Blogs : Eric Simmons

After Thanksgiving....

This is actually the third time I've typed this journal because my computer is rebelling against me. Anyway, I came off of Thanksgiving not lazy or a few pounds overweight like some people get due to the festivities of the holidays, but with a nasty stomach virus that made me feel and sound like a dryer with 100 dollars worth of change in it that was turned on to permanent press. Imagine that.

With the stomach virus, I lacked the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, energy, or whatever other stuff is natural to train at an intense level. On Monday, we had to do 4 400s in 55-57 with 5 minutes rest. I gutted out 57, 56, 56, 55, but also gutted out myself in the form of the vomiting that took place immediately after the cooldown and while I was starting my car. After the second one, I knew the sickness was going to come when my stomach was turning and I could barely stand. On Wednesday, we did 8x200s with 2 mins rest from 27-29.  I went 29, 28, 28, and it dawned on me that I was very flat so I picked up the last 5 and went 27x4 and then 25 to end it. On Friday, I got in the blocks for the first time since the shenanigans known as "Eric limps into nationals again and misses the finals by the smallest of margins" '07. It all felt foreign to me, but I managed to get 4 quality starts in and called it a day. Tuesday and Thursday was nothing to write home about, as usual, as it was mileage and weights.

From a school standpoint, I don' t have as much work as I thought I would in the week before finals. I knocked out my second draft of my senior thesis which I hope they accept this time. I have to edit one more paper and type another, and then study for my finals which my teachers have already given us to prepare for. I also have a history exam, but I'm not a history major and the outcome of this final exam means nothing in terms of whether or not I graduate, so my effort in the class as of late can be classified as "N" for non-existent.

Instead of being on edge about my final exams, I'm on edge about our indoor season, which did not begin in December for the first time in two years. While December is not where indoor season is made or broken, there were several impressive marks laid down this past weekend that has our team itching to get out there. We're still ironing out the details of our schedule, and after having a meeting with our coach, consulting with some of the people I know in the collegiate track world (which I must thank the great world of Trackshark for because the people I've met through my blogging have helped me in many ways), and doing some research on the internet, we are about 95% sure about our indoor schedule. It looks like the men's team is going to open up January 5th at the Ed Temple Classic at Tennessee State. On January 11th, we are going to compete at the Rose-Hulman Open at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana, and turn around and run the following day at the Indiana Open on January 12. Then, we take a select men's squad to my favorite meet, the Indiana Relays, on February 1st and 2nd. Then, it's the UNC Invitational on February 16th. We're still looking for a meet on January 26th, so if any of you out there in Trackshark land know of a quality meet that will go down the weekend of January 26th, please inform me of such a thing.

This past weekend, from a personal standpoint, started off great and had the most sucktacular ending of all time. The shenanigans that Me, Tim, and Ahmad got into left me amazed for about a day or so. All I will say is, I got pulled over, and I was the victim of the most thinly veiled form of racial profiling that ever existed, as the first thing I was asked because I have a somewhat nice car was "Who's car is this?" The sad thing is, it's not the first time that it has happened to me, and it probably won't be the last, which is a sad reminder of some of the negative things that go on in the world. I would elaborate further on my weekend, but I know that a lot more people than I would care to let know the extent of what happened read my journal, so if I have not told you already, I may not plan on telling you. (No offense Trackshark world, I love ya'll  to death:) )

Well, I'm off to close down the weightroom and head home for the evening. I guess I'll catch ya'll next week.