3 Days off

So I have got through this week of practice. It's been interesting and has made me look deep inside myself. Which, actually is not a bad thing.

What have I learnt from this week?

Well I found the perfect quote.

Be what you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

My song of the moment is by that wonderful lady Kylie Minogue lol. (yes I have some Kylie on my Ipod)




So this weekend I plan on hitting the stores theres a nice pair of 7 Jeans I have my eye on. Don't worry I won't be looking for a pair of gold hot pants like Kylies. lol

As I'm on Kylie at the moment does anyone remember this Kylie Agent Provocateur commercial? It always makes me laugh. Can you believe this was banned?



Jx

Get on with it Joice.........................

However far the stream flows, it never forgets its source.
Nigerian Proverb


I thought it best to add an additional blog today, so my friends and family will stop calling, texting and blackberry pinning to make sure I'm ok.

I woke up this morning in a very strange mood. Wanting to talk to my mum, who I was unable to find all day. So I left a whinging I miss you message on the answer machine. Not pretty and I'm sure shes still in a panic cause Joice don't do that. Serve her right for not being in when I called. lol.

Home sickness is the diagnosis from my sister. Why? Probably because I felt like I had missed out on my brothers 40th birthday dinner with my family and his night out last night to the Progressive Entertainment night. Yeah, I can be pretty spoilt when I'm ready.

Picture evidence below








If I had my way I would have layed in the bed all day and sulked. But, come on now how was I going to explain that one away to Brooks. Just imagine the email because there is no way I would have called. lol

'Hi Brooks, Not coming to practice today because I don't feel like it. I need a hug from my mum. See you tomorrow Joice'

I did lay in the bed for most of the day feeling sorry for myself until I called my sister and had a conversation with my soon to be 3 year old Nephew. Be ready for that blog cause it will be another family event I will miss. All in the name of the Olympic Games. lol. He spat 3 of 4 sentances at me finishing with a kiss blown down the phone. Obviously far to busy to talk to me as he wanted to go out in the snow. Yeah snow in England Easter weekend. Ain't this supposed to be spring? Another reason why I should be happy that I'm in Orlando and not at home.

Practice was not what was scheduled as it was too cold at 70° to do speed work. Yeah for real. So I had 12 x 150's followed by weight room. Actually one of my nicer sessions.

So what have I learnt about Joice today? Hmmmmmm that I can be a girlie girl. That I just need to be left alone when I get like this and that I'm doing what I choose to do which so happens to be something that I love so. 'Suck it up Joice'

I hope and pray I don't have another one of these days soon cause they really ain't pretty. I don't like it when I get like that.

In my defence I was missing my family. Ain't no shame in that.

So I'm calling it a night going to bed and hoping to wake up tomorrow with a new brighter attitude. After all I could be at home in the snow.

P.S Jack sorry for today that Joice does not appear often but hey at least she was quiet. It takes alot to shut me up. Am I forgiven?

We all have theses days................I need a hug

Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.


I found the above quote and decided to post it.

I'm having one of my famous 'ho hum' moods today. This is a term that my best friend Andrea and I came up with to discribe this mood.

They happen every now and again. They are nothing moods. I'm not happy. I'm not sad. I'm not really anything. I'm just whatever.

I'm gonna put this down to missing my family this weekend. I just need a hug from my Mum today.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. Tenneva Jordan

This sums my Mum up perfectly.




So in good old Joice fashion I have a song for everything.

Todays song is Heard A Word - Michelle Williams


I'm off to make a phone call. Guess who I'm calling?

Happy Birthday Big Brother

So yet another event I have opted to miss in the lead up to making the Olympic Team. My Big Brother hit the Big 40 today.

The whole family went out for a meal last night minus Joice. Plus they are all off to the Progressive Entertainment Easter Sunday event at Apt Bar tonight.(I love the theme tune on their site).

Yes my bottom lip is pushed out. I don't get to go out that much but when I do it is usually to one of theses events. I must admit I have never arrived in time for the poetry part but, I sure do get there in time for the motion. lol

Its a 4 day weekend at home. Which means no work tomorrow and an extended night out tonight. I wish I was there. When the Maduaka family and friends go out as a group its always a fun time. I'm sure I will hear all about it.

So once again Happy B'Day Big Brother. He is the most significant male influence in my life and I love him dearly. Without him I would probably never have discovered I could run. His drive and determination has rubbed off on me and for sure made me who I am.

Love ya Joe

Jx

The wonderful English language continued - Or should I call it Hemmingway House slang

Ok so today a brief discussion on my last blog was had.

So to appease my fellow training partner D.O. I have added a continuation as he so kindly added more terms which I will now try my best to interpret.

G'd - A person who is very popular in one night.

Rat - A young lady that guys want that they can't get. So they make up stories about her so no one else will want her.

Foot in foot out - Someone who can't decide if they are committed to something. Their mood swings like the weather changes.

Mr. Me Too's - A young man who thinks highly of himself. Or is it someone who can't help but want to be included in everything.

So how did I do?

I am determined to pass this course in 'Hemmingway House' slang before I return to the United Kingdom.

Please feel free to add more and I will again do my best to interpret. lol

The wonderful English language (and I thought I was getting it at last)

Last night the girls from my training group were invited around Brooks house for dinner. He has some of his friends in town and had hired an Executive Chef to cook. (Bob)



Now you don't have to ask me twice when it comes to good food. lol

Knowing Brooks both Jackie and I tried our best not to be late. But, somehow we managed it. There was that moment in the car when we both looked at the clock and each other and asked how the hell we managed to be late.

Not ones to turn up with two long arms and a smile (empty handed) we stopped off to pick up a bottle of wine. Whilst at the counter we received a call from LaClair our training partner asking me to pick up 2 gallons of lemonade. Pretty simple request you might think. Hmmmmmm. I convinced Jack to stop off at CVS (pharmacy) for the lemonade. She did give me a strange sideways glance but went along with my suggestion. We arrive at the refrigerated section and she says 'nope see they don't have it in here'. I look at her like 'what?'. Here it is in front of you pointing at the bottle of 7up and Sprit. Wrong wrong wrong Joice. Apparently in the US lemonade is lemon, water and a sugar mix.

All I can say is lucky Jack was with me cause Brooks would have got 4 litres of 7up from me if I had been by myself.




I thought I was doing so well with my integration into US life. Oh well I need to go back and dust off my phrase book.

But, trust me some of the stuff I hear from my training group baffles me. A little selection for you.

Tapped out - Unable to continue

Swagger Jack - Copying someone (i.e I buy a pair of shoes and Jackie goes out and buys the exact same pair)

Hunching - Having sex (I think) when ever I ask what they mean they laugh so I can only but guess.

Sneak Diss - Talking bad about someone behind their back.

Yes I often have that confused look on my face

What a great week I just had

Whilst browsing the net this morning I stumbled upon a blog with the following quote

“To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.”

Wintston Churchill.

Wow is all I can say.
If anything has spoken to me and given this year meaning its is this.

I have had an excellent week in practice running PR's in both the 300m and 400m.

For those who know me this is significant.

I called Brooks a wise old owl yesterday. Brooks forever with his charm retorted.

'Joice how long you think Ive been doing this?' (Yes for those who know Brooks I have watered down his actually reply but you get the gist of what he actually said)

Have a great weekend

Jx

Complain

What do I really have to complain about?



I had a conversation with a good friend of mine a few weeks ago. We both compared the crazy week we had had. I think we were competing for the craziest. I won hands down. But, she put it all into perspective.

She like me is an athlete (different event same sport). We are the same age and understand each other pretty well. She has adopted a ‘I don’t give a damn’ attitude when people try to distract her from her goal of making her Olympic team. In her own word ‘I’m focused on the task at hand’

She reminded me that we have both put ourselves in situations where we left our homes and went to places where we didn’t know anyone and didn’t know anything (local area, how to get around etc.) But, we did it because we want to perform well in our give events. We are already out of our comfort zones and with that in mind we can not allow other things to make us feel uncomfortable. I will learn to deal with all of these changes because the trade off is my fulfillment of my dreams.

She trains at a Training Center where you share dorm rooms that are not the biggest for one person let alone two. This site that she trains at is the main training location for the Paralympic athletes. One of the girls in her group is an amputee. She does EVERYTHING the rest of the training group does, with one leg.

I talk about this because I have under 6 months to the games and under 5 until the Olympic Trials. I have a lot of work to get done before then. I will not focus on outside stuff. The amputees she trains with work hard everyday with no complaints. There’s no way I should be complaining about anything. As she told me she watched a blind athlete doing box jumps in the weight room. I should be turning up to practice everyday ready to kick butt. I’m keeping my mind on the reason why I brought myself out here. I am so fortunate to have this opportunity. She has training partners out there one fell under a train and it ripped off a leg. Another slipped on the grass and got their foot caught in the lawnmower. I have all the tools I need to do well. I’m training so hard to get my body ready; I sometimes forget I have to train my mind to do the same.

So I ask again ‘What do I have to complain about?’



If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.

~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

'It is by chance that we met, by choice that we became friends'

She's here



I’ve had to sit on this little bit of info since my first indoor meet which was Glasgow Jan 26th 2008. To me it’s been like a kid waiting for Christmas to come around.

Not many people know it but Jackie Edwards (Jack) was very instrumental in my relocating to Orlando after my piss poor run in Osaka (August 2007). You see I was a little bit sneaky in that the original invitation to be coached by Brooks was actually extended to her. She procrastinated on the offer from Brooks. I on the other had pretty much grabbed the meal out of her mouth and started making my plans to relocate.



She was actually recruited by Brooks to attend Standford University. I will let her tell you when that was. So if anything the offer was for her to go back to a program that she knew had worked for her in the past. For her own reasons she decided to remain in California.

That is until Glasgow. If you recall she was my room mate at the meet. It was great to hang out. In her own words she would say her performance in Glasgow was not what she would have wanted. She had Brooks helping her out at the event but by that time there is really not a lot he can do for you. In his own words ‘I can not close the gap that completes the circle. You have to do that yourself.’



He again offered her the opportunity to come down to Orlando. Both David Oliver and I set to work making her change her mind or at least consider the offer. I am very persuasive and by the time I left Glasgow on the 26th she had promised me that she would come to Orlando after the indoor season.

Well she’s here and I am so happy. For her and myself. I truly believe Brooks can bring the best out of her. Sometimes you have to revert back to what you know worked for you in the past.

Brooks always talks about it not being the 3-4 hours that you spend practicing a day, which make you into a quality athlete. But, the remaining 21 hours that you spend off the track. There is no doubt I have been putting in the work on the track but, I admit it has been hard down here off the track. I am not one to push my self on people and I know that the rest of my training group have their lives. Without having to look out for and entertain Joice. So now my good friend in track is here and will be living with me life is officially GOOD!!!.

5am Out Of Competition Testing

The price of greatness is responsibility.
Winston Churchill




So this morning I was awoken by loud banging on my door. Looking at the clock which said 5am I had a very good idea who it was. Drug Testing.

As I am now located in the USA my drug testing has been contracted to USADA (US Anti Doping Agency) from UK Sport. Our procedures are different to those in the US, so it was a learning experience for the couple who were at my door.

Ok a quick paragraph on how we are tested in the UK. I have to provide a 1 hour slot for five consecutive days. I have chosen 5am - 6am. Why? you might ask. Well a) I am sure to be in my own bed at this hour b) What is the first thing you do when you wake up?

So 1 litre bottle of water in hand we set about the wait for Joice to produce her sample. I was able to have the test completed in 57 mins. Not near my record of 26 mins but, close. The good thing is I'm a morning person so was actually very chirpy this morning. The funny thing was the testers were very quiet and subdued acting like they had dragged themselves out of bed to get to my apartment. lol

Difference from the UK and USA system
1. Designated hour slots (UK)
2. 85ml sample (USA) 100ml sample (UK)
3. Athlete does not fill out the form (USA) (I had to dictate my details to the guy.)

Any way job done and off back to bed I went.

Until the next time they set their alarms to come hang out with me again at 5am.

No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you - life"

Happy Mothers day Mummy




Today in the UK is mothers day. This will be yet another family event that I miss this year. Lucky for me my family understand my commitment and the reason why I am away.

This is a different Mothers Day for me because I dont get to give her a hug like I usually do.

I had to think out of the box and ahead of time to make it speacial for her. Pre ordering a gift online to be delivered yesterday.

Phone call hmmmmm. I had to leave a message on her mobile as she's probably at church.

The other important mother in my life is my sister. She also recieves a gift from from me. Or should I say from her son Maxie.

So Amazon did well out of me this year. lol

Happy Mothers Day Ladies

Jx