If life gives you lemons, paint that shit Gold!

I can't help that think that any words I may have to say here are far less important or interesting purely because I have not been selected on the World Champs team for this year. I don't say that as a cry for attention or to bring sympathy from anyone who reads this, it just seems to make sense. Who the fuck really cares about the guy who didn't make the team, the guy who got beaten by Cadel Evens in the 2011 Tour (by next year you'll for get which of the Schleck brothers it was, trust me), or the guy who sat on the bench for the winning team in the Grand Final? Shit, not me!!

Having said that, as insignificant it seems to me, some people are actually reading this great-at-time-wasting blog, so I'll keep writing, for better or for worse...

The bottom line is that I didn't run fast enough. Some other people were selected on the same performance as I was, but for good reason I believe. And as much as I knew/know that I am in great shape, my times weren't there so it was just too hard to add my name on the list. And the 4 x 400 is always a long shot for me; you can't add a guy that has run 47.5 ahead of a number of solid 46 mid runners. No brainer.

I may sound a little passive right now, and your right. This sport at it's best is a beautiful temptress, that you never thought you stood a chance with, taking you home and doing things you never thought possible. You are not quite sure why she's with you right now or if you
deserve it, but you don't ask questions and just go with it! And at it's worst it is a Friday
night at home at your parents place with a packet of doritos, a box of tissues, and an old
VHS copy of Basic Instinct. At the top of your game it's all you. You take full responsibility
for your success and are able to share them with people who helped you get there. For the
same reasons, that responsibility is carried like a terrible case of the flu when things don't
go right, and most of the time it's all your fault.


That's all a bit dark and nasty though, isn't it? I'm passive because I'm ok with it. But mark my words, readers, if there is anything more that i needed to drive me through the next 12 months towards London, let this be it. It will stir in me as the dull flame of desire and a reminder that any short cuts, passive sessions, lack of focus will result in what happened this year, and I will simply not let that happen. There are 7 months until Olympic trials.

The other side of the coin is that I get to see those that have gone though this already rise and do themselves proud in Deagu. Let's go through some of those on the team who have availed through the hardship of non-selection and injury over the past few years. Watch closely for
these guys this year in Deagu as they will show us all what it means to overcome adversity...

Close to home for me, Lauren Boden missed out on 2009 World Champs. She lost trials by the difference of a padded bra. This fired her up beyond measure, and the next season she took a second off her PB and got herself into around the top 10 girls in the world. She runs this year in both the 400m hurdles and the 4 x 400m relay. 

After a fairytail first international season and a bronze in Berlin World Champs, Mitch Watt had an interrupted and injury riddled 2010 and hardly competed, missing Commonwealth Games and Continental Cup (formerly Word Cup). He has worked his arse off to get back in the game and, needless to say, a recent Australian Record would indicate he is reaping the benefits of the hard work back to full health.

Ryan Gregson went last year from being one of Austalia's best young talents and a real medal chance at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi to be forced to the sidelines with a foot injury. After breaking the Australian 1500m record, he missed the Games and almost the whole season. Rumored at being one of the hardest trainers and most determined athletes in the middle distance world, Gregson came back with a vengeance, and is now getting ready to repeat his National Record form from last year in Deagu. 

In a country of very talented long jumpers, it is easy to forget athletes like Robbie Crowther. He won world juniors way back in 2006 in a very promising 8.01, but has been riddled with injury and form issues since then. After hamstring surgery late last year, he has jumped PB after PB this year and forced his way onto the team heading to Korea. He could easily final with his most recent leap of 8.12m.

Of course there is a story for all the athletes on the team, but these mates above will remind me over the next 12 months of what one can do when things are down and potentially out. I hope to be one of these stories next year, but in the meantime, it's their turn.

And let's face it, running at World Champs this year and qualifying early for the Olympics next year would have been way too boring! I would have had bugger-all to write about in this blog and when they make a film blockbuster about my life this would have been the bit of the film when you go to the toilet or go a get another choc-top.

I am genuinely looking forward to seeing those above mentioned and the rest of the amazing Australian athletes being sent to to Deagu to take on the world. There is a certain purity to a world champs that you don't get at the Olympics, everyone is there with a job to do and it's business time!! The focus is just on our wonderful sport, and everyone gets their chance to shine.

Best of luck to the athletes going the World Championships in Deagu. I shall be with you in spirit, and will prey to the Gods of Olympianity that you do all that you are destined to do.