Year in Review; Year in Preview

I have ended the year on a good note.  Coach Bondarchuk reduced my training volume to approximately 25 percent of its normal level this week.  The extra rest has paid off.  Today I threw 61 meters (200-00) with the heavy 8-kilogram (17.6-pound) hammer.  That is little more than one foot off of my personal best with that weight.  Add in six more months of training, a little warmer weather, and the adrenaline of competition, and hopefully some good throws will result in 2009.

Looking back on 2008, it was a year of some greats achievements as well as great frustration.  After focusing a lot on athletics for two years, I took more time this past year to pursuing academics and my career.  Since I plan to take time off of both until 2012, I wanted to make sure everything was in order before I focused on my training.  In this aspect, the year was a great success.  I was able to finish two graduate degrees, pass the New York bar exam, publish two legal articles (and have two more articles accepted for publication), earn some valuable experience working for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and the UW Entrepreneurial Law Clinic, and become a finalist in the ABA Law Student Tax Challenge.

I was also in line to have just as much success in athletics, but wasn’t as fortunate to have everything fall into place.  I started my season better than I had started any previous season, but rather than using my first meet as a stepping stone to further improvements, it was the height of my season.  Nagging pains, demanding classes, and studying for the bar exam all got in the way of me throwing the new best that I was ready to throw.  Nevertheless, I still had the great opportunity to compete for the Swiss National Team for the first time this summer.

I hope to accomplish in 2009 what I failed to accomplish athletically in 2008.  In addition to improving my personal best, my goal for 2009 will be to qualify for the World University Games in Belgrade.  My goals careerwise will be to publish two more legal articles and, time-permitting, pass the Washington bar exam.  I would also like to raise $10,000 to $20,000 for my new charity, the Evergreen Athletic Fund.  There are many other things I hope to accomplish in 2009, but my remaining goals will be kept to myself.  As always, check back throughout the year to see how I am progressing.  Happy New Year!