Continental Cup Pics

Today is the first day of the Continental Cup, I don't race until tomorrow so I get to be a spectator today. I'm a huge track fan so I'll just kick my feet up and cheer on Team Americas.

I had my final practice of the 2010 season yesterday (I know!) and it went very well. I did some starts over a few hurdles using the official starters, so I is ready to go!.

Here are some pics from earlier today.... Enjoy your weekend. P

Team Americas

My boy fellow Stick Jumper D.O

One of my fav persons ever Dr. Kesick AKA The Bur

Laverne, Debbie, Kelly, Shalonda, Nicole, Nicki and I

Superstar Tyson Gay and I

800m WR Holder David Rudisha!

Me and fellow hurdler Seun 

D.O being....D.O

Picture of the day: my man strolled through in his scivvies...do it!

Thirty is a 10

So Im still on the grind and trying to celebrate my Birthday week. Some fellow track starts got wind it was my P day on Sunday and vow to do it up with me Sunday night aftert World Cup. We’ll see.  I have to admit 30 is not as ‘woe is P’ as I played it out to be in my mind.

I’m days deep into this third decade of life and I'm not experiencing many of the unchartered things I imagined at this precise age.  I mean my joints aren’t squeaky, I can hear just fine and there is still no canary yellow on the ring finger.

All good.

I am settling nicely into this age and it doesn’t hurt that a lot of thirty somethings (+ some) have come to ease my uneasiness. To quote the legion of  flourishing thirty somethings I know…

*****

...don't worry your hormones will be the same for another 20 years, trust me I know LOL,- Angie

Perdi Don't worry it all about the 30's not the 20's. Welcome to real womanhood. I think woman look tons better in the 30s. Its like 30s is when your looks and match equally with womanly wisdom and it a new hotness.- Tiff

I have to think that 30 is the next best thing to happen to me as I will hit it in about 6 months. You look great and will only continue to do so!! Thats my story and I am sticking to it!!!- Corinne

30 uh? You will only get better with age... - Kerri

30 is not that bad. Think of it as being wiser. -B my sister and my thirty something idol!

with knowledge, experience and enthusiasm combining, you may find yourself still a few years short of your peak. keep climbing - Robin

You're at that magical age where life will start to get easier, because you are getting better!  - Eric B.

Zagreb 2010

The race tonight in Zagreb came down to a lean, it was Lolo who got there first by a hundredth. It was cold out there tonight and the results across the board weren't outstanding.

I was glad to end the night healthy and was happy with such a competitive race. I stayed composed and engaged the whole race, which sets me up nicely for Sunday's Continental Cup.

My super dude Dr. Kelsick will be in Split and our dynamic duo can get the job done, I'm sure of it.

One more to go....and it's sorta a big deal!.
Perdita

Zagreb Meeting IAAF World Challenge September 1, 2010 100mh

Croatia 2010

So the end of my 2010 season is just around the corner as I race tonight in Zagreb, Croatia and on Sunday in Split, Croatia (then home to Pickering on Monday!...but first things first). Lolo Jones and I will represent The Americas at the World Cup in Split, this is my first time qualifying for this team and I hear it's a championship with a much lighter atmosphere.



I tend to get antsy around this time of the season. The training is very simple and the days seem longer. It has been a long ten months of training and racing and at this stage it is easy for me to look ahead to all the things I will do during the off season. The free time to hang with my favorite people, guilt free eating, and the fun initiatives I get to continue with  my sponsors and partners.

So it's with great effort on my part and encouragement from others that I am not getting ahead of myself with two to go. My aim is to finish my season on a high note and know anything is possible. I would love a personal best, but based on the season I will be very happy to better my season's best time.

My season's fastest race 12. 58 in NYC beside Lolo Jones

So no holding back now or going through the motions, my intensity tonight and in Split have got to be like they were at seasons start. These two races will help build momentum for my 2011 season and the big one being the Worlds in South Korea.

Have a great day (0:
Perdi
Zagreb World Challenge Website, IAAF Continental Cup Website

Today is my birthday. I am thirty.


And you're saying No duh. But I have been repeating this to myself and whoever happens to be near me all day. The policeman at customs. The hotel receptionist. The woman showing her young son the airplanes at the airport.

You'd be minding your own business and suddenly I'd bust you in the ear with the information. Expecting you to comp my snacks from the mini bar or drop the hand of your small child and come see about me. Well Happy Birthday stranger, whoever you are!. 

Nope. For the most part people took this information dryly. Some even looked at me all crazy.

What?...today is P-day.

Crickets.

But it didn't matter. I kept repeating my Dita Day mantra to myself: Today is your birthday. You are thirty!.

And you know what, after ten hours of saying this it actually feels like my birthday. Even if I spent it flying to Croatia and no one around knew how special the day was.

Such is the fate of a trackster born in August. I love my life and feel grateful to God I get to see another anywhere on our beautiful planet.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

In commemoration of my arrival into the 30's, I bought a totally age inappropriate birthday present in honor of years gone by.

The best 30th birthday gift on earth A Cookie Monster Tee

Hello dirty thirty! Where have you been all my life? Let's get this partay started Ok k k!

Thanks for the birthday L♥ve Friends & Fam
Have a blessed day everyone!

Perdita xo

30th Edition of P-Day!

Off to Croatia...lots to talk about today!!
Perdita xo

Putt Putt: Brussels 2010

Well hellooo! 

There is so much to talk about on this beautiful day, a bella hardly knows where to start. Ever have a morning where your happy feelings wake you up?. It's a beautiful and totatlly inconvenient occurance, because I love REM that much (who are we kidding?). Anyhoo, I really hope you have.

Ok the first thing my subconscious was buzzing about was last nights race. Third place in 12.68. Nothing spectacular, we know my standards. But something happened in the race I haven’t felt one single time all year. For the first time it felt like I was going to bite the dust!!. AKA scrape the skin off my chin post hurdle five.

I didn’t. This is a good thing.

But basically it’s a sensation that a hurdler lives for. There is only so much room between each hurdle, so when a hurdler breaks into a faster rhythm it often feels like the hurdle comes up before she is ready for it.

Your eyes see it coming but with the increased speed there is only so much time for your body to react to the impending barrier. You pray your training and tenacity have prepared you to make it in time, even though it feels like you won’t.

All skilled hurdlers live in this realm. And being able to embrace this sensation, expect it, create it; well it's what the good ones do best. But it’s hard to get there, though when you do, you can thrive there for a while.

Side note: If you don’t hurdle I can only explain one way for you to get this sensation. Go to the top of the steepest hill in your neighbourhood and sprint down it as fast as u can. DO NOT stop until it bottoms out. A few things to remember: you are not allowed to coast or slow down for comfort. In fact as fast as you are going, you have to force yourself to accelerate and go even faster.

*Please somebody do this and let me know how it goes. JK please don’t.!*

So anyhoo back to me--I felt this!. Now it didn’t last that long, but I felt this!! Ok I just said that. But can you sense my excitement?!!.

I then went to hit another gear, because you NEVER get comfortable with the one you’re in. (Stick jumping 101-check the credits, yo). Well instead of reacting like the 2011 Porsche 911 we all I know I am inside. I was more akin to my mom’s first car a 1989 ford escort, which the whole family called “Putt-Putt”.

Yeaah. Not my smoothest transition.

I got a bit sloppy but rallied to get my race back on track, without hitting the deck. I haven’t felt my top gear all season and I wasn’t sure it would rear is beautiful ferocious head with two races to go. It has. It was just a quickie resurfacing, but it’s there. And that’s all  this stick jumper needed to know.


Big up to the last woman standing, Priscilla for clinching the overall Diamond League title.

Grateful for the little things,

Perdita

Brussels

What it do!
I'm racing tonight in the Diamond League final in Brussels. But I'm just checking in for a hot second before I get my race face on.

The week went by slowly I have to admit, and that's always good because it means I'm excited to race!. I was happy with my workout sessions this week and plan to compete just as hard as I did in Berlin.


The women's hurdles continue to be one of the most exciting races on the circuit this season, and today's race is late on the schedule tonight. Which is always a sign of respect and great anticipation. Hope you can catch it.

Back before you know it,
Perdita

Diamond League Memorial Van Damme Brussels, Belgium
1) Friday Aug. 27  Live @ cbcsports.ca 1:50pm ET (100mh @3:20pm)
2) Universalsports.com shows live video for a fee
3) Live result updates @diamondleague-brussels.com @12pm ET
4) Saturday Aug. 28 CBC TV broadcast (& web repeat) 1-2pm ET

Berlin Berlin

Hi Again!

I haven't posted in a few days, there wasn't anything really going on. A tinge of homesickness (can you tell from my last post), but that left in a day or so.

I used the time training solo in Kamen to really reflect on what I want out of the rest of my season. It was wonderful to have one of my best friends in the world (who happens to be one of the best chiropracters in the world too!) join me in Kamen and Berlin this past week.

I needed reinforcements after London and as always Dr. Wilbour Kelsick left his busy practice in B.C to help me out. I was happy with my second place finish in Berlin today. It was a huge step up from my seventh place, 12.96 in London. And a whole .25 seconds faster in 12.71.

I am grateful for all my performances, though the competitor in me is really not feeling all this "12.7x" business. But Berlin was progress because in 17 races outdoors this year, today was my second fastest. 

It was all about effort and fueling my competitive juices after London. My bestie was ALL over my tail this week on email about bringing the stank nasty and finishing my season with gusto.

To quote her email this morning: "At this point, its more about the attitude and effort than the result, so let's see some fire and fight..."

Which is much more pleasant than an email I got from her a few days ago saying she really wanted to "shake me...". lol

I was in the same lane as I was in last year for the World Championship Final. Lane three. I used the memory of finishing that race in 15.53 seconds as inspiration to do better today. I was healthy and able and after all it was a new day. I'll take a 'do over', even if it's 12 months later. :)

I've got a few more races to go and I'm working hard and enjoying myself and as always expecting a break through. Your attitude I am learning is a very powerful tool. 

Be well my friends!
Per 

Take a peek at the victory ceremony today in Berlin, good times...

When The Rain Hits My Window

It's pouring rain in Kamen, Germany today not the kind of weather that inspires happiness I must say. I watched the Canadian men's 400 relay leave this morning for Zurich. As well as my homie Nicole Forrester leave for Cologne.

Then it dawned on me as I walked back to my apartment dripping wet, that I was now at this place alone and how lonely is that. Suddenly I wanted my sisters to cackle with. And to hear my mom's voice with her familiar accent; the way it feels like home, no matter where in the world I am when I hear it.

My baby sister "Mini" sent me this song after my race in London and its been on replay ever since. I really love and miss them.

I can't stand the rain.

♥Perdi