Although these women may not all have participated in sports, each of them exhibit qualities that I have learned and nurtured through sports. In fact, they are the fundamental skills of being a good competitor, athlete and CHAMPION! Being successful in life takes time, hard-work, and persistence just like in sports and athletics.

Through my experiences sports have provided significant lessons and tests that will be useful in my next career. I have learned that the type of athlete you are can foreshadow the type person you are or will be.  When I was in high-school, my coach use to say, “you can’t be a great athlete on the field and a knuckle head in the class room”. He emphasized that the same hard-work and disciple you have in the class room surfaces in your sport and visa versa, which will ultimately translate to your professional career. So, although the women I named may not have all been professional athletes, they have the same traits, therefore, what we learn in sports today will be useful in the world tomorrow.  Sports provide me with the assurance that I’m building the skills to succeed throughout life.  And it is my sincere hope that all individuals who participate in sports have the same level of confidence that I do, that they are learning how to prepare for the rest of their journey!

xoxo MacKenzie

So going into this season I’m going to launch a Fan Page on FACEBOOK!! So for those of you on, be sure to LIKE IT!  And I have some pictures that I’m going to post on it that I took in my USA gear.  However, I figured before launching it and posting my pictures, I should let my Blog followers get the 1^st look!! RIGHT?!?! I have to give you guys’ priority!!  I hope you like them!!!

So the past few days of training have been intense!! In fact, today I was ready to layout!! But things are going really well, I am ahead of the pace I was on last year! So that’s exciting!

The other day while I was with some friends they brought up something very interesting and inspiring all at once!!  They mentioned how it’s 2012!!  I know to some it’s just another year, but for us (athletes) it’s an OLYMPIC year!  As I’m sure you know, the Olympics only comes around every 4 years and in that amount of time anything can happen.  This conversation really made me think…

I thought about where I was 4 years ago, I was just moving to South Carolina, finding my way back on track.  I learned to believe in myself again, and gained my confidence that I lost during the many years of unfortunate events.  Then after my cousin passed and my knee injury life became so real.  Things were put into perspective and I had to once again make some big decisions.  One of which brought me back to CALI, once I came back, the game was on. 

Every year since the 2008 has pushed me closer to 2012, literally and figuratively; the disappointment, the heartache, the long hours of training, the ups, the Pan Am Team, the race where my mom says she saw me fully return…. And the list goes on, of things that brought me to this point.  It took 4 years for me to be ready to compete at the level I have the ability to compete on and it hasn’t come a min to soon.   It has come at a time where I can make EVERY PRACTICE COUNT!! Not just go through the motions, wondering if I’m good enough, or if I can do this!! I know I can, the past two years have shown me I can physically do this, and 2008-2009 showed me I have the heart and strength to push through anything!

The only thing that has surprised me this season thus far is how well I’ve been able to knock out workouts!!  I walk to my workouts only fearing the traffic I may be sitting in on the 405, on my way home

xoxo

2012 Olympian MacKenzie

I’m owning it!

So as I told you guys in my last post I just had a birthday, and this year I had a birthday celebration.  Nothing big, just something small with my close friends and family.

During the week of my birthday I did a lot of thinking and became really clear about a lot of things.  I realized how lucky I am that I was able to have a birthday party, celebrating with people who’ve watched me grow (seeing as I was the youngest one at my party!!).  We’ve know each other for over 10 years.  When I sat back and saw my friendships that lasted the test of time I couldn’t do anything but SMILE!! Until this year I didn’t realize it, I never really thought about how incredible that is until now!!! 

During my party I had a video streaming that had my closest friends competing in their various sports and event. That was my little gift from me to them.  Seeing them happy made me happy, because they all mean so much to me.  It was one of my best birthdays ever!! It is a night and a year that I will remember.  

My birthday also gave me more drive and determination for this upcoming season.  I know that may sound weird but looking around and seeing what I have accomplished, and conquered I know I can achieve my dream  of making the team. In fact the day before my birthday I wrote a poem: 

I’m accomplishing more than I could imagine/
Greater than I could have fathomed/
I’ve always had a dream but didn’t know I would make it a reality/
Always thought it was fantasy/
Now I’m knocking down walls faster than I can understand it/
Man I must be the goal snatching bandit

Thoes words just came to me that morning and I had to write it!! It truely describes how I feel!! Between the new year, and my birthday just a lot has changed!! I realized that I left 2011 on a high note, much was accomplished and more to look forward to in 2012!!

I have a new outlook at practice! I have a new found drive in the weight room, about staying on top of body treatment, getting my rest and eating right! I don’t know what changed I just feel different.  There isn’t a workout I’m afraid of,  a time I feel I cant hit, or a thing that can take me off of my path!! All I want to do is succeed!! I’m staying positive, and motivated because my time maybe around the corner and when it comes, I WILL be ready for it!!! 

I hope you all can take this piece look at your life and do the same!! Be ready for GREATNESS! It may be one accomplishment away!!

I finished the year dang near crawling!! In fact, I was in the house for new years eve!  However oddly enough, I was happy!! I made a choice!! I decided that partying for news years eve wasn’t worth it.  I figure there will be another one next year, and if everything goes the way I hope, I will have MUCH more to celebrate next year!!
This past week (the 1st week of the year) was interesting, my coach hit me with some NEW STUFF! At first they sounded a little intimidating but they weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be.  I mean,  I’ve been knocking workouts out of the park left and right! I’m hitting the times my coach wants, and my body is responding well to the workouts! Every week, I walk away feeling stronger and more confident about this year!!  I know it’s going to get harder but I am ready for the challenge!!! 

And to add icing on the CAKE, literally, I had a birthday at the end of last week… 

xoxo MacKenzie

I got through another week of training! it was a little tough because I was a little under the weather during the 1st part of the week (which is part of the reason I didn’t write earlier)!! We just adjusted my training days a little and I got it in! In fact I was out there on Christmas Eve! In a strange way I was happy to be out there on X-mas Eve training! I know this is a big year coming up and I can’t take any days off!! I need to be out there every day I can and need to be, so at the end of the year I will know I’ve done everything needed to put me in the best position to make this team!!

This season I have a brand new mindset! or really an old mindset that I had to find again! I’m ready, confident, and can’t wait to roll!! I know I may not win them all but I will prevail when it counts! I’m confused on what I have to do and I know as long as I do my part I will succeed!!

xoxo MacKenzie

So i’ve almost completed my 2nd week of training!! things are looking pretty good! My body is feeling good, I’m hitting my times, and we are working on strengthing some things that is also going over well. It has been intense I should say but I’m happy with the way things are going. Workouts and things that killed me last year are not as bad. NOW dont get confussed it is not easy but not as bad as they once were.

In addition to starting training, I had to get a new weight coach since I’m training in LA full time now. His program is definiately different then what I’m use to but I think it is still going to work out well. I’m going to miss the convience of walking to the weight room, however, this one is a lot closer to where I’m training now! So in the long run I will benefit from it more!!

I just wanted to give you guys a little up date on how things are going! I hope your week went well, and I will talk to you soon!

xoxo MacKenzie

So my break is now over and its time to gear up for the next big thing the OLYMPIC TRIALS!! Last season was great, I made my 1st senior team, I had a great experience at the PAN AM Games, and I finished the year HEALTHY! Now its time to go back at it! So I’ve made it thru my 1st week of training and it wasn’t as bad as I thought I was going to be. My coach and training partner both said I looked pretty good. I did have some tough ones and but I don’t think it will be long before I’m caught up with everyone else. My training partners finished last season before I did so they started a few weeks before me. In all honesty I was a little worried that I was going to be really behind since I started late, but I’m actually not that far behind. This week is I know she is going to drop some of my times, since I looked good at the end of last week just to get a good indication as to where I am. Because regardless as to when I started, I need to be ready in a few months just like the rest of the USA. So we are going to close the gap slowly but surely so I will be ready to roll when my time comes!!

xoxo MacKenzie

Pan Am Games 400h final

xoxo MacKenzie

Pan Am Games 2011 400h prelim

xoxo MacKenzie