Slowed at Texas, Goodman ready for fast lane again

By Jay Stone

For the AJC

Chalonda Goodman’s University of Texas dorm room is decorated with personal drawings of track athletes, sculptures and pink accents that might clash with the predominant color on campus.

Look out the window, and burnt orange is everywhere. Goodman has a view of Darrell Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, campus sight lines typically not afforded a freshman.

“I’m not really sure how that happened; just lucky, I guess,” the Georgia native said sheepishly.

Goodman is no everyday freshman. The view around her has always been a good one. Since she was 12, Goodman has been the nation’s top sprinter in her age group each year, posting unbeatable times in the 100-  and 200-meter dashes. She swept the 100 and 200 at the state meet in each of four seasons at Newnan High School and was the top junior sprinter in the world in those same events last year.

She also ran 11.17 seconds in the 100 last summer at the USA Outdoor Youth Nationals that most years would have been fast enough to qualify for the USATF national championships.

However, Goodman's freshman year at Texas was an exercise in dealing with injury interruptions that took her out of an optimal training routine. It was tough.

Her normal days, were long enough: She had 6 a.m. weight training, class from 8 until 1 p.m., track practice at 2:30 p.m. and study hall from 6 to 8 p.m. It was back to her dorm room for more studying. She usually was in bed by 11 p.m.

“I learned how to manage my time my senior year in high school, but I really got put to the test when I got here,” Goodman said.

There was a brief bout of homesickness when she arrived on campus for orientation, but once classes and fall track practice started she was too busy to think about home. She finished with a 3.83 grade-point average, indicating she made the freshman adjustment.

The injuries, though, were a challenge.

First, she sprained her left ankle last October doing box drills, an exercise in which she repeatedly jumped on and off the top of a five-inch box, a drill designed to develop explosive lower-body power. Goodman came down awkwardly on one jump and rolled her left ankle.

In May, she was back to 100 percent when she had a false start in the 100-meter race. On the restart, she jumped out to the lead but 15 meters into it she felt a pop in her left calf. She had a torn muscle.

Goodman has been in rehabilitation since. “It was frustrating because everything seemed to be coming back together,” she said. “My strides were great.”

She earned All-Big 12 honors in the indoor season by finishing eighth in the 60-meter dash. Yet her signature events, the outdoor 100 and 200, were taken away from her. Goodman tried to stay positive with her injuries.

“I’ve recovered from an injury once and I know I can do it,” she said. “It was pretty tough ... not exactly how I expected it to go with the injuries and everything. I look at it as a learning experience. I grew stronger both mentally and emotionally. I feel more sure than ever about what I want to accomplish.“