Happy New Year y’all!

I’m not big on New Years resolutions and I’m not trying to “change” so much as I’m looking to improve. I make it a point to look forward and plan my future/set new goals far more than I bask in retrospect. Of course, the past can be beneficial in shaping the future. That said, considering the fact that I see my future, in all endeavors, to be nothing less than an ascent, dwelling in the past is of little benefit. Here are some of the things I will be pursuing on the track and am thus expecting of myself in 2011. Should be a great year; both for me and my “squad”!

• Consistency in my approach and as a result consistency in my speed through the board; both of which providing me with consistency in my performances: average best jump per meet — 16.90m
• Multiple track (runway) records during the indoor season. Yea, I’m putting it out there. I’m only competing a few times indoors but intend on walking away with a couple track records namely Virginia Tech’s Rector Field House and the Armory up in NY.  I believe the records at these two spots are 16.80m and 17.00m respectively.
• Improvement of my performances at Diamond League meets. Whatever that means. I finished 6th in all of the Diamond League meets I jumped in save for that dismal ‘no mark’ performance in Brussels. I intend to just plain “do better” on that stage this coming year.
• Making the finals of the IAAF World Championships out in Daegu, Korea in August/September. The men’s qualifying round is at 10:30am on the morning of September the 2nd and I suspect that the automatic qualifying standard will be somewhere in the range of 17.10m – 17.20m. I’m not looking to leave anything to chance as far as moving onto the finals is concerned. Additionally, once you’ve made it to the final dance all bets are off and you just compete like your life depends on it (and like you may never get the opportunity to be in a global final again).
  
• Earning a medal at the Pan American Games in October. To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about competing at a major competition all the way at the end of October but not only will I be in shape and attempt to do my best at the Pan Am Games but I’m looking to be on the podium.
• Finally, it’d be nice to have a sponsor by the end of the season (or “corporate partner,” which I think is the more appropriate title for several reasons). Of course I don’t have as much control over this as I do over the other things on this list so comparatively it’s not “as important” and won’t occupy nearly as much of my thoughts or planning for that matter.

I’ve got plenty of other, more minute and particular goals but these are the main objectives for the coming year. There are plenty of other milestones and things I will have to check off en route to accomplishing the above things but it’s all part of a process.