I don’t know how many times I have run a new personal best and had a mild case of amnesia during my sprint?! My coaches would always ask me “How I felt” and I would always reply with “Couldn’t tell you, I couldn’t remember a thing”. Some may think that’s not such a good thing, but the less thinking you do, the faster your race has the potential to be.

I had an amazing weekend on the track this weekend. New best in the 100m running 10.15, which beat the A standard for World Championships in August. It’s truly a blessing. But a lot of my success has been with working on clearing my mind of all and anything up there and just having fun! Below are some tips I use everyday I run, and even more importantly come race day to compete to the best of my ability.

Shut Your Brain Off When Competition Begins

What do we practice for? We practice to work on all the steps involved with a game or race. We spend hours every week repeating and simulating the same things we would do come competition time. So why bother thinking about it when the starter calls you to the line, or the QB starts the cadence? Take a few breaths, think about all the steps you have to do and clear your mind.

Let The Jaws Flap

Another vital point in addition to shutting the mind off is relaxation. Usually when your doing less thinking, you’re more relaxed. Just letting the body go with the flow. But of course not so relaxed your not competing. Passive Aggressive is the term I would use. When you start tensing up, you begin fighting the motions and are not as effective. During your competition, take another quick breath to relax the muscles and continue with the flow.

Have Fun

The biggest tip of them all is to remember to have fun! Do what you love and love what you do! I’m having so much fun with track right now, because I don’t stress about it. When you stress you lose focus, you panic, you tighten up and all of the above. Remember that same fun you were having when you were a little 5 year old running up and down the soccer field, like you had energy for days. Or something similar…you get my drift.

Key Points

1. You have already done all the work at practice, you shouldn’t be changing anything come game time.
2. Think about what you have to do before you start.
3. Take a couple deep breaths and let it all go, become thoughtless.
4. Stay as relaxed as you can be.
5. Have Fun!

(original image by wellington two)

2010 has come and gone, so did you learn anything about yourself you didn’t already know? Or did you make some of the same mistakes from 2009? Here is my list of 50 things I learned in 2010 related to my life, track, business and other random things. Comment below and let us know some of the things you learned about yourself in 2010. All the best to you for 2011!

1. An injury is only a setback if you let it be
2. High-quality content is key!
3. 8-9 hours of sleep no longer counts after 12am
4. ActiveReleaseTherapy!! Now all I need is practice…
5. Be Your Own Boss & Mind Your Own Business
6. Running your own business can be a lot harder than it seems
7. How to solve a 3×3 Rubiks cube : )
8. Ready fire aim…if you want to get something done stop planning, ready aim aim aim aim…and just fire…then go back and aim
9. Patience is always needed for pretty much everything you do
10. Never eat a hot pepper (even on a dare)
11. They quote you on twitter, careful what you say
12. Use the resources that are around you
13. Think BIG, act small
14. I’m addicted to my Blackberry
15. I’m addicted to twitter!!
16. I’m addicted to my Macbook Pro
17. Never burn old bridges
18. Exaggerate a dead stop at a stop sign (even though I did stop, got out of that though because he didn’t show up)
19. How to grow a white oak tree from an acorn
20. How to transplant a tree to a bigger pot
21. NEVER forget the people who doubted you
22. NEVER forget about the people who helped you
23. Do what is BEST for you, but take into consideration your friends and family and how it could affect them
24. Flow 93.5 still plays the same boring music even after 4 years I’ve been away at school
25. Applying for a TV reality show is not worth the callback to go and audition
26. Or is it? Got some good connections from it…You never know what people can do for you in the long run
27. Never fly United Airlines…they love their peanuts…yuck! (I’m allergic)
28. Nobody likes to dwell on past failures, they’re too painful
29. Who knew I would miss an ugly Pug so much through out the year
30. I love coaching! (Either football or track…had fun in both this year with HS)
31. Take chances
32. If it doesn’t work try something different
33. Running your own company is way more work than a normal 9-5, but is so much more fun and rewarding
34. When its raining…the brakes don’t have to comply
35. Facebook has nothing on Twitter
36. Patience
37. Do what you love & love what you do!
38. Not to care about the pettiness crap
39. Like a G6 was #alwaysplaying
40. To Save! Never know when you need it for a rainy day!
41. Work won’t get itself done
42. Trying new things…well, isn’t so bad
43. Pilates will get your core ON POINT!
44. 13 years of dreads and I can let them go
45. Who my real & true friends are!
46. Change is good.
47. Its always nice to have someone to talk to
48. When you try to surprise someone with a gift, they’ll most likely surprise you also
49. How to cut my own head, taper and all…barbers can get expensive after a while
50. Enjoy everyday, because tomorrow is not promised.

(original image by {Wes})

My last month has been jam packed with training and preparation for Nationals at the end of next month. Here’s an update on the last two meets I ran, Edmonton International Classic in Edmonton, Ottawa Open.

2 weeks ago I took the long flight out to Edmonton (for the first time in Canada’s mid west) and ran both the 100m & 200m. Both went really great, despite a bad start in my 100m I stayed relaxed coming from behind and pulled out a 3rd place finish in 10.44 for some prize money. I was excited because this was my first prize money finish, since graduating from TCU and the NCAA system. In the 200m I really just blasted on the turn and tried to relax and finish strong. My focus with the 200 is to gradually get it back to the status I was at running under 21 seconds, but it will take time and patience is a must. I’m happy this dream of running as a job is starting to take form. I still have a lot of work left to drop back down in the 10.2 range but my confidence is building back up, I’ve never been healthier and I’m having fun!

For my race in Ottawa, the stadium just had a brand new surface build. And I mean JUST, they were still laying down track the day before. Brand new Super X Mondo track surface build at Terry Fox Stadium (takes some getting use to with the red track and not blue), same track surface Usain Bolt broke records on. So I think I can say, everyone was excited to run on the track and record some fast times…until you actually ran on it and had a puzzled look at the clock after the race. Does a mondo track have to sit for a couple weeks and settle in or what?!? Anyways regardless of the surface, (and the horrible weather) I still ran alright, 10.56 tied for 3rd place. Far off my seasons best this year of 10.38, but still making progress with my form, my race and my relaxation.

Anyways here’s the race below: (our good buddy mikethewhite.ca was there also, (you can follow him on twitter) he just nipped me at the line lol)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last weekend I travelled to one of my favorite tracks to compete in the Windsor Open. This was the first meet for me in two months and I think I was finally ready. I ran the 100m (and was suppose to run the 200m, but my body told me otherwise lol). The “second part” of the season is just starting and excited for whats to come. I’m 100% healthy, a first in two years, blessed and thankful that everything is going superb!

I decided to change it up a little and record my day as a vlog and share it with my Cover Ground readers/viewers! Let me know what you think and if i should continue this…

ENJOY!!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

9:23am – So, I’m sitting in the waiting room at Toronto’s top, if not one of the top Sports Medicine Clinics in North America, for my second ultrasound a week later. Checking up again on an old injury from last year to make sure it’s fully healed and that it doesn’t cause any problems down the line in my training. I’ve been taking it really easy for the past week so I can start breaking away the scar tissue and start building some new muscle.

9:41am – In the ultrasound room, and the doc is searching around my hamstring hard like he’s trying to find something. Could this be good news?

10:05am – Still in here… what is he trying to look for? He says “Well, I’m just playing around with it just to make sure.” (Pause)

10:07am – Anyways while he’s playing around with it (pause again lol)…I’ll give you guys a little update. I was suppose to open up this weekend at a meet downtown to get the legs going, but from this minor setback my opener is postponed to Feb 5. So, I will have just two shots at trying to hit “Canada’s standard of 6.61″ (which is exceedingly faster than the IAAF standard of 6.68) needed to get into the World Indoor Championships for March. I still think I can run the standard! The way I have been running and feeling these past two months have been beyond better than previous years.

10:14am – Finally done and some good news! Nothing but scar tissue which is easier to break up through laser and FSM (frequency specific microcurrent). Since I’ve been practically living at ISM receiving treatment, the scar tissue has already decreased by half in a week.

10:56am – Still here and waiting to hop on the FSM machine.

11:35am – Anyways back to my story. I had a bad hamstring issue last season (come to think of it now, it was probably a small tear). This caused me to miss weeks of my outdoor season and it finally healed (but not properly according to the ultrasound last week.) Scar tissue formed and not new muscle. Now that I’m using every single fiber in my hamstring, getting the extension with my legs, increased my hip flexibility, stronger, powerful and faster…I need to get rid of the scar tissue, and heal the muscle while forming new fibers.

12:11pm – Finally started my FSM treatment. Continue building that muscle….40 minutes to go : /
(yes I know, I’ve been here all day!)

1:07pm – Time to go get myself a sandwich for my lunch… then head home to do some riding, lift and then relax for the rest of the day and just take it easy. Finally out of there!

….and now time to Post!

Later!

WrN83

I had an awesome past week! I spent the week in Fort Worth, Texas with my family and then my girlfriend and her family. The main reason I was there was for commencement. I finally walked across the stage and received my diploma. Even though I officially finished my degree in August, walking was one of the proudest moments of my life so far. The honor to hold a degree from a distinguished US school in Texas, is great and will of course be with me for the rest of my life.

Stick to your dream because even if it seems far away or unreachable, every step brings you that much closer to your goals. I have to thank God first because without God it would not have been possible. I have to thank my parents for all of their support and guidance through my college years. I of course have to thank Coach Anderson for giving me the opportunity and coughing out almost $200,000 to attend TCU on scholarship. (UPDATE for Otis lol) I also need to thank all my teammates for my making the experience one I will never forget… I mean that! Last but not least, I have to thank my girlfriend Jordan, who helped me countless times with looking over my papers, staying up late with me to study and being there to support me. I know I would not have finished the time I did without her. (I owe her a little of the degree lol)

Anyways, I have a college degree and no one can take that away from me : )

Enjoy the Holidays, Be Safe, Arrive Alive…all the good stuff!

1 down 29 to go!

Making great progress and very quickly at that! Before I started my season I thought of all the goals I wanted to accomplish this season and it came down to 30 goals. Some are big and some are small but they are all stepping stones to a much bigger goal. As I complete my goals through out the season, Cover Ground will be the first to know!

Just last week, I posted a picture of my Lying Hip Thrust on my Twitter page and Facebook page. It was “pre-PB” at 315 and just recently lifted 405?!?! I should have just made the goal 450, because in the 6 weeks that I’ve been doing the exercise I have already made it do 410.

It’s an advanced exercise of glute firing. If your glutes shut down, you start use your hamstrings, and if your hamstrings don’t fire then you start using your back which leads to a lot of problems…trust me (spondylolisthesis by both Warner Brothers, in the same year). Glute exercises with no resistance after a while does nothing for you. Resistance is needed to start firing other fibers in the muscle. Then as you get heavier, all the fibers are needed to fire during that exercise. Hence the muscle getting stronger and every fiber in working order when sprinting. (More about glute activation later)

Anyways, I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was and continuing to get stronger in the weight room. Actually I don’t even know how strong I really am…we’ll just have to wait and see.

I‘ve been at it for 6 weeks now and base training is flying by yet taking forever.

I’m just counting the days until I head to the indoor track (which may be sooner than planned seeing the weather is becoming colder by the day)

I’ve been training real well and better than I thought I would be. Surprising myself! The big key thing for me is staying healthy (and I can’t stress that enough!) and every thing else will fall in place. My last post was about muscle memory, which should play a huge role in your training, especially during base training. For myself it plays a greater role in my training right now (especially) remembering what the muscles and movements felt like from back in 2005 when I was last with my coach. Running technically sound is allowing me to train better than I ever have before. I don’t have to put much effort into my runs or force them either because my form takes care of that. (More about that in future posts.)

It also makes base training easier when u have another person doing everything with you. My training partner, Anson Henry, Olympian and one of Canada’s top sprinters, joined the camp with me this year. We’re both coming from Texas, where the weather is much NICER & WARM (lol). We’re both recovering from injuries and working to get back up on top. But to me it’s better having someone there to train with. When you don’t feel like training at all and your teammate does, it helps to motivate you more to get ready mentally for practice, and vice versa.

Until next time…

Week 1 of practice is in the books and it went great. I will say that the beginning of the week was rough…(especially since I hadn’t been doing anything all summer) but it seemed to lessen down and become less grueling as the week progressed. It was a week of 500, 400, 300, circuits, hills, 200′s, general strength, hurdle mobility drills, medicine ball throws, plyometrics, and much more. We put in a lot of work this week and I can finally say it is nice now to have a training partner, another sprinter, to help push and to be pushed for all the same reasons of becoming Canada’s best and one of the best in the world.

This first week was mostly spent on retraining the body and mind back to sprinting correctly and efficiently. For me, it doesn’t take very long to retrain the muscles, and with the right cues of course, the muscles remember what the movement should feel like. Muscle memory basically becomes accustomed to the certain types of movements. It becomes second nature, an unconscious process. For example, walking. We do it everyday and as a baby we grew our neural pathways gradually to give the muscles a sense of muscle memory. That’s why when first learning something new, it’s stressed to learn the correct way to do it. Your muscles will play around with you if the movement was learned incorrectly making it that much harder to change in the future. The bad habits need to be broken first, which of course is now apart of their muscle memory, and as new movements are learned, new neural pathways are formed making you a better athlete.

So, during base training is when you should work on all the proper mechanics of sprinting or your movement. You have more time to focus on the way your feet should land, the correct body position, the motion your arms should be swinging…remember it all starts by training from the ground up. Muscle memory is best developed when that movement is done over and over and over again. That’s why we practice (obviously). And as that movement is practiced corrections of that form NEED to made then and there, so in the long run, there’s no need to think…it’s already memorized.

(…well for me at least.)

Some are still going strong on the track & field circuit, with the World Athletics Final approaching quickly this September 12-13. While others are starting their season again with their base training. Well I’m one of those studs starting the treacherous few months of base training.

I spent this summer finishing my degree at TCU and resting for what’s to come this season. No Billy Bob’s, no Six Flags, no Caribana, no Wonderland. It was all work…but I’m glad, so I can start off my first professional season healthy, fresh and ready to do some damage.

I’m anxious, more than ever before. I’m back in Toronto, back to eating right, back to my chiros, therapists, back to my parents (who have helped me with & through EVERYTHING thus far), back to my coach, back to my domain…and I could not be any happier. This is the start of my professional career and the start of my new blog Cover Ground.

It’s a new day and every day needs to be taken with purpose.

(original image by drift words)