Everything Happens for a Reason.......


And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8.28

Been back in Gainesville since Sunday and been at work since I’ve been back. I’m trying to get back to where I was I am determined to get back where I was... I will get back to where I was and I will exceed that point. 

This week is one that I have had to approach with a sense of determination and I have had to put blinders on to what everyone else is doing around me. This week is the week of the Indoor World Championships and the week of NCAA indoor championships. It’s tough to look at this stuff and watch because last year I competed at one of the meets and this year I had hopes to compete at the other meet. Instead I’m not at either meet. It’s ok though. I’m a firm believer in the saying Everything Happens for a reason. I believe in it so much because its been a way of life that I have been forced to live by.

Check This Out
 
In high school I only ran track during my senior year. I was going to go to school to play football at Villanova University because football was my passion and what I wanted to do. I ran track for a REASON that I didn’t understand until the end of July when I was enrolled at Villanova. I was there at school taking classes and working out with my new football team I was 17-year-old freshman. I got in some trouble there and I was Wrongfully accused of participating in a sexual assault at the school during one weekend there. I was bought to the school police station and asked to fill out a statement and I was kept there for a little while before being let go. I was trespassed from campus and a few days later the university rescinded my scholarship. That was done before a charge was ever filed against me and it was upheld even after NO CHARGE was ever filed. I had to go home and I had to come up with another plan. I could either wait and enroll in school somewhere else in January and play football or I could go to school in the upcoming fall to run track. THINGS HAPPEN for a REASON.

By the grace of God I was given a chance at The University of Florida and the rest of that story is history. I had to dig deep since I recently got hurt and try to remember why I believe that everything happens for a reason. If that wasn’t the case and god didn’t have my back I never would have got a shot and if I didn’t get another shot I wouldn’t be here today writing this blog to you all ….

Day 2.......

Today I am taking a different approach to my rehab. I chose to leave Gainesville for the weekend to just get away. I'll do what I can to rehab but right now I have to rehab my mind. 

It’s the weekend leading into spring break here at UF and I think this break is well needed for me and all of my peers. At times the stresses of school, track, regular life can be overbearing and you really just need a break from it all.

So this weekend I am taking a trip.  This blog is going to be kind of a tell all about myself Id like to think of myself as an example so I don’t have a problem telling my story!!!

I grew up in a single parent home and was raised by all women. I was raised to be a leader and to be the man of the house. There was minimal contact between my father and I... let me not say minimal there was NO contact. For as long as I can think back me and him did not have any contact whatsoever. I went through elementary, middle, high school and almost completed college before my father and I were able to meet up with each other and discuss the problems and how we were going to fix them. There have been times when I have been angry and times where I have been sad about what was going on between me and my father or shall I say WHAT WAS NOT going on between me and my father. I always felt like I did something to make him turn his back on me.  No matter how much my dad didn't talk to me I always had a soft spot for him. Even though he has never seen a report card of mine or until recently had never seen me play any sports I still had a big soft spot for the guy. It’s not explainable. I have an older brother whom I just met for the first time in 2011 and I have a younger brother who I met but we never had much contact. In August of 2011 we all stood in the same house at the same time for the 1st time in my 22 years of life. It was the first time I ever got to hear the story of my fathers drug addiction told in all its truth. He is a strong guy. He was down and out for over ten years because of the drugs and now he’s been clean for ten years It’s a moment that I will never forget

Since august we have all be making an effort to talk and to schedule visits to see one another. That’s where I’m headed to this weekend. I think going there this weekend is going to give me a chance to take my mind off my leg and to just be in a comfortable place. Not to mention it’s a pretty busy weekend in Charlotte sooooo I should be fine there. 

I think that it is important to be able to take a step back from your everyday life and get away at times. Not run away from your problems but take a step back and reevaluate what exactly is going on. I’m in pain as I type this but the pain is ok because I know it wont always be there and that I’m about to board my flight to go to a place where I can imagine that the pain doesn't exist.

A good place to end today’s blog would be with this text I received while I was sitting here writing this. 

If this did not speak to what I am going through right now I dont know what will!!! Thank you Michelle!!! 

And im GONE!!!!!

Normally when it comes to my personal life i am not really open. When I go through different things I usually keep them to myself. But I was given some great advice from my Strength and Conditioning coach Matt Delancy today. He told me that I should start a blog and document the rehab process I am currently going through. I’m not sure if anyone is going to read this but if I can be a testimony and help just one person in the world I think that this blog will have served it purpose. 

Background info about myself

My Names Terrell Wilks. I am 22years old and I am from New Haven, CT. I grew up in a single parent home with just my mother and my little sister. "THEY ARE MY WORLD". I came down to Florida on a full track and field scholarship in 2007 and I have just completed my career here at The University of Florida. I’m still here completing my degree and training.

Life Right Now

Well as I said up above I finished my career at Florida and now I am competing professionally on the track and field circuit. This track and Field sport is one that not many people will ever get to experience. It’s both a gift and a curse... People are classified in this sport in a few different ways.

1. You have you athletes who had stellar college careers and they get the big contracts and are treated amazing by everyone. 

2. You have the athletes that didn't have that Amazing career and they don’t get the big time deal but get a little something that’s enough to let hem stay in the sport and try to get the big bucks.

3. You have the people who are just out here!!! 

I fall into the tier two athletes. Yes I won a few national titles but I won them running relays and team titles. I was never able to claim that one individual title for myself. I did however in 4 years make my share of NCAA Finals and I had a few moments that ill look back on and never forget. I signed with an agent and I was competing unattached for the first few meets of my Professional career. Luckily for me I was given a chance by a company and now those unattached days for me are over. 

WHY THE BLOG

 Well the sudden reason for this blog is to document my journey back to the track.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_-_WHpcK4w

The link above shows the race in which I hurt myself. I was in Birmingham, England at the Aviva Grand Prix. I ran and tied the fastest time in my life but I tore my Rectus Femoris while doing so. If you watch the video closely you will see me slow down before the line. Obviously I was not winning the race so slowing down prematurely would be hurting no one but myself, I slowed down because I felt a pop in the front of my hip and I instantly knew something was wrong.  I kept a clean face about the injury and I flew back home the next day after the meet. All of my international flyers reading this can vouch for me when I say flying over 10 hours in pain is a TERRIBLE FEELING. I had to do that and it wasn’t pretty. I made it back to the states and I got to come in and see the doctors at the University. I couldn’t get an MRI in enough time before I left to go with the UF Track team to the conference meet this past weekend so I had to sit again through the pain. IM TOUGH though so I just put the pain aside and did my duties as a volunteer assistant coach. I saw a bunch of GREAT performances from my gators and the ladies won the 201 Indoor SEC Title it was a great weekend overall but I knew in the back of my mind the whole weekend that I was going to have to deal with my medical situation as soon as I got back to Gainesville.  We came back to Gainesville on Monday and I had an MRI scheduled for that evening. I went at 5pm and got it taken care of...........

That night I found myself not able to sleep because I was hoping for the best but expecting the worse news. I prayed and I iced and I prayed and I iced some more. The next day I found out what exactly was wrong with me at around 4pm.  I was told that I had torn my Rectus Femoris all the way through like the worst tear possible. TOUGH NEWS for me...........

The next day which just so happens to be today I went in again and I found out that Andy our trainer and Matt had came up with a rehab plan for me and today was day one of it. I’m approaching my rehab like I have never approached something in my life. I have a dream to accomplish this year and I wont let a torn anything be the end of me and my quest to make the United States Olympic Team this year. 

I just want to be an example that you can defy the odds. I have a few people who have been around me enough to know that I have some of the worst luck known to man but they also can vouch for me to say that I can handle adversity like no other person. I’m just going to document that all here. 

Day one of my rehab consisted of an intense day in the training room using several machines and doing a few body weight exercises. I have to get my quad to react again it has went dead on me not all the way but enough to make there be a  difference in the definition of the two muscles already. 

I also went to the weight room ad did a few lifts that did not cause any pain and a hip mobility circuit. 

I did 5x5 set of RDL's 

5 rounds of a Hip Mobility Circuit

Hard Core Circuit

That stuff seems to not be a lot but its was very intense for me. Today was a very emotional day for me. I know its not normal for guys to show emotion so i didn't show it but inside i was full of it. Im determined to get back in les than the 12 weeks they old me it would take. With god, my determination, my rehab plan and a solid support system Terrell Wilks will be back up and running in No TIME. 

IM HERE TO TELL ANY PERSON WHO FEELS LIKE THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THINGS ALONE AND THAT THEIR THE MOST UNLUCKY OR TROUBLED PERSON IN THE WORLD THAT THE ARE NOT. WE ALL STRUGGLE AND ITS OUR JOB AS HUMAN BEINGS TO HELP EACH OTHER THROUGH THIS STRUGGLE. 

I can Do all things through Christ who strengthens me.. Philippians 4:13