I wanted to thank MEDPODIUM, Cover Girl, CW-X Conditioning Wear, & Facehoody.
___________________________________________________________________________________
MEDPODIUM SPONSOR
Magnolia Howell Goes for the Gold
As a member of the Trinidad & Tobago National team, Magnolia Howell, has her sights on representing her nation by competing at the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London. At the end of this month (June 24), Magnolia is ready to refine her times at Trinidad's National Qualifying Olympic Trials and become a prestigious member of the 2012 Olympic team.Magnolia graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and an International Business Certificate from Cal State Long Beach in 2007. While at Cal State, she became one of the top sprinters in her Conference and achieved a 4x100 school record. She then became a member of and was sponsored by the VS Athletic Club; she also was part of the team that won the USATF Club Championship. But in 2009, Magnolia suffered an Achilles injury that kept her out of commission for nearly a year. From 2010 to 2011 Magnolia worked hard to get back into running shape and became a member of the EVO Club where she ran on the European Circuit and dramatically improved her times.
Magnolia sat down with us to discuss her passion for running, her diet and training, and her inspirations.
When did you start running competitively? What inspired you to begin?
I began running competitively in the fourth grade, when I first arrived in Omaha, NE after having been raised in Guadalajara, Mexico. The first day of school at St. Margret Mary, I remember, at lunch time, the kids wanted me to race the fastest girl in our grade. We raced outside on top of a concrete driveway. Being competitive and adventurous by nature I excitedly raced her and won but due to a slant on the driveway, tripped and fell, scraping up my entire knee; that was my first taste of competition in the U.S.!
From then on I was racing anyone -- boy, girl, older kids -- on and off the track; I was hooked! Since I was a child I've always had a wild imagination and used to think I had super powers. As I grew, all the other powers I thought I had fell by the wayside, but running fast was the one that stayed with me. I continued running all through high school where I became Junior Olympic Champion as well as the fastest girl in the state of Nebraska two years consecutively and undefeated the last.
What is your training regimen like?
This year's training under Threshold Athletics is the best training I've ever had. My dedicated coach, Darrell Smith, has been very helpful in the areas where I have lacked training in the past as he focuses greatly on the technical aspects of the race and stresses the importance of being in the moment. I train five days a week. My training involves Pilates, yoga, weight room and the track. We train four days at UCLA and then I lift at International Sports Performance Institute (ISPI) with my wonderful trainer Paul Vincent. Paul has been a very vital part of my development, focusing on directing me to find the power in simplicity and in creating a weight program that translates to the track.
How does your diet play into your training? Please describe your diet for our readers!
Eating healthy plays a major role in enhanced performances. I don't eat pork or beef and do not add sugar or salt to my foods. I eat greens with every meal of the day except for in-between snacks. The goal of the meal plan that my nutritionist/biochemist put together is to have athletes eating foods that keep us as close to the natural and non-processed foods that the earth has to offer. The concept behind this diet is that animals are strong because they are eating foods that are connected to their chain of growth. Humans have strayed from our eating chain which, in turn, has been a part of the cause of poor health or a weaker body.
How do you use MedPodium's Nutra-Apps within your diet and training? What results are you finding with Neo-Carb Bloc?
I use MedPodium's Neo-Energy after track practice along with eating to regain energy to perform my second workout of the day, which is my weight-training program. In addition, MedPodium's Neo-Carb Bloc has been really helpful especially when I eat high carb-foods which are not a part of our everyday diet plan. It has been really helpful to take, especially when I travel to different locations and I have to eat the foods that the different countries provide, which sometimes is all carbs -- for example, in Italy they serve pasta for all meals of the day. The Neo-Carb Bloc allows me to maintain my weight for competition while still getting the energy and nutrition I need from the food.
What accomplishment do you view as your defining moment?
The defining moment in my track career that I have achieved thus far would be going to The Central American Caribbean games in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, and aiding the team to win a gold medal. I am also proud of hitting an IAAF World Championship qualifying standard in the 4x100 as well as winning a bronze medal in the 4x400.
Any special meet day ritual or lucky charms?
My lucky charms are my arm warmers that I wear to every practice and put on after every meet. I also love primates and I have a little monkey, named Rip Van Winkle, who I keep in my backpack; he is my "meet monkey." I also love red lipstick and wear it to every meet. In one of my baby pictures my lips are cherry red and my parents say the rouged lips at birth was merely a natural rush of blood to the head; but what I like to say is that I applied some red lipstick on in excited preparedness for my first act!
My parents inspire me. My mom is from Panama and my dad is from Trinidad and they have infused me with not only discipline and passionate love but have taught me the importance of following my heart no matter what it looks like to anyone else. My father used to say one must have "stick-to-it-ive-ness" in anything one is meant to do; it was through his perseverance and will towards constant enlightenment that I am able to pursue my path. My happy-go lucky mother always made strength look sophisticated and effortless, teaching me the importance of maintaining balance in wanting without compromising any part of my morality, principles or ethics. It is through their love and beautifully dedicated parenting that I have a consciousness that leads me in all my thoughts and actions. All my siblings inspire me but my older sister, fashion designer and singer, Estrella Cristina, in particular inspires me because my whole life she has been a clear example of someone who unapologetically yet ever-so gracefully walks to the beat of her own drum.
