Something New

Without discomfort, progress is not possible!

For many years I have talked about making the move to Germany to begin training. For many years before that, I talked of my German roots to my friends and how I have dual citizenship. And now, for the past summer, I put forward action instead of words.

My plan to move to Sindelfingen to train with my club began in the fall of 2015 (after I finished my most successful season). My plan was to run the 2016 season the same as 2015, in the USA, and then stay in Germany to begin training after the National Championships. Unfortunately, sometimes, things happens which interfere with your plans. In January of 2016 I had a season ending injury. My plan then changed to getting healthy and proving I can be competitive on the track again. I did just that.

With my successful return to the track in 2017, I turned my mind back to moving to Germany while I was here for a month of races. Each time I have visited in the past, it had become more difficult to return to the States (a bit of that is because coming back to the real world mean 4am wakeups, lifts and training alone, work, and 4 hours of daily driving). Although Germany is always a challenge for me, it is part of me. This part of me has been dormant for the first 25 years of my life, and now I feel I have an opportunity to get back to my roots. A move like this will definitely challenge me, help me grow, and let me experience something outside of my comfort zone. Without discomfort, progress is not possible!

The middle of October 2017 starts my new journey. I arrived in Germany with as much planned as possible. With that said, I am living nomadically, out of my suitcases, until I can find a place to live permanently. As of the day this is posted, I am on my second AirBNB home with a very nice family for the next 10 days, and then on to the next home I go. There are many things I could not plan for while still being in the States, my living situation is one of them. I will figure out where I will land eventually.

This trip to Germany will only be about a month. I will need to return back to Michigan to attend my sisters wedding. After the wedding, I will return to Germany to continue training with my club.

Many people have asked me why I would move to Germany one month before I would need to return for a wedding. This is a good question. It all comes back to paragraph one. I had talked about moving for so long, that putting it off for another month would then turn into another season to another year. I wanted to pull the trigger on moving and invest myself into the move happening.

I had my first day of training Monday, October 16th. Day 1 (and probably week 1) was mostly about being tested, in the wieght room, to see what I am able to do. My first opinion is that without anyone to train with for the past 5 years (along with a still improving ankle), I have some bad habits. To have a coach watching my every move is foreign to me. The second observation is about having a team. Most of the team is, maybe, confused as to who I am. This is normal because I only come for championships and most don't get to meet me. I hope, with teammates, I will be able to push harder, and have a support system around me. This may seem to be a small part to the equation, but training alone for 4-5 years (with only a hurdle coach), you are rarely competitive outside of race day. To train competitively will create a higher competitive nature on race day.

I am sure this year will be a lot about learning how the club trains. I am ready to learn. I am excited about this year. I have very big goals. I get to live my passion, and now invest myself fully into it.