Phoenix 2010

I'm in Phoenix for two weeks for AC's camp, it's been a great experience and I've got a lot out of the sessions. I missed the first few days because I wasn't feeling good enough to fly into town. I was able to get in some solid training this week and built up the intensity each day.

My annoying cold seems to be getting better, and on Thursday I felt well enough to hurdle. I was a bit nervous, I hadn't done any hurdling since Doha. And going from 5 hurdles indoors to 10 outdoors is always an adjustment. On top of that CBC was taping my training that day.

Anyhoo I have nothing but time in Phoenix, so I put together this video of my first stick session back. Rusty and far from July shape, but you know me, honored to do the work!

Getting it in.
P

I pride myself on my immunity. So to admit that I was sick for during my time in Doha, and got sick again starting last week in Toronto, bruises my ego.

I went to the doctor and asked him to diagnose me with adult onset allergies. I had to have this. Colds enter me and leave this holy temple w/ the quickness. (The quickness being Cold FX, zinc vitamin C and sheer will, all within 36 hours).

Not this time.

Doc laughed at me hysterically. I was shamed by his reaction, more so because I remembered how thin his walls are. I could overhear the entire issue of the young mother before me, who brought in her tiny baby because "he hasn't had a poop since yesterday". Doc laughed at her too (did I mention hysterically), as he bawled out "So what!".

Ouch. I could only imagine what the people in the waiting area were saying about me.

So apparently what makes me think Im too good to get a cold. And what license do I have not to get them back to back.

Dude was tripping. Can I get a bronchitis?, a whooping cough?....I went down my list of self diagnosis.

Nope. Nope. And Nope...

Turns out all the travel, competing and training all caused this cold to linger. And it never really left my system and most likely resurged. I was ordered to stop training to allow my body to rest so it could fight this bug properly. I took five days off and slowly built it up later this week. I feel much better but not perfect.

I was able to hurdle Thursday for the first time since my final in Doha and that made my week.

Very important since my season opener is in three weeks!. Right now I'm in Phoenix for two weeks for Athletic Canada's team training camp, and things are going great.

That's all for now. Cheers,

Perdi

With the craziness of indoors I didn't get a chance to post some links, so here they are.

Canada Reads 2010

The winner was crowned last week, unfortunately it wasn't my pick Fall On Your Knees. Congrats for Nikolski. If you missed the debates they are online, with full audio, video and one on one confessionals.

I know how big the Canada Reads brand is across the country and I worked very hard to be well prepared. So I was disappointed I could not get my book further in the competition. Yet despite not winning the top prize, I had a blast being a part of the 2010 edition.

This is what the Torontoist had to say about my role:

"Perdita Felicien, however, wins Canada Reads MVP for her passionate, no-holds barred commentary that shocked nearly every listener.... “I did not see Perdita Felicien coming,” Julie Wilson, former CBC Book Club guest host and current BookMadam, admitted. “For all the performance of what makes the ideal reader, the most thoughtful reader, the best-prepared reader, she just balls out loves Fall on Your Knees and that’s that. End of story. Say what you want, she’s leaving there with her fave book of all-time on her arm, and she got to debate it on behalf of one of her favourite authors. How bloody cool is that? I loved her. I absolutely loved her.”".

The producers and entire team made the experience one I won't soon forget. A special thanks to: Anne, Sarah, Barb, Rosie and the whole team at CBC!. And of course (my) author Anne-Marie MacDonald.

The Score Celebrates Black History Month

I was happy to be a part of The Score's Black History Series, which aired last month. During taping I had no clue the finished product would be as thought provoking and commanding as it proved to be. So glad I was able to lend my own female African-Canadian perspective.

What If?

Money Management

Education

Back in Action

I'm back in action. I had two days of nothingness on Monday and Tuesday. So beautiful this nothingness...

I had a grand old time sleeping while normal people were at work. And at night it was just me, cookie dough and infomercials. Gotta love Doha jetlag.

I could have got used to this...

Except before I knew it Wednesday came, and with it a text from coach, for me to get my tail back into gear. Dude would ruin a good thing.

Chaa.

I can't lie though, this week is very light, a mental break from the rigors of training. However, that means the next 5 weeks before my first outdoor race are going to be torture.

This is the phase that mimics fall base training. So think longer, faster intervals, more weight room days and hills. Basically more volume, intensity and puking track side.

Yes!.

Time is flying, my season opener is already just around the corner.

P

Dita Does Doha: Pics & Video

Photos

Medal Ceremony Begins

In the mixed zone

Canada on the podium

Silly shot

I like sparkly things

Can't lie, I loves a podium

Canadians from the Canadian school in Doha

Picture for the Canadian School students

Lots of pics post medal ceremony

North America rules the podium

Press conference name tag

They held our flag high during each round, awesome

Killing time before press conference...still got doping control and media

My manager Renaldo Nehemiah came to congratulate

Go Canada!

Medal Ceremony Green Room

Look how MC showed up at the airport

I had no idea he was coming, loved it!

Video
Women 60m Hurdle Heats

Heat 2 Lane 4 @:23

Women 60m Hurdle Final-Rear View

Women 60m Hurdle Final-Broadcast (No Sound)

Dita Does Doha

Happy to report I won the silver medal at the World Indoors in Doha, Qatar. I ran my fastest time in six years, 7.86!

I can admit that based on my preparations going into Doha I didn't expect a whole lot. I just wanted to end the season on a strong note and compete as best I could.

But I hadn't broke 8.00s all season and had contemplated packing it in a few weeks before worlds, to focus on outdoor. Atlanta weather was crappy, and really affected our training. On top of that I had been dealing with a bout of osteitis pubis since January, and I just wasn't where I needed to be technically. But I could burn the rubber off a treadmill though. lol.

I confided this indecision to the BF, forgoing Doha to focus on outdoors. And I was totally caught off guard by his tone with me. Rudeness. Dude totally crashed the pity party.

Chaa.

It definitely wasn't the soft place to fall, more like: "Chick if you don't get on that damn plane to the Middle East, you and me...we're gonna have a problem...".

A very mild paraphrase. But it worked and my dude was right. It is my job to compete, no matter the circumstances. No one cares. Thanks MC!

I have a few other people to thank, on the eve of Doha, for being on the podium. They buoyed my confidence and never let me count myself out.

My BFF Nicole G., the best inspirational email writer circa 2004. They don't know about our nub! And of course, her hubby The R. my technical sounding board.

Dr. Kelsick the best friend a hurdler can have, and did I mention the world's best chiropractor. Dude kept potentially cramping calves, cramp free!

And of course the most tyrannical-get crunk-wants it bad-knows his ish coach I have ever had in my 20 years, Rana Reider. Looking forward to outdoors...

But if you ever tell me "You're in 7.8x shape!" again, after I just clocked another 8.0--we're gonna have a problem. :)

And thanks to everyone who emailed, facebooked, telepathied and sent word via my fam. Mr. D who gave me some words of wisdom at York, before I left. And Tony S. for getting my osteitis to calm down, and left glute to fire, just in the nick of time. Thank you, thank you and thank you!

**Ok extremely corny post. I admit this. But very necessary.**

Medals are forever, grateful to God for another one!

Perdita

We Get It In

I am back from Arkansas, and was lucky to not have my flight be one of the hundreds cancelled around Atlanta. But I checked the weather and it looks like it will be another week indoors.

Not ideal but we make the most of it. In honor of my zany and fun training mates I made a video of the week that was, to highlight the potential of the week to be. Kudos to coach Rana and his gangbusta improvisational skills. Here we go again...

Oh yes, we get it in.

Perdita

Relentless snow, ice and cold in ATL have driven the members of Speed Dynamics indoors, where they must rely on a modest strip of fake grass and super fast treadmills to maintain their training. After too many days enclosed, small space & big personalities collide & delirium ensues, with only coach Rana sane enough to capture the randomness.

I haven't updated about Canada Reads 2010 in a while, but still a lot of activity going around in anticipation of its start next month. Again I am defending a great one, Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald.

It's my week to be spotlighted on the CBC website, with blogs, pics, audio, video, etc. Of course it is not too late to go out and get the books and join the adventure!.

Below are a few links from the site, but do visit *it here* and look around. There is lots to see and do, and the content changes daily.

That's all for now, I'm in Arkansas for the Tyson Invitational and I race Friday afternoon. It has been extremely cold in Atlanta this week, and with no indoor track we had to improvise a lot. So I'm glad to be able to spike up tonight during my pre-meet routine and run hard tommorrow.

Ciao Bellas & Bellos

P

From launch day my book choice is revealed!

Click here for parts 3 & 4

A few off the cuff questions

World Tour: Part 2

After short stops in T.O and Cancun I headed back to ATL for two days. It was great to get back to training, but my body definitely felt the effects of my travels. However I was happy to get on the road again to NYC for the Millrose Games, which would be my fifth time at The Gardens.

Unfortunately all I could manage on Friday was a pedestrian 8.10, good enough for fourth. Definitely disappointing but not a complete surprise. In warm-up my legs felt like lead. So I'm guessing three flights in five days and another two days later to compete wasn't very race prep savvy.

I'm just glad I came off the track healthy, and nothing to do now but learn a lesson and move forward. Thankfully the next race isn't too far away and I have no more world tours planned around it. Here's to a solid week of training and focusing 100% on my day job.

Ciao!

P

World Tour: Part 1

The world tour has concluded and now I'm back in Atlanta. Your girl has been to three different countries in less than a week. Lots of fun I must admit but when I blogged about this a few posts ago, I didn't think I'd feel so beat up.

Two Days of T.O

First I flew to Toronto late last week and spent the next day on a set as part of a media commitment. The day was long, demanding but I was surrounded by great people and the best catering a girl has ever had. (Shout out to those mini PB cookies, wherever you are... dee-lish!).

The next day I was able to squeeze a work out in, it was basic and I was happy to not feel too drained from the day before.

Another highlight before I left town was being able to hook up with one of my favorite networks: The Score.

DJ and I sat down to chat about some very interesting topics for The Score's Black History series airing during February. I was happy to lend a black female perspective and not necessarily from a sports angle. Big up to DJ for the provocative line of questioning, I can see why the series was nationally nominated last year. *And off topic but, Cabbie Snuggies are for everyone!

Carlton & I

The next day I jetted off to Cancun, Mexico and I was ready for it. Flip flops? tankini? sunscreen? check!.

Unfortunately I was too ready, since I was only there for work and not for a mini vaykay. But between the two hours it took to address the gracious audience and sign autographs I did find time to take a few walks on the beach.

...and kick my dawgs up!

RBC held their work force convention on site, a trip earned by the top 10% IRPs and Mortgage specialists, etc. across all of Canada. It wasn't my first time addressing a major corporation but I was pretty nervous having to address them so far from home. It better be good: "They flew her all the way over here for that?!".

In the end I was myself and shared my ups and down in my sport and paralleled them to the ones they face every day in business. I spoke of what we had in common as the best of the best: It's what drives us, what excites us and how unshakable our commitment is no matter what others say. I closed with reminding them that devotion to our craft is great, but devotion to self and family is greatest.

I was honest and hoped they got something out of it once I walked off sage. Needless to say I was completely floored to receive a standing ovation from 400+ of Canada's business elite. Wow. Talk about humbling. At least if I ever need a mortgage, now I know where to go.

Thanks to Steve and everyone from RBC for having me, it was an absolute honor. And BTW sorry if anyone got in trouble, after I left. I can't say how many Bvlgari lotions went missing from carts mysteriously abandoned in hallways (shrugging shoulders).

TBC...I'll fill you in on the Georgia Peach & Big Apple parts of the world tour in my next post.

P