Friday, August 26, 2011

The Start of World Championships

Can I be honest? I've been a little sad and dejected these past couple of days. My event at World Champs starts tomorrow and here I am sitting on the couch eating bon bons for breakfast. Of course that's not true…but only because I forgot to buy some when I was at the store. The truth is, I had been on my emotional rollercoaster over the summer season but when i returned home from Europe I had made peace with the idea that my season was probably over at the beginning of August. I was looking forward to spending time with my friends and family and having some summer left to enjoy stateside. And all that happened and I was in a good space. But then I started reading articles about the championships, and seeing pictures of the village, and reading everyone's tweets about the buildup to competition and it hit me. Hard. I'm not there but I should be.

I feel like the girl sitting at home the night of her prom while everyone is out having the time of their lives. Except this is not because anyone didn't invite me, because being able to go was purely up to me.

Despite all these depressing emotions, I feel like it's a good thing that I care so much and I do plan on watching as much of the event as I can over the next week, whether it stings a little or not. Disappointment can be a great motivator. I want to make sure I use this fuel all next year so that when it comes time to secure my spot for London, I am fully committed and capable of doing what I need to do so that I'm not sitting at home stuffing my face with bon bons when I should be representing my country on the biggest stage possible and proudly competing to the best of my ability.

Until then, I need to make a quick run to the store...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I didn't qualify either :( I will probably order pizza and stuff my face until I go in to a food coma, should be fun!!!

Faith, Food and Fitness For Real said...

To compete for my country before I leave this earth is one of my many dreams! There is something about competing for the US that leads me to tears and chills when I watch any competitions.

I cant begin to imagine the training and discipline it takes to be an elite athlete. I mean I am trying to train for a little half marathon and it flipped my world upside down :).

I love following your blog, because one its real, two perhaps the more I follow one day I can get abs that are at least 1 % as fab as yours. I am not an athlete in the world per say, my heart is and like Paul says in the book of Corinthians, we all run a race.

Im sure that being at home is hard, however I think it takes more discipline to make hard choices not to compete so that you can come back stronger! I think it shows humbleness and I appreciate you sharing with us!!!

So with that said, I will continue to pray for you and your come back.. And bon bons? Is that the secret to great abs? *sigh I didn't think so :(

Monica

JACKY FIGUEROA said...

I'm glad i'm not the only one that feels like the ocassional loser. I hate looking at my twitter feed and seeing this person booked this huge gig and that person booked 3 nationals in one day! (true story). You're right though we must use it as fuel because feeling like that can be very dangerous. So from one bon bon consumer to another, on to the next one!!

Brianna said...

@anonymous...leave your name so we can share in each other's pain..or i can come over and eat pizza with you! :)

@monica...thank you so much. i promise you if you keep running, bon bons are totally acceptable ripped abs fuel. :) and that verse in corinthians is my fave.

@jacky...i miss you. we should definitely schedule a bon bon or similar get together soon! and, seriously? 3 national commercials in one day?!!

Anonymous said...

Blah blah blah.

Move on. I think you wrote a similiar post last year.

Time to get off the gravy train and get a real job.

JRoc said...

I think the BriG should keep on jumping as long --time & distance--as she can! If she's enjoying the sport and making a decent living, then there is no need to hang up the spkies! FYI - Roald Bradstock is a 50 yr old javelinist and he qualified for just about every UK/USA olympic trials from 1984 - 2012.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure it's even harder to swallow now that you see a 6'8 and 6'7 on the podium.

I'm a big LJ fan and a supporter of yours, and I get incredibly frustrated when I see championships won with these sort of distances. I feel like the reasons are so apparent, too.

Take Radevica, She always starts her season really late, and pulls out seasons best after seasons best in the Major champs. Barcelona last year, she won and here she was bronze.

Melis May, the same. There were so many gals with 6'80 seasons best, and ultimately they bombed. The number of seasons best perfromers was what, 2?

My point is, this happens every year. If you are to continue next year, I'd love you to be very low key before nationals. Grab your spot, stay low key and kick the crap out of your seasons best and PERSONAL best at the Olympics. You can absolutely medal.....you can absolutely win. You could also jump 6'40 and not qualify....it's chasin $$$ or medals.

Bubba Gump Jumping Acedemy said...

6.82 wins it. Geeesh. You could have won the whole thing this year!

Oh well, next year is another chance!

Brianna said...

@anonymous who told me i should move on... just who, exactly, should be competing? the world champion and that's it? you make no sense. the last two world teams i made and i jumped a PR this year... not exactly the right time to hang it up, when the next year is an olympic year but you obviously know what you're talking about ...

@the other anonymous... i see your point but there is a reason you will hardly ever see athletes from the u.s. doing that kind of season. those people who compete sparingly and can just sit around and wait to peak don't have nationals to compete at and determine whether they are even on the team. we have to compete enough before nationals so that we are peaked TO MAKE THE TEAM. then we have to try and peak again. it's not easy. it's also my job...i need to make a living. other country's pay their athletes but not ours.


congrats to B. Reese.

Gina said...

Hi Brianna,

I read your blog often, and am a big fan of yours. So I can stay on the same page with you as I read, and after reading this entry on the World Championships, I was wondering.... is your ultimate goal to make for the U.S. Olympic Team? Is this why you continue fighting the good fight?

Thank you.

Brianna said...

Hi Gina! I would say that it has always been my goal to represent my country at the Olympics, and that's probably why next year is such a focus, but I also love what I do because I'm doing something I'm passionate about and traveling the world to do it. It's really a pretty sweet gig if you think of it. I have disappointments and setbacks sometimes but that's part of life. I might make a big deal out of mine but that's just because I put a lot into what I do. I wouldn't change anything though because just having this career for the last 9 years has been a blessing.

Gina said...

I hope you do make the team and represent us!

I would agree, you have an awesome job.

Thank you for your response. Keep on keeping on.... Cheering for you.

Curious George said...

How much do professional track & field athletes make per year?

USA?
Europeans?
Long Jumpers?
Sprinters?
Per meet?

Whats the 411.....curious and don't know...

Anonymous said...

Brianna
Always loved the blog but haven't visited for several months. I wonder if you look at your record and conclude that you seem to do your best work at the smaller meets? Perhaps put too much pressure on yourself for the bigger ones. You are obviously good enough to do well in London and I have been lucky enough to draw tickets for 7th August 2012. Hope to see you there. The new Brianna wiser and easier on herself?