Sunday, September 14, 2008

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November 19, 2008

4.30PM Meeting with the coach

Bi-annually. I meet with Carla one-on-one to discuss my up-coming season and to lay the ground work for a successful plan of attack.

This will be my first indoor season training and competing as a non-Cougar athlete.
The feeling is very hard to describe.

Ultimately though, this means it’s time to make all the adjustments I may have otherwise been putting off in the past, because the only difference between me and the girls in those surrounding lanes is my level of unconditional dedication.

Coach Nicholls has a renewed view on coaching elite athletes since coming home from Beijing and I look forward to seeing our new plans through with an air of lighthearted excitement. Let the training begin!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

My long-weekend seems to have preceded numerous days of rain. And while every once and awhile the sun peeks out from behind a storm cloud – inevitably the droplets begin their splash-down sequence soon after.

Running in the rain isn’t for everyone, unless you’re made of sugar; in which case you might want to avoid all forms of precipitation all together. But if you don’t mind getting a little wet, and understand that you can’t run with an umbrella-ella-ella-ella … then you too can participate in this form of exercise.

Personally I find rain-runs exhilarating. In particular, when it’s much too wet out to risk ruining my trusty iPod, the only available playlist consists of the sounds of the rain and the cadence of my own breath.

There is nothing – nothing but my shoes pounding the pavement on this journey ahead.

Running can set you free … free from responsibilities … free from concerns …

It’s good to remember that the simple act of running doesn’t always have to be about a specific goal. Sometimes, it’s just the act itself that provides the glory.

Monday, August 25, 2008

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Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

5 lies I will stop telling myself – and work to resolve.

Leisurely off-season bike riding for an hour is just as good as going for a run of equal length
Hitting the snooze button just three more times isn’t going to make me late…. Really!
I do enough ab and back exercises.
Indulging in just one more specialty coffee today isn’t that bad for me, and certainly won’t cause me to want just as many (or more) tomorrow.
I eat a healthy breakfast everyday.

Friday, August 22, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

That was an incredibly fast two weeks “n’est pas?” The Beijing Olympics will close August 24^th and shortly thereafter I look forward to hearing my cell phone ring while glancing down to see “incoming call … Coach Carla”!

I have been running – more appropriately deemed: jogging – once again. At first I thought my legs may have transformed into elongated sacs of lead … albeit alarming … within the first 10 minutes it stopped being as excruciating as the look on my face likely made it seem.

I also started doing some lighter lifting this week. My shoulders and traps are feeling it already. Add some abdominal work and we have one seriously sore body. I can’t lie though – it feels good.

“Your training partner’s name is pain. You start out trying to ignore him. Can’t do it. You attempt to reason with him. No way. You try to strike a bargain. Hah! You plea; you say, ‘Please stop, please go away. I promise never ever to do this again if you just leave me alone.’
But he won’t. Pain only climbs off if you do. Then you’re beaten. ”
-Scott Martin

Friday, August 8, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

It’s finally here: 08-08-08 and I almost can’t believe my eyes as I flip on my “pre-programmed to be on the Olympics 24/7” TV in the main room. It is shortly after 9am and the XXIX Olympiad opening ceremonies are … still on. Hooray

I only managed to catch the Chinese team entering the Bird’s Nest (I really would’ve liked to see all the Canadian athletes…) but it was just enough to satisfy my Olympic craving. The proceedings came complete with a harnessed Chinese athlete running around the entire inside upper wall of the stadium en-route to light the flame. As I sat there still wrapped in a blanket a warm feeling like no-other rushed over me. I remained wide-eyed and snuggled up in front the glow of that Olympic flame until the ceremonies came to a close.It’s official – my pilot light is lit.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

Enjoy your body!!!
I need to remind myself this from time to time; the need is more frequent in the days/weeks/ (God forbid) months I get to have OFF.

For many athletes, at any level – the oh-so-powerful mind can have us believing that within days our body is ridding itself of all accumulated muscle, and that any softer areas have most certainly transformed into fat by now. Ugh! And don’t even get me started on ones “certainty” of a complete loss of speed-endurance.

Yesterday, one of my training partners wrote me an email: “I’m in a battle right now with losing muscle weight and gaining fat. Man I don’t wanna get fat!”

I respond quickly, asking her how she has decided that she is in this battle.
“Well I figured my shorts fit looser yesterday,” she explains, “but that could be just my mind thinking it … it has only been a week after all….”
The thing about all this is that I completely understand how she feels.
I am right there sitting next to her on this “I am feeling less-than-fit” boat.

After a quick random online-search for [“Taking time off” + “I feel fat”] I find threads on messages boards with athletes complaining about this exact topic.

“I HATE taking time off!!” one user writes “I know I need to, but I feel the fat returning and my muscles shrinking!! *laughs* Is it in my head??
Luckily, someone with some sense is also surfing the net:
“Your muscles are NOT going to shrink; they will not atrophy as quickly as you think. I actually recommend you take time off!”

Well said, well said.
Because no athlete should ever risk experiencing the dreaded: Burnout.

Let us thank our coaches and our own self-discipline.
Here’s to time-off — a blessing in disguise!

The body is our temple, and while sometimes we might feel that taking time-off is a form of self-neglect, we need to give our head a shake and realize that it’s the time-off that will help our muscles regenerate and maybe even promote getting some extra rest. All this, so we come back feeling better and faster than ever.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

My time-off is officially in progress; I feel weird.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

RACE DAY – 2:40PM Douglas Park, Regina, SK.

Another blazing hot Sunday to race in; no real complaints with that though.

As my last competition of the season I can’t say I wasn’t a little sad. But I tried my best to ignore those feelings and focus on what I was about to do … again.
I took a few moments to visualize, and once I was warmed up put my spikes on and headed to practice my starts.
Today the Sr. Girls were slotted to go last so that provided the opportunity to watch a couple of other races.
Aaron reeled in his competition over the 8^th hurdle. It was a strong race for him, and sometimes seeing your training partner succeed is a mini-confidence booster.

My loyal cheering section showed up in the knick of time, and I noticed them when I was walking back from the first false start. I admit, I’m a bit of a support-junkie. I love knowing there are people to help yell me through the finish line, as well as pick me up afterwards!

Out in lane 6 this time around and I was racing three girls other I did not know. Also, today was the first race Carla had me switch my footing in the blocks. I will now be coming out with my left leg to start. It was awkward at first but I know it’s for the best.

The gun went off again, and with focus and control I came out hauling ass.

Carla would tell me later her worry was hurdle 5 but this race proved I could handle it.
However, I approached both hurdle 2 and 7 with more of a stutter step than a stride – which inevitably would leave me with a final time of 63.75.
I felt like I could’ve run 62 this time; I was reassured it was definitely in the works.

In any case, 400m Hurdle Provincial Champion is not too bad, not too bad at all.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

So what with a work-related lunch reservation today, and a slotted (much needed/ over-due) massage at 3 PM I had to squeeze in my workout today anywhere I could.
My choice you ask?
The ridiculous hour that is 6 AM, of course.
*sigh*
Trust me, getting up that early, knowing I need to prepare to run my butt off takes more self motivation than most days!

I warmed up, all the while avoiding getting sprayed by the Douglas Park sprinklers.
And with the sun coming up, I tightened my spikes and headed for the 300m start line.

It wasn’t that pleasant at all. The final corner proved to be a bit of a fight.
I came through in 42.9

When I reported via email back to Carla her response was, “You’re crazy kid!”

I’m still wondering if she meant crazy as in: “Cassie, that was a crazy good time!” Or crazy as in, “Cassie, I think it’s time we got you some help. …”
I may never know. J

Tomorrow brings a day off and my nerves are starting to build with anticipation….

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

By

Cassie Hawrysh

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November 19, 2008

500PM practice today – as per usual.
Carla arrived excited and semi-stressed (preparing for the Olympics can’t be a cake-walk).

Today’s menu features: block-work on the curve, over hurdles.
1 x 1H, 1 x 3H, 1 x 5H, 1 x 7H
In short my over 3 hurdles was “the best of my life” (a phrase I coined by my Coach), and my over 7 hurdles was a little dismal, but a good learning experience.

And for dessert: a plate of realization that it is imperative I learn to be comfortable with my left leg (my non-lead) over the hurdle ASAP! Clearly, a dish served cold. Ha!