Sunday, October 5, 2008

Moving Forward

The last few months have been challenging to say the least. I tried my best to stay patient and to not panic, and for the most part I feel as if I succeeded quite well. I felt like I was facing the biggest decision in my life to date and I had zero inclination as to what the right move was. On a daily basis people would ask what I planned on doing, and while they might have thought that my non-committal answers were my way of not really wanting to share my decision quite yet, it was simply because I had no answer to share. None at all. My brain was about as empty as Paris Hilton’s on test day. All I could do was continue to pray that my next step would be presented to me. I knew there was a plan; I just didn’t have any idea as to when I was going to be clued in to what it might be. I just wanted to be open, and ready, and willing. If it was time for me to move on, I was definitely ok with that. In fact I thought that is what it must be because I knew I wasn’t feeling that fire…that passion to train and push yourself to the limit, that desire to continue to give my everything to be the best that I could possibly be. I know that is the only way you continue in this sport because without it you sell yourself entirely too short. Talent is one thing, but it’s not what gets the job done.

So I continued to be patient. Of course that didn’t mean sitting on my butt all day every day twiddling my thumbs and waiting for the answer to appear to me in my oatmeal at breakfast. I was somewhat proactive. I would search job sites, look into going back to school to get my masters so my knowledge would seem relevant, drive around Beverly Hills and try to find a sugar daddy nice young man to marry, check and see if Bill Gates was adopting any full grown children…you know, the usual. But nothing was really catching hold. And then I heard that a coach I had been trying to work with since back in 2004 might be hired down at the Olympic Training Center. In my opinion he’s one of the greatest coaches in the world and from our talks in previous years I know he doesn’t think I’m too shabby myself. So I asked him and found out it was true. But I knew that getting accepted at the Center was a long shot because of my age and my non-performance in 2008. After the less than stellar performance at the Games by Track and Field, the criteria were that much harder to get into the program. But now that I had talked to him I began to feel the fire lighting back up. I didn’t want to train just to train, but if I could train with him at a place where virtually everything is set up for success and we have access to the best of everything, it seemed like to good of an option to not consider. So I applied and despite my best efforts to not get my hopes up I started to picture what a great opportunity this could be and got excited in spite of myself. Luckily my excitement was not in vain.

I got accepted into the program because even at my age, they still see potential and think I’m worth investing in. I can live, eat, and train here and I get the opportunity to train with an amazing group of athletes with the support of a sports medicine team, sports psychologists, strength trainers, nutritionists, bio mechanists, and an amazing coaching staff, just to name a few. It is an amazing opportunity and I intend to make the most of it. I cannot tell you with certainty that this is what I’m supposed to be doing, but I feel like these were the doors that were opened for a reason. In my heart I truly felt like I was done. And that goes beyond the hurt and frustration I felt because of the circumstances of this past year. I honestly felt like it wasn’t there anymore. But today when I arrived down in Chula Vista, I know that I am feeling more enthusiastic and inspired than I have in a long time. I still plan on using my spare time to figure out some other things in my life both for income’s sake and for realizing that my life after track could begin at any time and I need to be prepared for that and start figuring out what that’s going to be. But for right now I’m still an athlete--and a proud one at that.

20 comments:

Cormac said...

Hooray, you're sticking with track and field! You had me worried for a few months there...

Brianna Glenn - 2009 World Long Jump Champion.....has a nice ring to it! :)

Anonymous said...

Bri ... this is great. You should be happy.

Congratulations

PB

Jasmine said...

PROUD. I am so darn proud of you! Let's chat today!

White Flower said...

I'm SO happy for you! This move is going to be exactly what you need. I can't wait for you to keep us posted on daily nuances, cute boys and track progress. Praying for you!

Bree at Clarity Defined said...

Congratulations! And welcome to San Diego... it's a great place to be. I didn't know we had an Olympic Training Center though. Curious. :)

Anonymous said...

WOOOOOHOOOOOO! Congratulations! I'm so happy darn for you!

Anonymous said...

Congrats! This sounds amazing and I'm happy for you.

Will you be living there? Hubby and I go to San Diego on a sem-regular basis as that's where he's from.

Anonymous said...

Easy way out. Unless you can consistently jump over 6.60 you aren't going to go anywhere in the sport today.

But hey another year of mooching off the system won't hurt and keeps you in your comfort zone.

Sad.

Brianna said...

@ cormac... a VERY nice ring.

@anonymous... i am happy. thank you

@ jasmine...thanks for your prayers. love you.

@breeziegirl...it's a suburb of SD, down in chula vista right before you get to the border.

@ lyra...now that is some enthusiam! thanks.

@ christy...i will be living here so tell me when you come down!

@anonymous...if i couldn't consistently jump over 6.60 then I'd be wasting my time. Do you know the average of my top five jumps in 2007? 6.60 isn't even where my goal is at. but thank you for your concern and i assure you that by year's end you will eat your words.

M. Brian Blake said...

I never really got that song "Hi, Hater" by Maino. But reading the comments on your blog brings it to light. What do these anonymous'es get out of their messages. If "hating" is what it takes for them to get into their own "comfort zones", then really that is truly sad.

Anonymous said...

No hating. Just that she is not moving forward she is stuck. Afraid to go out and face the real world she clings to being an athlete. Hard to blame her as it is one of the best lifestyles in the world. BUT if she starts moaning on about how hard training is , how much she is sacrificing-well you are a fool if you enable that.
I have seen other athelets do exactly what she is doing-can't accept that it is time to move on -and it is for her though she will rationalize otherwise.

On a positive nore I have trainesdin Chula Vista and it is an amazing facilty.
Bri will love that she can live like a college kid again-no cooking, cleaning or taking care of anyone but you.
You know moving forward as she says.

Anonymous said...

AWSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!. SO THE FOLKS AT CHULA SEE SOMETHING AND SOMEONE WORTH INVESTING IN--THAT'S COOL-THE QUESTION IS DO YOU SEE YOUR WORTH AS I THEY AND EVERYONE ELSE DOES?
THIS IS TRULY INCREDIBLE NEWS--I LIVE THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS AND DREAMS--I HAVE NO PROBLEMS ADMITTING THAT--SORRY FOR THE PRESSURE BUT I MADE SOME BAD CHOICES--ALONG THE WAY AND I FEARED THAT YOU NOT CONTINUING WITH THIS LEAP OF FAITH(PUN INTENDED) WOILD LEAVE YOU WITH SAME THOUHGT--LET ME GUESS IS IT DAN PFAFF?--"THE REAL WORLD" IS GONNA BE HERE --COMFORT ZONE B.S. IS EXACTLY THAT--B.S.--I WISH YOU THE BEST SINCE I'M GIVING UP COMPUTERS FOR AWHILE--I WASTE WAY TOOOOO MUCH TIME ON HERE--IF WHEN YOU ARE IN VEGAS YOU CAN FIND ME AT WYNN ENCORE AT BOTERO STEAKHOUSE JAN. 09--MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU--SACRIFICE MORE THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEFORE--DROP YOUR BAG OF BRICKS ON THE FLOOR AND ALLOW YOUR SPIRIT TO SOAR!!!!! JOE P. IN VEGAS SOMETIMES IN D.C.------CIAO!

Brianna said...

just in case you were wondering, YES, I am still moderating my comments and I believe life on the fabulous blog has been better for it. But a quick response to the anonymous poster above, not because he deserves it or I truly felt like he was adding something to the world by sharing his thoughts, but because I did want to clarify something that I didn't elaborate on my post but wanted to make mention of...

I feel content right now with my life and it's direction so nobody is really going to discourage me from that. I do realize that there will be a few people who don't understand or don't think I "have what it takes" and I really could care less. Last time I checked, God doesn't go by the name ANONYMOUS and only He knows my heart, has a plan for my life, and will determine whether or not my potential has been reached in this sport. I am blessed to have been able to do this and I realize that even being able to continue is a huge blessing in itself. Being an athlete never has been and never will be my crutch...my excuse for not getting on with my life. I am a talented person with many opportunities to be successful but for this short moment in time this is the path I have chosen and I choose to continue to push forward. My story is mine alone and I will continue to tell MY story on this blog and it will always be unique to me no matter what similiarities it shares with other athletes. If there is someone that doesn't grasp that it probably isn't necessary to explain any further but I just wanted to put that out there.

p.s. I have lived at the training center before...and I left for my own reasons. But now I'm back and I'm moving forward.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Glenn,
This is good news! Especially since YOU are feeling it. You already know that’s the important (and hard) part about our personal life-decisions, the confidence that it’s the best for our situation. Don’t let others detract from your confidence. It’s not their life and they never live the consequences, good or otherwise.
This sounds like one of those rare, “to-good-to-be-true” opportunities, and since those don’t happen just everyday, we can really understand you grabbing it with both hands. It will also keep you close to your ‘support’, those you know and love, ones that will be positive for you through the rough patches you know will come at times.
A basic question though. Are you going to be sprinting again, doing the 100m or 200m in addition to the Long Jump? I like the fact it is a deep and competitive domestic field, and you would add to that quality. Dawn Harper proved it all over again, just why the races are run, that no-one is a “sure thing”, that a talented athlete, well-prepared and competently coached, can win! It can be “their time”. It just seems that yours is still ahead of you.
Oh, one last “rant” here: NO, our Olympic women were NOT failures. Geeez, how can people SO misunderstand that level of competition? Well, Ms. Williams shouldn’t have dropped the baton, but I still love that spunky little woman, lol. Pass neat and clean Ms. Glenn, show ‘em how it’s done! There, I feel better…
“Please don’t call me anonymous” Daniel

The Montgomerys said...

I don't know why people have to leave negative comments, I think they are just jealous and do not have a life. I wish you well and know that God will lead you & guide you according to his will. You are obviously talented, God has given that to you and he is faithful!!!

Take care & God Bless

**kind of found your blog on accident and was angered by that comment and felt compelled to leave something :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for NOT stopping by before heading down there by the way....


p.s. if you don't want to be an anonymous LOSER, just type in a name to be recognized by, like I do. You don't have to actually have a blog either. It's a lot cooler than adding "BRITTANY" at the end of my comments. Just thought I'd share!

Anonymous said...

This was a blessing to read. I am so happy for you, Brianna!

Anonymous said...

That's awesome news! God Bless and have fun!

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you're excited!! I'm excited for you!!

Anonymous said...

I always knew you would stick with it. Those Olympic Training facilities are dope!