Every time I write my bi-monthly blog I wonder if anyone is really reading it. I know a few people check it out from time to time, but is anyone really interested in what I have to say?
There has to be a way to sensationalize my regular activities which are pretty average and normal to me. Some people have that innate ability to turn a low key, even boring event into something exciting, overly dramatic and life changing. Yeah, I'm exaggerating a little, but the point is I need to bring a little more razzle dazzle to my blogs. So, if you are reading this blog or future ones, just leave a little comment about something you like or dislike. You can even post subjects that you would like to create a debate about or even a little controversy. It is hard for me to come up with creative subject material on my own. Like I said earlier, what I do everyday is pretty average from my perspective. Basically I'm trying to add a little spark to my blog.
Now, on to what's happening in my world...
Today, my parents will be arriving in Colorado Springs to stay for the week. They are driving from Minnesota to enjoy a Colorado spring break. My mom is an elementary school teacher and she is on spring break right now, so she decided it would be an adventure to get away from the Minnesota grind. I'm excited to have them come visit me, they never had the chance to visit me when I was living at the training center in Chula Vista, CA because it was too far and too expensive. Now, I only live 14 hours on the dot from my folk's place back home. I'm hoping the weather is nice for them while they're here, because Colorado spring weather is crazier than it is back in the land of 10,000 lakes. Just last night Colorado Springs had a winter weather advisory. Right now, as I'm typing this and looking out my window up into the mountains I can see the mountain tops getting a nice dumping of snow. I now my parents are not going to be all that excited about seeing more snow, especially after the winter of record snowfalls they just had.
Also, I started volunteering with the Mesa Ridge Grizzlies high school track and field team. They were on spring break this past week but they still had practices and a good amount of kids showed up to train and prepare themselves for their track season. It is a different experience working with high school level throwers. I have not had much coaching experience, but I'm getting it now! It is pretty difficult to coach, so I have a lot of respect for the good coaching I have had in my time. I have found that I really need to prepare myself and what I want to coach the kids ahead of time. It's like a teacher creating lesson plans, I'm just creating coaching plans. Piece of cake once those are made...sorta.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Professional Job Hunter
I have officially become a professional job hunter...for myself. The past few weeks I have been feverishly searching for a job that would allow me to train to the full extent that I need to, but at the same time making a steady income along with some much needed benefits. This is a difficult task for aspiring elite athletes like myself. I know I am not alone in this search for a decent paying job and balancing a full training schedule. Many of my fellow throwing friends are in similar situations. But, if throwing the discus paid well like many of the big time sports do, I would not be in this situation.
I am so grateful for what In the Arena has allowed me to do the past few years, but I am coming to a point in my life where I need to work a full time job. It is a stark reality and hard to accept, but without a full time job with benefits I will have a difficult time not living in a fort somewhere in the mountains. ITA has kept me afloat while I was training at the Olympic Training Center, but now that I have a monthly rent payment to make along with large amounts of food I consume I need to bring a little more cheese in. I'm not trying to write a "feel sorry for me post" just writing about what I am experiencing as a struggling athlete about to enter into the work force...somewhere.
I'm not totally in despair, actually not in despair at all. I am welcoming a new challenge in my life. It may not be optimal in terms of training, but what is optimal for training? I believe it will help me a great deal to have extra responsibility. My brother Sam laid it flat out to me that I have had it pretty easy. He's right. Living at the training center was an awesome experience, but I didn't have any responsibility to make me work hard for what I was doing. Not to say I wasn't training my butt off there, because I was...I'm trying to say I wasn't hungry enough. I had everything I needed without having to work for it, and now I do.
I've filled out numerous applications, had a couple interviews that I am still awaiting answers on, so all I can really do is wait for an opportunity to open up while I continue to pursue other potential opportunities. It's not like jobs a readily available. I am finding out quickly that you have to be very proactive and patient while hunting for jobs.
Speaking of being patient, I am still waiting to start my ITA service at the local YMCA. I have been in contact with the Volunteer coordinator and she informed me that they are still waiting on my fingerprint and background check to come back. I think it is strange that it is taking so long for my background check to come back, but I was told it can take up to three weeks. So, I sit and wait. On a side note about the YMCA, the volunteer coordinator who I have been talking with told me her position has been cut and she will no longer be working at the YMCA at the end of the month. This is incredibly sad to me, especially after visiting the YMCA. I thought they had quite the operation going that seemed to be benefiting a lot of kids. I don't think it will effect me too bad in terms of my ITA project plan but I can't be too sure. So, again I wait to hear back from them before I go forward with new plans.
Aside from all the real world drama, my discus training is coming along very well. I have acclimated to the altitude and I am starting to get my strength back. I have been throwing as much as possible when the weather is good. Today I was supposed to throw but was unable to because of a sleet/snow storm all day. It was too warm for there too be much accumulation, but too cold and wet to try and throw a discus. The good thing about Colorado Springs snow is that it doesn't stick around for long. This week there are three days forecasted to be sunny and in the 60's! Pretty excited about that. Spring is almost here, at least back in Minnesota it has arrived, well, today it did. My folks called to brag that the temperature was 64 degrees, sunny and that all the snow had melted in the yard and grass was proudly showing.
Here is some video I shot earlier this past week after one of my throwing sessions. It's a little experimental so don't judge me too much.
I am so grateful for what In the Arena has allowed me to do the past few years, but I am coming to a point in my life where I need to work a full time job. It is a stark reality and hard to accept, but without a full time job with benefits I will have a difficult time not living in a fort somewhere in the mountains. ITA has kept me afloat while I was training at the Olympic Training Center, but now that I have a monthly rent payment to make along with large amounts of food I consume I need to bring a little more cheese in. I'm not trying to write a "feel sorry for me post" just writing about what I am experiencing as a struggling athlete about to enter into the work force...somewhere.
I'm not totally in despair, actually not in despair at all. I am welcoming a new challenge in my life. It may not be optimal in terms of training, but what is optimal for training? I believe it will help me a great deal to have extra responsibility. My brother Sam laid it flat out to me that I have had it pretty easy. He's right. Living at the training center was an awesome experience, but I didn't have any responsibility to make me work hard for what I was doing. Not to say I wasn't training my butt off there, because I was...I'm trying to say I wasn't hungry enough. I had everything I needed without having to work for it, and now I do.
I've filled out numerous applications, had a couple interviews that I am still awaiting answers on, so all I can really do is wait for an opportunity to open up while I continue to pursue other potential opportunities. It's not like jobs a readily available. I am finding out quickly that you have to be very proactive and patient while hunting for jobs.
Speaking of being patient, I am still waiting to start my ITA service at the local YMCA. I have been in contact with the Volunteer coordinator and she informed me that they are still waiting on my fingerprint and background check to come back. I think it is strange that it is taking so long for my background check to come back, but I was told it can take up to three weeks. So, I sit and wait. On a side note about the YMCA, the volunteer coordinator who I have been talking with told me her position has been cut and she will no longer be working at the YMCA at the end of the month. This is incredibly sad to me, especially after visiting the YMCA. I thought they had quite the operation going that seemed to be benefiting a lot of kids. I don't think it will effect me too bad in terms of my ITA project plan but I can't be too sure. So, again I wait to hear back from them before I go forward with new plans.
Aside from all the real world drama, my discus training is coming along very well. I have acclimated to the altitude and I am starting to get my strength back. I have been throwing as much as possible when the weather is good. Today I was supposed to throw but was unable to because of a sleet/snow storm all day. It was too warm for there too be much accumulation, but too cold and wet to try and throw a discus. The good thing about Colorado Springs snow is that it doesn't stick around for long. This week there are three days forecasted to be sunny and in the 60's! Pretty excited about that. Spring is almost here, at least back in Minnesota it has arrived, well, today it did. My folks called to brag that the temperature was 64 degrees, sunny and that all the snow had melted in the yard and grass was proudly showing.
Here is some video I shot earlier this past week after one of my throwing sessions. It's a little experimental so don't judge me too much.
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