The 2010 USA Track and Field National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa are about to start! The top 18 to 24 athletes are invited to compete and the winner of each event will be the US National Champion.
The meet will be on TV at these times.
ESPN, June 25 8:00-10:00 pm
ESPN, June 26 1:00-2:30 pm
NBC, June 26 3:00-4:00 pm
ESPN, June 27 1:00-2:30 pm
NBC, June 27 3:00-4:00 pm

I will be throwing the Discus at 4pm on Friday the 25th of July. I come into the meet ranked 9th but I plan on winning it all .

Make sure to check out the highlights from the 2010 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships today (2/28/10).  ESPN2 from 8 to 10pm EST.  Here is the link if you are interested in the full results page.

http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USAIndoorTFChampionships/schedule.asp

Since arriving in Alabama I have had a completely different focus while throwing and lifting.  Now, more than ever we focus on technique.  It is still important that the weight is difficult but only if the technique is maintained can we increase in weight.  The concept is “work smart….and hard” instead of the more common “work harder” method.  Here is a little clip of us in the weight room having a good time while we finished up our lift on Tuesday.

And here is a video of Aretha working her cleans from a box.

My 2010 competition schedule is now up (click the competition link at the top of Willconwell.com). As many of you know, Kate and I recently moved from Seattle to Opelika, Alabama. I do not know the local meets around this area yet so my schedule is likely to change as I get closer to the season. I will start the 2010 Outdoor Track and Field season on April 3rd in Auburn, Alabama at Auburn University. Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement!

They weather people though it would snow today….but I had serious doubts.  I left for work at 3:45am (Starbucks) on my motorcycle and everything seemed fine.  Yes, it was cold but it is February.  The morning was going just fine.  I was heating up spinach wraps, marking cups, taking orders, brewing Verona Coffee….when suddenly the snow began.  At 9am a few flakes began to fall.  By 9:45 the snow was pretty heavy and I was getting a little nervous.  I got off work at 10am and decided to make a run for it.  Good thing the ground was still warm and the snow wasn’t sticking yet.  I had to wipe my visor off ever 5 seconds but I made it home alive!

Our road trip to Alabama was an amazing experience.  Kate and I left early on January, 11^th with a UHAUL trailer and SUV loaded, and our new home in mind.  Our trip was filled with great memories and many good pictures.  We visited the Red Wood Forest, National Bridges State Park (where the Monarch butterflies migrate in the winter), the Grand Canyon, and the Oklahoma City Memorial.  You can view all our pictures by clicking here or clicking the “pictures” link. Along the way we were also lucky enough to only pay for a hotel one night.  We stayed with friends of friends, Kate’s sister Mica in West Hollywood, our good friends Wiley and Monica King in Flagstaff, Arizona, and with one of my favorite high school teachers, Michelle Fyfe and her husband Warren in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  We were also treated to several delicious meals.  Thanks to everyone who made this trip so memorable and fun!

We finally arrived in Opelika on January 18^th around 8pm.  Aretha Thurmond, her brother John and his wife Rebecca, and two of the Auburn University throwers, Eric and Stephen, were all here to greet us.  The group unloaded our trailer in about 10 minutes!  Now that is Southern hospitality.

I jumped right into practice the first day we were here.  Four hours a day, six days a week, I am training alongside of 3-time Olympian Aretha Thurmond, and under the guidance of throws coach Jerry Clayton.  After only two weeks of practice I am already having strength gains and big improvements in my throwing technique.  I am very excited for the next several track seasons, and I am very confident in our decision to make this big move.

When I’m not at practice, I’m working part-time at Starbucks, while Kate is actively working to grow her personal training business at two training studios.  We are doing our best to work hard, make enough money to live, and serve God with our actions.  12 people or families have joined our monthly support team thus far and I believe if we can increase that number to 60 I can give everything I have to making the 2012 Olympic team.  Lets go for it!

Kate and I have now been in Opelika, Alabama for 1 full week.  We were met by a welcoming team when we arrived.  Aretha Thurmond organized several of the Auburn University Throwers, her brother and sister, and the group unloaded our UHAUL trailer in about 10 minutes!  We were very impressed and surprised.

Since the unloading we have slowly been unpacking and enjoying our new home.  It is a spacious town home with lots of storage space and it was nearly fully furnished by our friend Kristin Heaston who is renting it to us.

Practices have been going great!  They are tough and I’m tired everyday.  In fact, I was sick the first weekend recovering from the long drive and first few tough days of practice.  Kate is making all sorts of connections in both Opelika and Auburn.  There is a Buzz created by Aretha and everywhere Kate goes people have already heard about her and want to know more.  She has her first 2 clients next week and will be working part time at the local county club.

God has been blessing us right and left and we can’t wait to see what is to come.  More updates to come soon.

Day 6 was full of stories.  Where to start.  We woke up around 9am in the Best Western Hotel and ate an amazing continental breakfast.  If you consider old hard boiled eggs, dry bread, and cereal with luke warm milk :O

I took a walk around the car and trailer and noticed two things. 1) Oil on the hitch of the trailer??? 2) The drivers front tire was low on air pressure.  I filled the tire with air at the gas station and looked around under the back of the car.  Sure enough, the rear end differential was leaking a little.  I picked up some gear oil, tightened up the differential cover and replaced the little bit that leaked out.  Then, off to Arkansas to visit Warren and Michelle Fyfe

On the way I checked the tires again and noticed the same front tire was low again!  I took a close look and noticed a nail in the tire.  A quick change and the full size spare was on the car, the flat tire was in the U-HAUL, and we were back on the freeway.

We stopped in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and visited the Oklahoma City Memorial and gave our respect to the people killed in the 1995 bombing.

After we met up with Wes Barnhart and ate at a famous BBQ place in Oklahoma City.  Then several more hours on the road and we finally reached Fayetteville, Arkansas at 2 am (thank you Michelle for staying up to greet us!)

Day 5, Grand Canyon!  So awesome and beautiful.  We loved the park and highly recomend a visit.  After running into Tom Greene ( a producer and hat maker) we visited hermitts road and viewed the canyon from several different angles.  The weather was perfect, the park was almost empty and we were in awe.  As we were about to leave we encountered several deer and 2 elk.  They walked right in front of us and we scrambled to roll the windows down and take as many pictures as possible.

From the Canyon we drove East on I-40 to Alberquerque  where we had dinner at the Frontier Restaraunt (a famous diner).  Then onward as far as we could drive.  Our night ended in Santa Rosa.

This morning we woke to a surprise. Apparently on Thursday mornings in Hollywood California the street sweeper cleans one side of the street between 9 and 11am. We were wondering why there were so many parking spots on what appeared to be a busy street. The $50 ticket was a helpful reminder to read the signs much more carefully the rest of our trip.

Our close friend Kate Carlson drove from Marina Del Rey and had breakfast with Kate and I at a little breakfast place called Joeys. The french toast was great and of course our server had a little thing for me (yes, he was a guy and yes were were in Hollywood).

After breakfast we put Flagstaff, Arizona into the GPS and began the 8 hour drive. Stopping only for gas and food we arrived after a long uphill haul at 10pm. Our Friend Wiley King and his wife Monica had food ready and gave us a very nice place to sleep.

Tomorrow we will continue East after a visit to the GRAND CANYON!!! Pictures to come