Enjoying my Journey

I have just spent the last few hours reading over my entire blog…well the track related parts at least. I will offer it up as suggested reading for those of you who have not been with me from the beginning and have absolutely nothing to do for the next four hours. Why pay for remarkable literature when you can get it for free!

I started this whole blog as a way to share and as a way to process this year in the best way possible. Last year at Nationals I kept a detailed journal about my experience and then posted it on my Myspace page as a peek into what the experience was like and then I figured…why not let everyone peek in for the whole Olympic year?! So here we are, 8 months later with the Finals of the Long Jump less than 24 hours away. I’m glad I have it here—the year in review if you will. Not only does it show what I’ve been through, it shows how I’ve grown. By sharing, I was able to appreciate and understand so much more about myself and gain a whole new perspective.

From the moment I decided that the Olympics was a goal of mine, I have been on an incredible journey. It has been only recently however, that I have even begun to see the journey for what it is and to appreciate it on it’s own. I remember thinking to myself for the very first time that I wanted to be an Olympian and believing I could actually do it. The path I had set out in my mind ended up playing out very differently however and has forced me to accept all that is out of my control. I remember 2004, when I sat in my room after my event was over and asked myself if I had 4 more years in me to give this another shot. And I remember my answer. That answer has determined the path of my life in so many ways over the past four years. I can recall the many times when I had to talk myself back into believing I could actually do it and if I still wanted to do it…when things got so rough for me that I thought perhaps this wasn’t something I was meant to do or that maybe my life would be easier if I gave up this particular dream. And then the moments that followed when I then convinced myself that I was not going to be defeated. I have been reminded numerous times why it is that I have grown to love this sport and have stayed motivated by the belief that my gifts were given to me for a purpose. I remember vividly all the sacrifices I have made along the way and can boldly say without question that as I stand today, they were all worth it.

This is my journey. I am thankful that I have had the opportunities I’ve been blessed with that has brought me to this moment and this specific point in time that would not have been possible without all the ups and downs. Each and every part of it was for a purpose. In my head I had created a path to the top that was a straight shot and instead I was given the scenic route filled with detours and obstacles I never imagined. But I see the person that I have become—not just the athlete, but also the person—and I know that I am better for it. I believe in my heart that today will be special. But more importantly, I know that the journey has been extraordinary.