Hey Y'all!

I haven't updated since London last week Saturday...my bad, but this was all by design. The race in Stockholm yesterday was the last one before worlds. So I really wanted to prepare as best I could which for me means wrapping my self in a silent cocoon and focusing on the task at hand.

 There was a race in Monaco on Tuesday and the girls had great conditions and used it well by running fast. I wasn't given a lane there and I felt I deserved one, but it was out of my control. So I used this week to zone in on competing well when my next opportunity presented it self, which was Friday night.

Happy to say I ran another Season's Best of 12.54 and my fourth in  a row. ( 1. Lausanne 12.71, 2. Rome 12.70, 3. London 12.66, 4. Stockholm 12.54.). That is my fastest time in two years. When I saw the unofficial clocking, I thought the clock may have froze...I know how ridiculous, not giving myself the credit. I was just surprised because the run felt too technically wild and frantic early on to register that kind of time. But the latter hurdles I cleaned this up nicely and that made the difference.

Needless to say your girl was CRUNK...



As in so happy, pleased and extremely thankful. I so needed that with less than three weeks till the opening heats at worlds. I knew I had that kind of time in me and to make it official was like "SEE!"....to myself!

I ran that time in the heats and still had the final two hours later to get ready for. I ended up placing 5th and running 12.65 another solid mark. I totally bombed the start and was out of it from the gun, and after the 8th hurdle didn't press the issue.

 Before hand I told myself to forget the success of the heats and do the same thing in the final. However the emotion of posting my best time in years was hard to override. I also had to deal with cramping calves the entire warm up and pre race, which happens to me even in practice after a very hard run. 

I would have loved to place better in the final but learned some things to take to Berlin. (Since the semi and finals are also within two hours there).  I need to fix my warm up for the second race, which turns out was completely inadequate. No matter what I do in a semi or heat, it's a whole new deck of cards in the final. And probably most importantly, when in a race no matter where I am or start out,  I can never give it up. 

All valuable lessons that I would never have had if the day didn't unfold the way it did. I got some sweet and a little bit of sour to keep me on my toes and keep me in check. As in "Chix you ain't there...yet!". LOL. Very humbling, and enough to keep me confident but hungry.

Thanks for the prayers and support friends, family, keep 'em coming! A special thanks to those two nameless guys in the crowd tonight cheering my name...they were wearing the Canada body suits under their tees and pulled them off as I walked past to the starting line--hysterical & priceless! ..but WTH?!

I am so loving where I am and what gains I can make in the next 17 days. I haven't felt this excited or on the cusp of something great, in a very long time. I'm no where near satisfied.

Doing the work!

Perdita

Go me!

I'm so pleased to get another Season's Best 12. 66 (-0.7) in London. Sub 70 never felt so good.

The race is below, I'm in lane 7 on the outside. I am happy with the last four hurdles but once

again need to make the first three hurdles much stronger.  

My foot was pretty sore for the first time in a long time after the race and I had to ice like crazy, I woke up this morning and it was a bit stiff but seems to be coming around. 

I am heading to Stockholm this afternoon to train before my last race this Friday. I''ll reunite with my coach during the middle of the week, since he has left for Monaco. Stockholm is one of my favorite cities in the world and one of the best meets on the tour, so looking forward to it.

Training my tail off!

P

Greetings from the United Kingdom! I'm back over the big pond and here for the long haul, I was home for 10 days and it was all I needed. It took the edge off and now I'm recharged and ready to go.

 

I race this Saturday in London and I'm glad to have my coach with me for this final leg of preparation going into Worlds. From here I'll go right to Stockholm for a week solo before my last race on July 31. Unfortunately I didn't get into Monaco, but my coach and training partner will be there.  How does one feel about this snub: "BOOO".

.

But I keeps it moving. I'll be able to get a solid few days of training and prepare to run fast at DN Galan. There isn't much for me to do except eat, wait, and find a way to use "innit" in a sentence. 

Be back soon,

Perdites

Hey,

can't believe it's been so long, but jet lag took a bite out of me. And I have been focusing on getting things in order before I leave again next week. I am struggling with the idea of packing for now until September and the question always is "What NOT to bring?!".

I began a few days ago, a full week in advance and already have repacked twice. The casualties of late were my denim skinny jeans, nail polish!, and a can of shave gel (opting to use hotel conditioner in its stead). All of which I keep telling myself I can live without for 7.5 weeks overseas. I have brought some essential items like: roasted sesame snacks, Pedialyte (puke--but gets you hydrated after a long flight), and the 20th anniversary edition of Dirty Dancing, on sale for $9! 

Overseas travel is such a pain because the weight limits inter-Europe are way less than at home, and they will charge you your first born if you are a solitary kilo overweight. No really.

Plus once I get to training camp Nike will give us our kit and another big bag so if I can travel light from jump, it'll save me hassles later.

Today is my last practice with my coach before I leave next week for London's race next Friday and I am relishing every night in my comfortable bed--sans roommate. But I am looking forward to going back over and having my coach and training  partner with me this time around.  Today is exactly 4 weeks until the 100mh opening heats in Berlin and that urgency is not lost on me. 

Till you read again,

P

Knocking On Door 1269

I'm leaving Rome for Toronto in a few hours, I must admit I wish I had one more race on this European tour. Oh well. I got two season's best out of my three races, most recently my 12.70 last night in Rome. I feel most excited about that race because I bashed hurdle 7 or 8 (still can't remember) and got spun off balance and was sure I was going down. I was able to recover and take the next hurdle in wobbly splendor and head home as best I could. So close to a sub 12.70 performance that I really wanted on this trip. But letting patience do its work and perseverance run its course. So grateful for my health and strength and high spirits, the latter definitely due to those around me. I love you guys, thanks for holding me down.

Now off to my home hemisphere....

Putting in work!

P

Post Rome Interview with Flotrack.org  *Caution: I'm high on life

Ain't Complaining

A season's best of 12.71 in Lausanne tonight and I'll take it. I am very grateful for the slivers of improvement and the pace of my progress.

See post race chat with Flotrack.org below.
Thanks everyone for the messages and votes of confidence!

On to Rome...

P

Hey now,
I would so be updating however internet is something kinda crazy at this hotel...55 francs for 3 days. As in $55 USD for 3 days. No cant go for that noooope... no cant go!

It is hard out here int he streets of T n F and im trying to save every penny I am scrapping up... from Lane one. As in again in Lausanne. But I dont care about where they put me, I is running.

This time last year a fast walk was a pipe dream and I was wearing metal orthotics in my shoe. So u wont hear a grumble, a murmur a "Why the hell am I in lane 1 again Renaldo?"... I´m just so happy to be here. :) Big Smile.

Hoping to update again soon, when internet becomes cheaper...hopefully by Rome this Friday. Or I start making Lane 4 francs. Brap!

P

Are You...

bored at work and in the need of any random kind of stimulus? Can't quite get into the day and your boss is one "....m'kay?" away from getting popped in the face? 

Or perhaps your'e a house husband and left to take care of the offspring while your ever committed and very faithful wife is at work securing the family's future. And you just need a moment of escape, before you tie little Taniqua to the fridge for her fifth nap before 11am. 

Hmmm? 

Or could it be you're a college student who needs to find a job for the summer, your big sister keeps telling you to march your tail to Tim Horton's like in High School but you feel this is "beneath you".  Never mind the fact that you're really really broke, and you spend your days 'kickin'it, because you can'.  Which entails surfing the internet when not on the phone w/ others in your same demographic, meaning you're probably reading this page right now. Could this be you?

Well gosh dangit, by visiting my little humble place on the dubble-yew.dubble-yew.dot your answer is here! 

Click below to listen to an in depth, obnoxious, yet very real and too much fun, interview I did for pre race jitters.com. 

 I must say I had no true sense my laugh was really that hearty (to put it mildy), though most recently it has been described as "ugly", "ugh" and "Perdita are you ok?!". 

Enjoy and much thanks to John W. Davis for a refreshing interview and really good time!

*Click Here For My pre race jitters.com Podcast with John W. Davis*

Off to Geneva,

Perdita

"Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner"...

Or Perdi either for that matter! Where the heck is Patrick Sexy Swayze when you need him! I mean really, I bet only he could have saved me from dreaded Lane 1 tonight. The antithesis of "choice lane". Ugh.
(Oh it felt so good to vent that!)

Now only if it really did have some bearing on my 5th place performance tonight would it bring me even greater vindication.

Sigh.

But let's keep it real, it didn't. if I was in lane 4, 5, 6 the so called "premier" or "choice" lanes, I probably would a run the same dam time: 12.85. Ok well maybe 12.83 at the absolute most!

I remember when 12.85 used to get you stuff. Like say a Big Ten Conference title, a Pine Ridge Secondary School Record, even a meet record at Centennial Stadium in Kitchener, Ontario. Flip, 12.85 does not go far these days, talk about the price of inflation.

Oh well, truth is I totally feel flat on my first trip over to Europe. I tried hard, did everything I always do but my body was gonna sit this one out. Me, myself and my brain were on our own, and there was only so much we could do solo. Willing your CNS to do stuff doesn't work that well, apparently.

But I'm healthy, grateful and as always in great spirits and can't wait for Lausanne on July 7. I had my reservations about coming right over after nationals, but still glad I did. By Tuesday I'll be better rested from the trip and my system will have recovered from last weeks performance and emotions from winning my eigth national title last weekend.

Now let's see what I can get for my money, looking to cash in waaay better than 12.85.

Off to ice bath, its a wrap on Oslo!
Pdidi

By far the cutest thing I have seen in ages! I believe I sound like her on the odd day too.
P

I'm happy to report I'm in Oslo, though I missed my connection in London and had to sit in the airport for 5 hours. Normally this would really irritate me but it's been so long since I have been on the European circuit that it felt like a delight to be delayed. In fact 5 hours seemed way to short. I'll live there like Tom Hanks in that movie, I was just so happy to be back to work in Europe!

On arrival I went to the track for a light warm up. My muscles feel great, just very tight and flat, which is normal. I got a massage and now I'm parked in front of the computer because there is free internet at the hotel--and its wireless!!! This is a circuit runners dream, I nearly cried when the receptionist said the words. The best welcome back gift a trackster could ask for.

Now I wait for sustenance and slumber....Sweet.

Thanking the Lord, I'm Safe and Sound in Norway!
Perdeets