The waiting game

Bom Tarde,

I've never really known much about blogging, but I have so many thoughts swimming around in my head that I've been told to start one. If you know me, in person I don't really like to talk about myself or whatever success I find, but I decided that if people are interested in my story this blog could help illustrate my journey. Sorry about the poor grammar, potential change in languages, harry potter references, and the weird thoughts..... but hey, i'm gonna give this blog thing a shot, especially since I'm reaching such a pivotal point in my life. Comments and questions are encouraged!!!!

After returning from my first trip to USA nationals (3rd place) and joining Team USA, having earned the opportunity to rep the stars and stripes at my first World Championships, I find myself in a Starbucks in the quaint Magnolia area with some interesting thoughts. (mini quest--- i'm slowly trying to earn Starbs gold member status, though i'm not necessarily a coffee drinker, i'm an avid fan of hot chocolates and seasonal flavors  in my off time).

It's been roughly a month and a half since Moscow, Russia.... and i'm proud of what I experienced but frustrated with the results. After my no-show senior year in 2012 at UW because of Tommy John surgery and a sports hernia surgery, I delved into my redshirt senior year worried if it would be a flop or success. When I started to workout again and wasn't plagued by the "splitting" pain in my pubic bone with every movement, I knew I could get back to enjoying this amazing sport.

I enjoyed it. I stunned myself with how quickly I achieved one of my lifetime goals. (i should post about that interesting list later since it talks about magazines, world travels, sights, harry potter stuff) I set the "short-lived" heptathlon high jump world record at 2.25m (7'4.5") at Boise State's indoor facility (Here is the youtube link- Indoor Heptathlon High Jump World Record). I finished the heptathlon with 6,157 points (having screwed up the polevault with a desperate 4.25m?...13'11" vault). This was a pretty good mark by a collegiate, having been one of the top 3 collegiate performers of all time (behind ashton and trey) or some other stuff they said in some articles.... until Cato and Lazas went off at indoors later that winter season...where I was just a spectator (after competing in the open high jump). I mentioned "short-lived" earlier because it was broken a couple weeks later by Derek Drouin a Canadian bronze medalist who did the heptathlon for conference his conference meet and jumped 2.30m (7'6.5"). I believe he is a 7'9" jumper. Unreal. But since he's Canadian, I still have the American record :)

I survived some more meets and managed to get myself over the 8200 mark at NCAA championships with 8239. That made me 2nd place (after having an abysmal discus throw, but setting PRs in quite a few other events). I realized that going into the season it was a blessing and a curse setting BIG PICTURE goals (But YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO THIS). ---->As soon as I stepped back into the Dempsey after 2012 I said to myself that I was going to take down the NCAA outdoor record on the way to making the USA team for the World Championships. Every weight I lifted, every race I ran, Every throw I made, every bar I attempted was intrinsically linked to this huge goal of making the worlds team. Every doubt that crept into my mind had to battle this ferocious and obsessive desire to prove myself as one of the best American athletes and my desire to compete with the best in the world.

All three of my decathlons this year came down to the race that everyone hates to run. The one that separates the men from the boys. The 1500. Now that I'm reflecting on the three races... the times where I had to come back from a substantial point deficit, I never ran fast enough to take the title (2nd at both Pac-12s and NCAAs). But that one time where I had to defend the spot I worked toward, defend the goal I set in my mind before I started my last collegiate season at UW, defend the point difference decided by at least a 20second lead in a race that is 3 and 3/4 of a lap..... I managed to defend like Leonidas and his 300. That big picture goal was where my mind was set the whole year. Did I glance over Conference and NCAA's because it was subdued in my subconscious to make way for the Bigger Picture? Yeah. Was it worth it?... you can decide that. (I know people place value on shoe contracts depending on collegiate success, but ever since I started doing track I never thought about collegiate achievements like winning conference titles and NCAAs until i got to UW).

Tired, worn out, struggling to find the time/money to get through the last month before worlds unveiled to me the struggle that people who aspire to compete professionally in track and field without shoe contracts deal with. But I managed to get to Russia, it was beautiful (check my Instagram "jeremyataiwo"), I loved the staff of USA, the people in Russia, and the city. I made friends with people on USA and internationally (I try to learn as many languages as I can and like being able to find a way to communicate with everyone and understand everyone). My big picture never really went further than worlds if I really thought about it. I realized it was an incredibly difficult task surviving an entire collegiate indoor and outdoor season and then attempting to compete very well at worlds.... it probably added to the work load doing the whole ten-event thing. ;) But the first 2 events were awesome, the shot put I struggled with having tapered and lost a lot of my strength and eventually I was forced to retire at the high jump when I hurt my knee on my first run-through.


SO what was the plan after Russia? I'm back here two weeks post meniscus surgery (the knee injury i acquired during worlds was a slight meniscus tear) and I'm doing the small job thing (manny and house-sitter) before I make moves for the big plans of training and living. Right after I was done with Worlds, I was invited to train at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. I decided that in my simple african influenced way of living that food, shelter and free facilities is all I could ask for at this point, so I applied. I got confirmation that I was accepted, and factoring in my rehab, I told the coaches that I would move down November 1st after I had October to recover from surgery and prepare to move my life.

My wonderful mum wants to make the road trip with me, so i'm planning on capturing a lot of photos and ideas along the way. I was trying to tell her that I've always wanted to go down Highway-1 and see the redwood forest. Hopefully I can see the sights and some friends along the way before I start this new chapter of my life.

Should be an awesome trip and I'll try to track and log it, so watch for it on my Twitter @JeremyATaiwo and/or Instagram @jeremyataiwo


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