Wet Gym Day

I would have liked to run today but it's too cold and rainy.  I had my gym/bars day and it felt very good.  It will take me a few weeks to get my body thriving in the new routine, but by tomorrow, when I complete my first full four day rotation, I'll at least feel like I might deserve to become an athlete again someday.  Thanks for sticking with me.  I hate feeling like a failure!!  Bubba

Settling In

It felt good to have a normal workout today on a normal schedule.  Now that I have changed my outlook I feel like I can really get into a groove.  Denver next M-W but home the following week, all week, rather than Northern California.  When I do go to NoCal I will go in and out on Tuesday so that will be nice.  So much of progress has to do with a consistent routine.  I may actually get there.  Have a great evening and thanks for being here!  Bubba

OK Day

Going out of town sucks for my diet.  TOO MANY EATING MEETINGS!!!

I did some decent active rest but forgot my ankle weights to do my dynamic stretching.  So when I jumped today I felt like a FAT water balloon with no stride length.  I felt fairly snappy but was not covering much ground.  It wasn't as bad as I'm making it sound but it felt like that. 

I made 10' 6" (3.20m) from four steps and moved on to 11' (3.35m) from six steps which I cleared by a mile.  I took only two at 12' (3.66m) as I felt I could strain a hamstring if I pushed to make up for my lack of stride length.

I got my 10 stadium ramps done too so today felt like a practice and I was pleased.  My knee did not hurt and I'm convinced it is because I'm making myself get my foot down at take of instead of blocking.  Thanks for your support.  Hard leg lift day tomorrow.  Bubba

My New Reality

Today I found out that not only will I be in Denver next Monday and Tuesday, but I will be in Northern California the next Monday and Tuesday.  Of course this is tonight after I just got back from being in the Beverly Hills / Los Angeles area for Monday and Tuesday. SO, I figure I'll block out Monday and Tuesday for travel.  The reality is that I'll probably only have to miss both days twice a month as this month has been very unusual.  What does this mean?

Actually I think this means I'll have much more consistent and better training.  I'll vault/run on Thursday, lift legs hard Friday, go the gym to do secondary exercises and bars, as well as run stadium ramps on Saturday, and lift the big upper lifts in the garage on Sunday.  So 1 X vault, 2 X run, 3 X lift, for a hard four days.  NOW - two weeks a month I will vault/run on Monday and head up to LA on Tuesday.  So on those weeks I get an extra vault/run day.

My former coach and longtime friend, Dave Johnston (DJ), used to tell me that I over train.  To me it's how I move my body forward when it's trying to slowly die backward.  That said, after 2-3 weeks of my normal type of training I have to back off because I start to feel too beat up.  It looks and feels to me like my new reality will be sustainable and something I can build off of.  I'm actually very excited for this schedule as it was so frustrating trying to figure out how to juggle missed training.  Now I have a fixed schedule.  Have a great day and thanks for your support!  Bubba

Aerosmith, "Eat the Rich" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-0lAhnoDlU

New Plans

I'm "on the road" in the LA / Beverly Hills area for two nights but I'm doing some jogging/stretching/striding, etc. so I can jump on Thursday.  No problems with my body today so I'm happy about that.
I got confirmation that I am jumping in Texas the weekend of April 26-27 at my Alma Mater, Texas State University in San Marcos.  They are having an "Alumni Vault" at their big invitational so I'm really looking forward to that.  I think I'll ship my poles to Kris for that meet.  Great facility and wind conditions.  Can't wait!!  Another reason to be accountable in my training.

Have a great evening and thank you for your support!  Bubba

Disappointed - Or Not!?

Please click to enlarge

Today I jumped at the California Senior Games.  I could not have enjoyed the experience more because I got to hang out with, and jump with a fantastic group of guys.  I also couldn't have vaulted worse or been more surprised at my health.

During last night's jog/stretch/stride I felt great!  This morning as I warmed up, I was cautious because I was certain of one thing, that my knee would flare because I did not get it shot.  SHOCK - it did not, and as a result my poles were WAY too tiny to be effective.  I will not ever take my 14' 1" (4.30m) poles to a meet again as they are useless.

Clearly my training and running are working because with little effort these poles just flat didn't work.  By the time I figured it out, and was sure I wouldn't hurt my knee, I was out of jumps.  Long story short, I got 2nd with a jump on 3.45m (11' 3 3/4").  When a 1470 is too small to make 11' 8" (3.55m) from 8 steps, then I have a problem.  In Reno I got away with this.  At San Diego the poles were small but I still made heights on them. Today they were like toys.  Lesson learned, but the good news is that my knee did not hurt.  That, along with getting to spend time with a great group of guys, made this a fantastic day.  Thanks for your support!  Bubba

A New Beginning

Before I left yesterday I had finally had it with my computer as my email shut down about 15 times over the past 12 hours. On the way out if town I got a new notebook computer and have been spending what little free time I have getting it set up.  So here I am.

Drove to Cambria last night, Monterrey tonight and will stay in Palo Alto near Stanford University tomorrow.  I jump at 8 AM PDT on Sunday, (7AM the day before daylight savings time) and it will be close to 40 degrees.  Today we started at 37 and it warmed up to 74, so I can only hope the meet runs slow or it warms up faster.  Doesn't sound too fun but we all have to deal with it.  Oh well.

Last night and today was just getting Internet connection and installing a few programs.  The good news / bad news is that Monday morning I'm gone to LA / Beverly Hills for three days so I will have to have this computer "my main one" by the time I get home.  I think I'm close.  Have a great evening.  Bubba

ACDC - For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ0zP3U_iE0&feature=related  I always play this before I go out onto the field before a big meet in honor of my fellow vaulters.