INJURIES

Being injured really sucks. You never know exactly how long you are going to be out. I have so much experience with being injured since my freshman year in high school. There are multipne injuries that can keep you from performing. But 97% of track and field in juries occur in the bottom half of the body, meaning the legs on down. THe mosy common track and field injuries occur in the thigh area(hamstrings and quad). I have suufered from a torn hamstring for the last five years in my left hamstring. It just keeps lingering on. I tore my hamstring my freshman year in high school. I didn't really run in high school until my junior year in high shcool. I didn't run for about six months after I injured my self the first time. I thought that since I had not ran in six months, that I would be ready to go my sophmore year, but I was wrong. At the first practice meet, I pulled up in the 200 meter dash after running 2 races. This time I did more than just pull my hamstring, I had torn 2tendons also.It was horrible, it was worse than the first time. My whole hamstring down to my calf was black, blue and purple. I couldn't even walk on my left leg. I had to walk with cruches so I could keep the pressure off my left leg. I constantly had to ice, strech and applt heat to my leg. I didn;t run for the rest of the school year. My coaches took me to the trainer every practice for treatment.

That summer I was sent to the Tom Landry Rehabilitaion Center for rehab. I went to rehab 3 times a week for tyhe whole summer, until I was released. I really felt that tyhe rehab worked, but was still afraid to run full out and sprint. I was so afraid to give it my all. My parents and personal trainer were constatly telling me not to be afraid nad don't think about it when I'm out there on that track. So when my junior year finally came, I was ready. I did every thing rite, so I wouldnt repeat my injury. This ment stretching longer, warming up longer, lifting and my knees when I ran. y jinior year was so successful, I didn't have on injury. So, I missed two years of high school track.I still had scrared tissue, but it was not keeping me from performing. But, the scared tissue did have something to do with why I repeted my injury a year later the first time. To heal properly, we have to do all the neccesary procedures including being patient, so we won't repeat.



It is so easy to get hurt, but hard to heal. Injurues are nothing to play with. I constatly told my parents and coaches that I was ready to get back out there on the track. I was lying, I had such a strong passion for the sport, I was not putting my health first. This is also y I reinjured my self. Every since, I have noy been the same. I had to get back in shape, regain my speed, develope a new work etnhic and everything. The most important thing was regaining my confidence. The same with the USA athletes, they also have to give their injuries time to heal.But, the professional athletes have a slight advantage. They have better doctors, better trainers and better rehab centers. I have seen many professional track and field athletes pull up in a race. It is not a sigt to see. I will never forget seeing Lolo Jones pull up in the 100h. SHe wa on the third hurdle when she hit it and reached back and grabbed her right hamstring. You could tell by the intensity on her face that she was in alot of pain. Lolo was out for about 2 months. She tried to come back and she pulled up again. She tried to rush her injury. Tyson Gay pulled up in the 200meter dash at the world championships right before the 2008 Bejing Olympics.



So, I was thinking that he wouldn't show up, but he did. He wasnt't him self. He didn't even make it to tyhe finls in the 100 metere dash. It looked like he was strainign to me. I could tell that he probably had his leg on his mind. I honestly think that he was afraid to give it his all. That's the confidence that I was talking about that you lose when you get injured. Injuries are nothing to play with and should be taken seriously. I have to admit, coming back from an injury is not easy!

REGAING HER STRIDE: TORRI EDWARDS

Torri Edwards was one of the many track and field athletes on medication that was known as a steroid. She did not mean to take that steroid.She didn;t know that the sugar pills she was ingesting were laced with a stimulant that triggered a positive drug test. In April 2004, Edwards was bound for the Athens Olympics in the 100 and the 200 when she tested positive for nikethamide, a stimulant that carried a two-year ban. The drug had come from pills she had taken at a meet in Martinique to combat a minor illness. She should have gotten the full details of what she was taking.In November 2005, her two-year ban was shortened when the World Anti-Doping Agency downgraded nikethamide infractions to maximum one-year suspensions.She had made dozens of phone calls to antidoping authorities, pleading with them to lift her ban. She had spent hours on the Internet researching her case. Painfully, she watched the Olympics and the World Championships from the stands.

And she cried.
Her coach, John Smith, said Edwards would come to some workouts so emotionally shaken that she was not able to finish them. On some days, even Maurice Greene, the brash sprinter and former Olympic champion who trained with Edwards, could not get her to laugh.People would ask, ‘What was the workout?’ and I’d say: ‘Crying. Again,’ ” Smith said.It was also challenging for Edwards to find the motivation to practice with no competition in sight. To keep busy, she returned to the University of Southern California to finish her bachelor’s degree in sociology. While her friends and training partners left for overseas meets, she sat in her apartment in Los Angeles and sulked. After Torri' suspesion was up, she was back in action. She was no longer nervous or stressed before her races. She had learned how to deal with the stress during her steriod suspension. In 2003, she won the title in the 100 meter dash, picking up where she left off.

Torri winning the tite after her 15 month suspension!



She was undefeated that year. She was a calmer more mature woman by this time. The drug is now legal. Torri can not get back the time that she lost during her suspension. It isn't at all fair to me that, she was suspended for a drug that they made legal a couple of years later. She is back on track aand doing great.

Marion Jones: CONFESSION

Mario Jones was the fastest woman in the world at one point.
She had 3 individual events that she specialized in. The 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash and the long jump. She also ran on the 4by100 meter relay. Marion Jones used to be my idol. I wanted to be just like her. I even wanted to do the long jump, knowing that was not for me. Marion always put in good times. Her running form was amazing, pumping her arms hip to chin. After the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Marion got pregnant. She had a beautiful baby boy. Marion continued to train and run afer the birth of her son. She didn't start back running fast right away, but over time she improved tremedously.

Her first Olympic title!



Many people questioned her ability to run as fast as she was after the birth of her son. I evened questioned it. Marion retired in 2007. Months after her retirement, sh confessed that she had used steroids. This was a total shock in the track and field world. Not only had she used steroids after tyhe birth of her son, she had been using them before then. All th medals that Marion had achieved over the years, she had to return them. Even the medals her relay team won, they also had to return their medals. Marion had to do 6 months in jail. I was told that Marion sed" All I do is RUN RUN RUN. If I am not running I am working out." She really felt bad after the whole ordeal was done. Marion confessed afted she retired, so she was safe. But if she would have confessed before her retirement, she would have been in big trouble.I am still don't know they took her medals if she confessed after she retired. They had their reasons. Marion had it made. She didn't have to confess. WAS HER CONSCIOUS GETTING THE BEST OF HER?
Marion Jones public confession!

Sanya Richards-FUTURE WORLD RECORD HOLDER?

Sanya Richards is the definition of a ATHLETE. All though she doesn't have the olympic record or the world record, she is the geatest female 400 runner of all time. She has broken so many records and set just as many. Sanya is attended Texas A&M University. I never saw her run until the following year of the 2004 Athen Olympics. She came straight out of college being the one to beat. She trains on Clyde Hart, the same coach who trains Jeremy Warnier. Sanya has been ranked number 1 in the world in the 400meter dash since 2005. I didn't think that she could be beat. Up until the 2088 Bejing Olympics, I had never seen anyone beat her before. She has always been a member of the ladies 4by400 meter relay, always havin the fastest split. Every since Sanya has been on the scene, the womens 4by400 meter relay has placed first. Meaning they have not lost the 4by400 meter relay in the 5 years. She evens runs the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash time to time, to work on her speed for the 400. When she was in college, she was a 200 and 400 runner. The day I saw Sanya lost was a big shock. She had ran her rounds so well in the Bejings Olympics. We all knew that she would would be the one to win the gold. We all were wrong. Sanya ran the first 200 too fast and by the time she got to the back stretch, she was all out of gas. There was nothing left in her. She palced a disappointing 3rd. She was very dissappointed, she didnt even do her interview. Since then, Sanya has been working on running the first 200 at a steady pase, keeping it under 22 seconds. She has ran her races alot more comfortable and relaxed.

Sanya is the future world record holder. If she keeps doing what she is doing now, the world and olympic reord will be hers. DOES SHE HAVE THE DETERMINATION AND MOTIVATION TO GET THE JOB DONE?

Redemption: Tyson Gay

Tyson Gay is the fastest USA sprinter. He has come a long way. He holds he American record in the 100meter dash with a time of 9.69 seconds.There is no one in the United States who can beat him. When I first started paying attention to Tyson, he was unbeatable, too fast and undefeated. That was unil he came across sprinter Usain Bolt from Jamaica. Tyson has proven over and over again why he was named the world's fastest man. He has a great block start, perfect form, great attitude, trains hard and he gets the job done. Tyson had been running ood race and putting in good times ove here in the U.S, and Bolt had been doing the same over seas and in Jamaica. They were both the center of attention in the track and field world. We couldn't wait for the match up. We had to wait year a half to finally see the two athletes lineup with each other. But unfortunately, rite before the 2008 Bejing Olympics, Tyson hurt hi hamstring at the U.S World Championships in the 200 meter dash. After that, I didn't think that he would show at the 2008 Olympics, but he did. After he go pasted the first round, I thought that he would be good fo the rest of the round, but I was wrong. He didn't even make it to the finals. I was thinking, was he really hurt or did he just not want to run against Bolt and lose? Bolt won the race in the final, and set the new world record. The two would have another chance to meet at the World Championships in 2009. This time, Tyson was not injured and was ready to go. They both had ran the previous rounds comfortable andd relaxed. That further let me know that Tyson was back. "POW", the gun sounded and both men jetted from the blocks. Blolt pulled away from Tyson 40 meters into the race. He won and set another world record off 9.58.



THis was amazing. Tyson took a disappointing 2nd place. Tyson quoted" I am a little disapppointed because, I know that Ican run that fast, it just wasn't there today, but I ran a goodd race." I really believe that Tyson can beat Bolt, he just has to train harder. Will Gay seek redemption on Bolt?

www.usatf/tysongay.com

**U.S vs JAMAICA**

The biggest rivalries ever in track and field is the United States verses Jamaica. When these two countries meet up, the competition is fierce. They both have some of the fastest runners in world. From the 100 meter dash to the 800 meter run, you can expect some of the fastest times to be ran. The U.S men have sprinter Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon, Darvis Patton, Ray Edwards, Shawn Crawford,Terrence Tramell, Jeremy Warnier, Kerron Klement and LaShawn Merrir. The Jamaica men have Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. We hav way more sprinters than the Jamaican, but they have the fastest man in the world on their side.
Bolt is undefeated.Usain Bolt has broken the 100 meter dash record more than once. He holds the record in the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash.
(This is a video of Jamaica's undefeated Usain Bolt winning the 200 meter dash and setting the new world record of 19.19)


It took a decade for the 200 meter dash record to be broken. The 400 meter dash is taken over by the U.S men. LaShawn Merrit is the 2008 Olympic gold medalist and Jeremy Warnier is the 2008 Olympic silver medalist.

On the other hand, the U.S woman also have more sprinters, but the Jamaicans habe the fastest women in the world on their side just like the men. The U.S woman have Lauryn Williams, Marchevet Hooker, Torri Edwads, Carmelita Jeter, Muna Lee, Allyson Felix and Alexandria Anderson. The Jamaican women have Veronica Campbell, Sheree Woods, Kerron Stewart and Sherrika Williams. Shelly Ann Frazier is the Olympic Champion in the 100 meter dash and Allyson Felix is the Olympic gold medalist in the 200 meter dash. Carmelita Jeter placed 3rd in the 100 meter dash in the 2008 Olympics. Jeter is the only American who has beaten Shelly Ann Frazier.

Sanya Richards, is the fastest woman in the world in the 400 meter dash, but is no the Olympic gold medalist. It seems to me, that the United States have really fast runners, but in the longer distances. The men nor the wowen have not faced each other in the 4 by 100 meter relay yet, but in the 4 by 400 mtere relay, the United States always come out on top. Will Tyson Gay from the U.S, ever beat Bolt? Will the Jamaican men and women ever beat the U.S in the 4 by 400 meter relay?

Im wondering will the tables ever change! How long will Jamaican's Usain Bolt go undefeated?

Peeking Too Early!- SPRINTER, Lauryn Williams

Lauryn Williams first came on the scene at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Here was this new athlete running amazing times throughout the 100 meter dash rounds that we had never seen before. Lauryn was a sprinter who had attended Miami University. She didn't finish all four years in college. Shortly after the 2004 Olympics, she turned professional. She made it to the finals in the 100 meter dash as a rookie and placed 2nd to Jamaican Veronica Campbell. Lauryn was 21 at the time with her first Olmpic medal.


After that race, Lauryn was the one to beat in the U.S. Lauryn and Campbell were rivalries. Evertime they ran against eachother, it was a fast and close race. But it seems that after the 2004 Olympics, Lauryn has not had that fire in her eyes since. I thought that she would be #1 in the world for the 100 meter dash, but instead she has been like #5,6,or 7. Her personal best is only 10.90 and that was in 2008. Every since 2004, I have been waitng to see some ourstanding times and some new meet records. Altough she is the tw0-time World Outdoor 4 by 100m relay gold medalist, I want to see some individual gold medals. She does an amazing job as first leg on the 4 by 100m relay.


She has not broken 10.9 seconds yet and that is what I am waiting on. Now when she runs her rounds at big meets, she is struggeling to make it to the next round. She has yet failed to win an individual gold. Did Lauryn peek too early in 2004 Olympics? In the 2008 Olympics, she barely made it to the finals. She placed a disappointing 5th place. Is there a such thing as PEEKING TOO EARLY?

www.laurynwilliams.net

Can the U.S Perform Under Pressure?

The United States has some of the fastest runners in the world, but why have they dropped the paton in the last two Olympics? Both the woman and men hav both not had successful paton handoffs in the big meets, "OLYMPICS." In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Marion Jones was 2nd leg and Lauryn Williams was 3rd leg. At that time, Lauryn was a rookie and that was her first Olympics. As Marion was approaching her, Lauryn took off before Marion hit the mark, causing Lauryn to have to slow down and they ran outside the exchange zone and they dropped the paton.

Marion Jones and Lauryn Williams dropping the bation in the 2004 Olympics inAthens


The men also dropped the paton at this meet. Darvis Patton was 3rd leg handing off to Tyson Gay. Darvis was not accurate judging where Tyson's hand was at, causing them to drop the paton also. Most people just blamed it on Lauryn because she was a rookie and was so anxious to run. I also believed that, that's why she started running before she was supposed to. In the 2008 Bejing Olympics, both the men and the woman failed again. The woman dropped the paton in the prelims. Muna Lee was 3rd leg, she had run so many rounds in the past couple of days n the 100 and 200. When she took off to get the paton, she pulled up and dropped the paton.

Once again, the U.S was out of it. The men didn't drop the paton, instead, they handed off before their exchange zone had begun. Darvis Patton was third leg handing off to Wallace Spearmon. The handoff looked perfect to me, but comes to find out, both of Spearmon's feet was beind the exchange mark before he was handed the paton. The men were disqualified as well. I have not yet seen the U.S run in the final for the 4 by 100 meter relay. Can the U.S perform under pressure? They seem to ball up when it really counts. After the last 2 upsetting Olympics, lets see what happens in 2012!

Does the Coach Make the Athlete?

Jeremy Warnier was once considered the fastest man in the world in the 400 meter dash. In the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Jeremy finished 2nd in the 400 meter dash and anchored the winning 4 by 400 mtere relay. At this time he was attending Baylor University and was coached by the great Coach Clyde Hart.

When Clyde Hart was Jeremy's coach!



After that, Warnier turned pro and was the man to beat. There was no one who could beat him or was even close to beating him, until early 2008. LaShawn Merrit is a also a 400 meter dash runner. Up until 2008, Warnier was putting in the fastest times and was ranked #1. Warnier and Coach Clyde Hart had some differences and Warnier switched coaches. There was the U.S Championships in May of 2008 and Warnier and Merrit would be facing each other in the final round if they were to both make it to the finals. They both were in the finals, in lanes 4 and 5, meaning they had the fastest 2 times. Warnier led the race and won the race, but he barley beat Merrit. There was a meet in Europe and Merrit shockingly beat Warnier. This was a huge suprise to all USATF fans.The 2008 Oympics took place in Being. Both men ran all their rounds comfortably and put in good times. This was the match up of the evening. WARNIER and MERRIT FOR THE GOLD! WHO WILL BE THE 2008 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN THE 400 METER DASH?", was the question the stayed on every ones mind. Once again, both men were side by side in lanes 4 and 5. "POW", the gun sounded and both men were off to a good start, but Warnier was leading. They approached the final back stretch and Merrit put it in a whole new gear, he pump his arms, lifted his legs and passed Warnier winning the Olympic gold medal in the 400 meter dash. Warnier was a disappointing 2nd. Warnier has not been able to Merrit since.

World Championships, Berlin 2009 ((Clyde Hart is not the coach))



That's why I ask, " DOES A COACH MAKE THE ATHLETE?" Warnier hired Clyde Hart as his coach again. Lets see what happens..........