The Long & Winding Road!

The Long & Winding Road!

You feel good, you feel bad, you feel fast, you're suddenly "hurt" without an event.  Weirdest thing in the world.  I'm running this morning and I feel pretty fast.  Good so far.

Careful not to push it because I have the Masters Pole Vault Symposium in 10 days, I'm shocked when on my 2nd 40m stride, I suddenly feel like my right hamstring is about to cramp.  I spent the rest of the session at 40-50% in protection mode, after comfortably running 70-85% over the last few practices.  No clue where this came from and if it's even anything to worry about.

I'll see how I feel on Sunday's running, but right now I don't think I should vault at the symposium. I'm gaining so much momentum that I hate to risk a setback for something that really doesn't matter.  Stay tuned.  Thanks for checking in on me.  Bubba

On my last post I said I would share the last song I heard before I walked on the the field for World Masters in South Africa in 1997. That meet was a huge challenge because I had strained my hamstring just 22 days before the competition.  Strangely, I pulled it again during the meet on my first jump clearance at 4m/13' 1 1/2".  It popped right when I left the ground but I cleared the bar.

Somehow that jump hung on for the bronze medal, my first world championship medal.  Twelve years later in 2009 I won the World Masters Games with the same height, then a meet record by 1'/30cm, which still stands today, 8 years later.

The song was Van Halen's, "Aftershock", played here on the John Stewart Show in 1995 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZkWJnI9kcs

Gaining Momentum!

Gaining Momentum!

When I'm ramping back up after a big meet or a phase break, it's sometimes harder than others to get back into the groove.  For some reason I've really struggled recently with focus and motivation because of all of my work project stuff.  I trained of course but it was far less than fun.  Suddenly this week, my head kind of kicked in and I was excited to train.  After a couple of days I noticed that I'm improving again.

Improvement is always welcome, but working when you're not is the defining statement about where you're going.  I remember once when I was a kid that my dad told me that I was lazy.  I had no idea what he was talking about as I got up a t 4 AM and ran or lifted before school, trained with the team and then stayed late.

He pointed out that these were things I wanted to do.  He said when I could attack the things I didn't want to do with the same passion, I would find success and happiness.  He was right, and then it became easy to build on that momentum.

I've always said that an avalanche began as a single snowflake.  I've managed to get my self back to the snowball state but I'm looking for that avalanche.  Here's to a long hard winter. Fight through the stuff I dread or hate until I love it again.  I'm on my way because I heard my dad's words, reminding me that I am nobody until I can be happy with myself and my efforts.

Random memory, In 1997 just before I went on to the field for Indoor Masters Nationals in Boston in 1997, I played Republica's, "Ready to Go" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgffRW1fKDk 

That was my first national championship as a master.  Later that year I walked out onto the field for the World Masters Championships in South Africa, and played what song?  Find out tomorrow.  Thanks for checking in on me.  I so much appreciate your support and friendship!  Bubba

More Running!

More Running!

Like everyone, I dream I can't run.  And then I wake up and realize what a struggle it is to run well as we age.  I try and model my stretching and other components after masters sprinters who are still really good.  TODAY, I felt fast.  Doesn't mean I will tomorrow, but today I felt fast, FINALLY.

What I noticed was that with a sled and/or ankle weights, I could run fast, but after the acceleration phase, I couldn't hold my running form together.  I could run hard this way but not necessarily fast, and once I hit speed, I fell apart.

I decided to commit the first 14 weeks of this year to learning to run again with no weights or sled.  It's been really weird because I get up to speed now and I seem to be gaining some sense of running and stride control.  Sure, if I go out too fast I fall apart a bit but not like it was before.  If I run rhythmical, and gain speed under control, I can get up to about 85-90%, like this morning.

To make this more interesting, school started yesterday so my running starts at 6 AM in relative darkness and I finish right about the time the ant farm of the kids hit the campus.  Not exactly optimal time for speed work but it's my only slot.

This is only week three of 14 but I'm very encouraged that I'm having some definitive learning and improvement.  A year from now when I'm getting ready for worlds, this ongoing effort should produce significant level changes.  One step at a time and another brick in the wall.  Have a great evening!  Bubba

Just Another Day - Oingo Boingo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y0lLwLxVX8

Working Through Stuff!

Working Through Stuff!

I'm having to cope with some issues that in the long run will benefit me.  I strained my right shoulder just before Auckland and I'm slow to gain strength back on bench and incline. Frustrating.

Another issue is that I'm training a little lighter and more lean than usual.  I'm doing this because when I would drop down to be at the proper weight I would feel crampy and dehydrated.  Again, frustrating because I don't feel as strong, but it's really for the better.

As I found out in Grand Haven, these deficiencies didn't stop me from gripping higher on bigger poles from one stride closer. I need to remember this and just chill and find the new normal. I can say that my legs feel a lot less tight this way too.

The biggest thing that will benefit me is to continue to progress through these 14 week running programs and keep up my base lifting and bars. The more I can stick to this, I will keep making progress.  CHILL DUDE!!

NOW, if at the Masters PV Symposium on September 9, if I'm up again on poles and grips, my case will be made.  I'm fully expecting that. Thanks for checking in on me today!  Bubba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRQnJyP77tY

Running Man!

Running Man!

I'm learning a lot about my running from this current program.  As I said, for the past three years, except for on the runway, I haven't run a step without ankle weights, sleds or hills, or some combination of these.  

I have done this because I need to be able to cover more ground on the runway.  I tend to have good turnover, so my issue with hamstrings has come when I'm all turnover and no ground cover. 

As we age we lose strength and flexibility.  Getting stronger is great for ground cover, and I work daily o flexibility.  Genetics determines your turnover but you have to keep it sharp. So it would seem I had the right combinations and you can't really argue with the performance success at a highest level of competition.  But if I'm going to offset age, I need to try some other things.

What I have found is that even though I "push" to cover ground with these other techniques, when I get up to speed my body instinctively starts braking.  So when I get on the runway I feel I have a limiter because I'm not used to running open past the "push" point.

Today is day one of my two days per week that I run.  I do 3 X 40m hills, then these 9-12 "sprints" - http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm, followed by 3 X 40m hills again.

Running with no ankle weights or sleds has really made me focus on running well.  Each repetition I'm past the drive phase and forced to "open up" my stride where pushing is no longer the focus.  This is very tricky so I don't step over my abilities and get hurt.

The goal on all runs is to run rhythmical.  Speed means nothing if it's not rhythmical, and speed will come if your rhythmical. So my first hill may be at 20-30% but that's a perfectly timed stride within the day's ability that won't hurt me.  On the sprints I get up to spots where I'm 80% with a great open stride.  It's very difficult to remain open and not start braking after the drive phase, but I'm getting better at it.

I remember when Tom Tellez was talking to the elites in Reno, he showed video of then WR sprinter, Leroy Burrell's five years old son running.  He was demonstrating that the natural pattern is not to push off or reach out, but was to strike the foot straight under you as you gain speed.  This action "spins the wheel" of the strides rotation.

My guess is that I may do all 14 weeks like this with no weights or resistance until I learn how to run again. The next 14 weeks I'll go with 1.5 lb. weights and the next one with 2.5s.  If I have time for another 14 weeks I'll do a step down where I do one of the three sets at 2.5, the next at 1.5 and the last with no weight.  

What surprises me is that after these types of short sprints, when I hit the last 3 X 40m hills, I feel weak and low, like I'm running in quicksand.  I really think these ending hills will keep the good part of those mechanics in place because as I can run near 100% on them.  Thanks for hanging gout and indulging this explanation!

Another Supergroup, Black Country Communion with legendary guitarist, Joe Bonamassa, former Deep Purple singer and bassist, Glen Hughes, and Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham - "The Great Divide" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocgO6iSiU3g.

A Brief Pause!

A Brief Pause!

I'm very attuned to my body in that I know when to push it and when to rest it and how much.  This week, after 10 straight days of training, I took a three day, or "one rotation" break.  I feel I could have easily pushed through, but I've had some giant things going on with our business that's literally had me "on call" for input in various meetings around the country.

I feel I'm getting stronger, and I did not miss a running, leg lift or bars day, my biggest priorities.  I could have done something, but a combination of my distraction, and my approaching feel of over training, caused me to take the more cautious road.  Back at it tomorrow.  Thanks for your support!  Bubba

Super group, Chicken Foot with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Chili Peppers drummer, Chad Smith and Van Halen bassit, Michael Anthony - "Soap on a Rope" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHqA6HtVU70

Sunburn Confirmed!

Sunburn Confirmed!

Continue the charge - Never quit!!

As I hoped, today's running was much better than Sunday. I was able to run much faster today compared to last week.  I had very little hint of a flare at any time.  I'll continue to be careful but I feel I dodged a bullet.

Here's the deal - basically a easy week of tapering before a big meet, followed by and easy week of recovery.  That's a two week "break".  When I return, I ramp up with lower weights and intensities. So basically three week period of cumulative maybe 0-50% effort.  Coming back is challenging, but if I don't do it this way I get hurt.

Training has been tough as my body adapts to a hard routine again. I get it, but as I age it's frustrating how fast you can lose strength, and how bad it feels trying to regain it. I do know that once the momentum reverses and goes positive, that it's easy to continue to improve.  I figure another week I'll have some real progress.

My friend and former decathlete, Ed Derse, used to talk about how, just when you feel like you're an athlete again, you start weight training and your body feels devastated trying to adapt.  He goes on to say that after several weeks of this, when his body has adapted, he has to go back and questions why he thought he was an athlete before, if he's this much stronger now.

I know for a fact that when I jump only, that within three weeks I'm down 3-4 poles from fading strength and loss of horsepower on the runway.  My friend, Wendell Beck, told me in Auckland that he's finally come to the conclusion that you can train or jump, but not both.  I believe I can still jump once a week and make physical progress, but not as fast as if I ran my strength and speed program two rotations a week instead of one.

The bottom line for me is that I have to keep challenging the physical and speed improvement, which is harder and harder as aging tries to reverse me.  With that consideration I'm improving if I stay the same, but of course we will never be able to buy into that.

Here's what I know - Reno/January/biggest pole gripping 11'10" from 6 lefts, Auckland/April/same pole gripping 12' from 5 lefts, and Grand Haven/July/same pole flex is way too small with a 12'2" grip from 4 lefts.  On September 9th at the Masters PV Symposium, I hope to end up four poles bigger from 5 lefts and a 12'8" grip.  

Clearly what I'm doing is working, but for me to get where I want to be by Malaga, Spain next year, I'm going to have to continue this consistent hammering.   Thanks for checking in and have a great day!  Bubba

Badass Lemmy and Motorhead - "Ace of Spades" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBIa0o36pPo