January 2014

January 2014 has been a busy month for this girl! I'll try to fill you in as much as possible.

I have been working hard to pay off my debts. I just have $84 dollars left to pay for taxes and everything is paid off. I have been working at a retail job changing sales signs, unloading the truck, and doing pretty much anything asked of me. This has enabled me to pay off debts, afford to go to training, and save for whatever came next.

I decided to move to League City, Texas to train under Tim Swords for Team Houston. I'll get to train in a garage like my high school days and experience heat and humidity like I did when I threw for Bama. Tim is a humble, hard-working, and athlete-centered coach. He has coached athletes from the start of their careers all the way up to the World Championship level. At the place I am at in my career and the situation I am in, when I am able to compete again, I need to hit the ground running. I can't afford any mistakes. I also need to work with a coach who has "been there; done that" when it comes to international competition. This seems like a good fit.

In the process of moving to Texas, I have been searching for work as well as a place to live. Working, training, and home life isn't really conducive to packing efficiently. This has been taking me weeks. I have mailed stuff out, I have stuff at my friend's grandma's place, I may be sending stuff home with my mom or I might leave stuff at this house here and come back in the future to get it. I have moved around an obscene amount of times whilst living in Az and every time I moved, I packed in haste and shoved everything into duffle bags and into my car. These past couple of weeks have been full of  "Why do I have this?" "I was wondering where that went!" "What does this go to?" "Do I need this?" Another difficult part of moving is having to make sure I have room for all of my heavy athletic equipment. Makes me think "OF COURSE I would gravitate to niche sports that require such large, heavy, and cumbersome equipment."

Training has been the hardest thing to do during these past few months. Working is kicking my butt, and driving about 30 minutes to work and 45 to training every day is taxing me financially, time-wise, and adding undue wear and tear on my little car. I have been so exhausted from work or from work then throwing, then lifting, that I have had to miss training or whatever else has popped up. At the bro-gym I train at (which I am thankful for and they are very accommodating and awesome) I don't have the proper equipment or coaching to get much quality work in but, I have been doing my best to lift as often as I can, throw (to stay physically active in my time not lifting) and riding my bike. The bro-gym has been a fun experience because I have seen some of my old training partners and interns that were at my old gym. I have actually started training with a defensive lineman friend of mine. It's very motivating to have a good training partner like him.

I've talked a lot so here is a video and some fun photos I have found that I didn't get a chance to share before:

This is from my first "competition" back since 2008 after training for about 4 months. Although I have thrown further in training (who hasn't?) This is a more "official" pr in the hammer. 51.97 meters

I went tubing for the first time with my best friend last time I was in the Houston area 

The day after the Women's Sports Foundation gala, my friend/old competitor I hadn't seen since 2007 came to visit me. 

My teammate made an awesome scrap book and gave it to me at my farewell dinner. I started tearing up when I got to these pages. Such beautiful, special memories.  

With the Desert Hot Springs City Manager getting an exclusive look at the Boys and Girls Club of the Coachella Valley before it was opened.  

I got a chance to be in the Christmas Parade. The last time I was in a parade for Desert Hot Springs, I was dressed up as the book "Great Expectations" to celebrate the opening of our library.

My friend and I went up into the mouth of the T-rex in Cabazon. You may remember this from PeeWee Herman's Big Adventure. 

My friend and I got to meet Keith Anderson. He was an awesome guy.

I held cute puppies!

And cute snakes

I went to the Phoenix Zoo lights for the first time. What a fun experience!

Special Auction

While going through a lot of my things, I found my Olympic Warm-up suit and a lap top bag that I do not want/need. I tried to think hard about whether or not I would miss them 20 years from now and the answer is "no." I never carry a lap top bag so the one I have in new and unused. The warm-up suit, I have many problems with and didn't even wear it once except to try it on. I want to auction these  to fund my trip to Texas. I have met my goal of $213 for gas but, I still need to afford lodging and food along the way. Any extra funds will  go toward training and living expenses my first little bit in Texas.

This will give me one two less things to deal with and with help me on my way to hopefully making another "Roblympic" Team in 2016. If you are interested: I will have the "auction" open until February 1st. Please include the amount you wish to donate, what you are bidding on, and include your address in an email to prettystrongblog@yahoo.com Obviously, the highest bidder gets the goods and I will let you know if that is or is not you.

Thank you and have fun!

Sarah