Blogs : Mike Brown

No Excuses!!

I ran my first meet of the outdoor season on Sunday May 4th. I wish that I could remove that one from the record books because i'm going to remove it from my mind. I've never run so bad in my life. I probably shouldn't have even been on the track considering i didn't practice the entire week leading in the race because i got sick and i had an issue with my achilles that has continued to keep me out of practice. I'm a bit stubborn so I decided to throw out all the possible excuses and just go for it. No one cares if you're sick, no one cares if you're hurt. No excuses. Excuses build monuments of nothingness and those who excell in them seldom achieve in anything else!! (Some of you know that quite well) I lined up not really knowing what to expect. I was starting to run well in practice before another set back, but I didn't care and wanted to get a race in. I ran 49.45 and not in the 400 hurdles like I should be. No need to go into the details of the race--the time says it all. No excuses--the bottom line is that i'm not ready to run!

After the race I'll admit I was a little bummed. Who wouldn't be after a performance like that? Like i said i'm just going to remove that from my memory. I started to feel rushed and confused. With the trials only weeks away it would be a good idea to actually get on the track and practice. I talked to my coach and he said that my because of my base training i'm not in the worry zone just yet. He said that we still have time and that the turnover will come quickly once we get on the track. We have a plan and hopefully we'll actually be able to implement it.

I did some serious praying asking God to just show me what he wanted me to do. I use to be scared of retiring from track, but I'm excited about starting my life after track, but I didn't know if I was supposed to start it now or keep going. If God is done using me as a track athlete cool--it just means that he's ready to use me in other ways and i'm all for that. I'm not the best at understanding and acknowleding signs. Sometimes i think i get a sign and it wasn't and vice versa. With that i just asked for an answer. We don't always get our answer on our time--it's always on God's time. I went back and forth with the decision to shut it down or keep going. At one point i had decided to shut it down, but I hadn't gotten my answer yet. When you don't get the answer when you're looking for it it's best to just be still. Right now that's what i'm doing. I'm being still by staying on the course that i was set on. I'm still training ( on the bike) and preparing for God to use me. If I stop then he can't use me at all. I might even get that answer in 3 weeks that i'm supposed to stop running. If so i just know that it's on God's time not mine! Until then i'm preparing for my breakthrough.

God's Plan

3:15 PM, May 12, 2008 .. Posted by tr400

Man you definitely have the right attitude. Let go and Let God. It will all work out in the end beyone anything you have ever imagined. FYI ill be in town Thursday morning, so if you guys are training that day i'll train with yall.

See you soon.

Tyrone

Your Race

1:08 PM, May 13, 2008 .. Posted by Joshwyn

Man, for real the time wasn't that bad. You gotta consider running your first meet since indoors, plus your health. Man I think you did good. Take one race at a time...You def. got a good head on your shoulders so you will be dropping those 45's and 48's over the hurdle in no time. One meet at a time champ. Good job

right mindset

3:20 PM, May 14, 2008 .. Posted by missbri

I appreciate this post. I know what you are going through all too well. Continue to keep your head up and stay positive because sometimes the timing for actually racing takes a minute to come back to you and it doesn't necessarily mean that is indicative of the shape you're in if you ran a bad time your first race out. But you're right, God will direct your path and it's awesome that you are willing to go wherever he leads.

Untitled Comment

11:02 AM, May 16, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

What were your best most recent sessions leading up to your first race?. Usually there are some indicators as to where your fitness is. I know youve been injured so it may be hard to really say where you truly are with your training.

Untitled Comment

11:56 AM, May 16, 2008 .. Posted by mike brown

the week of the race i wasn't able to practice at all except for bike workouts. the week before was my 2nd week back on the track after being on the bike for 3 weeks. that week i did 3x300 at 36.9 & 37.2--5x200 the slowest being 26.2--then hit 65.3 in a 500 that i feel i could have run at least 64 if not 63 if i didn't back off. getting in shape hasn't been the problem it's getting healthy

What up

9:00 AM, June 9, 2008 .. Posted by Ali Najjar

Certain things are meant and GOD definitely has a plan, the only trouble is, how can we know his plan unless we try. Sometimes even "Failure" is in plan (notice the quotations). It never is failure until you fail to believe. It is just a test my brother, when your truly ready to move on, HE will make you and not with a sign that is up for interpretation. Stay strong and don't lose faith in your dreams.