Athletics Australia – News – Athlete diary: Jody Henry on Lance Armstrong

Today Jody Henry provides the second entry in a growing series of Commonwealth Games athlete diaries exclusive to athletics.com.au.

The current 200m and 400m national champion, Jody joins last week’s blogger Tristan Thomas in sharing her journey to the sub-continent as she continues to chase an elusive A-qualifying time and individual 400m berth at the October Games.

A member of the inaugural Australian Flame team at the IAAF world championships in Berlin last August, Jody will again line up in the women's 4x400m relay in New Delhi, India.

Athlete diaries will continue twice weekly in the countdown to the Commonwealth Games. To Jody we say best of luck in chasing your individual 400m dream!

ENJOY!

Entry 2: Jody Henry

“There comes a time in every race when a competitor meets the real opponent, and understands that it’s himself.” Mr Lance Armstrong said that and yes, I am one of those people who reads… and then re-reads when it’s amazing! (I'm currently re-reading Every Second Counts).

My point? Well, I have on a number of occasions of late drawn inspiration from this great man.

My winter training has started, so need I say more?!

To those of you lucky 'non-athlete people' who don’t have to be tormented by driving rain and fierce winds and can luckily finish work and go home and admire the rain and comment, “Oh I love the rain, it smells so good!”, all the while holding a nice cup of tea and a Tim Tam, I say this to you – 'You suck!'

Just kidding! Although I am a little jealous.

Mr Armstrong has indeed helped me up the numerous ‘Alps’ in my winter program at the moment… Alpe d’ Jacobs Ladder… Alpe d’ Kakoda… Alpe d’ Zamia… For the non-Perth folk these are the devil of all trails.

On numerous occasions when my legs, heart and mind are screaming profanities at me, demanding me to cease this absurd self-torture, I picture Lance Armstrong pushing himself up mountains before I think this isn’t tougher than cancer, I’m being a big drama queen and should suck it up and get on with it! (Just quietly or sometimes not so, if I don’t say that, there are many, many males in my group quite willing to let me know that plus my coach Lyn Foreman and Neil Morfitt too!)

And so it continues, day after day, torture session after torture session, until I make it to the end of the block and realise it’s not so bad…I mean I choose to do this, right?

Yes, I chose to move from the arguably more 'comfortable' training of 100m and 200m sprinting up to the insane event that is Mr 400m! Currently I am part of the 4x400m relay team bound for New Delhi and am very excited about the opportunity to run at the Games with the girls (so far Tamsyn Lewis and Pirrenee Steinert with another spot up for grabs – who’s keen?).

To be honest every time someone mentions it and how close it is, I feel like it’s even further away! There is so much work still to do that it could be a lifetime away! I will be racing on the Gold Coast in August to try and get that elusive ‘A’ standard for the individual 400m. From there I will head across to Europe for six weeks before New Delhi materialises and becomes real! (Just had a few butterflies as I wrote that!)

So for now I wish everyone, athlete and non-athlete and those that fall in between, a very good winter from wherever your view is!

♥  Jody

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