I felt fairly flat warming up, as expected, since this was my first week back to the full training load of running, lifting, vaulting, bars, etc. The plan was to stay on my smallest pole at 4 steps(23'/6.5m), the 4m/13'1/167/16.3, but after I made 11'' (3.35m) I knew it was going to be too small. I was fairly hit and miss on my technique and then at 11' 6" (3.51m) on the 4m/171.6/15.9 I hit a really good pocket and went pretty much straight up the pole.
Again I knew that pole would be too small for 12' (3.66m) so I moved up to the 15.5. Had a good jump but it was too small. I made the decision to try and go to the 176.8/15.0 and made it on the first jump but IT TOO felt a little small. I'm really in uncharted territory now because I have never even been on the 15.5 from 4 steps until six days ago and now that and the 15.0 are too small. I decided to stay at 12' and try the 14.7, a pretty big stiffness jump. Made it again even easier so I decided to quit while I was ahead.
I went ahead and did the rest of my running, bars and lifting with a sense of optimism I haven't felt in some time. I knew at some point that all of the running and lifting I did this year for the months that I couldn't jump would pay off but this is clearly another level. The again, does it matter how fast and strong you are with a 4 step run? probably not.
I had just told Nancy the day before that if I wanted to really break through I would have to stick the the shorter run and clean up my technique rather than moving on just to clear higher bars. Today I was rewarded so therefore I will continue to challenge myself from 4 steps until I got to see Kris a week from Thursday where I will try to go from 6 steps.
Have a great Sunday and thanks for the support. Bubba
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Fantasy/Reality
It's easy to romanticize big meets and performance goals but the reality is that you have to show up on THAT day and perform them. I train and train and train thinking about a big meet months away but when I get there a whole new reality is present; you actually have to now DO IT!! To me that means I need a 13' 9" (4.20m) grip and a 47' mid from a 16 step run. I have to have worked my way up to that while maintaining efficiency.
When I first decided to jump again in 1988, I was out at UCLA and I looked across Drake Stadium and saw that Anthony Curran had a bungee up for the kids. It looked pretty high and when I got over there it was at 14' (4.27m). I was 36 and thought, shoot I can jump 14' in my jeans and flats. I finally made it in 1997 (9 years later) at age 44 and made 15' 1" (4.60m) the next year. The reality, as I learned, is that you actually have to do it as simply dreaming and believing can't make it happen.
At the World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia I was VERY ready and felt great going into the meet. When I got over to the field for warm up I felt a little queasy and my legs felt really dead. On top of that the wind was blowing HARD from all over the place. It was so loud it was hard to talk to someone. I just felt sick because THIS was the big day I trained so hard for and here I am feeling like crap in bad conditions.
After I got moving around for awhile I felt pretty dang good and also was able to kind of pick up a wind rotation pattern so that maybe it wouldn't blow my pole out of the box or come directly in my face. I ended up winning but it was by totally blocking out everything else around me and thinking about the exact technical mechanics that it would take to succeed.
So the irony is that you romanticize and prepare for the pageantry and pressure of huge meets but when you get there, in order to do well, you have to block it all out. So much for visualizing. Anyway, this was my revelation today as I lifted in the garage thinking about Worlds in Sacramento. As much as I focus on that place and those conditions today, when I get there I can only succeed if I totally ignore them.
Have a great Saturday! Bubba
When I first decided to jump again in 1988, I was out at UCLA and I looked across Drake Stadium and saw that Anthony Curran had a bungee up for the kids. It looked pretty high and when I got over there it was at 14' (4.27m). I was 36 and thought, shoot I can jump 14' in my jeans and flats. I finally made it in 1997 (9 years later) at age 44 and made 15' 1" (4.60m) the next year. The reality, as I learned, is that you actually have to do it as simply dreaming and believing can't make it happen.
At the World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia I was VERY ready and felt great going into the meet. When I got over to the field for warm up I felt a little queasy and my legs felt really dead. On top of that the wind was blowing HARD from all over the place. It was so loud it was hard to talk to someone. I just felt sick because THIS was the big day I trained so hard for and here I am feeling like crap in bad conditions.
After I got moving around for awhile I felt pretty dang good and also was able to kind of pick up a wind rotation pattern so that maybe it wouldn't blow my pole out of the box or come directly in my face. I ended up winning but it was by totally blocking out everything else around me and thinking about the exact technical mechanics that it would take to succeed.
So the irony is that you romanticize and prepare for the pageantry and pressure of huge meets but when you get there, in order to do well, you have to block it all out. So much for visualizing. Anyway, this was my revelation today as I lifted in the garage thinking about Worlds in Sacramento. As much as I focus on that place and those conditions today, when I get there I can only succeed if I totally ignore them.
Have a great Saturday! Bubba
Friday, August 6, 2010
Back to Garage Lifting
Kris and I briefly considered JUST vaulting for awhile but decided that would be too much strength and speed training lost. So back to the hot garage for lifting today. I'm feeling very good but again I just restarted and I'm taking it on a fairly easy ramp up. I've got 11 months of this grind so it's more important to be focused and deliberate than to try and PR on lifting every day.
Every year about this time when I start my August grind I always focus on the big meets coming the next year as that gives me the sense of purpose to get through hard training when most guys are taking a break. What's funny is that by the time those meets actually arrive I have done so much more that looking back on these days feels irrelevant. I'll just keep that a secret from myself for right now so I can continue to crawl slowly down the planned path.
As a vaulter you want to grab the next pole, move the run back and clear something respectable. The problem with that thinking is that I already know what I can jump on every pole from every run, so what's the point? My time would be better spent trying to get everything I can out of the smaller poles from the shorter runs so that I can jump even higher when I get back to the longer runs and bigger poles. If things continue how they have started I will be on much bigger poles by then.
I'm going to vault with Kris on Thursday, 8/19 for the purpose of picking up and trying to jump on the two new smaller 14' 7" (4.45m) poles. It won't matter what run or grip I use, just that I see what they feel like as those will become my meet start poles. It also won;t matter if I can't get in enough to go at a bar. Just feel the poles at every grip starting at 2 steps and probably ending at 12-14 in flats. Jog in with rhythm and hit the pole. Looking forward to it.
Have a great day and many thanks for hanging out here with me. Bubba
PS - Pole costs? I'm asked this fairly often. For these two poles I got a deal at $957 including shipping.
Every year about this time when I start my August grind I always focus on the big meets coming the next year as that gives me the sense of purpose to get through hard training when most guys are taking a break. What's funny is that by the time those meets actually arrive I have done so much more that looking back on these days feels irrelevant. I'll just keep that a secret from myself for right now so I can continue to crawl slowly down the planned path.
As a vaulter you want to grab the next pole, move the run back and clear something respectable. The problem with that thinking is that I already know what I can jump on every pole from every run, so what's the point? My time would be better spent trying to get everything I can out of the smaller poles from the shorter runs so that I can jump even higher when I get back to the longer runs and bigger poles. If things continue how they have started I will be on much bigger poles by then.
I'm going to vault with Kris on Thursday, 8/19 for the purpose of picking up and trying to jump on the two new smaller 14' 7" (4.45m) poles. It won't matter what run or grip I use, just that I see what they feel like as those will become my meet start poles. It also won;t matter if I can't get in enough to go at a bar. Just feel the poles at every grip starting at 2 steps and probably ending at 12-14 in flats. Jog in with rhythm and hit the pole. Looking forward to it.
Have a great day and many thanks for hanging out here with me. Bubba
PS - Pole costs? I'm asked this fairly often. For these two poles I got a deal at $957 including shipping.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Another Good Day
I felt pretty good going out this morning but I'm sure that is over now that I have vaulted, run, done bars and lifted. No height improvement, still 11' 6" (3.51m), but I had more control of the jumps and did get to a bigger pole (4m/171.6/15.5) and had some decent attempts at 12' from my 23', 4 step run. Everything was better except the height cleared. I'll take that because it felt more consistent and in control. My PR from this run is 12' (3.66m) once, and I have never been on the 15.5 from that run so that is progress. I'll grind away again Sunday and then next Thursday when I get stopped at 4 steps I will move to 6 steps for the first time this year.
Everything felt really good and healthy and I stayed well within myself. That will be the key to success this year. At this point it comes down to doing the work with focus and listening to my body. Feels so good to not be hurt any place.
If the miracle of getting a medal at Worlds next year will happen then I will have have to have this type of training, uninterrupted for the next 10 1/2 months. Get the most out of every day without stepping over the edge. Not hard to do when you're running from 23' (7m) but at some point over the next 4-5 months I will be at a 14 and 16 step run for the first time in two years. I'm hoping I progress properly so that means bigger heights.
Have a great day and thank you for your support!! Bubba
Everything felt really good and healthy and I stayed well within myself. That will be the key to success this year. At this point it comes down to doing the work with focus and listening to my body. Feels so good to not be hurt any place.
If the miracle of getting a medal at Worlds next year will happen then I will have have to have this type of training, uninterrupted for the next 10 1/2 months. Get the most out of every day without stepping over the edge. Not hard to do when you're running from 23' (7m) but at some point over the next 4-5 months I will be at a 14 and 16 step run for the first time in two years. I'm hoping I progress properly so that means bigger heights.
Have a great day and thank you for your support!! Bubba
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Back to Work Thursday
WELL, I have driven miles to meetings over the past two days so I will be home tomorrow catching up. Left at 4:30 this morning for a 4 hour drive to a 9 AM meeting. On Thursday my hardcore training for next year will resume and I am very excited. The grind is SO MUCH better when you can also vault! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Thanks for being here!! Bubba
PS - Entered the 2011 Pole Vault Summit in Reno today.
http://www.ucsspirit.com/about/pole-vault.cfm
Tried to enter the Texas Senior Games but it had a glitch and did not list my event.
Found out that I jump at the National Senior Games either on 6/21 or 6/24 (my birthday). Since it is in Houston, this will be the first time my dad has seen me jump at a National Championships since college.
PS - Entered the 2011 Pole Vault Summit in Reno today.
http://www.ucsspirit.com/about/pole-vault.cfm
Tried to enter the Texas Senior Games but it had a glitch and did not list my event.
Found out that I jump at the National Senior Games either on 6/21 or 6/24 (my birthday). Since it is in Houston, this will be the first time my dad has seen me jump at a National Championships since college.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Good 1st Day Back
My weight was this same this morning as it ever is, about 175 and I find that SHOCKING after the cruise. My body felt OK but a little stiff from no activity. I started from 4 steps today for the first time and cleared 11' 6" (3.51m), which too is very surprising in a pleasant way. Started on the 4m/167/16.3 and made 9' 6", 10' and 10' 6" on first jumps before getting 11' on my 3rd, though all good jumps. Moved up to the 4m/171.6/15.9 and made 11' 6" on my 2nd.
Gotta hit the road for a lunch meeting. Glad to be back and vaulting. Bubba
Gotta hit the road for a lunch meeting. Glad to be back and vaulting. Bubba
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Almost Home
We left the ship and cleared customs at 7:55 AM Pacific time and came right to the airport. Our flight wasn't even on the board yet as it was scheduled for 12:25. After grabbing something to eat we saw the flight time had changed to 1:05 and was leaving from terminal "N", and that means a train ride.
I can't say enough about the experience with Seattle/airport/support and Holland America Cruises. Amazing service and very fast and efficient processes. Not to mention a very beautiful corner of the world. BTW - I'm on Sea-Tac's free airport WiFi!!
The only thing missing from this trip was the chance to connect with my great friend and former training partner, Dean "The Machine" Gregory. Dean and I go way back and spent years as very intense training partners. The time window was just too short this time but he suggested he might possibly meet up with us at Worlds in Sacramento next year. Awesome! So a perfect trip except for missing Dean.
I'm going to be on the runway at 7 AM tomorrow as I have a business lunch 90 miles away. Did some striding and skipping in the halls starting Friday and felt very heavy. Yesterday was a little better and today is still better. Looking forward to getting back into my routines.
Have a great Sunday and thanks for your support! Bubba
I can't say enough about the experience with Seattle/airport/support and Holland America Cruises. Amazing service and very fast and efficient processes. Not to mention a very beautiful corner of the world. BTW - I'm on Sea-Tac's free airport WiFi!!
The only thing missing from this trip was the chance to connect with my great friend and former training partner, Dean "The Machine" Gregory. Dean and I go way back and spent years as very intense training partners. The time window was just too short this time but he suggested he might possibly meet up with us at Worlds in Sacramento next year. Awesome! So a perfect trip except for missing Dean.
I'm going to be on the runway at 7 AM tomorrow as I have a business lunch 90 miles away. Did some striding and skipping in the halls starting Friday and felt very heavy. Yesterday was a little better and today is still better. Looking forward to getting back into my routines.
Have a great Sunday and thanks for your support! Bubba
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