Please refresh page constantly.
8:12 am
First Stop is a South Carolina McDonalds. Already been on the road for 8 hours, only 9 more to go. At least I get Internet on the bus.
8:17 am
The first thing that sticks out when you look at both teams is that everybody got orange juice with their breakfast. I think I’ll just follow suit. I don’t want to look like the bad apple in the bunch.
8:27 am
All this time being with these guys and I just noticed that one of the ladies has a boot on her foot. I’ll tell you her name in a little while. I already went through the men’s team to put their faces with their names, I guess the women are next on my to do list.
8:54 am
Back on the road, so for me that means back to bed.
1:45 pm
I think I’m going to allow the players to share their feelings.
1:47 pm
Keelyn Fleming:
Hi :), I’m Keelyn. I got to the bus 5 minutes before we were scheduled to pull off. I saw coach looking for me. You guessed it, I am a junior.
It was so cold on the bus, but that didn’t stop me from going to sleep. I tried to wake up and watch a movie on the beautiful flat screen, but I fell asleep. Again, and again, and again, and again!!!
This is the life! The life of a student athlete :). You see when you are sleep, 14 hours feel more like 5. We just stopped at subway. I think it is time to go back to sleep now.
1:55 pm
Ariel Allen:
Hello, my name is Ariel Allen.
The entire day I was preparing for this long journey. I reported to the bus 15 minutes before loading time so that I could sit in my favorite seat, next to the outlets! When the bus took off I was not really tired, but everyone else went to sleep so I just went along with the crowd.
Sleeping on this bus is very uncomfortable, i was cold and my legs were cramping up. We finally stopped for breakfast and i stretched out and been awake ever since.
2:16 pm
Shuaib Winters:
Day 72:
It’s getting real! We left campus 14 hours and 16 minutes ago, and we have yet to arrive at our destination.
We chill as 65 mph winds batter the windshield of the bus. Everyone’s getting a little itchy. We need showers and I’m pretty sure half of us haven’t brushed our teeth this morning. The screeching of soldiers random yells is traumatizing.
Me, I’m feeling the typical pre-race rush. The mix of adrenaline and nervousness is becoming more and more agonizing.
To prepare I look to my fellow comrades, “Tarver the Carver”, and I communicate with intricate eye signals debating on how long it’s going to take the rest of the passengers to break. Snap, “Zaye Baby Coleman” and “Buck” frolic like champions amongst the group. “Barabus” and “The Legion of Doom” speak of rest as if that’s a possibility.
As General Angel mentioned many times before, “not everyone can be a Rattler.” True, but I have come to the realization that we are all we have. We are Rattlers. This group of fellas is it. I leave with a hunch that this is our time. We live the life of champions.
Until next time,
Shuaib Winters
3:09 pm
We just crossed over this beautiful bridge that seemed to stretch out forever. We are watching Friday Night Lights now. Great movie!!! “You wanna win, put Boobie in,” Boobie said lol.
9:10 pm
Just got back from the mall with the team. I actually had a good time just running around there with them.
I also found out that today was Brandon Alexander’s birthday (or B.A. as he is known to the team). Everybody, including me, chipped in and bought him a Dallas Cowboys jacket (I can’t figure out why he likes them).
Cool teammates to have because that thing wasn’t cheap lol. They even had a presentation for him in the hotel lobby. It was a cool thing to be a part of. HAPPY BIRTHDAY B.A.
Overall, day one started off slowly with a long bus ride, but ended with a great showing of unity. Until tomorrow, goodnight.
8:30 am
Good Morning. Day two started with the team having the continental breakfast of champions. Grits, eggs, bacon, and canned orange juice (I guess that’s the juice of champions).
Even better news, for me at least, is we don’t have to be on the bus until 11. MORE SLEEP!!!!
11:48 am
IM COLD #ThatIsAll
11:50 am
We are out here at Maryland Eastern Shore for the team’s official practice on the course. It is freezing out here, but there are some of these athletes out here in shorts. Talk about dedication.
12:03 pm
The injured runner I mentioned yesterday is Stephaun Martinez. She is really upset that she can’t run because you can see all over her face that she loves the sport.
We are sitting here talking as we see Morgan State’s teams begin their practice runs.
1:05 pm
Lamere Buchanan
Ahhhhh, what day is it? The 6th? The 8th? Oh, it’s the 73rd. I’m not surprised that I lost track of time. It’s been so long since I seen a calendar.
It’s no game out here. No laughter, no friendliness!
We struck the battlefield today, planning every step for the fight tomorrow. Pot holes are like landmines and mud puddles are like quicksand, so every step matters! A moment ago, 2 of our men got lost in the battlefield after we all regrouped at base (bus).
Trying to escape the field to go get rest for the battle, we realized we HAD to go back. Without BA Barabus (Brandon Alexander) and Slay Baby Coleman (Isaiah Coleman), we would lose this war that we been journeying for our whole life.
Commander dumped Shuaibian (Shuaib Winters) and I back on the field on a secret mission to go retrieve them. What else would you expect from us two guys…. #Mission Completed
-Buck Buck (Lamere)
6:53 am
This is gameday folks!!!! Let’s go.
This is too early for any competition for me though. I haven’t been up at this time since I was born.
7:19 am
Breakfast time is here and we are being forced to eat with the “enemy”.
Norfolk State and South Carolina State are both within arms length of every FAMU athlete in attendance.
The atmosphere is thick right now, but our teams look poised and unafraid. Time to put in work.
7:29 am
Time to load up. Next stop……………………………. A Championship.
11:55 am
I couldn’t afford to blog during the actual meet because it was much more exciting than I anticipated. However, FAMU CAN NOW BRAG ABOUT HAVING THE MEN’S INDIVIDUAL MEAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION, SHUAIB WINTERS (Crowd yells and screams and stuff).
These past three days have been an awesome experience to be a part of, and I’m excited about the celebration to come on the trip back. Congratulations Shuaib!!!!!
12:11 pm
I can’t leave out anybody though, because everybody did an amazing job. So here I go: Congratulations (takes in a deep breath) Shuaib, Lamere, Brandon, Isaiah, Degion, Shelton, Chandelic, Keelyn, Ariel, Shanay, and Clarissia. I also want to thank my shouting partner for the entire meet, Stephaun.
Congrats to both Coach Angel and Coach Moore as well.
Now I’m turning it over to the players.
12:17 pm
Isaiah G. Coleman
AIN’T GOD GOOD? I’m just so grateful right now for making it this far.
I want to thank God first, because without him we wouldn’t have made it this far. Secondly, I want to thank my coach Wayne Angel, AKA the General, for believing in us and letting us know that if we are mentally prepared and mentally tough anything is possible.
I also want to thank the Florida A&M athletic program for providing the best opportunity for this cross country program to be successful as possible.
Finally, to my brothers (teammates) who were with me all the way, EVERY MORNING PRATICE, EVERY EVENING PRATICE, NO MATTER WHAT TIME THEY WERE THERE. I PUT THIS ON EVERYTHING I LOVE, I NEVER FELT A PART OF SOMETHING MORE SPECIAL THAN THIS FAMILY.
This season was dedicated to our fellow Rattlers who couldn’t be with us Robert Bogle and Cameron McFarland.
P.S –I SURVIVED COACH ANGEL’S BOOT CAMP AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!!!!!
“I’m Already Taken”
3:15 am
We’re almost home. Everyone is dead sleep, obviously exhausted from the wear and tear of the day. I’m fighting sleep myself trying to enjoy these 4 minutes of Internet before it goes out AGAIN.
I also need to take the time out to congratulate the football team on their victory. I’ve been having so much fun that I completely forgot it was homecoming.
Ok that was a lie, but I didn’t mind missing it for this “mission” lol.
This is probably my second to last entry, so until Tally Adios Muchachos.
6:45 am
Home sweet home. Until next time, see ya.