The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul

The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul
The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul

Quote Of The Moment


Don't listen to those who say, 'You're taking too big a chance.' Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be rubbed out by today

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Good day at the office - Karlsruhe






The races went pretty well 2 seasons bests off the plan from the USA. I arrived in the UK on Thursday. 7.32 is the fastest I have ran in 3 years. Foot problems all gone. 

I had a busy day with 3 event in just over 3 hours.  Coach calls it a work out.  Lol

The warm up area was TINY. 101 bodies all over the place. With sprinters and hurdles trying to get there starts in.



In between rounds Ebonie and I assumed the 'Speed Dynamics' (that's the name of our training group) recovery position. 

I give myself a B+ for today.  Coach gave me the same but then went into technical things that I have to work on in the next race.

: )

The 4x100 was for fun

Results

60m Heat



RangAthletNationErgebnisReact.time


1WILLIAMS, AngelaUSA  7.38 Q0.160

2MADUAKA, JoiceGBR  7.39 Q0.170

3POPOWICZ, MarikaPOL  7.40 Q0.15

4WAGNER, MarionGER  7.41 q0.174



60m Final




RangAthletNationErgebnisReact.time


1JONES-FERRETTE, LaverneISV  7.11 0.176


2SOUMARE, MiryamFRA=PB  7.27 0.189


3FLOYD-BROADNAX, EbonieUSA  7.30 0.155


4MADUAKA, JoiceGBR  7.32 0.170


5WILLIAMS, AngelaUSA  7.35 0.169







200 



RangAthletNationErgebnisReact.time
1FLOYD-BROADNAX, EbonieUSA  23.55 0.189
2MADUAKA, JoiceGBR  23.66 0.192
3MÖLLINGER, AnneGER  23.92 0.190


Ebonie and Dwight from my training group were also at this meet
Dwight decided to get his sprint on and ran the 60m at this meet. He did good 6.72 for 2nd in his heat and 6.74 in the final. Ebonie ran 7.30 for 3rd in the 60 and 23.55 for 2nd over all in the 200m. 
And onto the next race.....

Race day



So i'm racing in a few hours in Karlsruhe, Germany. Got a bit of a busy schedule 60m, 200, and a 4x100.

I feel good, finally over the jet lag as I only arrived back on European shores on Thursday.

So will update later on how things go.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Arkansas - Update





So this weekend I started my 2010 indoor season. I raced at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Arkansas. The school has a lot of history. Ironically early Friday morning I watched a documentary on their legendary coach. John McDonnell.











 I ran the 200m and the 400m.  I have never ran a 400 in my life so was a little nervous I won't lie.

23.77 in the 200m and 55.45 in the 400m.

Not a bad opener for me in the 200 I think. I have only started one season quicker. 

The 400 was very conservative if I do say so myself. I'm 100% sure I can go much much quicker.  Coach Reider who was with us this weekend said I was out their tempo running. lol.  (Thats the watered down version of what he actually said).  The question now is when and where will I be running another one less conservatively? : )

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I did get booty lock and dry mouth but hey it only lasted for a short while. I can honestly say I enjoyed the run.

So I'm  back in Atlanta now. Going to put in a couple days practice and then headed home to Europe for a couple races.

 Other results for the weekend
Ebonie PR'd with 53.06 in the 400
Dani ran 7.52 in the 60m and 8.22 in the 60m H
Walter opened his season with 16.99 for a world lead in the Triple Jumping  

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Update







As usual I've just been keeping my head down and getting on with practice.  I did not over indulge of xmas so there were no extras lbs to shed.  


Atlanta had got really cold. I'm talking snow cold and all the fun stuff that surrounds the events of snow. So we have had to improvise and do treadmill sessions. I have got pretty good at them but will share that I had a spill that looked a little like this with out the dancing bit before hand. I sure did hurt my ass and have the scars to prove it.  ; (


I nearly ended up on YouTube no thanks to Dwight (also known as DP I will explain another time) who was filming and posting on twitter all day but lucky was not at that one moment.  : )




The spill did set me back a few weeks which is why this weekend will be my first outing indoors for 2010. Landing on your hip is no joke. Please be careful on treadmills.


Most of the group will be travelling to Europe in the coming weeks to compete. So we are are having a group 'Rib Fest' tonight as it will be a while till we are all together again. 


 I will update my blog when I can.  But, mostly I will be updating my Twitter account.


Here's a clip of some of the groups first outing in Kentucky last weekend. Crazy people.  LMAO( bout road trip)





On another note my friend Stephan Kreykamp has a new online magazine called 'Falsestart.tv'.  Yours truly did I little question and answer piece. Take a look


Chat soon
Jx   




  

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Quote of the day


 "The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering."





I found this quote today while I was having a little down moment. So I thought I would share.


Jx


Sunday, January 10, 2010

Read a book DAMN IT




I'm currently reading 'A piece of Cake' - Cupcake Brown
I picked it up in the airport this weekend. I'm only 2 chapters in and know it will be finished by the end of the week.





The next book I'm going to read is  Shantaram - Gregory Roberts
It was recommend to me by a friend who has a wait list for his copy. So I going to have to by my own and start my own wait list.  lol












The Help - Kathryn Stockett
I loved this book. Its one of my favourites for this summer














Can you think of anything to go on my list of books to read? 

Quote of the day: Tomorrow




I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

What’s your quirk?





Now I have never claimed to be erm what’s the words. ‘Your average Jane’. I sometimes do things deliberately to go against the grain. Yeah just to get a rise out of my straight laced friends. I have things that I stress, obsess and care deeply about that would have many people giving me the side eye. Yeah people might call them vices. To me they are just things that make my days/life go smoothly.


BBMing/Facebooking/Texting/Skype/Emailing




I work in Communications so go figure. It pays for me to be up and aware of all the new technologies and social networking tools out there. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it). I update my Facebook once a day. That is usually with a ‘Quote of The Day’. That mostly consists of a quote, which shows how I’m feeling on that particular day. Or it will be a quote that I find that I like, whilst looking for my daily feeling quote.


I communicate mainly these days by BBM and email. If I don’t see you doing my day or you’re a member of my family or a close friend I don’t hear your voice for months and vice verse. I rarely call anyone. Strange I know. I have actually met new romantic interests and spoken to them maybe twice in one week. But BBM’d them all through the day every day. (I so need to use this cute English accent I got here. Lol). I even get my training sessions and practice location and time reminders by BBM and email.


I have a new Twitter account but that probably wont be used to its fullest until I start competing. Im promising myself that it will not be all about my travel gripes. (Feel free to follow me. If that’s the right terminology)


My friends and family think I’m some kinda cyborg. I can respond to and email or BBM in record time while conducting my day to day life without missing a beat. So word to the wise if you want to get hold of me please don’t call. Hell I don’t even remember what my ring tone sounds like.






Tonic Water with Margarita Mix





I have been a Tonic Water fiend for several years now. I’m always looking for something to mix it with. Since being in the USA it has proved to be a little difficult. They really don’t have any kind of cordial here. So doing a MacGyver and testing everything I found behind the bar, including Pina Colada mix. I have found my soft drink tipple. I think I need to have a Margarita one of these days just so I know what the actual drink tastes like. Oh and before you start Tonic Water has quinine in it which is good for stopping cramps.










Waking up at 6am no matter where I am



Most days I dont start practice until at the earliest 10am. So why oh why do I open my eyes pretty much everyday at around 6am. I find the early hours of the morning to be when I am at peace. I can plan my day, reply to emails and read. I can usually read a book a week. I seem to be a sucker for routine.


So let me know what are some of your quirks?

Monday, January 4, 2010

Happy B'day Big Sis




My sister how do I describe her? Hmm
Well she is my other half, my sensible head.  The one true person in the world I trust.

Her words  have  always been ones  that can cause me to question my actions.

She has been blessed with a reasonableness, a quietness that has made her a big impact in my life.

So to you my big sister I wish you a very Happy Birthday.

Xxx

Happanstance or luck


Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor.


---------

Jackson Brown


So get your dancing shoes on 
Jx




Saturday, January 2, 2010

GI Joice

"no man has gone into war, and seen what they've seen and came back the same."






Experience is the best teacher right?. Your eyes and you heart can not deceive you. I have a couple of friends that would EASILY fall into the 'Prize F'up' category  when it comes to decisions they have made in their life. I have found myself many times  sitting with a blank look on my face as they fill me in with their latest chapter of self destruct.  


On the other hand though I have some pretty hard wired friends. The determined type that know what they want, how to get it and where to go looking for it.   Ive was described as COLD recently.  I gave the statement about 5 seconds worth of thought (had to be polite) and kept it moving. The Joice of some 4 years ago would have let this disturb her sleep, and we all know how much I like my sleep. lol 


But, for real COLD? Was that supposed to hurt? Be that gut punch that made me double over and gasp for breath. I've seen and been through enough to know COLD is a good look to have right about now. 


That means people should know if they are coming to me with BS they are not looking for the generic reaction.  I will find plan B, C and go all the way to Z if I have to  before I will throw in the towel in defeat.  We Maduaka's are strong stock. lol


    I see  life  these days  like the military. There are going to be battles along the way and I'm a surviver. I used to date a guy in the military who I used to call  "Army Boy". Yeah I know really original. lol .  Seeing what he had seen at war had opened his eyes and his sense. But, he was always as he put it "Combat Ready" .  At the time I used to laugh. You see I was going through my LIVE YOUR LIFE and HAPPY HAPPY PEOPLE phase.


But for real Combat Ready is not necessarily a bad thing. Shit!! at least your prepared if you need to ball up them fists.


So just call me GI Joice 

Friday, January 1, 2010

Back in Tha A

To say I was OVER prepared for every eventually that would irk me as I left for the airport yesterday to travel back to Atlanta, Georgia is an understatement. I have over time tried to take everything in my stride when it comes to air travel. Security are after all doing their jobs, right?. The amount of travelling I do I figured it’s the easiest way to approach the events at the airports.


After watching the news updates in London. Yes the news updates. One thing I find annoying is the lack of World News I get in the USA. I have to visit CNN and web pages just to find out what is going on in the world. I digress. The news updates in London had informed me of the new changes to travel to and from the USA.




• Expect 2 hour delays
• 1 Piece of hand luggage
• No blankets for the last hour of the flight
• No world map showing you where you are and time to destination
• No use of the bathroom during the last hour of the flight
• Random full body searches
• No neck pillows


 So I went dressed like cat woman in a Pea Coat minus the mask. lol



(leggings and a T-shirt). "No miss airport security woman no concealed weapons here". 8/10 times I'm subjected to the pat down (touch up my stuff search).Never nice and so not cute. I had the one piece of carry on luggage (handbag stuffed nicely inside) that fit in that little size thingy they have. With no pushing or ramming in to make it fit . Passport and wallet in my pocket.


I bumped into my friend Taneisha Robinson-Scanlon (Irish Triple Jumper) who was on the same flight with her husband and daughter. 



So what trouble did I get into? you ask. Well I am happy to inform you none.  I actually got upgraded which helped. As each person was subjected to a full body and luggage search. I mean take everything out of your bag, shake it out and put it backin search.  They told us to go up to the lounge and they would call for us when they were ready to search us. 


The US end was kinda strict as expected. Before we even got off the jetty we had to have our passports checked and then checked again at passport control. 


Presently i'm in the jet lag "where am I?" state of mind
I have been sleeping most of today.Will just rest up and get ready for practice tomorrow

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