The European Circuit covers a wide spectrum of meets. The top tiered meets are now part of The Diamond League Series and in this series you’re awarded points for finishing first, second, and third. The eight people with the most points at the end get to participate in the Diamond League final that happens at the end of August. But of course there are other meets to participate in as well. Some of these meets are really nice with great accommodations, food that is edible, and in cities you can find on a map. Some others…not so much. Among ourselves, we call these bottom level meets the Chitlin Circuit.

I’ve done my share of bottom level meets over the years and let’s just say it makes you grateful for high thread count sheets and discernable meat. This year though, I’ve been able to participate in all the Diamond League meets that have had my event and have done well enough to be tied for 1st in the points thus far. I was looking forward to the next Diamond League meet, in Paris, where my leg would be feeling a little bit better and I’d have a few more days of recovery under my belt. But it seems I have a case of counting chickens before they’re hatched apparently. I mistakenly thought that my performances so far this season, along with my place in the points race would guarantee me a spot in the meet. But no.

They’ve put me on a waitlist. That’s basically the same as sitting at home on a Friday night waiting for your phone to ring around 8pm for dinner plans. It sucks, and you know you’re better than that, but you keep your phone in clear view at all times anyway. (I’m totally kidding…ladies, don’t EVER accept dinner plans the night of.) I’m well aware of the fact that I should be in the meet and if I pleaded my case to you here, you’d completely agree with me. But that isn’t the way our world works sometimes. For all the objectivity that comes with the sport of track and field, there is a lot of subjectivity at play.

So not only do I not have a chance to compete in Paris for good prize money, try and earn more points to guarantee myself a spot in the Diamond League final, and eat wonderful French cuisine, I must pack my bags and take a 4:30 am flight to a city I would never be able to find on a map. In fact, I’m not even sure of the country. But I’ll be there…competing for peanuts.

If you can’t tell, I’m a little bitter about this whole situation. But if I’m being honest (and I try very hard to do so on this blog, if you couldn’t tell), it’s simply a case of me being dealt the bad hand this time. Yes, this time I “deserve” it, but has there been times when I was in top meets when other, more deserving jumpers sat at home? Probably. It doesn’t make me feel any better about it, but I guess that’s just life sometimes. I just want to compete at my best against the best jumpers in the world. But it seems that’s going to have to wait a while.

EDIT TO ADD: seems I just might be going to Paris afterall... OUI!!

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