervous around when it’s time to race. The speed is intimidating.

Lane 4- Carmelita Jeter: We had a press conference/radio interview the day before where she said she would do everything in her power to give them a sub-11 performance. I remembered this as I was setting my blocks. You know what sub-eleven looks like from one lane over? Embarrassing.

Lane 5- Moi. The one and only TiMad/T-Bird-- crazy sprinter-jumper who voluntarily walks from one event to the other and back (heptathletes have more time between events than I do).

Lane 6- Me’lisa Barber: I lost to her at indoor USA nationals…Whenever we line up together be it the 60 or 100 it’s a rematch for me. I don’t care. I'm a sore loser.


I was too tired to handle this high calibre field and this nervousness. And then something weird happened. I immediately switched frequencies. If I was an outsider who had access to my thoughts I would be thoroughly impressed with the reaction that took place. My self-talk turned into a powerful rhetoric on why it did not matter that I was tired, that the race was 11 seconds give or take, that all I had to do was commit to the first step, that I had been wanting to try something new at 60m, that I had nothing to lose by putting forth a gutsy effort, that I was running for a season’s best time.

And then there were the omens. Which of course I look for all the time now that I’ve finished The Alchemist by Paulo CoeIho. I realized that I was lane five- Hamsa in Arabic, I had a hamsa around my neck, and I had been to Morocco around five times- which in yesterday’s interview was Hamsa? Hamsa?! Hamsa!!!

That rush of positivity was enough to swing my momentum, and my recent work on mind and body awareness allowed me to make a slight adjustment towards the end of the race that helped me close the gap and secure third place. However, I’m not wonder woman and I passed the rest of my jumps deciding that it was extremely risky to compete tired to and past the point of sloppiness.

Yet, even before I left the blocks I figured I’d be pleased by the outcome of the day as long as I pushed all thoughts of exhaustion out of my mind and committed entirely to the first step….the subsequent ones would take care of themselves.

The same is true for life. Commit fully. Watch what happens.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/07/13/feel-the-fear-and-do-it-anyway-unless-its-brainless http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/07/13/feel-the-fear-and-do-it-anyway-unless-its-brainless Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:01:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/07/13/feel-the-fear-and-do-it-anyway-unless-its-brainless
I cannot claim that I developed the phrase on my own. It actually comes from a book of [...]]]>
I cannot claim that I developed the phrase on my own. It actually comes from a book of the same name (Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway) penned by Susan Jeffers. In short, it’s a book about fear (obviously) acknowledging that it exists, and pushing through it.

Along those same lines is one of my favorite books titled, “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson. Similarly, this book is about the opportunity that comes out of frightening situations once we develop the nerve to push through it.

Armed with the content of these two books inscribed on my heart and brain I approached outdoor season with my chin parallel to the ground. It wasn’t really raised any higher because that would imply confidence and believe me I was hardly confident. Let me tell you why….

There was this guy…

(that’s how all bad stories start right?)

Anyway, there was this guy who said he would help me after he had been brought up to speed about my latest coaching split.

He told me I was overweight, and I was so we ran longer distances than I was accustomed to. Basically, we were trying to run the weight off.

That didn’t quite work. “This guy” also didn’t believe in lifting weights, which should have been a red flag…but because I already thought I was fat, I too was not attracted to the idea of putting on more weight albeit muscle which is heavier than fat.

That was stupid. Not only was I thick, I weighed over 150 pounds, but I was slow because explosiveness is developed not only on the track, but with explosive Olympic lifts, and of course plyometrics, which “this guy” did not implement either.

Needless to say I had my first unsuccessful indoor season of my pro career and he was pretty much canned as a result of his incompetence amongst other things (which I dare not repeat on my blog for fear that I will piss myself off all over again).

So feeling the fear…I took on the task of training myself. It’s not an easy job, and there was always a voice in the back of my head questioning every “coaching” decision I made for myself. There was always doubt that it wasn’t enough and doubt that I would never get it together.

But, as most of you know. I got a new coach, And contrary to what most believe I was not excited to be starting yet another relationship. I felt no different than a girl who hops from bed to bed claiming to be in serious relationship after serious relationship - of course coach hopping is hardly immoral….thank God. I have enough problems.

Cautiously, I went to the Monday practice at 10am. I hadn’t asked to come. I was TOLD to come. And for that reason I was scared to death. When I arrived to the track Brooks had a stack of papers and was handing them out to the training group. I didn’t expect to see my name on the sheet but I took one anyway. Next to each person’s name was a brief description of how he (Brooks) felt they competed that weekend (in Puerto Rico) and what they would do this week to improve on it. At the bottom of the sheet was my name….

Written there was the most encouraging thing I had seen written about me in years. I resolved to come back the next day, and the next day, and the next.

Now, I’ve got a Saucony contract, and I’ve placed third in my 2nd favorite event at nationals, and I’m placing top three in the hundred at the majority of my competitions now. I felt the fear of change and I did what I needed to do ANYWAY.

But then there are days like today….when the weather is beautiful and hot and I’m in a foreign country which means there is money to be made. It’s race day, I’ve successfully completed the first half of the day’s pre-competition rituals. Wake up for breakfast, come back to the room and sleep until lunch, come back to the room sleep until one hour before the shuttle leaves for the track, shower, apply M.A.C makeup carefully and flawlessly, etc. etc. However, there is fear in this room.

It wasn’t the fact that I got lane one.

It’s not the fact that I have personal vendettas against certain people in this race and therefore any loss to them is taken twice as hard and a grudge held three times the standard amount of time. Seriously , you don't understand. I would tear my ACL, MCL, and pull my hamstring and calves off the bone getting to the finish line before I let this chick beat me. And no amount of distaste for a person is worth the sacrificing of my beloved body parts.

It’s not that my training partner is here that runs the 400 and she is adamant that she is going to whoop on us if we sleep on her (part of me waves her off, “like haha Moushami you’re crazy” but I know she’s serious!)

It’s because my got-dang-left-knee is tighter than an arthritic senior citizen caught outside in the rain in late November. Seriously, the cartilage must be sandpaper because this knee is not nearly as smooth as the rest of me… (insert girlish giggle here)

This is when my mantra becomes more dangerous than helpful. I definitely feel the fear, and I could almost definitely do it anyway. But I’m pretty sure tomorrow I’d have no knee, and as a direct result of my Tuesday fearlessness I’d have no meets to look forward to on any other day, and no meets means no income, and no income means more arguments between me and Coby. And I always lose arguments with the lawyer!

For those not familiar with the pro track and field circuit, I’ll give you a backstage pass to my logic. The mantra says go for it. My logic says:

If I win this meet I earn $1,000 (you have to then ask yourself about the odds of winning the meet)

My next meet is paying me $1000 to show up (that’s an appearance fee and is guaranteed unless you are HURT and don’t show up).

The meet after that is in Morocco and I would hate to miss that! We all know how I love it there. And I’ll be doing two events and the odds of placing well in both are good! And the price tag for both is greater than the $1000 price tag of today’s meet.

In addition, I get to go home after the Morocco meet and train for a couple weeks- not possible if I’m HURT.

I have been invited to the Stockholm meet (my favorite city in the world) and 1st place is worth $10,000! I know that I’d have to jump seven meters to get that BUT if I’m healthy I have a couple weeks to get AS CLOSE AS REALISTICALLY POSSIBLE to that mark.

None of that can happen if I’m hurt.

So I have felt the fear….the fear of not competing….and I’m going to do it anyway.

Not compete that is...

And I'm going to pray that sitting out of this one, no matter how difficult it was to watch from the sidelines will allow the doors for several to remain open so that I can fearlessly forge on in pursuit of my wildest dreams.


]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/05/21/zen-and-the-art-of-pouring-tea http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/05/21/zen-and-the-art-of-pouring-tea Fri, 21 May 2010 22:04:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/05/21/zen-and-the-art-of-pouring-tea
I won’t do it though. As much as I have been losing, this match—me vs. negativity—will not be [...]]]>
I won’t do it though. As much as I have been losing, this match—me vs. negativity—will not be lost, by me.

I continually tell myself that my talent wasn’t just snatched away, that I have time to pull it together, that I should enjoy the journey.

So okay, I’m enjoying the journey. Kinda.

The coolest part of the whole track and field thing is all the countries I get to visit. What most people don’t realize is that we rarely ever see anything other than the track and hotel in those countries. Let me tell you something about track athletes…lean in close because this will blow your mind: we’re weird. Here’s a few concrete examples of our quirkiness:

• Once we arrive at our final destination all desire to walk anywhere ceases completely.
• We hoard internet time as if it does not exist anywhere else.
• Local cuisine is absolutely off limits. Frequent trips to McDonald’s are coordinated with great efficiency.
• Any type of attempt to sightsee is met with disgust as “this is a business trip not a vacation”
However, heels, tiny skirts, tight clothing, and half shirts are always on hand in the event of a
party.

I’m not the clubbing type anymore but this time I refused to fly all this way and not see anything of cultural value. So I signed up for a field trip. I was going to go with a small group to the mountains to see Korea’s largest Buddhist Temple and to see the world’s largest free standing Buddha.

It probably was a bad idea. My ankles and feet were already unrecognizably swollen from the flight over. But, my coach was adamant about my adjustment to the time zone so I was forced to stay up. Signing up for an out-of-hotel outing was the only way I could guarantee my obedience.

It. Was. Beautiful. And I’m all for inner peace, yoga mats, and meditation. Unfortunately, about halfway through the “hike” my shins became seriously inflamed as well. I was in pain.

We made it to a clearing in the trees where a large temple opened to a huge expanse of sky and cement. Standing there in all of it’s granite glory was Yakushi Buddha (the one that heals). It was over 100 feet tall, I was so overwhelmed by its size and detail that for a fleeting moment I contemplated offering up a prayer for my burning shins, as if the very size of the statue was enough to intimidate the tiny pain in my bones.

It was extremely hard to walk away from and I couldn’t help but wonder who sculpted it and why the creator was not held in higher esteem than his creation. They never mentioned who built it or how it got there. My guess is that was intentional.

A little while later I found myself taking off my shoes and entering a smaller temple. Here I took a mat struggling to cross my achy legs into the meditation pose. Moments later a teacher entered and began our lesson on how to pour and serve tea in a traditional meditative way. I remember thinking to myself that tea pouring and meditation seem to be exclusive of each other. However, after an hour of sitting and only one cup of tea to show for it; I quickly realized that one would have to be in a certain state of mind.

Unbeknownst to me I sentenced my guest and myself to death as I failed to pour the hot water into the bowl in a clockwise motion, which is the sign of life.

At the monastery preparations were being made for Buddha’s 2,554th birthday. Concurrently monks were chanting prayers of an onsite funeral. While I, up the hill, poured tea like Mulan did when she nervously met with her matchmaker!

Apparently the wages of bad tea pouring is death.

Ohhhh.

Maybe that’s why my performance at the meet was so lifeless.

Fortunately, being in the land of self enlightenment helped me pull out the positive things from the competition, pat myself on the back for those, and jot down areas of improvement.

On to the Next One...

If you haven't seen this movie all you need to know is that this scene was a complete disaster... I wasn't this bad but it was close...I'm left-handed in a right-handed world.

This is Yakushi Buddha. Those balloons are purchased by visitors to the monastary who want to wish him a happy birthday. One of the athletes broke one on the way out...I'm sure he's been sentenced to death as well.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/05/15/return-of-the-m-a-c http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/05/15/return-of-the-m-a-c Sat, 15 May 2010 18:26:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/05/15/return-of-the-m-a-c NEED make up and that I was a naturally pretty girl. Whatever.

But Coby finally convinced me that I looked better without [...]]]> NEED make up and that I was a naturally pretty girl. Whatever.

But Coby finally convinced me that I looked better without it. I think he had ulterior motives now that I think about it (he wasn’t a fan of lip prints and brown smudges on his face). So I did everything make-up less, I went to practice, the gym, work (remember the bookstore?), and everywhere else including track meets.

I can’t say that it was all bad, my skin started to look better, and I didn’t have to worry about falling asleep in all of my make-up (never mind waking up beautiful). But forget all that. My swag levels were ridiculously low.

Seriously.

Maybe I don’t need make-up. Maybe the chinky eye liner, and M.A.C lip gloss is a little over the top for track meets but guess what? I rocked it. And….when I stood on the runway you couldn’t tell me anything. And….if I barely jumped 6 meters at least I looked good doing it (that’s how I would console myself after each progressively pitiful competition).

But there is ONE THING I cannot do anymore. I cannot get on the starting line, I cannot stand on the runway, without feeling myself. I mean that’s they key to competing well on this level right? You actually have to believe you are the $h!t. Ask David Oliver. I mean Beyonce goes on stage and becomes Sasha Fierce. I step on the runway and become….I don’t know who--but she’s a bad [expletive deleted] lol.

I’m writing now from the airport because for the first time in a long time I checked a bag, (and you have to be SUPER early when you do) because my M.A.C and YSL Make-up collection is making the trip with me to Korea. Oh, and they have free internet.

But back on topic….

Deion Sanders said it best, “When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you play good”.

Play good? Nah…

I’m going to play hard….like Mattel….black Barbie.

]]> http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/04/07/i-never-thought-id-do-it http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/04/07/i-never-thought-id-do-it Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:10:00 +0000 tianna http://tiannamadison.com/blog/2010/04/07/i-never-thought-id-do-it
Well I have violated one of the top three items on my list.

I never thought I’d do it…I mean…the economy is horrible

My bank account needs a bailout….

I have been working incredibly hard on my body…

I’ve been working incredibly hard period,

And my legs do look better than ever,

Besides, in track and field extremely hard work often goes unpaid, and unnoticed.

Until the other day…

So I was minding my own business when I realized that I needed to stop “sunbathing” and put on my long jump spikes and get some half jumps done (no matter how horrible the long jump has been to me over the years I can’t seem to break up with it- it’s a really unhealthy relationship). Anyway, as I was spiking up I realized that there was an awful lot of people on the track. Little people. high school people.

Of those high school people several of them were at one of the long jump pits practicing albatross landings into the sand. I made a mental note to find their coach to ask if I could jump in with them.

I’m not a diva to the point where I don’t know how to share a pit. The only thing I demand is a professional coach—which seems to be in short supply these days (but that’s a whole other topic I dare not get into).

So this is what had happened….

I walked over to the kids and asked what they were working on. One answered that they were doing the long jump but that they had never done it before and that they knew it was supposed to look something like what they were doing. I shook my head and told them to ignore me, that they could continue with their workout, and I walked away.

But I overheard something absolutely RIDICULOUS. One little boy was sitting by the pit coaching the others. He began to explain to them that the reason they weren’t able to jump far is because they weren’t spreading their arms like birds, and yelling, “fly!” at take-off. I watched the others shake their heads processing this information. They bought it. And this is where I messed up. I walked back, and asked him to repeat the lesson for my own use. Confidently he explained that in order to fly you must flap your wings—never mind we don’t have any. So I asked him a question, our dialogue went something like this:

Me: So can I trust that this information you’re giving me is accurate?
Him: Of course. I know what I’m talking about you can trust me.
Me: Ok, so you long jump then?
Him: No. But I know how to do it.
Me: I don’t know about this…
Him: It's okay just try it.
Me: Okay, but can you watch me?
Him: Sure.

He was so proud of himself. He immediately took the coach’s stance (you know walk a few strides backwards, fold your arms, and nod when you’re ready). I set myself up for a half jump. I looked at him, he nodded again, and I went. As soon as I took off I heard a collection of high school curse words expressing their shock at what they just witnessed. I looked over at the “coach”. I smiled and said, “Can you do that?” He dropped his head and said, “Guys, I think you should ask her.”

Next thing I know, I’m the high school’s jump coach. Officially, spoke to the head coach and everything. How did this happen! I’ve always expressed my distaste for the coaching, my lack of patience with hard headed children, or wimps who complain at the first sign of soreness. But here I am writing workouts, demonstrating, breaking the long jump down in terms they can understand. For their purposes the long jump is the pop, lock, and drop it. They understand that. They pop off the board, lock the arm and the knee up and ride it out, and then drop into a little cannon ball at the end. The real crazy part is, teaching them reminded me of basic stuff I forgot to do. And seeing them do it well makes me so happy. I don’t want to say I love it…but….



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