http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3XE0yxn2KQ

Having been in the track and field business for many years and being a seasoned thrower I’ve learned that sports is about recovery.  If you want to preform at your best you have to be able to recover.  A key factor for my longevity in discus throwing has been focusing on recovery.  In looking up the definition of recovery I found, 1. The act, process, duration, or an instance of recovering.  2. A return to a normal condition.  3. Something gained or restored in recovering.

Like a fine wine, I like getting better with age!  And that has been possible by trying to find ways to recover better every year.  In college I started with Sleep, making sure I was getting a good night’s rest.  Then I learned about Icing and putting ice on a sore muscle after a workout.  I spent one whole summer doing yoga to maitain Flexibility. After competing in 3 Olympic games and working on number four, I’ve stepped up my recovery game.

Some things I do daily to help my body train at this level.  Staying Hydrated, I drink a gallon of water a day and I like to treat myself to an occasional coconut water.  Nutrition,  I continue to make dietary changes every year, but since focsuing on whole foods, organic foods and eating seasonal I feel way better than when I ate fastfood all the time.  A focused Warmup and Cool down, making sure I am ready to go before training and stretching really well after.  I used to get in the car and go straight home, talk about stiff, not anymore.  I’ve added in more Sports Massage over the years, I try to get treatment once or twice a week now.  My newest addition this year has been the NormaTec MVP system I first learned about it at World Championships and then I got to use it again at the Pan Am Games.  My legs and arms felt so much better that when I got home, I got a set.

The definition says to return to a normal condition, I want a Better Condition!!  #makeitcount  London 2012

As you can tell by the photo I am super excited about my silver medal from the Pan Am Games.  I want to say a special thanks to the USA staff and medical team, you guys did an outstanding job. And a special shout out to the Lady throwers who brought home 4 medals for TEAM USA.  We started off with a Bronze in the Hammer by Amber Campbell, Bronze in the Shot Put by Michelle Carter, Gold in the Javelin by Alicia Deshaiser, and I brought it home with the Silver in the discus. Great JOB ladies!!   The village was set up really well, easy to get to all the buildings without a lot of walking.  The food wasn’t to bad either.  I think the most interesting and innovative thing was that the furniture was made out of cardboard.

We had a great international zone full of culture activities, salon, souvenir shop and a food court with a Starbucks.

This was a great way to finish the 2011 season.  Now it’s time to get ready the 2012 Olympic season.  I’ll keep you posted

For Official Results

Thank you Holley DeShaw for the photos!

The Pan American Games features 42 nations that will participate in 36 events beginning on October 14th and running until October 30th.

According to the ESPN Media Zone, full coverage of the event will be available via ESPN Deportes.

ESPN Deportes will provide unmatched, daily coverage of the 16th edition of the Pan American Games live from Guadalajara, Mexico Friday, October 14 – Sunday, October 30. Coverage of the Games will be featured on ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN Deportes La Revista. In addition, ESPN2 will provide additional coverage in English.

As noted there, you will also be able to stream the event live on ESPN3.

Here is the full ESPN Deportes TV schedule:

A great time was had by all at the Jack O Lantern Lane pumpkin patch this weekend.  This was our second time to the farm and it was even more fun than last year.  Two of Theo’s friends from school and thier families joined us.  They had a huge play area with bouncy houses and a giant bouncy slide.  Theo’s favorite was the Thomas the train ride which he rode twice.  Then we took a wagon ride out to the pumpkin fields and played “I Spy” along the way.  It took some convincing but I finally got Theo to get a decent sized pumpkin.  We had a lot of fun in the petting zoo, holding baby rabbits, petting horses, cows and feeding baby goats.  We learned how to shuck corn, grind it and turn it into meal.  After all the hard work Theo had homemade ice cream with his friends Magnus and Hudson.  Just to show how much fun he had he even slept with his pumpkin last night.

World Championships did not go as well as I wanted but my season is far from over.  I have the Diamond League Final in Brussels, Belgium on September 16th, which I am currently in 3rd place in the Diamond Race, the final meet is worth double points.  Then at the end of October we have the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.  We only have the Pan Am’s every four years and this is going to be my 3rd Pan Am team.  It will be another honor to wear the United States of America uniform and represent my country.

The photo is the Pan Am track under construction.  We still don’t know if its ready yet.

During my years being involved in athletics I have been taught that it is important to stay hydrated.  I remember my 1st Olympic team in 1996 seeing signs on the wall in the training room if your pee is this color drink more, and I remember laughing, thinking why do you care about the color of my pee? Until recently I didn’t really pay attention to what it meant to be hydrated and how to know if I was properly hydrated.  In my quest to be healthier, which has been several years of making dietary changes. Now, I am taking a closer look at WATER.  This blog is going to be the 1st of many on the topic of water. Below I have a couple of links, one to watch a 1 hour documentary and another for their official website.  I encourage you to watch the movie and then comment on this blog and let me know what changes you are going to make for a healthier you and planet.

Click here to watch the movie Tapped

Visit Tapped The Movie Official Website

I am no longer going to buy bottled drinks in a plastic container.  I will be more diligent about using my reusable bottle and for travel I have a stainless steel bottle with a filter in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y1SXFz6ffY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIzf6lD_FlI