I got to the meet and felt great. Near the end of my warm-up I had a weird takeoff and felt a little tweak in my right forearm. I've never had a forearm issue, so I didn't think much of it. I took another final takeoff and didn't turn up and it was OK.
After I sat for a bout 40 minutes I got two run throughs. On the first I just took off and rode through. No big deal. On number two I turned up and felt my forearm again when I pulled and again when I went to push off.
Rather than risk a major in jury I stopped. The end. It sucked but it was the right thing to do. All training and jumping has gone great so I didn't want to feel like a fool for the next eight weeks recovering from an injury I never should have had.
All in all I'm on the right poles and runs and things feel great. The arm is better today so I'll be careful for a few weeks. Thanks for hanging in here with me. Bubba
John Mayer - "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32GZ3suxRn4
It's hard to believe I haven't even been here a week yet. In fact I left Texas a week ago. That said I've had a very productive week of work and workout considering I moved in during a pouring rain storm on Tuesday.
Today was my last leg lift day, and then I went over to the school to get my poles ready for Reno. The poles get picked up Wednesday and I fly out Thursday.
I think I"m ready. I'm only taking 4m/13'1" poles but I have six of them from a 160 to a 180 so I think I'm covered. Thanks for your support and have a great day! Bubba
Blur - "Song 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc18xt5wQnk
Jumping in Belton was pretty uneventful. I jumped on the same poles and the same heights as practice and felt pretty good. I made 11' on my first jump, won my division and stopped so I wouldn't be hurt for Reno. The elite girls were after me and I didn't want them to have to wait to warm up.
Lesson learned? I've been training on a downhill runway so it was a struggle to do what I did every day even though I was fresh. It took a lot of work to get things to match up and I hated that. Won't make that mistake again.
I got to Dana Point yesterday (Tuesday), got unpacked, moved in, and was running bleacher ramps at Dana Hills High School by 6:45 AM this morning. The distance (60m) is over twice what I've been running in Texas with sleds so I only did five instead of 10. I'll ramp that up slowly after Reno.
New place is great; right across the street from the beach. The gym is good at 7 so I'm ready to rock. Very pumped. Have a great day and thanks for checking in! Bubba
In honor of Motorhead frontman and bassist, Lemmy Kilmister who just passed - "Ace of Spades" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDvo6DbxeOg
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
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
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
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
