TRACK SEASON FUNDRAISER

 

Track Season 2014-2015

Goal: To raise $6,500 -By December 1st.

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Everyone!

It's finally fall which means, in track world, its pre-season training time. I'm excited this season more than any other season in my entire life as this season not only will I be coached by one of the best track coaches in the world, Bob Kersee, but I will officially be a NIKE athlete!

I can't begin to explain how rewarding it is to be in the position to have a coach like Bob Kersee as my coach. It's taken me years to get to the point where I felt like letting go was the right course of action and I finally feel that level of comfort and confidence in my new coach. While I have been training since August, I start training with the team in a week.

These past years running on the National team for Trinidad & Tobago has been very rewarding. I am so very grateful for all the people, personal and those I stumble upon, who have supported me in every facet that one could imagine.

This year while I am happy to be sponsored by Nike, it does not include any monetary support and while I do run for a great country, there are times (like now) where they have difficulty funding their athletes.

While I'm not a big fan of fundraising, I do so out of necessity in so far as I want to make sure that this year I am able to train as needed with enough supplements, medical attention and all the other things that enable me to train during the day. While I do work, (I work as a Writer) and occasionally will train young athletes, it is not enough to successfully sustain the level that I'm at so that I am not only able to train hard but also have enough energy and resources to recover.

Every year I have been mostly funding myself through this sport and shy away from asking for any assistance as I realize everyone too has there projects and or business that they are working to fund. This year I am taking the initiative as I want to make sure I get the most out of Bobby's training. And in order to do that I need to make sure that I am in the position to recover as needed and that I don't have back pay from last season hovering over me. Every season, I spend half or more of my season paying off expenditures from my season before and I'd like to be able to not go into this season at a deficit. I'd like to be able to have enough to move into this season with a balanced stability that would enable me to be as efficient as possible as this is the pre-season to my next and final Olympics.

My goal is to raise $6,500 by December 1'st. While this may seem like a hefty amount, much of it is already spoken for as it will help me pay off my last season and get me started properly into this one.  My biggest focus is that I am able to have the best season I've ever had going into Olympic year. In 2012 I went to Olympic Trials, got down to finals and placed 7th. It felt so frustrating that I had spent 4 years working towards something that had I had a little more help to aid in my recovery, it could have changed things. While I was grateful to qualify for Trials, I want and know I can do better.
This time around there will be no woulda' coulda' shoulda's, it's my job to ensure that I have what I need and if seeking assistance will enable that, than that is the course of action I will take.

Thank you for all of you who do and have supported me in the past and for just reading this post!
The DONATE button is on the left corner of the blog, it's via paypal. Any amount you are able to give is helpful, nothing is ever too small. I'm grateful for all and any assistance.
As I'm normally a private person I always tend to have difficulty updating this blog, however, it is my new aim this year to share my experiences throughout the season so I will frequent this blog more with weekly posts, so stay tuned! If you have any questions and or comments please feel free to email me at Magnoliah11@yahoo.com. Also if you are interested to find out more about my alter ego, Magnolia Lafleur, please check out my other blog: http://thechandelieraffair.wordpress.com/

Below I've included some photos to where my last season ended up. I was selected to run at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas on the 4x400 team. 

 

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND STAY TUNED!

 

 

 

Magnolia & Jessica James (T&T teammate)

 

Richard Thompson & Magnolia (T&T Teammate)

 

 

Sponsors & Product Supporters

THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS & PRODUCT SUPPORTERS

I wanted to thank MEDPODIUM, Cover Girl, CW-X Conditioning Wear, & Facehoody.



  

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                                                                    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!

Who inspires you?
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.

Altus Gym

ALTUS GYM

Santa Monica, CA

               Weigh Coach: Paul Vincent

              Pilates Coach: Lisa Inouye

Best Gym Everrrrr!

Official Start of 2012 Olympic Journey

So as of this very minute there are 206 days, 18 hours, 12 minutes and 40 seconds, but hey who's counting. My training has been going beyond well and each day I'm feeling more and more ready to erupt and spread my wings. With the exception of being outlined, put in bold an italicized my resolution remains the same as they were last year. I dear say I am hungry and ready to surprise the world and more importantly myself.

I am so grateful for the ongoing love and support from my parents, siblings, an closest friends.

I was born for many great moments in this life and this is one of them. I'm humbled by what I'm about to do this year.

2011 Central American and Caribbean Championships

Hey All,

So this past weekend I was in Puerto Rico for the CAC Championships. I ran the first leg of the 4x 100 and the second leg on the 4 x 400. We took a gold in the 4x100 (1st leg) and we got a bronze in the 4x400 (second leg).
The split times for the 400 relay were 53.63, 52.62, 53.82, 54.67. 

I have Nationals in Trinidad Aug 13-14th where I'm running to qualify my 100, 200 and the 4x400 for Worlds. Anyz if you go to the below link and scroll down to 4x100 and 4x 400 you can find me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Central_American_and_Caribbean_Championships_in_Athletics

Thanks again for all your support.

And it Begins

Hello World!

As it stands, I have opened the season with an 11.8 and 54.4. I am temporarily pleased with having come off of an Achilles injury that put me out for the entire month of March. I’m incredibly optimistic but feeling the intensity of my goals this year. I have two more weeks of rigorous practice and then will be running at Mount Sac for the Jim Bush meet. At the end of June, I have a Nationals meet in Trinidad and Tobago that will qualify me for the 2011 CAC Championships, Pan American Games and most importantly, The World Games.

Major Meets:

Goals: 11.2- 23.2- 52.7
Trinidad Nationals- Trinidad & Tobago- June 25-27

2011 CAC Championships: Puerto Rico, July 8th – 10th

European Circuit- July

2011 IAAF World Championships: South Korea, Aug 27-Sep -4

2011 Pan American Games: Mexico, October 14–30


From vitamins, to food intake, to hours of recovery; all are of utmost importance, in addition to the intensity required for training, which I have been severely disciplined in doing. I have recently started collaborating with one of the greatest nutritionist in the world. He is a biochemist and works with not only the top track athletes in the world, but other high profile athletes in other sports. I am very excited about this, as he has calculated the best meal plan for me in moving one step closer to my goal. Though the plan is no piece of cake, I will be following it until 2012. I am also pleased to say that I have been working with my new and top-of-the-line coach. On top of it all, I have the resounding support from my awesome and absolutely loving parents, sisters and brothers, my best friend, my love, and closest friends. Oh, and I can’t forget my secret English clique warming up London for me ;-). Last summer, the European Circuit was one of the toughest yet rewarding things I’ve had to endure to date, but it pales in comparison to what I have coming. With every month that goes by, the realization of what I am working towards is like water fermenting to ice, something I’m finally starting to see take shape.

Thank you again, for all your positivity and encouragement. I am always overwhelmed and grateful of the people I continue to meet on this path who are so caring, uplifting and supportive of me.

Yours Truly,

Magnolia

Little Bit of Background II

In 2008 I was not able to run due to an achilles issue, which just so happens to be one of the worst injuries I’ve ever had in my entire life. I still have some issues with it but not nearly as bad as before. I take the necessary precautions to treat it and have had a team of people that have aided in taking care of me so that it does not regress to the state it was in before.

Anyway, I suppose the point of this entry is to tell you a little bit about me and to say that I will try to do much better at updating. Like I said earlier in this post, track has always been a very personal thing to me. What I share with others is either displayed through performance on the track or through character improvements that are developed while being an athlete; but rarely do I speak to people outside my close nit friends or track teammates about my journey. One of the primary reasons I am going to make a greater effort in being open about track is to share with others what it takes to live your dream, and what I’m doing to live mine.

Life isn’t about sitting back and watching others cruise by you, it’s about getting out of the passenger seat, believing in yourself with every fiber of your being, and with great certainty and with faith putting your foot on the accelerator towards exactly what you want.


I want to send a HuGe thank you to all of you for supporting me last year economically, emotionally, physically, mentally, everything below, above and in-between that. I would not be able to do what I am meant to do without your love and kindness.



Season is coming upon me, and I’m feeling ready and excited. So here here to this 2011 track season.



"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined."
Henry David Thoreau