Although nothing will make up for not being in the 400m in Osaka, I can’t deny that I am really excited to have the opportunity to compete in the 200. With Allyson, Veronica, and possibly Sherone in the feild I can’t imagine how fast we could run. These are all ladies I really respect and I believe will go down in history as some of the best female sprinters ever, so I hope that this race will be one to remember.

What do you think?

Choosing the Right University 

Choosing the University that’s right for you can be extremely difficult, especially when there are a lot of different schools that are interested. It was really tough for me! I visited the University of Texas, Florida, Miami, the University of Tennessee, and UCLA. I also had huge interest from LSU, South Carolina, Standford, you name it, they wanted me to come. However I knew what I wanted and with the help of my parents I was able to make my decision.

Here are a few things to help you narrow down your options:

1. Know your educational goals

When selecting a University it is most important that you make a list of what’s most important. Make sure the University offers the two majors that you are most interested in. Most people change their majors at least once so always have a back up plan.

2. Know your athletic goals

Don’t select a University because the visit was fun and the coach treats you like a star, that will all change once you arrive on campus. Select a coach that has a good track record. Look at their past athletes and how well they ran at the big meets. If possible talk to one of their past athletes and find out the real scoop.

3. Know yourself

If you’re a home body, and you really enjoy being with your family, don’t select a University that is too far away from home. Most people think they will be okay, but it can become very stressful and affect your performance and grades if you are always homesick. You may think staying in the same state is too close but you’ll be surprised how little you’ll make it home with your busy schedule.

4. Ask all your questions early

Some of the most important things to ask your recruiter are:

• Will we have available tutors? (this is a big deal, trust me)
• Will I have someone to help me with my degree plan? (Most people never see their degree plan and four years will go by and you are still a sophomore in school)
• What is the graduation rate?(What percentage of athletes have graduated, and why did the others not graduate? Poor advising or did they leave early etc…)
• Will athletics ever get in the way of the degree I select. (Some students find out after arriving on campus that certain degrees are too time consuming and will get in the way of practice! What…remember Student-Athlete not Athlete-Student!!!)

5. Visit and be comfortable

Its not smart to go to a University without taking a visit, to see the place, meet your future teammates, and see how they do things. Just because everything looks ideal on the internet, they offer the right degree and the coach has a great track record, it doesn’t mean that it will be a perfect fit for you. One of the Universities I visited that was high on my list, got X’ed because of the girls. They kept calling me “the recruit.” I thought it was so rude and knew I wouldn’t mesh well with the girls. It seems small but those things are good indicators of what you may experience at the school.

6. Write down your goals and stick with them

The final thing to do is to write down your short term and long term goals and stick with it. If your into athletics, write down your performance goals and hold yourself and your coach accountable. Sit with your coach and find out what it will take to accomplish your goals and put your heart in it. Then write down your academic goals, sit with your academic advisor, and make sure that you stay on pace to get your degree in four years. Don’t put it off and wait until the fifth year…..most people never finish that way.

GOOD LUCK AND I HOPE THIS HELPS! 

SAN

Sometimes our destiny is different than we plan….

Since August 2005, I have been preparing myself to return to the World Championships in the 400m to win the Gold medal. I knew I was prepared to win that year but executed a poor race and lost. I remember it so vividly. The rain was pouring down, I kept hoping they would postpone the race, but they couldn’t. People had paid good money to see the race go off that night and they could not afford to change the schedule. It would ruin everything. So come hail, snow, sleet, or fire, the women’s 400m was going off as scheduled. I was in lane 3, Guavera (MEX) in 4, Pospolova (RUS) in 5, and Darling (BAH) in 6. I had beaten Tonique twice already for the season but for some reason instead of running my own race I couldn’t stop focusing on her. I watched her down the backstretch and lost track of myself. By the time I got back into my own lane, I was well down the backstretch and was running way too fast. I panicked and just decided that I was going to keep on going and pray for the best. Not a good idea. I got to the final stretch and was so tired. The wind was blowing intensely and I couldn’t fight it. I had come off the turn in front but with about 20meters to go I could feel her coming and I saw the gold medal slip away.