Unbelievable experience. Meet management to the helpers to the spectators could not have been more perfect. These guys were not only not stressed about the event, they actually had a good time making sure that we did. Long story short, I have a new summer "home meet" - the Grand Haven Beach Vault. HUGE thanks to Kevin Patterson, Dave Meott and Evert Geerlings!!
Before the "story", here's the result - 1st jump 12' on my biggest 13'7"/4.15m pole (173.8 lb), which was too small for 53', so I'm now out of poles since I didn't bring my 14'1"s/4.30ms. TREMENDOUS set up and runway with a fantastic tailwind. I stopped as I felt a little groin weakness at take off. Not quite a ding because I stopped, and certainly not an injury.
As great as the GHBV was, the process for me getting to a from was a comedy of errors in a not always so funny way.
- My 11 AM flight left at 5:15 PM. The next morning I would get a $200 credit via email.
- Weather forecasted rain for the entire day I would jump. It waited until we were done.
- Fire alarm went off in my hotel in Chicago at 1 AM and I had to trek down and then up six flights of stairs.
- Couldn't check in poles until two hours before the flight (9:10 AM check in). I found this out when I arrived at 6:30 AM, over 2,5 hours early.
- Couldn't return the rental car because I couldn't leave the poles. Couldn't take the poles because I couldn't get them back after rental car return.
- Paid a fellow passenger $25 to babysit my poles while I took car back.
- When I checked bags they said I had not been ticketed, even though I had been issued a boarding pass. Huh?
- At the gate I was told they couldn't take my poles. I told them they got them here and they would have to get them back. They did.
- Then I was told my boarding pass said I wasn't ticketed and can't board the plane. I told them that was at 6:30 AM and had been resolved as their error.
- In Denver I got my boarding pass renewed to avoided the same hold up.
I'll trade all the bad and inconvenience for the good. I travel all of the time and this stuff just never happens. Grand Haven Beach Vault is the place to be. Can't wait for next year!! Bubba
Winery Dogs - Live in Japan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdfqZoz2ajE
Ready to go? I think so?
I can't tell you how long it has been that I had my last running and lifting workout before a meet and knew for certain that I would feel good on Saturday, but it happened today. Now that does not mean anything as far as vaulting and results, but I would far rather go in healthy and strong then being someplace along the rehab road. And for that I am grateful. Thank you for your support as always! Bubba
Winery Dogs - "Desire" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avwo76gGTDw
I expected to feel weak since I lifted heavy and hard on Thursday but surprisingly I felt pretty good. I just did 8,6 instead of 8,6,4 but everything felt strong, including my bars.
Afterwards I went over to the track to get my 4.15m/13'7" poles to take to the meet. Haven't used them since Belton on 12/28 so I'm hoping to have some success and get through them all like I did then. Hope you have a great Sunday and thanks for being here! Bubba
Guns & Roses - "Think About You" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfOtJ98d1Ms
I had a brief but hard upper lift this morning along with abs/stretching. Only two more days and I hit the road. Business in Denver Tuesday and then Wednesday I head toward Grand Haven, Michigan on Lake Superior for the Grand Haven Beach Vault. Here is a link to their helicopter tour last year. Have a great day! Bubba
Grand Haven Fly By
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ4VosXe3j0
Ten Years After - "I'd Love to Change the World" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FQZVH9mBT8
Saturday meet where I did not compete but took about eight vaults in warm up, good long vault day Wednesday, lift legs/bar Thursday and run sleds today? Hmmm. Sounds like that might be enough beating on my legs since I have a meet a week from tomorrow. Actually I'll lift legs one more time on Sunday and then sleds again Monday and I should be ready. Very nice to be making these decisions uninjured. Have a wonderful 4th!! Bubba
Ozzy - "Crazy Train" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcoweoZ6jpM
I've been putting off lifting legs so I can feel good to vault. Unfortunately the laws of "reversibility" of age actually make it worse when you don't lift. So I'm anticipated a painful grind today and it was really quite easy and I felt very strong. I guess we will see how I feel on sleds tomorrow, and another leg lift Sunday and more sleds Monday. Embrace the grind!! Have a great day! Bubba
Saw this freak last night, Yngwie Malmsteen - "Far Beyond the Sun" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK0rvReE-4c
Bigger poles?
I wasn't thrilled that I was too flat and tight to jump at our event this past Saturday, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I had already paid in full my entire trip to the Grand Haven Beach Vault in Michigan, 10 days from today, so I couldn't risk getting hurt.
That said I was a little troubled by how my poles felt. Then I remembered that I had only ever jumped on the first one of six. In retrospect I think I taped the grips too high and that's why they felt off. So my plan was to go out today and try to go through all six poles and re-tape the proper grips. Great plan and great day. The good news besides the fact that gripping at the correct place made the poles perfect, is that the two biggest poles are bigger than my two smallest 13'7s/4.15ms. Since I'm only taking my 13'7s to Grand Haven I needed something in that ballpark of stiffness.
Long story short, I JOGGED in from 3 lefts/6 steps for the first three poles and 4/8 for the next three. Jumped 11'7"/3.53m easy but couldn't quite get in enough on the big one for 12'1/3.69m. In any case I'm not hurt and I'm moving through poles nicely. It was only two weeks ago I got through my 12'4" poles so I'll take it.
Have a great day and thanks for your support! Bubba
Winery Dogs - "Time Machine" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhxvnMDf2E I saw them last week with Dean "The Machine" Gregory, Mike Soule and Bruce Caldwell.
