Yesterday I was a hero to an Austrian crowd after throwing a stadium record on my final throw. After what was feeling like a downward spiraling year, the small town of 5,000 people came together to put on a wonderful competition, which seemed to bring out the best in me.

After the U.S. Championships in June you have two options as a track and field athlete; end your season and prepare for the next year, or go to Europe and see if you can compete with the best. I chose the latter.

I threw at two meets in Canada, flew to Finland, then another competition in Sweden, and every competition I threw at I failed to match the previous. I chalked it up to long travel but I kept my chin up since I knew it would to be a long season.

Not knowing how long I was going to stay I purchased a one way ticket to Europe. If I threw well, I would stay as long as I was healthy. If I wasn’t throwing well, I had to come home.

I had a couple weeks of training in Germany before my next competition and my shoulder wasn’t feeling that great so I kept my training sessions light to stay fresh.

I competed at a small competition in Rheinfelden, Germany but the javelin started one hour late and we had 15 athletes in our flight. I opened with 73m and things just got worse. No one in the competition was throwing far and I ended up winning with my last throw at 74.06m.

I was distraught and as we drove home I messaged my coach ready to give up. I need to come home, I told her. I look like a fool. Going to competitions and not throwing anywhere near my personal best, or even my potential.

I had another competition planned in Andorf, Austria set the following week, but I was ready to email the meet director and tell him I wasn’t coming.

I frantically looked for flights home and I was ready to throw in the towel. If I can’t be the best version of me, I don’t want to be competing at all.

You win, Europe.

The travel here wore me out, throwing at four competitions in eight days broke my body, and I had nothing left to give. I could see the price adding up in my head; $1,200 to fly to Europe, $1,200 to fly back, food was two times as expensive, 100 euro train rides, paying for housing.  I couldn’t justify staying in Europe any longer!

My coach told me to stay one more week. Throw at one more competition and give it everything I had. And in very little time my spirits were raised.

I started to think about these runs on my car ride home, and how when I turned around to head home I would always finish harder than I started.

I could do this in the javelin as well.

I decided that Andorf would be my last competition of the year. I could stop before my body completely fell apart and before I lost all hope in my ability. And this was my turning point.

After a nine hour train ride (on my birthday) I arrived in a small town of only 5,000 people that truly loved track and field. They had a small stadium, a six-lane track, and they were so proud of it, that I couldn’t help but smile.

The next day the meeting director shook my hand before the competition and asked if I would break the stadium record on my first throw (79.22m). I laughed and said, we will see.

I thought to myself, if he only knew about my last practice; I only threw 60m and I was almost in tears my hurt back so much.

I prayed to God right then and there that he would keep all the athletes healthy. This close to the end of everyone’s season the last thing anyone needs is an injury that could affect their following season. I prayed for nothing more. God has already blessed me with talent, and the opportunities to go so far with this sport. I appreciate everything I have been able to accomplish, and anything else he gives me is just one more thing to be thankful for.

I opened with a throw of maybe 74-75m but couldn’t stop in time before stepping over the line. Scratch.

I followed it up with a throw of only 73.36m and I could only think this is a repeat of last week in Rheinfelden.

72m on the third throw and 73m again on my fourth, this competition was going nowhere fast. I told one of the coaches that if I could just fix ONE inch of my technique I could add 5 meters to my throw.

I thought back to long runs, and told myself this is the home stretch, give it everything you’ve got.

Sure enough, on my 5^th throw I tip toed the foul line and the javelin sailed out to 77m. I guess there is some strength in this arm after all!

If I fix one more inch I could throw that stadium record after all!

On my last throw epic orchestra music played over the loud speakers (O Fortuna) with all the fans cheering me on, and I felt like a gladiator in the arena, and I wanted to entertain the crowd.

I gave it my best and it sailed far over the 70m line, but I was unsure of how far. The announcer read that it was 79.57m, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the stadium record was! Sure enough I beat it by 25cm and the crowd went wild. I felt like a hero.

They let me run in front of the stadium, they all cheered for me, and I had the biggest smile from ear to ear.

As a prize they gave each of us a wurst (similar to summer sausage). The higher you placed the bigger the sausage was, and mine was the biggest of them all; one meter long! Ha ha. My arms were full of prizes and I couldn’t help but think how great it is that a city of only 5,000 people can make someone feel so special.

But now I am hungry for more. I have defeated Europe! Well somewhat. 79m is still not my best, but it is my “European best”. I can go home with a smile on my face, and better yet go home healthy! I can thank God for that. But I will still end my season on this throw. I can build on this going into next year, one year healthier, and one year smarter.

Olympic Teammate Sean Furey told me that when he goes to Europe every year, he either throws far, or learns a lot. And this couldn’t be truer. No matter how old I get I am always surprised what I can still learn.

I learned that you need to set up a plan for success in Europe; know what competitions you are going to throw at, and throw when you are ready to throw far.

Secondly I reaffirmed in myself that my body can handle far more than I thought possible. I competed in four competitions in three countries, in eight days. And I survived!

And finally I would say I reaffirmed in myself that I can turn a competition around on any given throw. I won a PAC-10 Championship on my last throw. I took the silver medal at the Pan American games on my last throw. And I won this competition in Andorf on my last throw. Never give up on yourself, because just when you think you have nothing left to give, you can always surprise yourself!