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It's incredible how running a mere 20 minutes can make you so sore. It's also incredible how short 20 minutes can seem; also how long 20 minutes can drag on; and, even more incredible, how you can experience both these revelations within seconds of each other throughout said 20 minutes. I don't even think I have the mental capacity to handle anything longer than 20 minutes of running at this point. READ MORE
The Olympic Trials have long come and gone; the Olympic Games are here, with the Opening Ceremonies kicking off Saturday night. Team USA walked through the stadium in their Ralph Lauren suits and berets. I was not a part of it. I lived vicariously through my friends and fellow athletes through Twitter, Facebook posts, Instagram images. It was cool to see how close we, as an audience, could get to the action and it was simultaneously painful to watch. I am so happy for the men and women representing our country, but I'm also, of course, heartbroken to be home. READ MORE
I'm a big quote person. I've collected inspirational quotes and tidbits since high school. I'm also big on collaging inspiration on my walls - rarely are my bedroom walls blank. This year, the Olympic year, I've been searching for different kinds of inspiration because this year is such a new experience for me. READ MORE
For four memorable years within the framework of the University of Virginia and its unparalleled baseball program, the misnomer of the 'offseason' was littered with fall ball and Iron Cavalier competitions plus intermittent and taxing midterms and finals. In the current state of my transition from 'offseason' to pitch one, fall ball was replaced with Spring Training, classes were replaced with workouts and social time with ... more workouts. READ MORE
In the world of track and field, the biggest regular season meet (topped only by championship meets including, of course, World Championship or Olympic races) is a Diamond League meet. A handful of international races are deemed part of the "Diamond League" before the outdoor season starts and they are the most sought-after races to get in to compete. I had the opportunity to race my first major steeplechase of the season in the second Diamond League meet this year - in Shanghai, China. READ MORE
I just passed the eighth month anniversary since my surgery. I've made a lot of progress but I've still got a good amount of work to be done. I know it sounds like coaches' talk, but every day for me is a better day. I go to my doctor every six weeks and he gives me an update. I actually went to the doctor recently and he gave me some great news concerning my knee. READ MORE
2012 can be defined as the year my training is entirely focused around one race (well, technically two - the Olympic Trials has a preliminary race and a final race, but you get the point). It's my first year out in the real world of running, as a "professional," and, to be quite frank, I'm taking it kind of hard. I have tunnel vision; it's hard to find a victory or a success in everyday training because I'm often so fixated on "making the Olympic team." It's not a healthy way to train and it's certainly not a happy way to train. READ MORE
The sudden announcement that UVa superstar and NCAA Champion Robby Andrews would be leaving the University and pursuing a professional track and field career this outdoor season got me reflecting back on my own collegiate career - and, let me tell you, life outside the college system isn't ALL roses and fistfuls of cash like it might be made out to be. READ MORE
If you ever needed motivation for anything, winning the Super Bowl is probably the easiest way to be motivated. To be out there and watch the game from a fan's perspective with a seat is bittersweet. You want to be out there. You want to play. You want to share that moment with those guys you went through camp with. Unfortunately, it didn't come to pass this year. But I was at the game. Game day I woke up excited as if I was going to play. READ MORE
My earliest memories of cross country come from high school; my very first cross country race was at our home course, set on the campus of a local community college. Flat, monotonous loops in the fall heat were the backdrop to my first attempt at racing cross country and, while I was successful from the very start, I was never able to really forge the commitment to long distance racing like I did later to racing on the track. READ MORE
