Recovery
February 2012

In years past I have always given my best effort while on the field, the court, or the weight room, but when my training was over for the day, I was done. Often times I would not eat for several hours after training, would stay up late, and would require just as much, or more of myself the next day. My body was in a constant deficit, could not fully recover, and would eventually give up in the form of injury or sickness.

This season I have noticed growth in many aspects of my training so I have been trying to pinpoint exactly what I am doing differently. As a younger athlete I tried hard. I spent extra hours training, did the extra set at the end of a workout, showed up on the “optional” days, played multiple sports, and made it a point to give maximum effort at all times. I was encouraged by coaches never to quit, to play through the whistle, and to make sure I was doing more than anyone else I was competing against. To be successful in any manner an individual must put forth great effort, be focused on the task at hand, overcome obstacles, and continue along the same path until the final goal is achieved. And while these elements are all necessary and important to my success, this year I have concentrated on one final factor that has increased my development exponentially. RECOVERY!

Instead of forcing myself to train to the point of sickness, injury, and exhaustion, I realized I could make adjustments to my daily life that would allow me to enjoy what I do, train efficiently, and recover more fully each day. With the encouragement of my wife Kate, and my training partner Aretha Thurmond, I have made several changes. I drink far more water than ever before (half my body weight in ounces each day). I do my best to eat a healthy balanced diet. I drink up to three protein shakes, combined with peanut butter, oats, and frozen berries, every day. I stay on a regular sleeping schedule. I foam role before each training session and stretch after. And most importantly, I completely rest one day a week. Complete rest is a vital component to true recovery. So important in fact that it is mentioned 170 times in the Bible as a requirement for the body, mind, and soul.

If you are in a recovery deficit and are experiencing the negative side effects, please don’t hesitate to make a few simple changes and watch as the exhaustion you feel in the mornings, the constant cold that just won’t go away, or the small injuries that keep slowing you down, gradually disappear. Recovery cannot be achieved by sleeping in one morning or by taking a pill. Recovery is much like weight loss, it is not achieved quickly, but by changing a lifestyle and forming new habits.

With only 2 months until my first competition I will continue to train hard and focus on recovery. Please take a minute to consider what you can do to encourage your body to recover from the daily stresses you place on it. If you can’t think of anything……drink more water!

Thank you for your support and your encouragement as the season draws near. If there is anything I can do to help you please let me know. Call me, text me, or email me anytime.

June has been a very interesting month. While I continued to compete in local track meets, Kate and I stepped up our preparations for our new family member, Ryker Thomas Conwell, who is expected to arrive in September. And at the end of the month I was blessed with an opportunity to compete in Eugene, Oregon at the 2011 USA Track and Field National Championships.

As far as “nesting” goes, our landlord painted the bedroom, I assembled the crib (thank you Dad Soma), and Kate has found her new obsession….garage saling. Each week we search craigslist and look for signs and make a mad dash on Saturday morning. As it turns out, garage sales are incredible! $.25-1.00 baby clothes, hundreds of burp cloths and socks to choose from, along with excellent deals on the larger items. A few weeks ago we found a Graco Swing N Bounce 2-in-1 baby swing (retails for $130) for $25!!! We have also been incredibly blessed by the many gifts given to us at Kate’s various baby showers – one in Portland, one in Michigan, and one surprise shower thrown at her last Zumba class. Thank you to everyone who came and loved on Kate.

My 2011 track season was a bit rough. While I knew making a change was going to be tough, I had no idea the physical and emotional struggle I was in for. Thank you all for your encouragement and support. Thank you especially to my wife Kate for putting up with me this season as I learned to deal with my anger and disappointment. So, yes, it was tough but HOPE IS NOT LOST. The transitions have been made, and 2012 should be much better. But, at the beginning of the month it looked like I was not going to qualify for the 2011 USA championships, which is an important step in the process toward the 2012 Olympic Trials and Games. Only the top 18 discus throwers are invited, and I was ranked 20th. On Wednesday June 8th I regained my confidence and purchased a flight to Oregon with the hope and prayer of throwing over 60 meters (196 feet) in a last chance qualifying meet. Sure enough, on June 12th I competed in Georgia and had my best throw of the season. 61.12 meters (200’5”).

I came into the National Championships ranked 13th, with a best throw of just over 200 feet. Almost 30 people came to cheer me on, and when my name was announced section N went wild! Thank you everyone who drove all the way to Eugene to watch me throw only three times. It was an awesome experience. I finished the competition with a best throw of 58.66 meters (192’5”) and placed 11th in the USA. My goal was to place top 5, but after such a rough season I have to admit I was still able to hold my head high and congratulate each of my competitors.

I have at least one more meet this season. On July 8th and 9th I will be throwing at the Club National championships for Club Northwest in New York at Icahn Stadium on Randals Island. Club Northwest is a track club based in Seattle, WA that hosts all-comers meets all summer and supports local track and field athletes like myself. I will throw Shot Put, Discus, and Hammer. After the competition I will take a short break for mental and physical recovery, and then begin my training for the 2012 Olympic Year!

NOTE! Aretha Thurmond just had a huge throw in Lausaane, Switzerland at a Diamond League Meet. Click here for more info. Or go to www.Arethathrows.com