Rain & Kamloops

While I'm waiting on the rain to try to get a jump day in, I went ahead and booked my flight to Kamloops for the World Masters Indoors - http://www.kamloops2010masters.com/. I have seen $958 for months and got an $856 this morning. There were a few that were a little cheaper but they had three stops and mine had two with only one ticket left on each leg.

I got an email last night from my friend Kirk Bentz in LA suggesting we go on this adventure together. Great idea! You may remember that it was Kirk who came out to LAX to hang out with me on my layover on the way to Sydney. He just turned 55 before the National Senior Games and has consistently jumped higher than me last year so it would be great if we could both get medals in Canada.

Kirk's plan is to fly to Seattle and drive and I would truly love to do that with him but since it's midweek and I have business responsibilities that require me to be on the phone and Internet, I'll pay extra to fly right into Kamloops. When we went to the 100th Drake Relays last year me, Don and John Altendorf flew into KC and then drove the four hours to Des Moines and had a blast. I wish I could do this with Kirk but we'll get another chance I'm sure.

My personal rule is once I've bought my plane ticket I enter the meet so I'll start filling out that paperwork this morning. I still don't understand why USA Track & Field has paper forms this time when we always enter online. I'm guessing that maybe it is the Games requirement and not theirs. Whatever - your entries are submitted by USATF as "Team USA" so we do what we are told.

I'll report back later if the weather breaks. I'm hoping it does because my next jump day would be Thursday if I wait until tomorrow. Jumping on Thanksgiving is no big deal but my lifting that day is in the gym and they are closed so I'm just trying to stay on track. More later. Bubba

PS - In case you did not know, the 2010 Winter Olympics will have just ended in Vancouver when we come through.

Kamloops? Yes?

I talked to Nancy at breakfast this morning as we decided that if I want to do it that I should go to Kamloops, BC, Canada alone for the World Masters Indoor on March 5. It's tough to leave her mom that long right now. My gut feeling is that I probably will as my poles can be shipped to the Pacific Northwest and driven over to the meet by friends who are also jumping and driving. I will fly directly into Kamloops. It's got three stops and makes for a long day, but not as bad as flying to Seattle and then driving for six hours.

I've got a little bit of a sore throat today and its raining and cool out. It's supposed to clear late tonight or in the early morning so I will get a full day of training tomorrow. Looking forward to vaulting again. More later. Bubba

PS - According to their website the event is 100 days away but entries close on 1/4/10. We must submit ours through USA Track & Field by mail. Weird - we usually enter with USATF online. I'm looking into hotels and flights to see if it's really worth it considering the USA Track & Field Indoor Nationals are only two weeks later in Boston. Had I not just gotten back from Sydney this would be a no brainer. I know I should just man up and do it but Sydney took a big toll on me.

Running = Jumping Higher

The goal this year is to get my run back to where it should be, about 88', while using the same technique. Two years ago I ran from 77' or 88' every meet and had a best vault of 12' 9 1/2" (3.90m). Since I changed my technique I have jumped 13' 5 1/4" (4.10m) from 55'. We figure 6" (15 cm) up per stride added. For example - from 22' I have made 12', from 33' my best is 12' 6", I've made 13' from 44' and 13' 5" from 55. Let's continue the math - I SHOULD be able to get 14' from 66', 14' 6" from 77' and 15' from 88'. BUT, the rest of my jump has to stay the same for this to happen. Conservatively I would expect to be able to jump 14' from 77' but I have to be able to run at maximum controllable speed and hit my positions - a tougher challenge.

It's not as simple as it sounds or I would just move my run back and do it. To give me a consistent, fast and powerful run, I'm running a lot. Right now the intensity is low but it will build as I go. On Saturday and Wednesday of this week I ran Set 1 - 3X30; Set 2 - 2X30-1X40; Set 3 - 20,30,40. On Monday I ran 3X200, 2X150 ans 1X100.

The running is an important component but I have to also keep the vault baselines in place. On Saturday I'll jump from 22' for my last time and hope to at least have good jumps at 12'. My main baseline for technical efficiency is 12' from 33'. I have made 12' 6" from that run several times but the baseline is 12'. Hopefully that will happen Saturday also. If so then I will try to get 12' 6" and then move back to 44'. I have to be on baseline to move back or it makes no sense to do so. At Sydney I jumped 13' 1 1/2" (4m) from 66' and had quite a bit of height, so that matches up pretty well with what I have in mind. Now it has to be able to happen every session, and when it does, move back a stride again.

After I am through these shorter runs and over 12' 6", I will not return to 13' poles. On a good day I can use my smallest 14' pole from 33' and make 12' 6". The goal is to be able to start further back on the long rest rotation and from 33' or 44' on the short rest days. Once I am only on my 14' pole series than I should be able to strengthen my vault conditioning and be able to progress through poles big enough to jump high.

So that's the plan and rationale. Hope it makes sense. Now I just have to do it and that requires patience and the intelligence to stop if I feel I'm risking injury. I would rather jump one day per week healthy than two and risk having to sit out for 4-8 weeks. I think the intelligence is a bigger challenge. Have a great day! Bubba

PS - if you go to DJ's chart - http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/dj.htm you can see that to vault 14' takes a 13' 5" grip and a "mid mark" (six steps out) of 45'. So the question becomes how much of a run up do I need to make my left foot, six steps out, hit 45', and have enough speed to cover the ground to make it to my take off mark? My grip at Sydney was 13' 2" so a 13' 5" grip one stride back should easily be manageable. This paragraph is the origin of the discussion above. Thanks! Bubba

Wednesday Night

I've been thinking a lot about training today, mainly because my body feels so different. Though I've made some changes and I'm just ramping back up, I presently have a couple of little limitations that are keeping me from breaking loose.

That said, I feel much stronger and faster than I did as I ramped up to Sydney. That's funny because I'm not running fast or lifting heavy, but the changes seem to compliment what I was doing before. All I can think is that I'm finally at the next level and prepared to step up again.

You know how you grind and grind and grind and movement is slow and then BAM - you're at another level? I think I might be just on the edge of stepping up. This doesn't mean I will jump higher, it just means I SHOULD be able to. Gotta stick to the technique progression and be patient. Thanks for listening! Bubba

PS - as you can tell I blog when something hits me as this is basically my "thoughts diary". Sometimes it's once a day and other's it's twice. Whatever it takes. Thanks again!

Getting Better

I guess I should have complained sooner as I woke up this morning with no hint of the hamstring grab. I decided to go to the gym first and then run so it could warm up. I ended up with shorts and a tank top at 10:30 instead of bundled like the Michelin Man in 35 degrees this morning. I felt the hamstring still but it was about 50% better. Strangely I felt it again in the leg curls too for the first time since I initially felt it. Who knows what's going on? Certainly not me.

Lifting was easier in some places but harder in others. Two sets felt light and then the next felt too heavy even though I only moved up 10 lbs. I guess I'm just not familiar enough with the new exercises to know what I can and can't do yet. Bubba

PS - I know I'm a wuss in the cold - MIKE. HeeHee!! Yep - you guys are WAY tougher than me.

I HATE the Cold!!

I know that is a relative term but tomorrow morning I have a 7 AM business call and then it's out to train before my six other business calls begin at 11. It will be 38 in the morning and MAN do I hate the cold!!

I've had this little outside hamstring strain on my right side since I've started back and it's the weirdest thing I have ever seen. I can't run more than about 50% without feeling like it's going to grab yet I don't feel it at all when I vault. So warm up and other running is very limited yet I don't feel it at all when I get on the runway or vault. I remember getting it the first day I did leg curls. Just a twinge and a sharp pain in a very small area but I thought nothing of it. It's been almost 10 days now so I guess it will get better. Like Don says, "bone heals in 8-10 weeks so if this doesn't then you're not leaving it alone. Mystifying - ONLY hurts when I run - not lift, not vault, not stretch?! Makes it get tough to get faster.

Tomorrow is on my vault schedule but because of the previous paragraph I'm not going to do it. I'm in no rush so I'll keep giving it a try every Saturday. After this week's weather, I'll change my training schedule to wait for the warmer time of the day. Who knew it? Last week I jumped at 8 AM and was sweating. Have a great evening! Bubba

Monday Evening

I travel tomorrow so I thought I would catch up now as tomorrow is just a stretch day. Back to reality, I ran 3X200, 2X150 and 1X100 pretty easy today to shake out my legs. Felt pretty good. I think another couple of weeks and I'll feel great throughout my training.

On a personal note - the man who has physically and mentally abused my little sister for nearly two years finally died today at 12:15 of his self inflicted gunshot wound to his head yesterday. Sis is doing OK and relieved that the threat is finally gone. She's alive and we can all be family again. Thanks for your many prayers and support!! Bubba