Ok, so I am not a good blogger. Mostly, I do not think my life is very entertaining and simply I feel silly writing about myself. Recently, I have had a few friends tell me that I need to start posting something on my website even if I think it is boring, because in the end most people like to hear how "normal" professional athletes are. I agree, I love when I read about other athletes and see that they go through the same ups and downs or even like the same food. This past weekend, I connected with an amazing athlete who left me inspired. I was glued to the TV watching golf, and I don't really know much about golf or even really like it but, I was addicted. I watched the Masters for two reasons, one was that I am a little homesick for North Carolina and looking at the beauty of Augusta through my TV made me yearn for the sweet southern smell of spring. Spring in the south is the mixture of delicious sugary scents. Azalea bushes, magnolia trees, and crepe myrtles saturate the air and I swear it all came wafting into my Portland living room! Heavenly!

 The second reason I watched the Masters was Phil Mickelson. I am huge fan of Phil Mickelson because of how he plays the game of golf. He is a gambler, for better or worse. I admire athletes that work hard and lay it all out there. Phil does this every time he plays and his fearless attitude and game has made me a huge fan. However, this style of golf has not always brought him the big wins, he has lost many more times than he has won. Nevertheless, you always know that he gave it his all. My favorite moment from Phil this weekend was in an interview after he won, and a reporter asked him what the difference was between a great shot and a smart shot (I believe in reference to his risky shot on the 13th hole). This was Phil's priceless reply, "A great shot is when you pull it off, and a smart shot is when you don't have the guts to try it." Wow, this guy is cool.

Another moment that won me over, was hearing about his preparation on the eve of the last day. That saturday evening he had to take his daughter to the doctors to get an x-ray and cast for her broken arm, which she hurt roller skating earlier in the day. He was up to 1AM tending to his daughter. Then later that day he went on to win his third Masters. To me, this shows that try as we may, there is no perfect preparation. We all strive to have the perfect preparation before big races but most times it doesn't happen and we have to stay positive and rely on all the work we have put in. I am a perfectionist by nature and hate when I do not have control, so when unplanned events or injuries get in my way of performing to my best abilities my instinct is to freak out, but, I have learned to deal with this weakness.

My best example was when I got severe food poisoning only 4 days out from my 10k final in Beijing. I accepted the situation, moved forward, and now I own a bronze medal. 

 I am always looking for sources of inspiration and most of the time they surround me in my everyday life. This week I am inspired by Phil because he seems like a pretty normal guy who is fearless and always goes for the great shot even when the smart shot will win.