February 12, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE -- Even Wallace Spearmon Jr. admits there were times over the past few years when he wasn't as committed to being the World's Fastest Man as possible.

He'd skip a practice here and there. He didn't bother lifting weights. And he'd eat certain foods that have no place being on a world-class sprinter's diet.

Spearmon went as far as to say that he was "kind of overweight" when he ran in the Tyson Invitational this time a year ago. But plenty has changed since then, most noticeably with his body.

"This year, I'm not doing anything the same. I'm actually eating right," Spearmon said Monday at a news conference to promote this week's Tyson Invitational.

"... I'm in the weight room for the first time. I'm working with my father. I'm not skipping practices. I'm not missing practices."