I have been very vocal about the return of those found guilty of a doping violation. I believe that despite the fact that it is a tougher pill to swallow when someone else’s mistake directly affects you, people make mistakes just the same and should be given a chance to redeem themselves.

However, realizing that you were wrong isn’t enough when your choices caused others pain. When someone is convicted of a crime, in addition to being removed from society, as a condition of their return they sometimes are on house arrest or have community service and a parole officer to answer too. Some never get all the their rights back. Maybe they can’t vote or live within a certain distance from children. Bottom line is after time served they don’t just slink back into society unnoticed.

I feel this is the same way offenders of the sports world should have to pay retribution. At this time there is nothing in place to make an athlete do any community service after having served a suspension.

Last week, I got a chance to check out a program Justin Gatlin voluntarily created with USATF where he is going around speaking openly about his experience. I am elated that the first building block is in place to make my idea a reality! Hopefully USADA will get on board in turning this into something more concrete for all Olympic sports.

The main question people ponder when they hear about someone’s doping violation is whether or not the offender meant to do it. They listen to the gossip, rumors and news and try to decide for themselves how guilty the person is in their eyes.

The reality is that intentional or unintentional becomes irrelevant once you have tested positive because the policy of USADA is that your are responsible for what enters your body, PERIOD.

The main point of accountability is key. Regardless of whether you meant to or not, when you think of all the people affected by your positive test, at the bear minimum you feel responsible for being naive if nothing else.

Here are a few of the messages I took away from the event:

* A strong support system is key, especially at a young age when you forced to grow up quickly. We have people turning into professionals as early as 18 years old. Though that is what the government recognizes as an adult, you are hardly ready to make the decisions that come along with making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

* One moment can forever be a part of your past, present and future. It is important to consider this every time you make a decision. As a doping offender there will always be skeptics discounting your performance creating a cloud you can’t get out from under.

* It is incredibly humbling to go from the top to rock bottom, but as long as you have the will you can find the strength to start climbing again learning a lot about yourself along the way.

* No matter your intentions, you have to be ready to except responsibility for what appear to be your actions. My dad often said it like this, “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.”

*Character is built day by day and can take you far even when you have a damaging blow. It is important to be the best you you can be daily so that even if you stumble ALL will not loose faith in you as a person.

*Knowledge is power. Ignorance is not an excuse for any mistake you make. Educating yourself is priceless. If you don’t know something pick up a book or ask.
Surround yourself with the right people you can trust to help you find the right information and make your own decision.

It is my hope that in the days to come, instead of criticizing Justin, those who love this sport will take some vulnerable athlete either current or up-and-coming and show them that there is a lesson to be learned from Justin’s experience.

Don't hate congratulate!

This is a common slang phrase meaning don't waste your energy being envious of my success instead be happy for me.

I am happy for Carmelita Jeter and Usain Bolt too for that matter. All year long and even more so now the mumbling under people's breath has been," Are they clean?" I do not keep 24hr surveillance on either but my opinion is that what they have accomplished this year is doable without performance enhancing substances.

Those of us within the sport have to have layoff they haterade and have some confidence in our competitors work ethic and morals.

We want to get from up under the doping cloud yet we have joined the outsiders in brow raising and finger pointing every time someone finishes ahead of us. If the truth be told we should assess how accountable we have been for our own performances or lack there of.

I won't speak on behalf of the male sprints on the time line of when those times should have been run but in the case of the women's  100m I had expected to be running something similar myself by now. In my mind having run 10.88 in 2005 a steady progression plus great competition to keep me hungry surely should have produced a sub 10.70 time for me. Unfortunately things haven't gone quite as planned for me or for some of my greatest competitors either. Instead 4yrs later women are having the kind of year we have long been capable of but yet to produce. Multiple ladies running consistently under 11 seconds each race has been the norm this year and though I am not one of them I am excited about it. It is time to put up or shut up. Make the most of your talent and potential or get to the back and get over it.

You can not become consumed by what you can not control. You can not control what the competition is doing. So you may as well be consumed with what your doing because that is all you can control!
I have faith in the fact that all the top sprinters know the weight that our event carries. Call me naïve but I don't believe with all that has gone on recently and knowing our sport is on the brink of self-destruction if another top notch sprinter falls from grace that anyone would be so selfish as to risk others lively hood for a chance at faulty fame.

The moral of the story... We must focus on banding together and believing in each other for the sake of changing the image of our sport. If track is your career, your passion and your life than take more pride in making it look appealing to the public. A good place to begin is directing your attention to finding the best possible balance to get the most out of yourself.

Tune in today at 1:05pm EST to universalsports.com or NBC to watch Lauryn run in her Semi final at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin. The first 4 athletes in each semi will advance to tonights final at 3:35pm EST. Tune in to cheer on Lauryn today! GO LAURYN!!!!

One of the hardest things for me to grasp in the sports world is the idea of winner takes all and no one remembers 2nd place. Today I want to recognize 2nd place because he is anything but forgotten to me. Tyson Gay set the standard for getting out there and competing to the very end. We have seen it 100 times where the other main contender pulls a muscle or just plain old gives up when he realizes that he will not win. As a competitor I know the feeling but also how it reflects on your character when you quit. Tyson may be privately sulking this morning but he is my hero for being classy and a fighter. Initially it is sometimes hard to look at the bright side but there is always one. First being able to arrive on the world stage and compete there more than once, that is something to be proud of. Then, there is the fact that he has earned multiple medals. Next and never to be taken for granted is health. You can have the fastest one leg in the world but if you don't have two willing to do the work at the same time then your world could be so much different. If that isn't enough he is the fastest man in America and the 2nd fastest man in the World EVER.

No one said losing has to be fun but it definitely isn't the end of the world. I have learned from experience how to look at the bright side of things. It makes life so much easier. With that said, my plan for tonight is to run MY race. As long as I have ran my heart out at that moment I will leave the track with my head held high and be grateful for life, health and opportunity.

Things always seem to come together when you least except it. What a great time we had on our 24hr road trip as a relay team. The logistics weren't perfect but allowed us a opportunity to bond because of it.
We left Berlin Friday around 5pm with 16 athletes and about the same number of various staff members on a coach bus with no air in 80 degree weather. We arrived at the hotel only to discover there was no air there either. No exceptions were made for those of us who have become accustomed to having our own room based on accomplishments. We had to pile in and grin and bare it. As it turned out I think it was just the reminder we needed and served to bring us all together getting to know the 3 newcomers and help them feel welcome.
 On Saturday, travel back to berlin post race had us a bit worked up when we arrived at the track but we managed to transition into competition mode and motivate each other into excitement as the 8 of us prepared to run. We didn't split into 2 groups of four we stuck together, chatted and laughed together, prayed together and went on the track properly warmed up yet relaxed and nochalant as we approached our spots. I don't think we were expecting anything spectacular just to get out there and get comfortable giving the stick to one another. Well we ran 41.58 and the world record is 41.32. I don't think I have to explain the implications of such a time.  We finished up with everything around 630 but the bus was not arriving to pick us up until 830 so another opportunity for socializing as a group was born and we made the most of it and kept the party going on the 1.5hr bus ride back. Definitely one of the best team experiences I have had as a member of a national team.

It was good to get home and get a little break from europe. Just landed in Berlin! Flight was an hour early, my bag was the first one out and it is warm and sunny! I couldn't ask for more. Most who arrive today are here for relay camp or because they compete on the first day competition begins. With just 10 days until competition begins for me, I am anxious because there isn't much you can do to prepare at this point. What you have in the tank is what you're working with so now your just playing the waiting game keeping busy until show time.

Greetings from Berlin, Germany!

It is sort of hard asking for support to win a philanthropic award as I
never do service with the expectation of receiving recognition. So here
goes nothing...

I am a candidate for the Jefferson award for Outstanding Public Service
by an athlete. The Jefferson Awards for Public Service is a prestigious
national recognition system honoring community and public service in
America.

You are able to support my Jefferson Award nomination by going to:
http://allstarshelpingkids.org/teammates/laurynwilliams.html to cast
your vote. You can vote as much as you want so put it on your list of
things to do daily from now until November 15th. :-)

Additionally, you can vote by texting Star 45 to 55333 on any phone that
supports text messaging (standard rates apply). Voting will conclude on
November 15th and 10 “Dream Team” finalists will be chosen. I’ve
attached some materials that I you might will find helpful if your
interested in the details and also to share with others. Please pass on
to anyone you think will vote.

Thanks in advance,
Lauryn Williams

A quick update...
Luzern not so great...Paris, even worse. Spent the last few days in Lueven, Belgium training and it was very nice.  Currently on a train to London and praying for a good race Saturday otherwise I may have to be put on suicide watch. It is very frustrating to be training so well, not be nagged as I have been for the past three years by my hamstring, and still not be running well. Only logical explanation at this point is that I am a head case and who wants to admit that! I believe that I have the talent to produce the same sub 10.80 times that so many of my competitors have this year and also have sub 22 in me as well. It is just a matter of finding out how to bring it out, as what used to come natural to me has become a labored task. Time is of the essence so heres to things coming together sooner than later.

The Good:
I made the team! I made the team! I made the team! As always making
everyone including myself sweat. Even better for me, the constant
wondering of what direction my life is headed has been delayed...at
least for another couple months.
The sub11 fund is growing as I recorded to sub11 performances the
weekend. Still collecting the funds for a good cause but probably going
to change the direction of my giving. Definitely welcome any suggestions
on how best to use the sub11 fund.

The Bad:
I didn't make it in the 200m.
God had quite a sense of humor in teaching us life's lessons....

The Ugly:
Just recently when speaking at Myron Rolle's Leadership Academy I
touched on the importance of owning up to your mistakes. It is a poor
reflection on your character not to acknowledge your wrong doings and
remorse along with lessons learned when you mess up. It shows your
human. Pretending like it didn't happen means either your pride is
bigger than your character or your not remorseful. With that I am going
to do a little practicing what I preach.

I got beside myself in the 200m. God seemed to be shining on me
endlessly so I stopped being rational and got on the line thinking I had
it in the bag. It didn't matter that the I couldn't see my 3 fiercest
competitors because they were behind me, I had lane 4 the premiere
lane,the fastest time in the world, and I felt great so surely I was
about to PR and make the team maybe even win. Instead I embarrassed the
great lane 4 and myself.

I have received numerous text and calls from those that care about me me
saying "What happened?! You just stopped running" when I offer no
reasonable explanation they proceed to LET ME HAVE IT! My Coach however
didn't say anything but her face said it all. There is no feeling like
knowing you have let someone down when you were very capable of doing
just what they asked of you. Losing is a apart of life but quitting is
not an option. I owe Coach Deem an apology along with fans, family and
friends. Thank goodness for a support group that is all about my growth
and made sure that I know I failed to handle my business and that it
should NOT happen again.
There is a good chance I may have been able compete at worlds had I run
thru the line.What I wouldn't give to turn back the hands of time but,
with time comes wisdom. About 8 international teams and still
learning...

Well I am here! Departed my home at 8:15 this morning and made my way to the airport  for a 10am flight. Unfortunately, where we were delayed 40mins but I had no need to worry because after my 6.5hr flight I had a 3hr layover waiting for me. Thanks goodness for Terrance Trammell and Ashley Kidd I had someone to keep me company.  It was a short one hour flight to Eugene which put me on the ground 8:50pm. Lovely 12hrs of travel....I cant wait till the Championships move back to the East Coast!

Still I am happy to be here once again. I compete Thurs-Sun so you probably won't hear from me until I know the verdict. Hope that everyone is praying for my health, speed and positive impact on the sport, world and those who admire me. Love you all.