Wait For Us… Let’s Catch Up And Move On Day 4 and Day 1

 July 27th ,Day Four Final(ly) Over….

 Well this has been a learning experience to say the least. In the end the trip was okay. I say okay because, I am used to so many things, for starters, easy seamless Internet access, a car to get around with out depending on the kindness of an already over worked,never paid sometimes(often times under appreciated)  Quiet Fire’s Head Coach Shelton Hall. : )

 And so today (July 27,2008) began…I couldn’t sleep all night, tossed and turned .Not worrying about Lauren, worrying about getting out of Omaha on time and with no extra expense. We hadn’t planned originally for Lauren to run the 100m ,as things unfolded during the week she wanted to try for a medal .At first I didn’t want her to run because of the plans we already had for going to Detroit, but as the week progressed I woke- up realized that it is an honor to be able to qualify to even come to JO’s then to qualify for a final. I couldn’t let her miss an opportunity.

At that point ,I was very much prepared to do what every it took (pay almost 400.00 more dollars additional in airfare fees, drive to Detroit to allow her to run on finals day . Anyway the hardest part was done she was here already qualified. What was I thinking??? TrackMom Is learning too : )

 Well after a lot of praying,a whole lot. We got our flight lay over (we went to the airport at 6:30am)and changed the flight to a standby status) to Chicago exactly at the time we wanted and got back to the track at 7:45am at 9am she ran her 100m final. Lauren finished 7^th  and this is her first of what I hope are many more USATF Junior Olympic Championships.  Immediately after she crossed the finish line we left the stadium and my great track mom friend Stephanie Holloway,took us to the airport  at 9:22am after watching her daughter take 3^rdin the midget division. We were on our way to the airport. All went well, we( all) got on the plane with no time to spare and here I am now typing from O’Hare  Airport Chicago,waiting for the flight to Detroit. I think I am relaxed now…..

WAIT FOR US!!!

How quickly things change,in the time I typed those last words yesterday (July 27th) at 2:30 pm our world got turned upside down AGAIN. They had  just called the flight so I stopped writing ,when I went to the counter the lady was extremely rude and said to me that there was not  going to be ANY more flights with stand by seats available until tomorrow morning ,Monday July 28th .2008 and then nothing was guaranteed..  WHAT?????? OH NO….more drama (%^$#@) oops I mean  Darn  :- (

What’s A Track Parent To Do???

Henry said “We are going to have to drive to Detroit,  lets go get a car and move out”. I was in a way relieved becaused I didn’t want to get a hotel at the airport for the night to much money… ,no sleep and then worry until we got on the flight about making the starting time of the AAU 100m Quarter Finals at 2:00pm EST sooooooooooo the Williams were off on a mini road trip to Detroit from Chicago,IL. roughly a -4-5 hour trip. Well ,that is if you know where you are going.  We did not . I called a trackmom I knew in Illinois to help get us to Detroit, she was already in Detroit so she help get us going. Start to finish  it took us from 4pm to 11:30 pm to get to our hotel In Detroit, MI. What a long day. All and all it was not a bad trip once we got going in the right direction : – )

Lauren slept a lot of the  time ,we stopped for some dinner and a couple of snacks for the road then we were off.While Lauren slept  we talked alot about the experience we had in Omaha. Our personal ones,Lauren’s performance, our expectations of the meet ,other teams performances and the conversation went on and on. In the end I can say it was just okay. I really didn’t know what it would be like. I only had last year’s AAU Junior Olympics in  Knoxville, Tennessee to compare with in terms of a large National meet. Well, the venue was a high school,a nice ,big high school but a high school all the same. Where the school and surrounding hotel  was wasn’t very pedestrian friendly at all. No walking distance food or shopping. I hated this part because we didn’t have a car, getting food other than the hotel food  was a pain in the rear to get.

My sisters were laughing at me because they know I REFUSE to buy food that is over priced and taste like wood..so  I missed many meals while in Omaha. I don’t have a large appetite so I don’t really care to much about eating ,but those other Williams do , and they did eat at the hotel regularly . I think eating is over rated… (hahaha) I call it the TrackMom Diet.Free apples and oranges at the counter. That is about all I was eating the first couple of days then we found a great  place that delivered sandwiches so I had that 2 times over the 4 days and one day the over worked coach took us to pick up dinner on the way from the track.Another evening Lauren and Henry went out with the team one night (I didn’t feel to good, maybe malnuorished ?NAH.. Hehehe , Just heat exausted .We did have dinner with friends one night, which was a great treat. We ate at the Cheese Cake Factory,but that night I wasn’t hungry  so I just had veggies any way.  I felt like a prisoner in the hotel,sometimes I didn’t have water ’cause they ran out or I didn’t want to pay $ 2.00 a bottle so I waited.It became a principle thing with me and I wasn’t giving in.All I could think of is it will be better in Detroit a car, Target, Walmart (which I love on these track trips but never get to at home. a nice room,Internet access for free that works, Lauren running in her age group ,getting some confidence back(more on that another time) close to the track,friends from all over the country I have meet on TrackMom and person ones from the last years meet…Motown Mueseum Just to name a few things..

The weather wasn’t too bad.One day it was wonderful can’t remember which one now.The vibe, If I could use the word was a bit stiff and stoggy,not a lot of smiles .Most volunteer were friendly .  It seemed more like work than fun for the kids. Alot of kids with nothing to do after a day or two.Very boarded.(this may happen at AAU as well not sure.) It seemed very controlled in a not pleasant way. I am not sure I have the right words ,if any of you were there help me out  and tell me you impressions of this meet. There were a good number of athletes ,but I know there were going to be more at AAU. 

Would I go again,Of course… Probably next year..Will I look forward to it has much as I did  AAU? Probably not. I am glad I have a choice to go either or both (well that is if I have the funds. I would probably not go like this back to back meets again. Way To Hard and too much can go wrong with your timing.It can be done ,but for my first time it wasn’t a great experience. Lots of mistakes and missed steps to having smooth sailing. 

This is a part of the learning curve to becoming a great TrackMom I guess.

DAY ONE FOR LAUREN AAU Junior Olympics , DETROIT MICHIGAN

Well I have many more funny stories about getting to Detroit,but I will save them for another time. We are now at AAU and I feel as if I am about to run.  It was so exciting this afternoon  to see so many athletes,and the stadium was Huge…I guess it could hold over 50,000 people. Lots of seating . The  volunteer staff  was a dream, extra kind,going out of their for me when I was having trouble getting Lauren’s packet. Lot’s of smiling faces again, may familar from last year.  More to come on the first day expereince tomorrow.. I have to pass out now before 3 am comes…  Lauren Qualfied for the 100m Semis with a first place finish and a first place seed. Horrible start and she is losing valuable time there so Henry’s going go work with her some more. He thinks she will need the whole week to really run her best to close out this season,time will tell. 200m QF tomorrow

Until Next Time