Entry 2: From one year to the next
Hello everyone!
Do you ever look back and think “Hmmm, I wonder what I was doing this time last year?” I find myself doing that at the moment, probably because my ‘Europe’ experiences in the short three weeks I’ve been here are already vastly different to those I had in three months last year. For me, 2009 was about experience and broadening my athletic horizons through international travel and competition. But as we know, things rarely ever go according to plan, especially in sport!
On June 2, 2009 I headed off to Berlin (GER). In my possession were two B-qualifiers for the world championships 400m hurdles, but no place on the team (a B-qualifier = 56.50). I was going to Europe to get some international competition and to compete at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, and all the while that elusive A-standard for worlds was in the back of my head (A = 55.60). I competed in Switzerland, Italy and Belgium where I posted my third B and enjoyed a few ‘Athlete of the Meet’ paycheques! I felt that World Unis was going to be an amazing competition and that I was in shape to break 56-sec for the first time. This was not to be.
I finished fifth in the 400m hurdles final at World Unis in a time of 56.82. I was satisfied with the stride pattern I ran on the day, as it was something I hadn’t even done in training! But I was disappointed with the time and I knew the chances of going to world champs were gone. I sat in that stadium in Berlin, watching the women run the 400m hurdles and right then and there I made a vow to myself, that from every major competition onwards, I would get that A-standard and do everything the selection criteria asked of me, so that there was no way I could not be selected.
2010 is a different story so far… In February I broke 56 seconds for the first time, running a 0.4 second PB of 55.75 at the Sydney Track Classic, which was also my very first A-standard for Commonwealth Games (A= 55.90). After running 55.85 in Canberra and then winning the national title in 55.86 I had achieved what I set out to do and was selected for the Commonwealth Games. But I wasn’t done there. Two weeks after nationals I went to Japan, where I won the Shizuoka Grand Prix in 55.49 and then the IAAF Osaka Grand Prix in 55.25. To perform so strongly in competitions outside of Australia, I was feeling very confident Europe would be different this year!
Dubnica, Slovakia was my first race here, five days after leaving Australia. I ran a solid 56.98 to open my European campaign. The following weekend I ran in the Rieti Grand Prix where I managed to negotiate not 10, but 11 hurdles on my way to 55.48. Kalise Spencer (JAM), the new Diamond League winner, crashed over 10H and rolled into my lane! I’m very happy I handled that situation so calmly. I have just returned to Cologne from Split, Croatia where the inaugural Continental Cup took place. I finished fifth in the 400m hurdles in 55.30 amongst a quality field that boasted the current gold and silver medallists from the European championships as well as the top two African hurdlers and potential Commonwealth Games competitors.
As you can see, 2010 is shaping up to be what I thought 2009 could have been. However, I think the biggest lesson I have learnt so far is to be patient. As an athlete, you want everything to happen immediately, but being successful and competing to the best of your ability takes time, a lot of hard training and some very strategic planning. My coach Matty B and I have been quietly planning this so that in Delhi, I really make my mark. From disappointment comes motivation and commitment, the driving forces behind success.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a big CONGRATULATIONS to my coach Matt Beckenham, for his selection as a team coach for the Commonwealth Games. It is great to see quality coaching being recognised in our sport and I can’t wait to share the experience with him!
Until I blog again on the eve of Delhi, train hard and keep smiling!
Lauren :- )
