Sunday, May 24, 2009
Post Desenzano
Where do I start today, other than to repeat myself – when you fall down, just get back up again!
My goal as your role model is to give you someone to look up to, an example of someone in pursuit of her own excellence. I want to show you my bravery and dedication; in hopes that you will become as courageous and focused to achieve your very own goals.
To tell my story, I cannot only talk to you about success - a large part is learning from personal struggle and hardship. One of the most simple and sound pieces of advice I have been handed in my years as an athlete and over achiever, is this: if it were easy, everyone would do it!
In Desenzano, I was caught up in my nerves and my nerves got the best of me. I let myself and my coach down and I am in the middle of picking myself up and learning that this is merely my new touchstone of when things get rough.
Here is the thing: It is easy to sit around and fantasize about what you want. The hard part is going after it. Interestingly enough, one of my fears (on a long list) might simply be a fear of success. I have a fear of results; I set a high standard for myself and while I think I am able, I do not always believe it. When I was in Desenzano, I was focused on my fear. I was focused on the consequences of failure. Let me tell you, this was overwhelming.
However, I have taken a step back. I have accepted my mistake, as if it truly were a mistake. But really, it was a moment I had a chance to learn about myself. I learnt that I need to look at the numbers before a competition and have a set goal for each event and overall. I know this now, and it does not feel overwhelming, nor out of reach.
A fun fact about fear is, once it is identified, it turns into something else and hopefully on it is way to becoming irrelevant. As for worrying about what I imagine “other” people to think of me, I am reminded of a story from a fellow old university teammate. He recently shared his story and it put this point into perspective:
One of the things that I remember about our former coach is that every once in a while, when I was sitting and stretching before or after practice, Coach would walk by and say, “Hey, guess who was asking about you today?” I would answer, “Who?” And then Coach would say, “No one.”
I chose this career as an athlete for myself. I work hard because I love this sport. I think that what is important to inspire others is sharing the fact that you falter and doubt your ability to carry on, but that you pick yourself up again stronger than before, doubly committed to your goal, and you press on to the end.
Being in pursuit of excellence means we set a goal, make a plan, and work toward it. However, every now and then we need to look around, drink it in, because this is it. I have taken a moment to think of my accomplishments to date and be proud of me; know that I have an inner strength that will bring me through this current struggle and get back to enjoying competition.
As of today, it is just under two weeks till Arles, France. I am using visualization exercises to prepare myself for what it will be like at the start of the events and find confidence to relax. I will find a way to tap into that strength that has gotten me this far and hopefully this will unlock all the training and preparation to be fearless out there!
Your Athlete,
Susan
p.s. My foot is on the mend. I have been to physiotherapy and the joint is in place and now it just needs time for the tendons to heal. I have started to run again, slowly for now, but by the end of this coming week we hope to start with some explosive work and sprints. I think there will be some pain, but overall, the foot will be ready for Arles!
My goal as your role model is to give you someone to look up to, an example of someone in pursuit of her own excellence. I want to show you my bravery and dedication; in hopes that you will become as courageous and focused to achieve your very own goals.
To tell my story, I cannot only talk to you about success - a large part is learning from personal struggle and hardship. One of the most simple and sound pieces of advice I have been handed in my years as an athlete and over achiever, is this: if it were easy, everyone would do it!
In Desenzano, I was caught up in my nerves and my nerves got the best of me. I let myself and my coach down and I am in the middle of picking myself up and learning that this is merely my new touchstone of when things get rough.
Here is the thing: It is easy to sit around and fantasize about what you want. The hard part is going after it. Interestingly enough, one of my fears (on a long list) might simply be a fear of success. I have a fear of results; I set a high standard for myself and while I think I am able, I do not always believe it. When I was in Desenzano, I was focused on my fear. I was focused on the consequences of failure. Let me tell you, this was overwhelming.
However, I have taken a step back. I have accepted my mistake, as if it truly were a mistake. But really, it was a moment I had a chance to learn about myself. I learnt that I need to look at the numbers before a competition and have a set goal for each event and overall. I know this now, and it does not feel overwhelming, nor out of reach.
A fun fact about fear is, once it is identified, it turns into something else and hopefully on it is way to becoming irrelevant. As for worrying about what I imagine “other” people to think of me, I am reminded of a story from a fellow old university teammate. He recently shared his story and it put this point into perspective:
One of the things that I remember about our former coach is that every once in a while, when I was sitting and stretching before or after practice, Coach would walk by and say, “Hey, guess who was asking about you today?” I would answer, “Who?” And then Coach would say, “No one.”
I chose this career as an athlete for myself. I work hard because I love this sport. I think that what is important to inspire others is sharing the fact that you falter and doubt your ability to carry on, but that you pick yourself up again stronger than before, doubly committed to your goal, and you press on to the end.
Being in pursuit of excellence means we set a goal, make a plan, and work toward it. However, every now and then we need to look around, drink it in, because this is it. I have taken a moment to think of my accomplishments to date and be proud of me; know that I have an inner strength that will bring me through this current struggle and get back to enjoying competition.
As of today, it is just under two weeks till Arles, France. I am using visualization exercises to prepare myself for what it will be like at the start of the events and find confidence to relax. I will find a way to tap into that strength that has gotten me this far and hopefully this will unlock all the training and preparation to be fearless out there!
Your Athlete,
Susan
p.s. My foot is on the mend. I have been to physiotherapy and the joint is in place and now it just needs time for the tendons to heal. I have started to run again, slowly for now, but by the end of this coming week we hope to start with some explosive work and sprints. I think there will be some pain, but overall, the foot will be ready for Arles!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Desenzano
Hello,
Well, there is always a plan B for a reason. If you have seen the results, you know I did not finish the competition. During my long jump warm-up, I was doing some practice jumps on the track and landed one on the side of my foot and injured my ankle/foot.
Long sigh ... it was a difficult choice not to finish the competition. However, I had to think about long term and focus on the mental and physical recovery for the next competition in a months time.
The results of the first 5 events:
100mH - 13.90sec
HighJump - 1.69m
ShotPut - 13.37m
200m - 25.04sec
LongJump - 5.83m
Overall, I can say it was an average result for opening the season, but I was not pleased. I felt very tired and just never found my rhythm here in Italy. I think at this moment, that I put too much pressure on myself and expected too much from just one competition. I need to remember that sometimes we need to just keep taking small steps to move forward and trust that we'll get there.
Now, I will head back to Holland and I will start my recovery. I hope to be back to training in 1-2 weeks. From there I will most likely head to Arles, France 06-07 June.
Well this is all a part of sports. I just have to go through this and get myself ready for the next one!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Well, there is always a plan B for a reason. If you have seen the results, you know I did not finish the competition. During my long jump warm-up, I was doing some practice jumps on the track and landed one on the side of my foot and injured my ankle/foot.
Long sigh ... it was a difficult choice not to finish the competition. However, I had to think about long term and focus on the mental and physical recovery for the next competition in a months time.
The results of the first 5 events:
100mH - 13.90sec
HighJump - 1.69m
ShotPut - 13.37m
200m - 25.04sec
LongJump - 5.83m
Overall, I can say it was an average result for opening the season, but I was not pleased. I felt very tired and just never found my rhythm here in Italy. I think at this moment, that I put too much pressure on myself and expected too much from just one competition. I need to remember that sometimes we need to just keep taking small steps to move forward and trust that we'll get there.
Now, I will head back to Holland and I will start my recovery. I hope to be back to training in 1-2 weeks. From there I will most likely head to Arles, France 06-07 June.
Well this is all a part of sports. I just have to go through this and get myself ready for the next one!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
I Have Earned This Moment
Well, the seemingly endless training hours are at a momentary break. I have spent the last six months preparing for and building up to this weekend – the weekend of the 22nd Multistars Combined Events Competition. I am about embrace a moment I have spent the last four years chasing, four years of ups and down, tears and joy and everything in between ...
Tomorrow I will make my way to Northern Italy, to the city of Desenzano del Garda. I will compete in a field of 35 women from 16 countries, such as Russia, India, and Great Britain. I am starting ranked, 11th or 16th depending on which score you use – 5889 points is a wind-aided score, and 5797 points is from the Canadian Nationals in 2008.
Bart and I have spoken a handful of times in the last week and we are on the same page heading into this competition. We are both pleased with our preparations and feel very excited to see what the results will be in a few short days. We have a plan and we know what we are hoping for, but there is nothing left to do but relax and show off the skills we have been preparing.
I feel mentally grounded and focused on what I want and I believe in my potential. As for numbers and speculations going into this competition, I leave that to Bart. I am approaching the start line with a solid preparation. I am healthy, which has always been a major hurdle for us to overcome. I feel great. I am moving smoothly and I feel ready to get out there and get the ball rolling!
A great Steve Prefontaine quote: “you have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self satisfaction and sense of achievement.” This weekend I will step out there and know that this is the moment I have been preparing for and both embrace it and hold on tight – Bart reminded me today, after our last training session, that moments like this do not come along very often, so take hold and do not let go. I am ready and I am excited to show the world a new Susan!
You can follow the results at the following links:
http://www.multistars.org/
http://www.iaaf.org/wce09/results/eventCode=4157/index.html
Your Athlete,
Susan
Tomorrow I will make my way to Northern Italy, to the city of Desenzano del Garda. I will compete in a field of 35 women from 16 countries, such as Russia, India, and Great Britain. I am starting ranked, 11th or 16th depending on which score you use – 5889 points is a wind-aided score, and 5797 points is from the Canadian Nationals in 2008.
Bart and I have spoken a handful of times in the last week and we are on the same page heading into this competition. We are both pleased with our preparations and feel very excited to see what the results will be in a few short days. We have a plan and we know what we are hoping for, but there is nothing left to do but relax and show off the skills we have been preparing.
I feel mentally grounded and focused on what I want and I believe in my potential. As for numbers and speculations going into this competition, I leave that to Bart. I am approaching the start line with a solid preparation. I am healthy, which has always been a major hurdle for us to overcome. I feel great. I am moving smoothly and I feel ready to get out there and get the ball rolling!
A great Steve Prefontaine quote: “you have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self satisfaction and sense of achievement.” This weekend I will step out there and know that this is the moment I have been preparing for and both embrace it and hold on tight – Bart reminded me today, after our last training session, that moments like this do not come along very often, so take hold and do not let go. I am ready and I am excited to show the world a new Susan!
You can follow the results at the following links:
http://www.multistars.org/
http://www.iaaf.org/wce09/results/eventCode=4157/index.html
Your Athlete,
Susan
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Ready, Set, Go!
If you want to achieve a very challenging goal, you have to have a reason for doing it, you really have to want to do it, you have to persevere through a series of obstacles, you have to keep in mind why you are doing all this and why it is important in your life.
I have a goal: to achieve 6000+ points in the heptathlon and qualify for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. I have been persistent in training through the winter months, focused on the recovery and re-strengthening of my patella tendon. I have taken some rest at home to reset my focus. After that, I resumed training, began to put the technical aspects of the events in order, and was off to Tenerife, for a training camp. We peaked in Tenerife, as planned and now we are back in Holland focused mainly on rest, but also starting with competitions.
My first competition has come and gone. I was at a small evening competition to throw the shot put, gain an idea of both where my strengths are with my technique and know if my mental focus was in control. This competition for me is viewed more or less as a training session. We hoped for a solid result, but did not expect a huge personal record. That would have been nice to start a season, but alas not my style! Haha
Ok, that is a joke! Thing is I rarely open a season in a stunning style. I struggle. I come off a long stretch of training, training, training, and I resume competition after some nine months since the last competition of 2008. I make many of the same mistakes; I focus too much on the result and try to control too many cues at the same time in competition. I am just too eager out of the gates, you could say.
Therefore, I need to regain some control. Bart and I know that I am better at doing this during a heptathlon, compared with an open competition for one event, but still this is something I need to improve.
My first result of the season is 13.29m in the shot put. Looking for the positives in negatives, we will move forward to the next competition that will be this coming Friday. I will compete in the 100m Hurdles and the long jump. I need to stay relaxed, and focus on just one or two cues. I have to remember most importantly to enjoy the competition, to stay positive, enjoy every movement, and know that these are the moments I prepare for.
Lou Holtz once said, “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” With a more positive and relaxed attitude, I will try go into the competition Friday and enjoy myself. I will keep in mind my 350 amazing supporters at Queen Mary and persevere. Because at the end of the line lies greatness, and to get there, we need to remember to persevere through tough times, constantly train, and enjoy the pursuit of excellence!
On to Friday, wish me luck!
Your Athlete,
Susan
I have a goal: to achieve 6000+ points in the heptathlon and qualify for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. I have been persistent in training through the winter months, focused on the recovery and re-strengthening of my patella tendon. I have taken some rest at home to reset my focus. After that, I resumed training, began to put the technical aspects of the events in order, and was off to Tenerife, for a training camp. We peaked in Tenerife, as planned and now we are back in Holland focused mainly on rest, but also starting with competitions.
My first competition has come and gone. I was at a small evening competition to throw the shot put, gain an idea of both where my strengths are with my technique and know if my mental focus was in control. This competition for me is viewed more or less as a training session. We hoped for a solid result, but did not expect a huge personal record. That would have been nice to start a season, but alas not my style! Haha
Ok, that is a joke! Thing is I rarely open a season in a stunning style. I struggle. I come off a long stretch of training, training, training, and I resume competition after some nine months since the last competition of 2008. I make many of the same mistakes; I focus too much on the result and try to control too many cues at the same time in competition. I am just too eager out of the gates, you could say.
Therefore, I need to regain some control. Bart and I know that I am better at doing this during a heptathlon, compared with an open competition for one event, but still this is something I need to improve.
My first result of the season is 13.29m in the shot put. Looking for the positives in negatives, we will move forward to the next competition that will be this coming Friday. I will compete in the 100m Hurdles and the long jump. I need to stay relaxed, and focus on just one or two cues. I have to remember most importantly to enjoy the competition, to stay positive, enjoy every movement, and know that these are the moments I prepare for.
Lou Holtz once said, “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” With a more positive and relaxed attitude, I will try go into the competition Friday and enjoy myself. I will keep in mind my 350 amazing supporters at Queen Mary and persevere. Because at the end of the line lies greatness, and to get there, we need to remember to persevere through tough times, constantly train, and enjoy the pursuit of excellence!
On to Friday, wish me luck!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Friday, April 17, 2009
How Few of Us Are As Brave As Our Dreams
Confidence is the name of the game. The name of the game is confidence.
When it comes to any pursuit of excellence, be it sports, music, or academics, confidence is an essential ingredient. The best advantage any athlete can have is a great sense of confidence, that inner feeling of trusting your instincts and skills in pursuit of excellence. Some of us have it, some of us still need to find it, and sometimes we feel like it goes missing. However, just like athletic skills, confidence is something to be nurtured, practiced and maintained.
According to Terry Orlick, a noted sports psychologist, we rarely begin a pursuit with total confidence. In fact, he believes we often do not know what we are really capable of doing. We acquire confidence through experiences in practice and performance. We grow by acknowledging our improvements, learning from both our successes and failures, and we learn from the wisdom of others.
That last thought, learning from others, is what has me thinking lately. While I was away in Tenerife, Spain, for a 10 day training camp, I had a chance to learn some very important lessons I need to step up in both training and competition this year and those to come.
In literary terms, I would be the hero of the story, who is on a journey, and these important people are known as my helpers. Every hero needs a person or people who can give directions of sorts, or act as a guide. The key to be aware of is that the helper is adding something to the hero, namely something that the hero could not have done on his or her own.
The helper can be a mentor. In literature, the mentor is often an old man or old woman, generally this is to symbolize wisdom, which is associated with age. My mentors at this moment go by the names Troy Douglas and Gert Damkat.
Troy Douglas is a retired Dutch sprinter who ran for both Bermuda and the Netherlands, participating in four Olympic Games. He is someone I have to come to know as having a tremendously positive attitude and open-minded approach. I spoke to Troy about the concern of being a Canadian, living abroad, immersed in Dutch culture, feeling like sometimes the “real Susan” can get lost. I miss my friends and family at home, and the people around me with a similar sense of humor and mid-set. I love being in Holland and training with the Dutch team, and Bart, but I sometimes forget to take care of number one – me. The lesson I took from Troy was that “you cannot do what you are doing and not necessarily as well as you want to do it, if you are not happy in your personal life – that your personal life feeds your work.”
Then there is Gert Damkat, a well-established throwing coach, not in only in the Netherlands, with considerable experience and a down-to-earth quiet personality. We have that in common, the personality part, and I feel trusting to talk to Gert about my fears or areas I see need work. I spoke to Gert about my training, about wanting to step up this year to the next level in competition and that which comes from stepping up in training. The thing is, taking this step is not one I can take alone – I need Bart to take it with me. We are a team, we are in this journey together, and with Gert’s help, I was able to express myself more clearly to Bart and express, with honesty, what I wanted. With a strengthen bond, Bart and I will find our way to step up in training/competition.
That brings me to the helper as an ally. Traditionally, the ally is someone who is always there for the hero and someone upon who the hero can always depend. Bart is my ally. The ally can also be someone who has had his or her own hero’s journey and is now taking part in the new hero-to-be’s journey. Bart, before he was a coach, was a top-level decathlete and world ranked competitor. This has always been a quality I valued in him as a coach: he really respects athletes – he knows what it takes because he was an athlete himself. We can all gain from coaches who help us to feel competent and confident in our abilities to reach our goals.
With all this help from my helpers, I am feeling very confident about heading into competitions, starting next week and about being ready to step up in to a new level and going for the standard to qualify for the World Championships. With an enhanced sense of confidence, thanks to my helpers, I can say, I am as brave as my dream!
Your Athlete,
Susan
When it comes to any pursuit of excellence, be it sports, music, or academics, confidence is an essential ingredient. The best advantage any athlete can have is a great sense of confidence, that inner feeling of trusting your instincts and skills in pursuit of excellence. Some of us have it, some of us still need to find it, and sometimes we feel like it goes missing. However, just like athletic skills, confidence is something to be nurtured, practiced and maintained.
According to Terry Orlick, a noted sports psychologist, we rarely begin a pursuit with total confidence. In fact, he believes we often do not know what we are really capable of doing. We acquire confidence through experiences in practice and performance. We grow by acknowledging our improvements, learning from both our successes and failures, and we learn from the wisdom of others.
That last thought, learning from others, is what has me thinking lately. While I was away in Tenerife, Spain, for a 10 day training camp, I had a chance to learn some very important lessons I need to step up in both training and competition this year and those to come.
In literary terms, I would be the hero of the story, who is on a journey, and these important people are known as my helpers. Every hero needs a person or people who can give directions of sorts, or act as a guide. The key to be aware of is that the helper is adding something to the hero, namely something that the hero could not have done on his or her own.
The helper can be a mentor. In literature, the mentor is often an old man or old woman, generally this is to symbolize wisdom, which is associated with age. My mentors at this moment go by the names Troy Douglas and Gert Damkat.
Troy Douglas is a retired Dutch sprinter who ran for both Bermuda and the Netherlands, participating in four Olympic Games. He is someone I have to come to know as having a tremendously positive attitude and open-minded approach. I spoke to Troy about the concern of being a Canadian, living abroad, immersed in Dutch culture, feeling like sometimes the “real Susan” can get lost. I miss my friends and family at home, and the people around me with a similar sense of humor and mid-set. I love being in Holland and training with the Dutch team, and Bart, but I sometimes forget to take care of number one – me. The lesson I took from Troy was that “you cannot do what you are doing and not necessarily as well as you want to do it, if you are not happy in your personal life – that your personal life feeds your work.”
Then there is Gert Damkat, a well-established throwing coach, not in only in the Netherlands, with considerable experience and a down-to-earth quiet personality. We have that in common, the personality part, and I feel trusting to talk to Gert about my fears or areas I see need work. I spoke to Gert about my training, about wanting to step up this year to the next level in competition and that which comes from stepping up in training. The thing is, taking this step is not one I can take alone – I need Bart to take it with me. We are a team, we are in this journey together, and with Gert’s help, I was able to express myself more clearly to Bart and express, with honesty, what I wanted. With a strengthen bond, Bart and I will find our way to step up in training/competition.
That brings me to the helper as an ally. Traditionally, the ally is someone who is always there for the hero and someone upon who the hero can always depend. Bart is my ally. The ally can also be someone who has had his or her own hero’s journey and is now taking part in the new hero-to-be’s journey. Bart, before he was a coach, was a top-level decathlete and world ranked competitor. This has always been a quality I valued in him as a coach: he really respects athletes – he knows what it takes because he was an athlete himself. We can all gain from coaches who help us to feel competent and confident in our abilities to reach our goals.
With all this help from my helpers, I am feeling very confident about heading into competitions, starting next week and about being ready to step up in to a new level and going for the standard to qualify for the World Championships. With an enhanced sense of confidence, thanks to my helpers, I can say, I am as brave as my dream!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Training Videos
Hello.
I'm still here, still training hard. Tomorrow I will get back to posting my thoughts and progress. For now, here are a few videos:
Shot Put Training in Tenerife, Spain:
Hurdle Training back in Papendal, Netherlands:
Javelin Training back in Papendal, Netherlands:
So I'm pleased to say the techniques are coming together and I'm starting to feel confident for competitions which will start next week ... more about that in tomorrow's post ...
Your Athlete,
Susan
I'm still here, still training hard. Tomorrow I will get back to posting my thoughts and progress. For now, here are a few videos:
Shot Put Training in Tenerife, Spain:
Hurdle Training back in Papendal, Netherlands:
Javelin Training back in Papendal, Netherlands:
So I'm pleased to say the techniques are coming together and I'm starting to feel confident for competitions which will start next week ... more about that in tomorrow's post ...
Your Athlete,
Susan
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