I
am completely focused on my goals in Beijing. I am constantly pushing myself to
new limits. Sure, it's a hard and exciting journey for me. I push myself
because I want my country to be proud of me. I want to show disabled children
and fellow warriors if you believe you can achieve. Adversity can be faced and
you can adapt and be happy.
I have just gotten a whole slew of new
training equipment. That's directly due to IAVA. And their supporters!
Thank you. I am hoping to get a camera next to video tape my practices. I can
download or Fed Ex the sessions to my Coach for input.
I
don't have an apartment at the training center. I drive there as scheduling
allows. With the camera my Coach can tell me the errors and hurrahs.
And
the training is getting intense. I haven't much time before I'm off to Japan
for two weeks August 21 at 11:00 hours. They are sending us there to
get acclimated and train. Then we head over to China for the Games.
Maybe
you want to know about my, "Road to Beijing?" Admittedly, the day-to-day is not
terribly exciting - that comes in September - but for me it's such an honor to
again be representing my country. I can barely sleep.
Here's the way my training for The Games
goes: I live in Grovetown Georgia. It's near base. This past week it's
been raining. A Lot. This means I have to alter my training schedule. If
it rains, I can't use my throwing chair. The stakes will just come undone from
the throws. This means it's real dangerous - obviously.
But
I refuse to let the weather stop my training. I've started to take the rainy
days and do what Sarg would have made us; train harder as the rain would keep
you cooler. In my case, I've adapted that to go inside and increase and
lengthen my lifting regimen.
I
couldn't get into the apartments at the official Olympic training site due to
space and other matters. I am doing all my training at home right now in a gym
I built. I commute to Alabama for coaching.
In
the home gym I start by doing weight curls and add regular lifting on to that.
When my arms get nice and warmed up, I pound them with benching 300 pounds. I
do everything for at least three sets of ten (or more depending on how I feel).
On
non-rainy days I entertain passing neighbors who all know what I'm up to. I use
my front yard to throw the shot put. I also use the Grovetown Middle School
field to practice after school hours.
It's
neat because local kids will gather. I recently did an adaptive training
session at the school too.
Today
the local newspaper, The Augusta Chronicle, came by to talk about what it was
like being in London. I just returned from the British Open. I had a great time
and managed to win two silver medals; one for shot put and the other in discus.
The
events had me reclassified to a F55. I quickly discovered the honor wasn't
really great for me because I had the big Paralympic trials coming in a couple
weeks. They had me as a F54.
This
meant I had to throw much harder to make team qualification. I freaked a bit
but tried to focus on the new goals. I didn't even want to think about failing
at the Trials. I kept practicing and praying.
I
made it!
In
fact I took the Americas Adaptive Shot Put Record! I threw 10.97 meters. I was
elated. I made the team - which was harder because of the F55, and I won a
record. I cried. It had been an emotional couple of weeks.
The
results were so uplifting for me. This whole journey is. Sure, I didn't take
the F55 Adaptive World Record in shot put. But I still have the F54 Adaptive
World Record in shot put with 10.23 meters.
Thank
you all for your belief in me. Thank you all for supporting IAVA and the
Paralympics.
