I've spent the last couple of days ramping my training back up and that will continue until my day off Wednesday. The leg thing seems far better as I ran 10 X bleacher ramps this morning, but the upper back strain from trying to sling that laser printer around is still pretty touchy.
Ramp ups are a necessary part of training. I had being going very hard core on all of my training with many consecutive days. Though the break is needed and nice, getting started again isn't always that fun. That said, I've started. Have a great day and thanks for your support. Bubba
PS - apparently I'm not retired just yet. I'm planning on vaulting Thursday.
Amboy Dukes featuring Ted Nugent on guitar - "Journey to the Center of the Mind" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN2VNFpiGWo
My body feels like total crap since I've not done hardly anything recently. Add to that a little back tweak from moving a heavy laser printer. Got a nice little spasm just inside of my left shoulder blade.
SO, I went out to watch the kids and noticed I now have no pain or restriction to walk. Did a few walking plants, then jogging plants, so what the hey - might as well take off a few times from two steps and land in the pit. NOTHING - no pain. Oh I'm sure it's there and it can come right up and bite me, but today I got of easy. HUH?!! Have a great day and thanks for checking in! Bubba
Beck - "Loser" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgSPaXgAdzE
In 1973, my freshman year in college, a friend of mine from the track team, Dale (Glump) came and found me at a party to tell me that a very good friend had died. That friend, Frank McMurray stays with me today. He was one of the nation's top pole vaulters, who dropped dead on the track of a heart defect at the end of a relay. Gone at 17 years old, a 15'6" junior!!
Those emotions returned to me today as I again, with no warning, popped that thing in my leg after a 20% warm-up sled run. I had just vaulted two days ago with no issues and here it is again.
The last time this happened I was so distraught and emotional that I sat in the stands and cried for 10 minutes before I could leave. Today Nancy was out there running when it happened so I didn't have the luxury of letting my pain go until I got in my car and headed to the gym.
In the parking lot at the gym I felt myself about to start sobbing and couldn't even make myself get out of the car to go inside. This has been going on for eight months and there is no reasonable explanation what could possibly be wrong. Bubba Sparks the pole vaulter lies dead. Well if not dead then unconscious with no desire to rise.
As the day went on it dawned on me that I have misdiagnosed this all along. It's behaving exactly as a tendon irritation, and we keep treating it as a muscle. How else do you explain that I will be able to do full weights tomorrow on leg curls? It's a tendon fascia FLARE idiot!! It goes away in 2-3 weeks and you can return to activity until you reach a certain point and then BAM!!! The problem is that the flare now happens sooner and sooner.
I jumped 11'/3.36m jogging in from 3 lefts/6 steps and felt nothing Thursday. WHY THE &$%* is this *$^*#^ thing keep coming back?! It's a flare! Scar tissue settles while healing, and then gets jerked away reopening the initial irritation. Cortisone dissolves this scar tissue clump.
MY plan was to come on here and tell you that I was retiring from vaulting, would start back over from ground zero and work my way back up. See you all in 6-9 months. I need the training but I don't have the will to fight the disappointment of vaulting any longer.
Then I got an idea. Today I emailed my physician in Houston and he will inject me two weeks from Monday. He has figured out and fixed every other weird thing ever wrong with me and thinks my reasoning makes sense.
So maybe I'm not quite dead yet. But I certainly know how a cat feels. I just have no idea how they survive those 8 deaths to have 9 lives. I gave up today. I was dead. I quit and I am grieving severely. Then somehow I got this little ray of hope that I think Dr. Rand can turn into a beam of light. For once I would like the light at the end of the tunnel to be healthy freedom and not the headlight of a train. Have a good evening and thanks for being here. Bubba
Here is the song I played the night Frank died, and today when I did - Elton John - "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p_xAToFzck
I may be dead but I'm hovering above the body in spirit waiting to be called back in. Do your stuff Dr. Rand!
Nothing really to report. I keep showing up and doing the work. Not so beat up anymore, and feel some momentum from my consistency. I'm still crawling though, with walking not that close by. Have a great day and thanks for being here! Bubba
Foo Fighters - "Pretender" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ
My body felt like such crap last night that I decided about 2 AM that not only was I not going to run or vault today, but I wasn't even going to the gym. My heel bruise, the inside of my leg, my right hip, my horrible tennis elbow on my right side, my back, ALL bugged me to the point that I knew if I did anything I would be injured. I woke up and took the dog out at 4:30 AM and was even more certain.
I got up at 6 and started moving around and wondering if I shouldn't go out and at least go through everything but the vault part at a super low level. Something happened along the way and I'm not sure how. I was able to do everything, had three very good vaults and completed my entire workout with issues. You got me. I don't get it. But I'll take it. Have a great evening. Bubba
White Stripes - "7 Nation Army" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY
I'm in a pretty good routine of consistent training. The days a flipping by and I'm getting the work done. I feel like I am, and can continue to gain momentum here. The best part is that I have jumped two days and will again Sunday.
Yesterday was not a stellar jump day but it was more about pole selection than vaulting ability. The 1340 UCS was too small as was the 1345 from 2 strides/4 steps/22'/7m. The next pole is a UCS 1350 which should be about the equivalent of my 12-4/155, so I bailed on it and went to my 155. That pole was a little bigger jump of a stiffness jump than I wanted in the middle of vaulting. I took two jumps, cleared 10'/3.05m and stopped with seven total jumps. I will start on that pole Sunday and hope to make some progress.
Overall my body seems pretty good but I will remain cautious and within myself. Have a great day and thanks for checking in! Bubba
Blur - "Song 2" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc18xt5wQnk
Two strong lifting days, with an easy run session this morning. Off tomorrow and then jump Thursday. Last time I used a 1330 and took one on a 1440 at the end. I'll start on the 1440 Thursday and hope to get back to my normal start pole, the 12'4"/155 on Sunday. Tiny poles from 2/4/22', but beats the heck out of not jumping. Have a great day! Bubba
John Mellencamp - "Stand for Something" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kITDU0S1WMA
