OUCH!!

I saw my sportsmed superstar, Scott Rand, MD this morning, and after his evaluation and a precautionary X-Ray, I got a thorough injection of cortisone in my knee to relieve the inflammation.  He says I may go about my training as scheduled and agreed I should not vault until NSG just to be safe.  So, no River Vault as I expected.  If I feel anything at all in my knee during Saturday's running I am to email him and go back in for a "repeat performance injection" on Monday. It's a real blessing to have this guy in my corner.  I emailed him on Sunday and he promptly responds and says to be there at 8 AM on Tuesday.  I'm very grateful!

STILL waiting for NSG to post the actual times that we vault.  Have no idea what takes them so long, especially since entries closed two months ago.  RIDICULOUS!!!

I'm a rock music guy and yesterday enjoyed a documentary about Iron Maiden traveling the world on a tour completely contained in a 757 piloted by their lead singer.  Very cool.  So to Iron Maiden and this never ending march toward becoming a better vaulter - "The Trooper".  Bubba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYuPMsThYs&feature=related

Just for good measure - "Hallowed by Thy Name"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBtLMLQfiRo&feature=related

AND "Wasted Years"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYuPMsThYs&feature=related

Three Weeks Out = Tunnel Vision

I had a really good lift, bars and stretch in the hot garage this morning but held off posting this until the real test this afternoon - 10 X 50m hill/sleds in 96 degree heat.  I've been going out in the heat in preparation for NSG and Sacramento but today the concern was how bad would the outside of my left knee be?  It flared badly at the meet Satruday and I felt it yesterday on my stairs, and some just walking around the house.  So two days after it nearly stopped me at a meet, how would it feel and why would I be testing it?

I got up to 50-60% and it felt pretty good though I could feel I was staying just below the flare threshold.  Pretty dang good considering I could not walk without a limp two days ago.  This just assures me that it is a tendonitis which will immediately respond to a cortisone injection. 

The WHY about today is that I have an appointment with my sportsmed physician at 8 AM tomorrow and if he shoots it I can't run for 3-4 days.  I can't afford to miss that running rotation so I went a day early.  Of course I will report back what the expert has to say but as of right now and this second, I'm very optimistic I will be 100% for NSG - three weeks from today. Thank you and have a great day!  Bubba

Sammy Hagar/Van Halen - "There's Only One Way to Rock".  It came up on hill/sled #6 when I was really struggling in the heat to get my breath and keep on grinding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCCWXAp49So&feature=related

"TCB - Taking Care of Business" - Kramer on Seinfeld

I've made the decision not to go to the San Marcos River Vault next week.  I went into that meet yesterday treating it as a practice and I'm pretty pleased with how it went considering it's my first meet since March 5.  After seeing the video and the amount of height I had on 12' 6" (3.81m) on a small pole, I feel I need to stick with my running and get this knee handled.  This way I am certain to go into NSG 100% healthy and my running speed and plant timing will be sharpened. Why the change in plans?

I went into the gym this morning to start my cardio on the stairs and really didn't know if I could do it at all because I wear ankle weights and because it requires my foot to pronate every step.  It felt a little sore and stiff at first but within two minutes I was cranking along with little problem.  Lifted all of my legs with no pain.  In fact, I felt pretty spectacular as far as strength and conditioning goes.  I usually don't feel that well the day after a meet so I must be making progress.

I emailed a lengthy letter to my sportsmed physician about 6 AM and before I even left for the gym at 8:30 he had responded that he will see me Tuesday morning at 8 AM and that this will not be a problem.  Sure made it easier to blast away in the gym. 

For better or worse I feel real confident right now. I'm strong and fast and moving poles with no practice that used to require work.  I wish I had jumped higher yesterday but it's not like I didn't have the height. I think I was more held down by the rust of not jumping.

Over the next few weeks I'll continue on with my ramp up, tons of pole plant/take off drills and be ready to go.  Thank you for all of your support and have a great Sunday!!  Bubba

TCB - The scene from Seinfeld
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKs6y9_d2ps

Taking Care of Business - The song by Bachman Turner Overdrive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCIUf8eYPqA&feature=related

Not As Bad As It Seemed

WELL, warm up went well and I felt pretty good and the conditions were good.  On my last take off I felt a little stinging flare on the outside of my left knee.  I had felt this for the first time 8 days ago on my 3rd day to jump in 6 days and thought nothing of it.  I sat around until time to jump and really thought I should probably just scratch and not jump.  BUT, on my run through it wasn't bad so I decided to give it a try.  Made 11' 6" (3.51m) and 12' (3.66m) easily on first jumps.  At 12' 6" (3.81m) I moved back a stride and up a pole like always and had big height as you see in the video below, but didn't leave it up.  Each jump of the next two my knee flared more but my run was better and I was too under at take off.  On jump 3 I nearly missed the plant box I was so under so I was running well.  It didn't affect my ability to jump but of course it bothered me that it was there and flaring.

Bigger version - http://www.bubbapv.com/Images/BubbaCoppell381.mov

SO, it did not affect my speed or my strength so it is not an injury or a ding.  Because it came on more as a flare yet I could still jump, then it is a tendinitis on the outside of my knee.  I hope to get it injected with cortisone Tuesday and jump in the River Vault Saturday.  If needed I hope to get it injected again the Monday after that.  I NEED one more jump day to feel a bit more in sync but I'm pretty pleased with where I am; but NOT with only jumping 12'.

I'm NOT a country music fan at all but I do like a local group called the PC Cowboys because they are basically a comedy act.  Since Father's Day is coming maybe you will like this clip of "Someone's Dad".  Have a great day and thanks for being here.  Bubba

http://www.youtube.com/user/pccowboys#p/a/u/0/qWeztMrv2tg

And We're OFF

Four bags of poles packed and ready for tomorrow's meet. It's about a 4.5 hour drive so Don and Gary will meet me at the high school at 4:45 AM. We jump at 11 if they are on time. Really weird in that I haven't given any thought to the meet at all. I've been real busy catching up on work and and then this morning we went and picked up Nancy's new puppy.  Pansy died a week ago today so the thought was the other two dogs needed company before they settled in to dominating the house.  Lot's of chasing going on tonight.  This is Lucy, weighing in at 4 lbs. (1.6 kg) and 12 weeks old.  Should be fun.

I'll report back tomorrow but now I'll leave you with a song I keep hearing lately, Aerosmith's, "Dream On".  Bubba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLz-68n6bvI&feature=fvwrel

Sunrise

SO, I'm back from my business road trip and ready for my first meet since March 5.  This represents the "Sunrise" of my championship season.  I'll jump near Dallas on Saturday, then the San Marcos River Vault the next weekend, then the National Senior Games two weeks later and the World Masters Championships a little over three weeks later.  I'm nervous but excited.  Did my stretching both days and watched my eating. Just need to get some jumping done.  Have a great day and thanks for being here.  Bubba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk

Winding Down

Got my last run in today with 8 X 50m hill/sleds and it felt reasonably good. I'm always a little tight and sluggish just after a leg lift and cardio.  I'll stretch every day until Saturday and do a little stretch and stride Friday when I load the poles.  Everything is a go and I'm healthy.  Now I just need to stay that way.

I keep hearing Wall of Voodoo's, "Mexican Radio" on my MP3.  It reminds me of the days before I knew that fossils could vault.  I would ski, soft sand run, body surf and mountain bike.  We did tons of mountain bike rides to Catalina Island, we went the 72 miles around Lake Tahoe, etc.  But our favorites were the Mexican rides where we would leave from Tecate, Tijuana or Rosarito and end up in the resort town of Ensenada.  I think the smallest of these races had 10,000 riders. Have a great day!  Bubba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyCEexG9xjw