Track & Field

Once you are on the blocks, seconds before the race begins, what are the thoughts or images that came to your head?

Mind Clear, Crowd Fades: The Zone Before the Race

All right, in the blocks, what came to my mind, what images was I thinking, absolutely nothing. When you are getting in the blocks, you're getting in the zone and you hear the crowd and then all of a sudden, you don't hear the crowd, you hear the guy say on your mark, but really above and beyond that, you don't hear anything around you on the races that I could remember something other than you know, starting the race and then also getting to the Finish Line, it didn't go well for me. So So kind of blanking out and kind of going into what we call the zone that is actually a thing if you can hear like your mom going. Yeah do you got this? Don't worry, you know you're not really 100% zoned in and so I didn't have thoughts or images or things that I was thinking about, you know, I had to kind of really completely clear my mind, prior to a race.

When I got in the blocks for a race, I would try to clear my mind and not think about anything besides the starting of the race and getting to the finish line.

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Once I was on the blocks, seconds before the race began, my mind was completely blank. I entered a zone where I blocked out everything around me. The crowd noise faded away, and I focused solely on the starting command. I didn't have any specific thoughts or images in my head during that moment. It was important for me to clear my mind and be fully present before the race. However, I must admit that if I could hear my mom cheering for me, it meant I wasn't completely zoned in. So, I aimed to have a clear and focused mind before starting the race.

What are your tips on training while traveling around the world and maintaining a good fitness level along the way?

Maintaining Fitness While Traveling: Key Tips for Success

All right, I've got some tips for traveling around the world and maintaining your Fitness along the way. What I think you need to consider first is what is your plan. You don't want to change your plan, just based on the fact that you're traveling. And so many people fall prey to this especially those who are not competing in a professional sport. So you get on the road and now you have to use the hotel gym and it's not quite equipped for what your regular workout. Are so understanding what your plan is first and what you need to accomplish in order to reach your goals is a key piece of the puzzle and then secondarily to that being able to say, like, okay, well this is my plan. This is what I need to do at least in order to maintain my fitness and picking out those things. So as an example, I use this thing called Clash past when I travel now as I'm a retired athlete, just trying to stay fit and I pick out my workouts before I travel or places that I can go and work out so that I've know. Okay, I'm gonna have enough time to do it and also I'm going to have a place to go do something that is going to be productive as a professional athlete. Maintaining my fitness level incredibly important to find the proper workout facilities in advance. So track and field athletes tracks are kind of everywhere but not always hard to get into. Sometimes whether they're a weight room, is sometimes really hard to find, you know, you have like the Basic Fitness stuff in the gym, but they won't have like, freeway. Ways or Olympic lifting. And so it's really important to make sure that, like I said, where you're going to be is going to have something and then, you know, try to plan your life and also have be flexible. So it may be a lifting day but there's, there's no gym where you are and tomorrow is a great gym and you weren't really planning on lifting. You have to be a little bit flexible, but you also have to know, like, hey, maybe I have to miss a live all together because the most important thing is that I'm not sore for my upcoming competition. So those are some tips for training while traveling.

When traveling, it is important to plan ahead and understand what your fitness goals are. Make sure that the places you are going have the proper workout facilities available, and be flexible in order to make sure you are not over-exerting yourself for competitions.

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When it comes to training while traveling around the world and maintaining your fitness level, here are some tips to consider. First, stick to your plan and goals. Don't let the fact that you're traveling change your entire routine, especially if you're not a professional athlete. Understand what you need to accomplish in order to reach your fitness goals.

Secondly, plan ahead and identify workout options that align with your plan. For example, you can research and select workout facilities or activities in advance. This way, you know you'll have enough time and a productive place to exercise. As a retired athlete, I personally use Clashpass to find suitable workout locations while traveling.

It's important to note that not all places may have the exact equipment or facilities you're used to. For track and field athletes, finding tracks may be easier, but weight rooms can be more challenging. Make sure to research if the locations you'll be visiting have the necessary equipment or alternatives to meet your training needs.

Flexibility is key. If your planned workout isn't possible due to limited options, be adaptable. You might need to switch up your routine or even skip a workout to prioritize your upcoming competition or avoid excessive soreness.

By following these tips, you can maintain your fitness level while traveling and ensure that your training remains on track.

Unleash Your Potential: Hard Work Knows No Limits

So what is my favorite quote? It is hard, work knows, no limit for me. What that means is that if you're working hard toward a goal, there's no limit to what you can achieve. And there's so many examples in my life of me working hard towards something and someone showing up and kind of stepping in the to make sure that I was able to achieve that goal. So there's really no limit. So an example I'll give is that, you know, some points during my childhood I didn't have shoes to be able to compete in and people saw my potential. They saw how hard Working in track and field and so they stepped up and they helped out to make sure that I had the proper shoes and I need it so that I could compete just in time so many times. And there's just a very example over my life where I'm working hard toward a goal and other people see what you're doing. And they're just like, hey, I want to help you get where you're going, but you first have to be investing in yourself so, hard work Knows. No Limits is my favorite quote.

My favorite quote is "Hard work knows no limits." It means that when you're working hard towards a goal, there's no limit to what you can achieve. Examples from my life have shown that if you put in the effort, people will come to help you reach your goals.

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My favorite quote is Hard work knows no limit. This quote resonates with me because it emphasizes that there are no boundaries to what can be achieved through dedicated effort. Throughout my life, I have experienced instances where I worked tirelessly towards a goal, and others recognized my determination and stepped in to support me. For example, during my childhood, there were times when I lacked proper shoes for competing in track and field. However, people recognized my potential and provided the necessary resources to ensure I could participate. This pattern has repeated itself in various aspects of my life, where my hard work caught the attention of others who were willing to lend a helping hand. However, it is important to note that investing in oneself is crucial before others can offer their support. Hard work knows no limit serves as a reminder that with perseverance and dedication, there are no boundaries to what can be achieved.

Any recommendations for overcoming self doubt before a race?

Conquer self-doubt: Unleash your potential and perform at your best!

All right. Let's talk overcoming self-doubt before a race. So the first thing I want you to do, if you are ever doubting yourself right before a race is Wonder like wait, where is this coming from? Why am I doubting? I have trained hard. I have eaten the right things. I've gone to bed on time. I am just as good as everybody else that I'm competing against, no matter what sport it is. If you have self self doubt before a race, it's because you don't have confidence in something that you did in preparation for. It, but I think that if you think about it really hard, you'll realize that even if you didn't sleep well, right before the Olympic Games, you don't sleep well that night before race, you done months and months and months, and months of training, getting ready for it, and you've got these butterflies in your stomach. Sometimes, you don't sleep at all before the race, however, you can go out there and you can still win an Olympic gold medal. And I'm sure that you have, you will find others. That will say, they have done just that. So where's this self-doubt coming from and And why is this thing holding me back? So like I said, if it's let's say is an example. Oh, I haven't been doing this best. I've been staying up late or I've been doing something like that. You can say like, wait a minute. Yes, I haven't been doing everything that I could have possibly been doing but I have still prepared to the best of my ability up to this point. I have to go with what I have and I'm going to make sure that I go out there and do my best. There's somebody else that's not perfect either because none of us are. So maybe you're the one that's not sleeping as well as somebody else is not. As well. Someone it just isn't feeling that great today or they have some sort of Self Doubt when you get into your mind and you let that stuff take over it. Prohibits you, from being able to perform, so pushing that self-doubt and being able to say, I'm gonna bring my a game today, whatever that a game is, is what I'm bringing. I'm excited about it. I'm confident that I'm going to go out there and put my best foot forward, and I have no reason to doubt because no one on this line or or this in this plate and this competition field is perfect. I am going to go out there and and do the best that I absolutely can to be my best self and forget about the self-doubt.

If you are ever doubting yourself before a race, take a step back and ask yourself where this feeling is coming from. You have trained hard and have done the best that you can do to prepare for the race so there is no reason to doubt yourself. Remember that nobody is perfect and that you can still go out and do your best and put your best foot forward.

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When it comes to overcoming self-doubt before a race, it's important to analyze where those doubts are coming from. Ask yourself why you're doubting your abilities despite your hard work, proper training, and preparation. Remember that you are just as capable as your competitors, regardless of the sport.

Even if you didn't sleep well the night before a race, remember that you've put in months and months of training to get to this point. Many athletes have succeeded despite not sleeping well before important competitions. So, question the source of your self-doubt and why it's holding you back.

If you find yourself doubting because of something like not following your routine perfectly, acknowledge that while you may not have done everything perfectly, you have still prepared to the best of your ability. Recognize that nobody is perfect, and there will always be someone else facing similar challenges or doubts.

Don't let self-doubt consume your mind and hinder your performance. Instead, push those doubts aside and focus on bringing your best to the race. Embrace your excitement and confidence, knowing that you have no reason to doubt yourself. Remember that everyone has their own imperfections and challenges. Commit to giving your best effort and leave behind any self-doubt.

What would you recommend to a teenager who wants to be exceptional?

Teenager's Path to Exceptionalism: Breaking the Mold and Going Against the Grain

Okay, if you are a teenager and you want to be exceptional, not just good but exceptional you are going to have to take your training your habits to the next level. So what do I say? What do I mean when I say next level, I think this is when you start to get outside the box. So I know when I was a teenager, there was a lot of pressures to do what everybody else was doing to kind of be in the cool Club. You may have already shown some athletic ability and some talent but to go and be exceptional. Going to have to do a thing, do some things differently. So that may be choosing not to go to a party on a Friday night, choosing not to drink when others are doing, so choosing not to smoke those sorts of things. Also learning more about nutrition. When you're young, you can get by eating cheeseburgers right before the race or even right afterward, but if you want to be exceptional learning about nutrition and on the front end of things is going to be imperative and not being afraid to go against the grain. So like I said, everybody's doing this, but I think that this is best for me and not being afraid to To stand up and I think that even applies to just being exceptional in life. You know someone's getting picked on mostly people are talking about a person they don't know that person. So you want to be the person that says hey let's not talk about that person. We don't know that to be true. We don't know if that is the actual reality of their situation. You want to be an exceptional person, in addition to an exceptional athlete, you want to be able to go against the grain and challenge whatever is status quo.

To be an exceptional teenager, you need to be willing to go against the grain and do things differently than everyone else. This means taking your habits and training to the next level, such as making wise nutritional choices, avoiding substances, and standing up for what is right even when it is unpopular.

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If you're a teenager aspiring to be exceptional, it's important to take your training and habits to the next level. This means stepping outside of the box and going against the norm. While there may be pressure to conform and fit in, to truly stand out, you'll need to make different choices.

For example, you may need to opt out of attending parties or engaging in activities that don't align with your goals. It's about making conscious decisions, like choosing not to drink or smoke when others are doing so. Additionally, educating yourself about nutrition and prioritizing healthy eating habits can make a significant difference in your performance.

Being exceptional also means not being afraid to go against the grain. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, even if it goes against popular opinion. This applies not only to sports but also to life in general. Challenge the status quo and be the person who speaks up against unfair treatment or gossip about others.

To be exceptional, it's about being exceptional both as an athlete and as a person. Embrace the courage to be different and strive for greatness.

Mastering People Management: The Skill I Wish I Had

A skill. I'm constantly hoping for wishing for praying for is the skill of managing people. So, as a professional athlete, I had a coach, I had a weight room coach, I had a nutritionist, I had an agent, a physical therapist, a massage therapist. You name it as a whole team of people. Well, when you're in your 20s and you become a professional athlete, most of the people that are working for you are actually much older you in some cases old enough to be your parent, Even look up to them as like a father figure. Mother figure parent figure and so you respect your elders. Well the hard thing about that is that you're the one employing them when you become a professional athlete and so you need to tell them what your expectations are, how you are going to best manage yourself, how you're going to make sure that you're in a situation to compete to the best of your ability so that everybody can continue to get paid because you are literally the business. And so I wish I had the skill of speaking up for myself. Elf and better managing other people in my life. So I was really lucky that most of my staff, definitely, the saw me as a person, not just an athlete. So, I mean, as a person, not just a paycheck and there was a lot of conversations around, but I didn't really build my confidence in managing people. Now, I run a financial company. I have two employees and the skill set that. I think I'm most lacking in like said, once again, I have great employees. I'm not, you know, feeling like they're not doing their thing. But But actually managing people making sure that they're okay, making sure that they're being properly productive making sure the lines of communications are open. So that like you said, expectations can be said, feedback can be given is an important portent skill to have and it is a skill that I absolutely wish I had then and that I was better at now.

I wish I had the skill of speaking up for myself and better managing other people in my life. I need to be able to communicate expectations and give feedback to have a successful business. Managing people is an important skill that I am working on improving.

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The skill I constantly wish I had is the ability to effectively manage people. As a professional athlete, I had a team of coaches, trainers, and support staff who guided and assisted me. However, many of them were older than me, and I looked up to them as parental figures. It was challenging to assert my expectations and manage them effectively, considering that I was the one employing them.

I wish I had the skill to confidently communicate my needs and manage others in my life. While I was fortunate that my team saw me as a person and not just an athlete, I didn't develop strong confidence in managing people during that time. Now, as the owner of a financial company with two employees, I recognize that managing people is a skill I still lack.

Although I have great employees and they are doing well, I wish I were better at ensuring their well-being, productivity, and open lines of communication. Managing people, setting expectations, and providing feedback are crucial skills that I wish I had then and continue to strive for now.

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Lauryn Williams is an American sprinter and bobsledder. She won gold at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics, silver medals at the 2004 Olympics, 2007 Worlds and 2006 World Indoor Championships. She also won silver in the two-woman bobsleigh at the 2014 Winter Olympics. She's one of six athletes to have won a medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, and the first American woman to do so. Lauryn is now a speaker and presenter.