TrackMom Diaries lets catch up now
With all my ups anddowns the past couple of weeks during this Junior Olympic “tour” I decided to write a bit in a journal-like form so when I got back it would be a kind of catch up of sorts. I didn’t write daily but I did write a few things over the fifteen days. This Junior Olympic Season has been one of the most rewarding to date for Henry and I, as we watched Lauren earn some great times and spectacular efforts to win Gold and Silver alike. Performance wise couldn’t really ask for much more. So here is a brief peak at the TrackMom perspectives of the 2010 USATF Junior Olympics and AAU Junior Olympic Games.
There are no pictures because although, I had my husband’s computer, I don’t have my camera to upload any pictures. This season will be recorded in my mind as the season that more than a few things that could go wrong had gone wrong in some form or fashion.
Monday 8.2.10
Greetings from Norfolk, Virginia. We have arrived in Virginia this morning August 2nd. We had decided (weeks ago, Lauren wouldn’t be running the 100m so it is straight to the car rental then the hotel and registration for Tuesday morning . After just about a week of no computer, I finally have wireless in hotel room computer service again andI can catch up with TrackMom (I think) the remaining few days of our 2010 season. We are staying in a full kitchen suite this week and I am soooo excited I get to cook and shop for food and NOT eat out unless we want to, not HAVE to. I have come to realize that half of my stress during Championships is due to trying to figure out what we are going to eat next.
My appetite is very light so most of the time eating isn’t very high on my list but always very high on my families. Once the girls(Lauren and Miah my niece) settled in to their room and I settle into the suite as a whole, unpack in Henry and my room, I am ready to make a plan for food shopping and getting ready for tomorrow the big Race day..200m QF and 400m Fight to Final races.
This 400m race has been much anticipated for a long time and now the day is almost here. Daesha Rodgers Miami Florida Vs. Lauren Williams Los Angeles, California. Well, Right now I just need a little rest and I will be ready to roll….
Tuesday August 3.2010
So here is my quick Quiet Fire(QF) Midget Girl catch up while I get set in my mind for the races today 8.3.10 and the rest of the week.
Thursday July 29th,2010 Quiet Fire midget 4×400 relay advances to the final with the second fastest time. Kayla Richardson also advances to the finals in the 200m.
Friday Julyt 30th, 2010
Today was another nerve racking day of relay rounds 100m and the 4x100m relays for Lauren. The 4x100m relay can be so hard to watch those darn zones, the baton .Oh…..I almost hold my breath all the way around . All turned out well Lauren qualified for both finals and now I feel a little better, a little calmer.
Saturday ,Julyt 31st 2010
Finals of the 4x100m brings home a silver for the Midget girls the race was very close but in the end 3M prevailed with a exciting finish line clincher closing in on 4th leg Lauren to win . The 200m Kayla brings her home a 5th place finish. We were very proud of her.
I rarely go to the finish line after a race , I knew the 4×100 loss was going to be a tough loss for the girls because they had worked so hard all season and really had only ran the 4-some 2 times but really wanted to win. Although Lauren generally not overly emotional I knew the water works were coming. Dad handles that team moment very well so I just sit in the stands until a little later.
By podium time, the girls were happy and although a little disappointed they were proud of themselves and their effort. They began thinking ahead to the next races. I meet Saravaughn’s mom sitting just in front of me and as soon as I saw her without her sunglasses I knew who she was. She was very pleasant andvery kind in her words about the girls. I think if sportsmanship could be give points ,she would, as would the entire team get the high marks. It is very nice to celebrate a great performance no matter which medal your (in this case my child) is wearing. A true fan can’t help but be happy for the winner.
For us after, the medals have been awarded, it’s time to go back to zero and even in a loss which, everyone will experience, there are great lessons to be learned and character to be built. Loss is the greatest teacher of how to be a good winner and loser too! Although it may feel nice to see your child win all the time it will make for tough times when the loss that will eventually come does. I am thankful for Laurens great competitors and that Lauren can have the privilege to compete against them. Win andLose she will experience both.
We always expect the best from 3M they are always tough competitors, this season has been the most challenging yet with Lauren and Saravaughn going back and forth for first place. First, in Phoenix 100m Saravaughn 1st Lauren 2nd, 4X100m relay 3M 1st QF DQ, and a dropped baton, LA Jets 100m Lauren 1st,Saravaughn 3rd, 4x100m QF 1st,4x400m 1st 3M 2nd in both. Now there were two more races left this season then back to zero square one.
Sunday August 1st 2010
9am starts the meet for us starts off with the 100m Lauren looks a little nervous, I feel WAY more than that. I stand close to the finish line and when she comes across the line I can’t tell who has won 2ndand 3rd place. Then the announcer say Lynna Irby 1st, Lauren Williams 2nd, Saravaughn King 3rd my stress was relieved one hundred fold, and I enjoyed the following races waiting on the final race of the day 4x400m Relays.
As the MG 4x400m Relay was lining up I began to think about just how determined the finalist were all going to be how far the QF girls had come to get to get to the point, just how much they wanted to not only win but break a junior Olympic record to go along with their National record broken back in May.
With the gun set I began biting my tongue and squinting my eye to get a closer look at our first leg, it goes off and QF gets a good start, at the 300m mark 3m begins to pull away but QF stays close and according to Coach Henry. QF gets the baton about 3rd or 4th the second leg (Lauren) darts out. I began to stand up then has she begun to close in and past the athletes in front of her I knew she could catch the leader if she really pushed it. Well she did and somehow made it look so easy I was now screaming with what was left of my voice from the 3 days before. Now you know I don’t like to scream but I just couldn’t help it, and so I screamed and screamed until the next QF girl took the baton. She ran very well and we continued to keep us in the first place slot. The last leg on QF, I like to call her the possum runner. She has this amazing ability to look like she is barely putting an effort in but she gets around the track very fast. She slightly slows her pace on the back stretch and the second place athlete gains a little ground but I knew she was just playing possum and as soon as she hit the final curve she began to leave the second place athlete finishing the relay in a new junior Olympic record of 3.56.88 the second place finisher also finished in a very fast sub four minute time of 3.59.83. Congratulations to 3M and all the finalist . California had 4 medalist in this race that was great to see…..Yes I am bias..just a little I guess. : – )
4x400m MG Relay Finals
1 15 Quiet Fire TC ‘A’ 4:07.57 3:56.86 J
1) Williams, Lauren 99 2) Paul, Jeanette 98
3) Richardson, Kayla 98 4) Richardson, Kyla 98
2 16 3M TC ‘A’ 4:04.58 3:59.83
1) Hill, Jowhari 98 2) Jones, Nyela 98
3) King, Sarahvaughn 99 4) Robinson, Dejah 99
3 12 Track Houston ‘A’ 4:11.03 4:07.64
1) Davis, Morgan 98 2) Gandy, Sydney 98
3) Hollier, Kennedae 98 4) Thomas, Charity 98
4 03 Team Voices ‘A’ 4:11.85 4:12.19
1) Douglas, Serenity 98 2) Fuller, Alexandria 98
3) Goode, Ansley 98 4) Jordan, Mikayla 99
5 15 California Comets ‘A’ 4:16.23 4:16.39
1) Rice, Elani 99 2) Huchinson, Maya 98
3) Jones, Aspen 99 4) Pate, Bailey 99
6 15 Los Angeles Jets TC ‘A’ 4:14.46 4:16.42
1) Wright, Autumn 99 2) Halley, Alexandrea 99
3) Milligan, Nina 98 4) Ned, Sydney 99
7 03 Ruff Riders TC ‘A’ 4:17.13 4:22.67
1) Butler, Jalah 99 2) Chatman, Kayla 99
3) Jones, Yoera 99 4) Price, Tralen 99
8 12 Tru Speed TC ‘A’ 4:20.43 4:25.75
1) Brown, Kaylen 99 2) Cooper, Teja 98
3) Grant, Miracle 99 4) Williams, Alexxus 98
And then…..Lauren’s 2010 Track and Field season was “almost” over, finishing as we had hoped, Medaled in every event they were entered in, finishing top 2 and even broke the Junior Olympic record showing that it wasn’t a fluke the QF Girls could run to a record that had stood for 14 years.. I am off to the meet this morning more on th 400m finals later….. Read part 2 here
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