Poles Arrived + Final Plans

The poles arrived in Albuquerque today!! YEAH!!! It's always comforting when you get that confirmation. Now the focus turns to getting ready to vault. Also I had my last workout today with 6 X 50m sled/hills and everything felt fine as expected.

I'm sure you have noticed that this blog is personal in that I reveal all of my thinking so that I can sort the components out on the table in front of me and you and then find what I hope becomes a successful plan. Like motivational speaker, Tony Robbins says, "a plane on the way to Hawaii is off course 99% of the time but still gets there because it makes thousands of corrections along the way". I think I'm about the same as one thing I'm pretty sure of one day gets contradicted on another. That's just part of my reasoning process.

SO, I've decided I need to start at 12' (3.66m) on my 2nd pole, the normal pole I jump on for this height. Starting on one pole bigger in warm up will make me do what I need to do technically correct from the very beginning of the day. I need that if I expect to be able to call on those cues when the bar gets higher and the poles get bigger.

I have been starting at 11' 6" (3.51m) just to make sure I could use my big poles but since now I have jumped on all seven poles I don't have to be so cautious anymore. Reality is that I start at 12' in practice from 6 steps so why would I not from 10 in a bug meet when I feel great? In fact two years ago I jumped 12' at nationals from only 8 steps so it's not the height but the pole set up I was after by starting lower. I don't think I need that Saturday. Why?

We have 15 guys jumping in my group and that is a lot. I think at 11' 6" there will be a lot of guys still jumping so that means more sitting around after I clear while waiting on 12'. If we lose a few there and a few more it 12' it will become a little quicker between jumps as Kirk, Charlie and Gary come in a little later (12' 6 - 13'). I'd like to hit the transition so I have a jump or two in with the mid group just before the top guys come in. I think this means the least waiting between jumps for me.

I was talking to a friend today and the comment was that everything I have done to get ready for this meet has me in the perfect position to have a really good day. My response was that I know that and that's what scares me. I've been to meets and everything felt perfect but I did not do well. It's my job to address and focus on technical issues so that can't happen. Then there is no one to blame but me if I don't do well. And that's the way I like it. Have a great day and thanks for being here. Bubba