Glorious Morning in Maine

I think you can click to enlarge this. Last night it was raining and 70 and by the time we got back from dinner it was clearing and 57. This morning was about 45 and this afternoon will be 65. Humidity is nonexistent.

After breakfast Nancy, Joe and Kathleen went into the town of Boothbay Harbor for food and other shopping while I stayed out at the house on the Southport Island point of Newagen. Nancy and I got married at Joe and Kathleen's house on a New Years Eve because they are great friends and because another friend was going to be at the party and wanted to perform our ceremony. The other friend is a minister, Mike Robinson (with wife Karen) who also did my mom's funeral service. Small world.

This morning I got some work done and then did my 10 X 80m hills with a very long and relaxed stretch while I listened to music. I'm sure to many that Van Halen, ACDC, Judas Priest (Yeah Ryan) and Metallica don't match up to this serene beauty but even when there is peace on the outside, the fire to succeed rages from within. Absolutely perfect day and it's not even noon.

Don and Gayle get here about 2 and will stay until Thursday. Don and I started vaulting together in each other's backyards when I was 12. He's my vault training partner and is on the verge of finally coming back from some nagging injuries. My proudest moment as a team was at the National Senior Games (Olympics) in Louisville in 2007. I was over 12' (3.66m) on my first jump to take the lead and Don was in 4th. He makes 12' 6" (3.81m) on his first for the win and I got 2nd. The result was two training partners from Houston who grew up together got the gold and silver at a major championship. Awesome!

The plan now is to take tomorrow off, hit the YMCA for lifting and stretching on Monday/Wednesday and get more hills on Tuesday (8X80m) and Thursday (6X80m). Friday we head back to Portland for an early flight out Saturday AM. Sunday we will all drive to the Austin area for my first competition since I got the silver at indoor nationals in Boston in late March. Again, not a big meet but two weeks from Sunday is our Texas Senior Games in Houston.

This year's Texas Senior Games is the qualifying meet for the National Senior Games to be held next summer in Houston. Get in the top five or you're not going to the big show in your own hometown. That said, I am again wearing my Kamloops World Indoors T-Shirt to remind me to NOT GET HURT next week in Austin!!

Very pleased with my jumping and training right now. Haven't been feeling good but been jumping technically better with higher jumps on smaller poles from closer runs. I've had decent jumps at 13' (3.96m) from 6 steps and very close ones from 8 steps. To put it in perspective, I usually start at 10 steps in a meet (though this year will be 12) and have yet to jump on a big enough pole that I would even warm up on in a meet. That was part of the objective; try high bars on smaller poles to learn how to get more out of them and decrease the risk of injury in practice.

BIG indoor season coming up with seven meets. Indoor marks for next year don't count until 12/1 so I'll jump at Kris' opener on 12/4 and try to get a good start.

OK, I'm rambling and jumping all over so I'd better get cleaned up and ready for some football, relaxing and hanging out. YES I'm very appreciative but we do miss Nancy's mom, June. Have a great day! Bubba