Near the End of This Chapter!!

When I came to Texas almost three months ago, my number one priority was a break from business travel and a focus on training.  As I do my last few workouts here I can see how much progress I have made.  I haven't made the corner but at least I can see it and it feels imminent.  Pride is dangerous but it's nice to see some results.

Yesterday I felt I had a little possible issue with my left hamstring.  So far I'm not seeing anything major to confirm this.  Maybe a touch on a 90 degree angle leg stretch, on a bar but nothing in heavy leg curls.  Some calf exercises also get deep into the attachments near the hamstring, but nothing there either.  I'll hold my breath and move forward slowly.  As always thanks for your support!  Bubba

ACDC - "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuureXcbddY

Getting There!!

Today was my last practice day in College Station.  I'm sure I will jump there on my trips to Houston, but my main training place will again be Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, California.

I jump in Belton next week so today was quickly going through poles and trying not to get injured.  My legs were pretty beat up from lifting Thursday but that's expected.

I started on the 1355 from 4 lefts/8 steps/43'.  Today for the first time I felt like I could have jumped on that pole from 3/6/33' so that's an improvement.  

Jumped 10'6"/3.20m on the 1355, 11'/3.35m on the 1440 and barely rolled off 11'6"/3.50m from 5/10/53' on the 1445.  That pole was too small on that jump as I brushed it with my chest going up.

I felt like I was a bit at risk of twingy hamstrings over the last two jumps, but didn't actually feel anything like a ding while I was jumping.  When I did my last five sleds I thought I felt it a little but it turned out to be nothing ... I think.  Mainly I just need to get my lifts, bars and sleds in tomorrow through Wednesday and then break for the meet.

Hope you all had a nice Christmas and thanks for checking in o me.  I'm optimistic that at some point I will be able to jump again at a decent level.  Bubba

Winery Dogs - "Oblivion" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SoTgZjokLU

I Feel It & See It!!

After three months of grinding away I'm finally starting to see some evidence that I can compete again at a high level.  Yesterday I started at 10'6/3.20m and then went to 11'/3.35m and made both very little effort jogging in from 4 lefts/8 steps/43' total run, on tiny poles - 1355/1440.  These aren't big jumps but I'm basically putting in minimal strain.  I can build off of this.

In the gym today it became apparent that my lifts are also going up and I'm getting stronger on bars.  I continue to spend double time on stretching and I'm beginning to feel a little optimistic.  

Saturday will be my last jump day before the meet in Belton on 1/2/16.  I know I shouldn't say this but I rarely worry about my body holding together anymore. I think a combination of conditioning and the extra stretching have taken a lot of stress off of my efforts.  

I'll continue to slowly wander down this path and hope for continued momentum.  Glad to FINALLY feel like I'm getting somewhere.  Merry Christmas and thanks for checking in on me.  Bubba

Metallica, Megadeth, Anthraz and Slayer, together at the Big 4 in Sofia, Bulgaria - "Am I Evil" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKtoIxXoig

Slow Progress, but Progress!!

I jumped a little simulated meet condition today, trying to figure out how to jump at Belton.  I started on Don's 1440 from 4 strides/8 steps, 43'.  If I hit the pole I blew it away, and if I backed off a little I wasn't in enough to turn up.  Cleared my opener of 10'6" by a mile and had good height on 11'.

I moved back a stride to 5/10/54' and went up to the 1445.  Again, I didn't get in for two jumps and then I blew it away twice before stopping.  

I think my issue is the timing on a 14'1/4.30m sailpiece is different. I need to grip a bit higher and jump through the take off a little longer.  But again, when I do that I'm off the back of the pit, and if I miss it a little I can't turn up.  Just need some more jumps to figure out the timing for the right grip and pole.

Though progress feels slow, when I hit a position I get launched.  I'm also able to run pretty well without much thought of my legs being hurt.  I do my five sleds before and five after I jump, two great leg lift days and five days of stretching.  Over time this will pay off.

I think one of my biggest problems has been that my smaller 12'4s/3.75m weren't made properly.  I won't go into it here but three of my seven poles do not behave like poles.  They have no sailpiece and respond more like a broomstick.  I spent a month trying to adapt to something that can't be jumped on.  Now I'm in a good place to continue creeping forward.

The other major issue I have had is learning how to jump at 10 lbs/4.5 kg lighter.  It changes the pole, grip, take off dynamics, etc.  I'm catching on to this and feel I will be able to get on bigger poles with higher grips again soon.

I think in Belton in two weeks I will do what I did today, and in Reno in four weeks I'll just go for it on my 13'7"/4.15m poles.  That's the plan now, besides not getting hurt.  Thanks for checking in.  Bubba

Megadeth - "99 Ways to Die" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEjE5BmMekQ

Sunburn!!

My late great friend and orthopedic surgeon, Glenn Almquist, used to remind me that when you introduce a new level of intensity, that it shocks the muscles and central nervous system.  Like sunburn, he says, you need to back off a bit and then ramp back up.

One week ago I started lifting considerably heavier on my legs. They were ready for it as I pout a very good base down.  Still, my back and left knee felt a traumatic shock and hurt all week.  I mean I felt injured.  I went ahead and did my regular speed weights on Thursday and the next rotation Friday, then vaulted and did sleds yesterday.

Sure enough, this morning I was able to do the same heavy leg lift workout with absolutely zero side effects.  Thanks Dr. Almquist.  You may be gone but I hear your words daily!  Bubba

Alter Bridge - Addcited to Pain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M9QxzpTjec

Phantom Progress!!

I'm going to say something that probably only a relatively small number of vaulters will ever say; "Right now it's more important how well I jump than how high I jump.  Sounds weird but I've made more progress in my technique over the past three sessions and am really gaining momentum."

Physically I'm still pretty trashed because of my training load, but technically I have better control than I've had over the past 18 months.  When rest meets technique I think I'll be good.

Example - I'm jumping a lot from 2 strides/4 steps/22'/7m run, and my 3/6/33'/10m run.  Beat up I can jump 11'/3.35m from 3/6, which means I can jump 11'6"/3.51m from 4/8, 12'/3.66m from 5/10, 12'6"/3.81m from 6/12 and 13'/3.97m from my long run of 7/14.  Considering only two people have ever jumped 13' over 60 years old I would say I'm on track. In fact I don't move back to the next one until I achieve this technical transfer.

This said, I should be able to jump 11'6'/3.51 from 3/6 once my body catches up to the training, as this is my norm.  From there you can project the rest.

I think most good vaulters just came out of this phase 1-2 months ago but I want to be ready late next summer and into the Fall for World Masters Athletics in October in Perth, Australia, followed by the World Masters Games in Auckland, New Zealand in April of 2017.  For these goals I'm on target or early.  I will jump in Reno for accountability of my progress.

My move back to California, and my reduced travel will really help me stay on track.  Loving this training and progress.  About time.  Have a great evening and thanks for checking in.  Bubba

Kris Dahl - "Love Me" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tedjlcQQs0A

I wanted to jump at a bar on my first meet pole today, but it was near freezing when we arrived at the building and turned on the heat.  So Don and I settled in to what I was planning on starting on Wednesday. Our thought has been that since I'm 10 lbs. lighter, that my poles are too stiff and my grip is to low.  To test that I started on a tiny 12'4/140 today, then went to a 12'4/45, BOTH too small from 2 lefts/4 steps.  Here's my report to Don. Have a great day!  Bubba

Heyyyyyyy Don.  Thanks for the support today. Here's what happened after you left.  The experiment about using small poles and getting my timing with the most comfortable grip really paid dividends.  Your 12'4/145 was too small of me from 2 lefts/4 steps/23' but I managed 10' gripping about 11'8" - nice.  I tried the 1335 and it was mush so I went to 3/6/33' and went to the 1345 and it was mush also. 

I figured I would switch over to my 12'4/155 and guess what, the grip was off that pole by 2-3". This is exactly what we thought; that I had no arc and was jumping over the grip.  I MAY be able to use the 1345 from 2/4, but what do you go to after the 12'4/145?  The 1350?  In any case I need to pick up your series at that point.  Thanks man!

Rush - "Something for Nothing" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhIB-edOhvY

Revelations!!

I was reading a list of dos and don't sent to me by my great friend, Allan Williams of Great Britain.  Many were known and obvious but some jumped out at me.  The biggest one was something to the effect of don't think you will get a different result with the same approach.

On one hand, I know what works and it always works.  That said, there may be a faster path that can make me better.  I've already committed to 8-12 minute cardio sessions four days a week, two each on the Gauntlet StairMaster (actual stairs, not that wimpy bounce up and down) and LifeCycle.  I also have made a serious focus on stretching.  So were is the change?

Forever I've been lifting sets of 8,6,4 and I realized that I don't progress my weights hardly at all with this approach. I used to do 8,6,4 one day and 6,4,2 on the 2nd weekly rotation.  THAT allowed me to progress.  I haven't done that in a long time because I didn't think I was in shape enough to.

Two weeks ago I decided to start doing ladders on bench and keep the 8,6,4 for the rest of the lifts.  So 5,4,3,2,1,2,3,4,5 and BAM, my lifts started going up fast.  Today I started the same thing on hack squat but only did the ladder down - 5,4,3,2,1.  I really think this, and then forcing myself to increase the weight between the 8,6,4, will give me huge gains.

Suddenly I'm faster, on bigger poles, and I've put on a couple of pounds.  Too early to tell but I think this jarred my ody into rogress.  In any case I"ll keep it up.  Have a great Thanksgiving and thanks for checking this out!  Bubba

Sublime - 'What I Got" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uc3ZrmhDN4

Odd but Good Vault Day!!

Mixed Signals!!

I decided I would have a dry run for a 4 left/8 step, meet simulation, to use December 5th at the meet at our training site. The first shock was not rolling a 12'4/160 from this run when the last session I rolled a 1365 from the same run.  

Finally hit it and found my hand pressure ad made 10'6.  At 11' I went to my smaller 12/4/165 and had a great jump. I left the bar and move up to the bigger 165 because I was going through too fast.  I couldn't time this bigger one and it was frustrating.

I thought about moving down to my tiny poles, but that's what I'm going to do Saturday because  have hard leg lifts tomorrow.  So what does your typical pole vaulter do at this point if they aren't quite ready to stop?  You grab a bigger pole of course.

I started over from 2 steps/1 left and went from a 12'4/165 to my 13'7/165, my first meet pole - a giant leap in stiffness.  Shockingly, from 4 lefts/ steps I was able to get in the same depth in the pit with less effort on this pole, even though it was much bigger. I was even able to turn up twice from 5/10/53'. How is this possible?

Don was telling me that on my 12'4s from 4/8, that I'm not bending the pole and that my vault looks very fragmented.  I figured out today that this is because I am too fast for that grip from 4/8, and because I jump up well, I was literally jumping over the sailpiece and therefore got no arc.  This makes sense as those poles were never meant to be used past 3/6 but that's when I was 8 lbs. heavier.

The longer sailpiece and 3" higher grip pick me up at the take off, but also allow me to bend the pole.  Considering I was hoping to be on this pole by Reno, 1/15/16, and I was on it today from 4/8/43' and 5/10/53' in practice, I must be making some real progress.  Have a great Thanksgiving!!

Living Colour - "Middle Man" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqlVRsA8aFE

Moving Up?

I haven't been writing much because there hasn't been much to say, other than I'm cranking along.  Not so much writer's block as nothing new to report - I show up, grind out quality without regard to weight, take my time in stretch and cardio, etc.

All of this said, I am moving up poles, my lifts are starting to go up and I'm recovering enough that I don't feel broken down the next day.  For example, hard and heavy leg lift Thursday, hard upper and bike Friday, but felt pretty good on my Saturday sleds.

It's taken me about six weeks to get here but now I'm at the point I have a real foundation to build from.  My memory tells me that even as my lifts and intensity grows, at this point I still won't feel that zapped the next day. This is a very good sign for November 22.  
I'm far from where I'm going, but the true hard part is past me as all of my training components are good and I can finally move some decent sized poles.  I'll remember to remain cautiously aggressive.  Have a great Sunday and thanks for checking in on me!  Bubba

Rush - "Anthem" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6xhHRVoDqg

Seems Like Progress!?

I took a bit of a leg phase break to see if I could get close to my meet poles today.  I know that Saturday's meet is not the time, and I need to get back to real hard leg and cardio training tomorrow.

Today I started on my 1365/16.6 which is supposed to be the equivalent to my largest 12'4 pole, which I jumped on last time.  The bar was up as a reference point at about 10'6/3.20m so I could have a consistent point of view rather than try to jump high.  

I wanted to control the take off and clean up the jump a little.  I had a few really good jumps on this pole from 4 lefts/8 steps/43', so that matches up with what I did on the last session on the shorter equivalent pole.  NOTE - I was GUESSING it would be the equivalent, but didn't really know, so I as careful in this experiment.

I moved back to 5/10/53' and took two jumps on the 1370/15.8.  IT is supposed to be the equivalent of my meet start pole, a 13'7/165.  I quit while I was ahead.

So yes it seems like progress, but the video showed me coming out way early with no effort to go up the pole, even though I felt like I was.  That was pretty alarming to me but pictures don't lie.  I'll work on it.  I think I'm just trying to make sure I'm in and missing the bottom a little. In any case, I'm pleased and not hurt, two months our from Reno and one pole away from my meet start pole.  Have a great day!  Bubba

Grand Funk Railroad - "Footstomping Music" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZj1uElADZw

Random Gym Day!!

The guys aren't in town to vault today so I go on to the gym with my arms and shoulders lift day.  Instead of my main routine I just wandered through and did a bunch of random lifts for these areas.  Saturdays the gym is a zoo so it's hard to get to what I want when I want, so this was my plan and it turned out to be quite fun. Have a great day!  Bubba

Megadeth - "Trust-Live at Woodstock 199" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj0zXnzR6Sk

Back at It!!

Pole vaulting, and training to vault is one of the funniest sports to understand.  I train really hard so I can be fit enough to jump higher, then when I do, I tend to want to back off my training so I feel good enough to vault better the next time.  

Because of the reversibility of aging, you can lose 40% of your fitness in 6 weeks.  I just cant back off, or my fitness will slide, yet I feel like I can't improve unless I feel good when I jump.  That said, I was just forced to take a week off, and easily had my best vaulting day when I came back. 

My assumption is that I should continue my plan to train without regard to how I might feel when I jump, and then let business or travel situations and circumstances give me the natural breaks so I feel good when I come back. We will try that and see. Have a great day and thanks for checking in.  Bubba

Hole - "Celebrity Skin" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3dWBLoU--E

Updates Finally!!

A lot has happened since my last post.  A company I co-founded with a physician partner, and invited several other big time executives in, has invited me to leave.  Of course I keep my equity, but I'm out of the bureaucracy and no cash flow start up that has caused me great stress.

I was being micromanaged by corporate bureaucrats in an area where I'm the only one who has ever executed my two models for physician revenue for physical therapy.  But the last straw was when I introduced a guy with 1,800 reps who wanted to sell our company's services, and my partners said no.  NOW, HE is MY partner in a new company.  All of this cost me a week of training, upped my immediate cash flow and put me greatly at ease.

All of this said, the week off finished healing my hamstring and calmed down my shoulder.  Today I went through all six of my 12'4"/3.75m poles today and cleared 11'/3.35m several times from both 3 lefts/6 steps and 4/8.  I finished only two poles away from my meet start, and the first one is the equivalent of the biggest 3.75, so I guess I'm one pole.  HUGE and needed breakthrough.  Have a great evening and bear with me.  Bubba

Lift Up!!

My lifts went up today which I was happy with.  Also got 41 floors on the Gauntlet StairMaster and used ankle weights for bars.  Other than that, I'm happy I survived because I tried to talk myself out of it several times during the session.

Judas Priest - "Breaking the Law" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L397TWLwrUU

Cautious or Overcautious?!

I was felling a little lower back and left shoulder soreness so I skipped the last three day lift rotation.  I did do my stairs on Thursday.  I figured this break would help me left hamstring, which I have been nursing slowly along.  It made  big difference.

Today at practice, being fresh, my poles were moving pretty easy.  I could use my first pole from 2 lefts/4 steps, and my 2nd easily from 3/6.  I didn't make a bar because I was too cautious on my run to protect my leg.  

It's obviously getting better but I didn't want to push it.  Because of this I wasn't running that fast even though I felt good.  So I got stupid height over 10'4"/3.15m and brushed it on the way down a few times.  I quit while I was ahead and did my sleds and felt fortunate to be making progress.  

My vault timing is a little out of sync but it's closer.  I can tell that what Im doing is working as planned. I just have to remain cautious and patient.  Have a great Halloween!  Bubba

Oingo Boingo - "Dead Man's Party" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYvafg7BdwM

Jump Day!!

Clear for takeoff - kind of

Nothing says I'm ready to jump more than dead legs and feeling my left hamstring on my 4th of 5 light sled pulls.  Because of this I was super careful.

Not wanting to push my leg at all, I moved my run in almost 2' and started on a 1340 and then a 1345.  I felt I needed something smaller than my 12'4/155.  Got in some nice complete vaults with no bar and cleared 9'9"/3m 3 or 4 times easily.

Finished my sleds and shut it down. Thankful for small victories.  Have a great day!  Bubba

Metallica - "For Whom the Bell Tolls" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17HRV8k1YMw

Short Day!!

I vault tomorrow so this is my only short day.  Arms and shoulders is always challenging but I have no cardio and do half the stretching.  

I learned a long time ago that muscles are just like a rubber band, if you stretch it too much, it doesn't come back.  So before meets, doing a no stretch one day, followed by a half stretch the next day gives you flexibility and snap.  During training I don;t ever skip a stretch day but I do allow myself a half stretch day on Tuesday.  Have a wonderful Tuesday!  Bubba

Dire Straights - "So Far Away" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ50W3AOFjk

Usual Title Here!!

The message is the same; I'm grinding away, day to day, willing myself through every workout.  I look around and see how weak I am and I know there are no shortcuts.  As hard is it is to face this anemic reality, the only solution is to continue, day after day, after day, after day for at least a year.  And THAT is the mindset I'm currently stuck with.  On a long long road and I'm presently basically nowhere.

I think that by Reno in mid January, that three months of this work will show up a little bit.  That said, even then it's only the tip of the iceberg with what I need to continue to do.  It truly is a day in day out decision and today I made it.  Thanks for listening!  Bubba

Megadeth - "In My Darkest Hour" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0Ao9r2zkY

It Gets Harder!!

This is one of those days where you just don't feel good. It's pouring down rain, you don't want to be in the gym, everything is a struggle, yet you make yourself continue.

I made myself believe the truth; if I don't take these actions consistently for the next year, I will simply not come close to the goals I have set for myself.  It doesn't matter what I've done before.  I'm starting over as a nobody and I"m going to embrace that.  As JJ Watt says, "Good is the enemy of great".

Today was a victory because I persevered and made myself focus on each component as if it were the key to my overall success. I hope I can muster this fortitude the next time.  I need many days like this, but I also need to win every one of them.  Have a great Sunday!  Bubba

Beck - "Loser" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgSPaXgAdzE

Today Was a Good Day?

Today was the Halloween Vault at my new vault home.  Because I felt a little groin and hamstring twinge on Wednesday, I decided not to compete.  The plan was to do some take offs from two and three lefts, and hopefully not get hurt.  I did this, and got in six easy sleds with no pain.  Today was a good day.  Looking forward to Wednesday.

Since I'm starting over, I need a bit smaller pole than my start pole, so I found a little 1335 and 1340 I can use before hitting my 12'4/155.  I may need one other one too but I'll see.  The objective is a ton of good technical jumps without pressing my legs.

As I said last time, it's a given my legs will never feel good on jump days.  Just the day before yesterday I did a leg session so hard I felt weak the rest of the day.  WELL, I'm almost afraid to say this, but I was surprised by how snappy my legs felt on the runway both days.  Shocked is more like it but I'll take it.  Have a wonderful evening and thanks for your support.  Bubba

Ice Cube - "Today Was a Good Day" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UqMyldS7Q

Keep Grinding!!

These long days, 8,8,6,6 are very tiring physically and mentally.  I've got to remember to just get through it, don't rush and don't push the weights.  Just survive it.  And I did .. today ... somehow. Have a great day.  Bubba

ACDC - "For Those About to Rock" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtMGoU9NcMo

Hard Leg Day!!

I've been dreading this one for a bit.  The day after my major jump day on Wednesday, my lift reps for legs are 8,8,6,6 rather than 8,6,4 on the next rotation.  I try to push hard but the focus is on muscular endurance.  I made it.  Bad but not as bad as expected.  Cheers for small victories!  Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!  Bubba

REO Speedwagon - "Riding the Storm Out" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVFgEBq0EKM

Jump Day - Kind Of!!

Forgot to post yesterday but it was a good arms and shoulders day.  I was concerned going in because they had a gap in a couple of their barbell sizes, but it's going to work out fine.  Didn't feel good at all in the legs so I was very concerned about jumping today. Also I had been feeling some deep hamstring soreness in my left leg even though I hadn't run.

Today was the first day at College Station.  Beautiful facility that will work out perfectly for my Wednesday and Saturday jump days.  I probably should have taken my two smaller poles as I had to work a little harder than I wanted to to use my first one from three lefts.  Of course from four it's too small.

Getting some kinks out.  I felt a hint in my right groin after a good take off and then later on, I felt my left hamstring deep on my sleds.  I shut everything down before injury.  Though I did not try a bar I felt better than I did last Wednesday.

For awhile the problem is going to be that my legs will always be beat up, and I will never feel good when I vault.  Well, until I get in good shape.  I'm good with this because it will keep me at a low level and let me work on technique.  Thanks for your support and have a great day!  Bubba

Times Like These!!

Listening to the great Foo Fighters song, "Times Like These" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzmNRtIp8k and feeling fortunate. Grateful in every way!  Thank you for being a big part of that.

Chest and back lift today went well, as did the cardio and stretching.  As mentioned, the cardio is not for fitness as much as it's for speed endurance.  Rather than take the pounding of intervals on the track I'm substituting the Gauntlet StairMaster one day, followed by the LifeCycle the next.

I'm feeling at peace as I train. I'm getting to the gym early enough that I'm not in a rush and can therefore really focus on every detail.  I'm also showing great discipline on my extended stretching.

Today I felt strong enough to push the weights up a little bit and my bars are getting easier. All in all, a very sound start. Have a great day and thanks for your support.  Amount lifted today was 24,602 with 20 bar reps.  Bubba

Accountability!!

I've been in maintenance mode for so long that I was forced to train by instinct and time available.  What can I do, or what do I need to do the most, for the time I have before I'm traveling again?

A big part of my move back to the Houston area (The Woodlands), was to be more centralized for my travel, and to avoid a lot of it completely unless absolutely necessary.

My intent is to start recording weights lifted and posting here daily.  If it's not urgent enough to make me accountable, then who am I kidding?  Glad o be back and thanks for your support!  Bubba

Living Colour - "Cult of Personality" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxgRUyzgs0

Rising Up!!

As I went to the gym this morning, I was remembering that in the early stages you aren't actually strong enough to exert the force or circulation to get a pump.  This morning was arms and shoulders and BAM, I'm pumped and strength is clearly coming back fast. I owe this to the fact that I've basically trained my entire life, so I respond pretty quickly.

As a kid I used to get up at 4 AM when my dad got ready for work, and I did a workout in my little barbell set.  In high school a group of our friends would go out for a five mile run at 4 AM before the school.  I don't get it now but I'm glad that's in my genes.

I've been through all four training rotations now and am refining what I had planned to do with what I will actually do.  At this point the momentum has already started.  I've recently been dealing with some very real personal and financial struggles so this metamorphosis is needed.  All sings point up!!  Thanks for your support!  Bubba

Ozzy - "No More Tears" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CprfjfN5PRs

Carry On!

Every avalanche starts with a single snowflake - I am the snowflake right now.

I'm trying to make a huge focus on cardio and stretching. The stretching is obvious, but the cardio is for speed endurance, and to allow me to take more jumps.  Interesting story about this.

I trained a friend one time, who with eight knee surgeries, could not run.  So of course he came to me with a goal to run a 60 second 400m, or a "4 minute mile pace" in his mind.

I put him on the "Gauntlet", the REAL stair, StairMaster and not that little wussy ride up and down, the LifeCycle on the hill profile, and lifted legs a lot. Every two weeks he would run a 200m run to see where he was.

In six months he was ready to enter a masters meet.  This guy had never run in a track meet before so I introduced him to the other runners I knew and told them about his improbable mission.  He got last by a long way but everyone cheered for this "newcomer" making his debut in his first and last race ever.  

The goal was for the other runners to drag him, and for him to push himself through a 60 second lap.  The result? An astounding 57.4. This from a guy who could not run in practice because of eight knee surgeries.

So to protect my feet, Achilles, and everything else, I'm depending on this approach to get me up to speed without the impact on my body.  Of course I will jump and run twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but these other four days of speed endurance should make a huge difference over the next year.  I'll go 12 minutes on the stairs one day, and 12 minutes on the bike the next.

Nothing makes you feel faster on the runway than being flexible.  I'm more than doubling my daily time commitment to it. I think the combination of these two things will make ah huge differe,  Thanks for stopping by!  Bubba

PS - I'm back to tracking my lifting totals - just under 25,000 lbs. lifted over the past two days.  It's a start.

Megadeth - "Holly Wars" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d4ui9q7eDM

In the Beginning!

After three years of "maintenance" training because of my work schedule, I started yesterday on a plan to get me ready for two key events next year (and the next).  As you will see, they are truly a world away.

On November 1, 2016 I compete in Perth, Australia in the World Masters Athletics Championships (Track & Field).  This is an historic event because these championships are switching from odd years to even years, with 2016 being the first of the evens.

April 21-28, 2017, or less than six months after Perth, I will compete in the World Masters Games (30 sports) in Auckland, New Zealand.  

Both of these events give me an opportunity to have enough time to rise back among the elite of my age group.  That said, I vaulted in only one indoor meet and two outdoor meets, yet managed to finish in the top five in the world in both seasons.

In my opinion I'm in striking distance of being a medalist but I'm not a credible threat to be a winner.  I have one year to change that.

I've relocated back to The Woodlands, Texas and have the exact same training facilities as I used to prepare for the 2009 World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia, which I won with a championship record. 

I'm excited to be in a position to finally train consistently.  Welcome aboard the ride!  Bubba

New Winery Dogs - "Oblivion" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SoTgZjokLU