Quote of the day

"Your gut is your inner compass. Whenever you have to consult with other people for an answer, you're headed in the wrong direction."

Guess where I am?

You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu




It feels great to be home.
I didn't realise how much I missed my family until a couple of nights ago. I was invited for dinner in Orlando by a wonderful family called the Margiotta's. Who were warm welcoming and pleasure to meet.

I strongly believe nothing is by coincidence. I became accquainted with the family because I rented an apartment from them during my last stint in Orlando. In great Joice fashion I threw caution to the wind, went on line with a vague google search to look for an apartment that I could move into in 48 hours as I had decided at short notice to return to Orlando. Several were booked and then I found this link

No I was not in the St Andrews. lol I stayed at the Vista Cay apartment. The apartment was great and the interior design was fab. It really was a home away from home and I hope to stay there again soon. So hint hint if your looing for a good place to stay in Orlando :)

So Im back in London and I did the rounds visiting my family as I always do. It feels good to be home.

Friends...................How many of us have them?

This is for my TRUE friends. They know who thet are..............Just wanted to let you know I love you and thanks.

Jx

A friend
by: stacy

A friend is someone whose love will disappoint you seldom
One whom won't wear out their welcome
But will insist on you to wear out your own
Anytime their shoulder is needed for loan
A friend does not steal, but is one who borrows
Returning favors in times of sorrows
A friend does not ask in greed
But lends a helping hand indeed
A friend knows when to say, "i'm sorry"
And is always willing to accept your apology
A friend's love is meek and modest
One who doesn't judge which is most modest
A friend's love is forever and humble
One who'll always be there when you stumble
I consider you my friend today
Because you've met the essentials in every way
Thank-you for never leading me astray.

Few days off from practice

I have a couple days off from practice as we have been on it hard this week.

I think this quote sums it up



'Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow'. ~Douglas Pagels

Sharpie and a shoelace

Why is it that the simplest of things can turn everything around?




Now I never thought coming back to Orlando was going to be a picnic with Brooks. After all its not like I have been racing to the potential that he sees in me. In one of my previous post I discribed this time back as being dragged over hot coals. Lets just say its been pretty close. Brooks is a very intelligent man, vocabulary (some times blue) out of this world. So just imagine when he goes silent on you and all you get are side eyes and huffing and puffing. (Not good).

I raced again this weekend and it was more of the same piss poor average times that I have been producing.

Yesterdays Post Audit race meeting with comments that were warranted by Brooks were delivered. And then IT happened. Tino my training partner and I likend it to an epithany.

A simple track side conversation with Brooks during the session, with him discribing what he was looking for with a Sharpie pen and a shoelace seems to have given me that light bulb feeling.





Hmmmmmmmmm you might say. I say whatever it takes to get the point across.

Well let me tell you Brooks gave me two stars last night. lol Im used to getting rocks. lol

So I'm off to practice in a few minutes to see if I have managed to retain what I now understand to be spriniting.

All I can say is better this side of Olympic Trials than never.
Jx

Try that for size...............................

Always be a first rate version of your self instead of a second rate version of someone else.

Judy Garland

Hmmmmmmmmmm

I had to share

I just woke up it like 6am and I have this song in my head. lol

Reflection

For those who dont't know me on Facebook. Daily I place a quote which usually reflects how I feel. As I looked around for a quote I found this one

'If you have one finger pointing at somebody, you have three pointing towards yourself.'

This quote touched me deeply. I have not been having the best of times with my races and preparation for the games. Not to what I expected of myself anyway.

So guess what?. I jumped on a plane and headed back to Orlando.

I'm here for a whle just to knuckle down and work on all the things that I am not good at the moment. No more racing for me. Probably until Trials.

I just need to be by myself, read, chill and put extra hard work in.

So please forgive me if I go silent for a couple of weeks.

I'm sure Brooks is going to drag my arse over hot coals in the coming weeks.


But, I assure you the finished product will be well worth it.

Jx

Geneva

On Thursday 29th May I attended relay practice, at Brunel Uni. The team would be running in Geneva on Saturday 31st May. We flew out of the dreaded Terminal 5 first thing Friday morning.

I had already heard from DO that his bag had been lost in transit at T5. Pretty ironic really as I had talked about his knack of packing smart. lol

Relay practice was ok. Considering for the second time in May it occurred in the rain. We were trying a different team for this meet. With other quartet going to Turin in a couple of weeks time.

To add a little more pressure to the mix. Saturday 31 May, was the date set by UKA for everyone on 6 month reviews to meet there preassigned targets. Basically if you do not meet your target your funding will be cut.



When agreeing my targets, both Brooks and I agreed if I was not running the target time I did not deserve the funding anyway.

So its Saturday May 31 and Joice is two races away from getting her funding cut. No pressure. lol

Its funny because I heard the buzz from the other British athletes that were in the same position. But, I had an inner calm about me that I have not had since running indoors earlier this year.

I had VERY aggressive acupuncture on my hamstring after relay practice. Which had a really good affect. (picture below) I had another session on Friday when we arrived at the hotel.



Long story short I met my target. I wont share with you what the target was. But, I ran 11.37 and 11.43.

Straight after the relay I departed for the airport. I had a spot in the National 100m in the Golden League event in Berlin. I was first on the wait list for the 200.

As I arrived at the airport the weather turned. The airport was closed due to the thunder storm and I was stuck in the departures lounge of Geneva airport. Worrying about my connection flight in Zurich to Berlin.



I eventually got to the hotel LATE!!!!! Looking desperately for some food.

I shared a car from the airport with Paul Hardy. He is the Competitions Director for the IAAF. So I got a ride in a pretty swanky Mercedes instead of the 16 seater mini bus everyone else arrived in. lol. He was a really nice guy. He talked about his recent trip to Beijing. Where he saw he amazing stadium. He commented on how efficient the pre games track meet went. What topped it off for me was him confirming that the warm up track is just over 100m away from the main stadium. I still remember the 15-25 min walk for Athens.



I eventually got a room and to bed at 2am. There were 3 buses scheduled for the athletes to the meet. I was scheduled for the 10.30am bus. Yeah that's right I got 5 hours sleep thanks to my room mate. She got up at 7am. It turns out she's in the same race as me. lol. When I arrived the night before she was just a lump in the bed.

Long story short I ran CRAP. My name obviously ain't 'Wonder Woman'. My butt was tired from the 3 races the day before and the travel. My reaction time was terrible and apparently I slipped out the blocks.

Anyway onwards and upwards.

In now in the departures lounge in Riga waiting for my connection to Tallin. I race tomorrow. I left the hotel at 5.30am and shared a car with DO. I showed him how calm and resourceful I am. I had no flight details. Marisa had sent them to me but they were lost in cyber space. Funny how her email finally arrived when I was already checked in.

Had the usual crap to send anyone crazy on the flight. The crying child x3. With the mothers that have not perfected the art of controlling their children in public places. My Mum had that look down to a tee. lol.

So fingers crossed that there is someone to pick me up at the airport in Tallin.

Update 2.30pm

I had to add this cause I'm still in shock

Let me start with WTF? Who gave Air Baltic a license to fly? I just flew in an over sized crop duster from Riga to Tallin. 45mins what could be wrong with that?





I thought my biggest problem would be not getting picked up in Tallin.

Picture me sitting next to an Iranian Discus Thrower Ehsan Hadadi. Now I'm in the seat kinda tight. He's in the wedged in the seat next to me. He looks at me before the flight takes of and raises the arm rest separating us. Now I'm sitting thigh to thigh with said Discus Thrower.



The look on his poor face as we took off was a picture. Fixed grin and nervous giggles escaping from his throat. He announces at one point 'I hate my manager'. I laugh and silently agree. They both would be fearing for their life's too. It was horrible. Take off was a possible no go. Turbulence as we climbed was the worst.

I'm sitting next to a guy that's like 290lbs and he's looking like he's about to cry. lol

My body shut down and I escaped by falling asleep. I have this knack of falling asleep when things get bad. Not a bad thing today for real.

To add insult to injury there is no ventilation. So now everyone on the crop duster is in fear for their life's and fanning themselves in 35 degree heat, with ironically the emergency exit instructions. lol

Funny now writing about it but at the time NOT!!!

Oh well that's Track and Field.

Jx