It's Race Day!

Don't forget to watch the meet tonight on TSN @ 730pm Eastern if you live in Canada. 

Espn360.com is also streaming it online @ 7pm Eastern.

Tickets can still be purchased at www.ticketbreak.com and at Varsity Stadium tonight.

The meet website is: www.festivalofexcellence.ca

Hope you get to experience world class track and field in Toronto.

Off to war,

Perdita

Pandemonium
Today's press conference was bananas, I have never seen so much media show up for a track meet in Canada, thanks of course to Usain Bolt. It was completely not what I was expecting and I have to say I was a bit blown away, and to boot Usain had to be escorted by his own secret service--Obama style.

Maybe I am naive but I had no idea it was that deep, until I went to the track and happened to be training at the same time. Well, there was so much attention and people staring his way that I had to leave that area of the track and go train on the other side. It was just way to much energy for me. But he handled it well and didn't seem to skip a beat during his own practice. The sheer site of him doing an easy 50m acceleration had the crowd screaming and cheering.

Incredible.

The Breakfast

I was up at 6am today to get ready for a TV segment on CP24. It was Bryan Clay and I promoting Thursday's International track meet. We had a great time on air and because of Bryan I am exploring the possibility of joining Twitter...but we'll see.

Perseverance

I had the pleasure of talking to 400+ Donview Middle School students this past Monday about perseverance. Here are a few shots of the event that was hosted by Right to Play.

Ciao!

P

I'm in Toronto and it wasn't easy getting here, I was stuck in the Eugene airport for hours. Drama. Which i'll spare you, but it was looking like "Freedom" all over again!

But I made it to town just in time for my afternoon assembly at Donview Middle School much to mine and many other's delight. I had a blast talking to the kids about their character theme for the month of June: Perseverence. Which we all know I know a thing or two about. And being an ambassador for Right to Play and all the ways they use sport to make the world healthier and safer.

I am slowly getting back into race mode, though I am finding it is hard doing that in Toronto. I spent the afternoon at my sister's house with her kids and our other sister and I was having a blast. I took everyone to Baskin Robbins and bought 8 ice cream cones, I went to pay and the cashier said "You buy ice cream for everyone, and not yourself!"...if Rita only knew.

That's all for now, my coach and chiro get here in the morning and that always signals "Go Time".

If you are up early Wednesday morning I'm on CP24 with Bryan Clay at 7:50am.

Ciao,
P

"You guys know I didn't win right?"

Hey ya'll,

hope you got to watch the track meet on NBC, there were some really great performances. I can't complain I'm officially in the "12.seven" club now and it's always sweet to get a season's best.

The field was stellar and it is always good to test yourself against the best, I am taking the positives out of todays experiences as well as what I need to work on for next time.

Most importantly my body is terrific!

Post Race with media & www.Flotrack.org

Click here to view official Prefontaine website results and video

That's all for now, I still need to ice bath before I catch my red eye to Toronto tonight.

Peace out!

P

On the Road Again

What a busy girl I’m about to be, so I’ll have to beg your pardon if I don’t update in a timely manner. But I aim to. ;-)

 Today was the last day of practice in town, coach, my training partner and I are leaving Friday morning for Prefontaine.

 I had a mentally tough workout to see me off, it was twice over 12 hurdles.



Doesn’t sound like much but considering a race is only 10, and in most practices 9 is the most I do, today was not your average day at the office. I did well and feel good going into Sunday’s race.

 What's Coming Up...

 Friday June 5 @ 1:30pm Eastern I am traveling but will be on the radio during one of my layovers. Toronto’s The Fan 590 to talk about The Festival of Excellence meet on June 11.

***Listen Live***

 Sunday June 7 @ 1:30pm I’m again on the radio, this time CBC Radio One (local time all across Canada).  Sadly I will be on Inside Track for the last time, since CBC has decided to no longer have the show. I’ll give my take on this in a soon to come post. 

The show is wonderfully hosted by Robin Brown and is a candid look at an athletes’ existence beyond the field of play.



As many times as I have been on I have never found myself get this emotional during parts of an interview. But it’s me and I’m real.

***Listen Live***

Sunday June 7 @2pm Eastern Prefontaine is broadcast live on NBC, I race at approx. 2:30pm. Go ahead and watch!

Monday June 8 I arrive Toronto at 6:45am on a red eye and have the pleasure of going to Donview Middle School that same afternoon for an assembly. There will be 400+ students in grades 6 to 8 and I get to speak on one of my favorite topics: Perseverance!



Along with my ambassadorship for Right to Play and all the good that they do for underprivileged children a world away.

Tuesday & Wednesday June 9, 10 The rest of the week at home will be devoted to promoting the Festival of Excellence Meet and hanging with my family.

 Thursday June 11 Racing well in my home town in front of my friends and family. Festival of Excellence tickets can be bought at Ticketbreak, and it will be televised live on TSN.

So host a track party and watch the fun!

Be back soon!

Cheers,

Perdites

Toronto Star

Felicien relishes new role of underdog

Former world champ pumped over chance to compete in Toronto

Jun 03, 2009 

RANDY STARKMAN
SPORTS REPORTER

Perdita Felicien's mom has butterflies.

That can only mean one thing – there's a big track meet on the way.

It turns out Felicien's not the only one excited about her first chance to compete in Toronto as a pro in the Festival of Excellence meet at Varsity Stadium, headlined by Jamaican star Usain Bolt on June 11.

The last time the former world champion hurdler ran in a big meet in the GTA was in elementary school.

"It's been that long," said Felicien. "My mom was talking to me. She said, `I really have the butterflies.' I said, `Mom, we have two weeks to go. You can't be having the butterflies yet. You've gotta relax.' But she gets extremely nervous when I compete. She hasn't really been on site in so long."

This is a comeback season for the 28-year-old Felicien, who missed the Beijing Olympics last summer because of a foot injury.

The Pickering native will face Whitby rival Priscilla Lopes-Schliep in the "Durham Duel" for first place in the women's 100-metre hurdles. The favourite has got to be Lopes-Schliep, the Olympic bronze medallist who has the world-leading time this year of 12.52 seconds.

Felicien's best time of 12.80 seconds ties her for eighth among hurdlers this season. She clearly relishes the underdog role right now.

"I like pressure. I feel like I can thrive under pressure," she said. "I can handle it well, but I am finding my need to be the underdog and not being the favourite and having the expectations.

"I need to focus on what I need to do. There's no doubt in my mind that I can rise to any occasion. I just need to be fit first and I just need to be at my maximum. I'm not there yet, but I'm well on way to being there."

Felicien plans to be there at the Canadian championships, also to be held at Varsity Stadium, at the end of the month. She'll use that as a launching pad towards the world championships in Berlin Aug. 15-23. She reckons she's presently at 75 to 80 per cent of her potential.

Felicien was not among the main contenders at the last worlds in Osaka, Japan, two years ago, but surprised with a silver-medal finish. That set her up as a contender for the Beijing Games, until she was felled by her foot injury.

The foot is now healed. She has to do a lot of maintenance, but that seems a small price considering there'd been concerns she could end up with chronic tendinitis, chronic pain or early onset of arthritis.

"At this point, I feel like I did before the injury happened as far as my physical capabilities," she said.

On the mental side, Felicien finds herself delving back into the book The Pursuit of Excellence by Dr. Terry Orlick, something she read a lot when she won the world title in Paris in 2003.

"You kind of forget how you got there," she said. "You're not as sharp. You don't do the little things you did before. I'm finding, `Let's revisit some of that, let's figure out some of the things we did before and get back to that.'"

She recognizes that the mental preparation for the Festival of Excellence will be a bit different because it's at home. She normally associates being in Toronto as a time to relax with family and friends, but this time it's all business.

"In my mind, I've got to flip the switch and go, `This is not a mini vacation. This is not time for you to just chill out and relax. You still have a job to do,'" she said. "So three or four days preparing for Excellence has to have the same focus and commitment that you have for a Golden League race in Europe."

She's already got tickets for her family at the finish line. Whether her mother, Cathy Moe, can bear to watch is another matter.

Tickets for the event can be bought at ticketbreak.com.

Source: www.thestar.com/sports/olympics/article/644537

Thank You Usain Bolt

Usain will be the headliner at The Festival of Excellence scheduled for June 11 at The University of Toronto. Because of him there will again be world class track and field in a land where this was once the norm. And yes Usain is the ultimate one man show, but it is a pleasure to ride his coat tail on any day.

And lucky me that day is in nine. However I doubt that I am the most grateful person in the GTA. No I'm not. That distinction belongs to Cathy Felicien, or as I like to call her "Mother-Dear".

I was just talking to M.D and my girl is crunk, let me tell you. Cathy is so ready for this meet to pop off and the chance to "see her Pedeet run with Ossain from Jamaica!".

Me: "Mom, you mean Usain"

M.D: "Yes Ossain, that's what I said..."

Me: "No, no, mom it's more like 'You-sane'...never mind just call him Bolt!"

(Note: Usain is way easier than Perdita, and I can imagine--no make that bore witness to the countless incorrect ways that have been attempted to say my own unique name.)

****

After that exchange and the realisation that my mom's beautiful St. Lucian accent need not be tweaked (after all I am still her "Pedeetah"), she announces that she has taken that entire day off work.

Wow, this lady is serious.

Me: "It's a night meet. You can have your cheese and eat it too Mother".

M.D: "Huh?!"

Me: (To myself) "Ya that was a dumb thing to say."

****

Her taking the day off work reminds me of how my mom used to be during my elementary and high school days. Wholly devoted to the cause of supporting her daughter and cheering her on 100%.

...Even if that meant going down the road of not being able to provide her food and shelter. But that is how devoted my M. D is--not even a paycheck will keep her from me! And I love her for it.

I just hope she doesn't resurrect the 1998 front to back: "Go Perdita Go....Love Mom" Tee.

Gulp.

Thanks Usain!

Perdita :)

Visit: www.twitter.com/foe2009?&

Meeting Mr. Pudding Pop

Look what I found on some random cd of pics I saved from an old computer.



The look on my face was the reaction to him chastising me for calling him "Bill", according to him "It's Mr. Cosby to you!".

Sheesh I coulda called ya Heathclif.

******************

This shot was Mt. Sac in April 2002 and I was racing a college rival.



Funny to think that was seven years ago now...eek, Im getting old.

PF

I Heart Mondays (Well this one)

I'm so ready to be done w/ the weekend, most people love them. And I can too. But for me if I am not racing they are kinda dry. And weekdays equal training or travel and getting closer to the start line.



I have been counting down the days till my next race The Nike Prefontaine Classic on Sunday June 7th! Sheesh, hurry up and get here.

This is by far the longest I have gone between meets, since my season started. And my last one the Adidas meet on May 16 was a good two weeks ago now. I was originally scheduled to race at the Reebok Grand Prix on May 30th, but they removed the women's 100m hurdles from the line-up at the last minute.

Needless to say I was not impressed and the thought of going to Europe for a single race was not at all appealing to me. So that meant three weeks of solid training. Don't get me wrong I love to train, but I have always been the type of athlete that prefers to compete and have a meet on the horizon.



So after racing back to back weekends in April and early May this gap is feeling like an eternity.

But Monday is nearly here now and my next race will only be six measely days away.

Watch it live on NBC 2-4PM Eastern!

P

Where Were You This Time Last Year?

I haven't thought much about where I was, I am much too engrossed on my 2009 season and each step ahead of me. But if you read my last post you know I had some lower limb issues over the weekend. So I went looking for my portable stim unit but couldn't find it.

I have a knack for mistreating/misplacing things I own.

During this house wide rummage I stumbled upon a thick stack of CDs, not of the Sasha Fierce variety, these contained all the images of my foot from last year. Months of CT, MRI, Xrays images of my left foot. Then, it was the most precious CD collection I owned and was so crucial to my fight to be healthy, that I always had them with me. They held the key to any progress I was making and to lose them would be to lose time. And once one of the best foot MDs in North America was happy to help me, I arrived in his presence with a hand full of visual information.

Until now I had forgot them, but now recall how unknown everything was this time last year. The fight wasn't for Beijing it was to remain world class long after the Olympics was over and others got their medals.



My foot would heal, but would it be any good? And all I wanted was a crystal ball to tell me everything would be OK and that way I could relax and do my time. But instead there was much caution and unpredictability about a hurdler landing over and over on a foot that requires eight months solid rest to heal and that would never be the same again.



So ya, I have this bump that protrudes from the top of my foot, and my big toe is now further away from my 2nd toe. But God is good to me because debilitating pain, early onset arthritis, chronic tendonitis, surgeries to fuse bones, have thus far been avoided by moi.

I am still working daily on getting that part of my body back to full function and the process will take a while but I will continue to believe that the healing will only get better and I am so grateful. See below, I had an inkling there would be life after Beijing and I can't wait to see where I am in yet another year!


www.thestar.com/videozone/450063


XO
P