Love is In the Air - 1st Day on New 14' 1" Poles

I said yesterday that I hoped to get on to my three new 14' 1" / 4.30m poles today.  These Essx Power Force carbons look and feel awesome!!  The more I thought about it the more I thought I maybe should start on them today.  My thinking was that since I had not jumped on them, maybe it would be better to try them for the first time alone rather than after my biggest 13' 1" / 4m. 

I got to the track at 6:15 AM (already 89 degrees) and took out my 13' 1" pole bag and pulled out the smallest pole.  Then I went in and got the 14' 1"s thinking maybe I would take a few easy take offs at the end of the practice. As my warm up finished I came over and picked up the smallest 14' 1" and it felt light and small.  Decision made - I'll start on that one.

I push my grip from 2, 4 and 6 steps as part of my warm up to make sure my plant and take off timing feel good.  The pole started bending at 6 steps so I hoped I would be able to jump at a bar from 8 steps.  Since I had jumped 12' / 3.66m on a 13' 1" pole at the last practice I figured I should at least bump it up a little so I started at 12' 1 1/2" / 3.70m and made it by a mile on my 2nd jump.  WOW - that pole has some snap!!  Knowing that I had jumped 12' 5 1/2" / 3.80m at Worlds from 14 steps, why not add insult to injury by trying to jump 12' 7 1/2" / 3.85m from 8 steps?  I made it easy on the first jump but the pole was feeling small now.  I went to 13' / 3.97m and moved up a pole and it felt good but I was missing the timing a little.  Actually I think that pole also will be small pretty soon from that run.  This leaves me one more 14' 1" before I get to my 14' 7 1/2" / 4.45m meet series - and it's August 20.  PROGRESS!!

So, I LOVE the new poles.  Here's a song dedicated to them; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehu3wy4WkHs&ob=av2e 

I found out yesterday that there is a meet in Austin on September 25, so that's a good target.  On October 22, in Houston there will be the Texas vs. Louisiana meet which I'm also excited about.

My training plan now will be to vault one bigger day on Saturdays where I jump from 8, 10 and 12 steps, followed by a smaller pole day on Tuesday (short rest rotation) where I go from 4, 6 and 8 steps.  I think this is a plan I can comfortably settle into.  BTW - all of this in three weeks?  Yep - Nationals in Cleveland was three weeks ago today.  I LOVE it!  Have a great day!  Bubba