I Leave in One Week

This is my business travel day so nothing is going on but a nice stretch this afternoon before I head over to officiate the high schools September All Comers Meet. Long story short? Another boring off day!

I leave one week from today yet I feel ages away from being able to pack or get other stuff ready. I have a ton of business stuff to do before I go so that I will be able to let go and enjoy. That said, my poles should arrive tomorrow. I'd better get that tracking number.

Big jump day tomorrow. I'll be careful but I'm looking forward to it. More soon. Bubba

"Two Weeks From Today"

That's what Nancy said to me within five minutes of waking up. I had thought the same thing about one minute earlier. I leave a week from tomorrow. My flight leaves Houston around 6:30 in the evening and I sit around LA until almost midnight before heading out on the 14 hour leg to Sydney on Qantas. The objective is to not sleep until that leg and then try and sleep most of the way with the help of Excedrin PMs. I arrive at 8:25 AM on Friday morning so I want to get on their time right away. I've found that oversleeping in advance helps make it easier to jump right into their day. I'm going to the harbor sightseeing on Saturday morning but need to have my running workout done before Phillip picks me up at 10:30. Here's another Games promo with the harbor view.

Thursday is my last high level vault session and I'm a little afraid since it's only 12 days out. If I get hurt then it's over. My plan is to start on a big pole from a close run on so I'll have to be very warmed up and careful. I've done it a bunch of times but not recently so I'm very wary and cautious. It's right in line with the progression that I have been following so it's not like I'm taking a real gamble. I just have to be careful and a little more alert to any signs of weakness. I should be fine, BUT ....

It rained most of the night so it was pretty wet when I went out to run my six hills with the sled this morning. My body felt decent but I decided to stop at four rather than do the planned six, since that just felt like the right amount for today. It's hard to explain. My body got a signal that said, "if you want to feel good on Thursday you need to stop here because two more won't make a beneficial difference at this stage". Considering I ran eight on Thursday and 10 on Sunday (two days ago), I'm good with that decision.

The sled is also the reason my run is moving back again. I went comfortably from 42' 6" to almost 44' in one practice. This means I'm covering more ground with the same number of steps which equates to slightly more speed and power. The effort feels the same, I just cover more ground and gain more momentum. I've been in a situation before that, for example, if I wasn't running from 45' I can't get in on that pole enough to complete the vault. So this is a good and expected result from the training. NOTE - I've got a close friend, DJ, who says he thinks I overtrain but actually I don't as I vary my effort to keep from being rundown. In fact, it's rare that I ever feel trashed and overtrained. This is part of the labeling of "Quality" or "Intensity". This also is how I feel motivated to train all year around. Again, it's just listening to the body so it doesn't have to yell at you.

Not a day goes by that I'm not grateful that you guys and gals are here. This isn't a narcissistic vent but rather a true expression of what I'm going through. I feel like I'm sharing this privately with my close confidants and it is a big benefit and provides reasonable relief. I say reasonable because gang, the heat WILL rise as we get on the move to the actual Games. I'm excited in a good way but will lean on you more than ever. Thanks again for being there! Bubba

Quality vs. Intensity

I always ask this question as I get going on my workout. Before I discovered this approach I would just walk out of the gym if the weights felt too heavy or it felt like it would be a struggle. You know how it is, you lifted "X" last time and today "X" is out of the question so it's going to be a bad day. That's when I changed to the "no miss rule" that made me dumb it down rather than walk out. Today I felt OK but I think both my body and my brain needed a break so I labeled today a "Quality" day and backed off my weights a little and really watched the details of each set and rep.

Compound to this that my friend and partner from Hawaii, Randall Fukuji, emailed yesterday that he would have a long layover in Houston on his way to Peru so we're meeting for lunch. That said I was able to knock out a high quality workout in about an hour and fifteen minutes including my stretch. I feel refreshed mentally and physically. Speaking of physical, I was surprised that I wasn't more beat up from yesterday but maybe it will be delayed and I'll feel like crap tomorrow or the next day.

OK - I leave in nine days and compete two weeks from tomorrow. Yahoooooooooo! It's like I said in the first post, we train for big meets like a fighter gets ready for a fight - about an eight week ramp up. So far so good. I'm on schedule and feel good and healthy. It's mine to keep as long as I don't do anything stupid. I will vault big pole Thursday and small poles Sunday and that's that. I will still lift on Monday and run on Tuesday so a week from tomorrow my "training" is over. Until then it's business as usual. Big focus to detail while remaining cautious.

Thanks again for always being here and have a great day! Bubba

Decent Jump Day + Still Learning Stuff

Here's the commemorative coin they have for the event.

I never seem to know what to expect in training these days. I didn't vault Thursday but did my running and lifting so I thought I would feel pretty bad today as it is my short cycle of the weekly rotation. Suprisingly I felt pretty good. I only took seven jumps but I started on a little bigger pole to start getting used to being hit right from the start. Made 12' (3.66m) and 12' 6" (3.81m) pretty easy on my 13' poles - 14.7 and 14.3 from 33'. I haven't made 12' 6" on the 14.3 but one other time so I figure it must be the technical focus on not allowing my hips to break during the swing. I've been doing all of my bars with 5 lb. ankle weights on to aid this a little more. I ended the day with a "gimme" and a make at 13' (3.97m) on my smallest 14' pole - the 17.5 from my 43' run. A gimme is where you easily have the height but something brushes it off. These usually stay up in the meets so I move on because you learn more by jumping at a level just out of your reach. For example I've never made 13' on that pole before so again this tells me that my efficiency is improving. But I wouldn't know this had I not tried to get out of my comfort zone.

In the book, "Never Let Go" by Dan John, he speaks of the warm-up being the workout. In other words, don't screw around on stuff that doesn't matter but rather get into workout and do your warm up there. With that in mind I dropped the 100m grass strides and added on two 50m hills with the sled. Today I had 10. Also in Dan's book he talks about if something is important you should do it every day, so I brought home some small squat stands to learn some new exercises that will definitely help my runway speed and power.

Speaking of lifting - today it sucks beyond recognition. I'm so ready for the new program because of the improved function I'm expecting that its very difficult to make myself continue on with a plan that I feel is now inferior. Today was the worst as I walked through the doors of the gym feeling like I was marching into torture. I cranked my music, lowered the weights a little and went into a heavy focus/trance to make sure that I did every single repetition perfect. The end result was I LOVED it. Isn't that always true of the gym in that you hate it going in but love what you accomplished when you come out? Don't get me wrong as I have made huge progress in my lifting this year but next year should translate directly to the runway and my vault. I have five more lift sessions of which two will be similar to today's. I actually really enjoy the two days I lift in my home gym in the garage and the new program will ALL be in my garage but with a bunch of new dynamic lifts. My favorite quote from reading Dan's book yesterday was, "I don't use machines because, how do I put this nicely, I have testicles". I've had to use quite a few machines this year to isolate or protect injured areas so I'm looking forward to the switch.

Practice Like You Compete & Compete Like You Practice
In my last four jump sessions I have been jumping like it's a meet. I get three jumps at each height and I have to move on. When I have three consecutive misses I'm out. So far with this plan I've gotten 13' on my longer run and 12' 6" twice on my shorter run day and then 13' today on my shorter run day. The pole I finished on today is one pole smaller than the smallest pole going to Sydney. If things go well I will start on five poles bigger from the one I was on today. We'll see what it looks like that day but right now I feel pretty well covered as far as pole and run options.

So it was a pretty good day and my focus to detail made it efficient and survivable. For the record I left the house at 7:15 and got back from the gym at 10:45. Today is definitely the LONG day of the week. All the best and have a great Sunday! Bubba

PS - Went over 600, 000 lbs. lifted today with 617,031 and over 400 bar drills with 421.

All Comers Meet
As the name indicates, an "All Comers" meet is just that - anyone can participate regardless of age and ability. I have had a long tradition of having one on the last Saturday of the month during the off season as it gives athletes a chance to see where they are. If things go well it's a vote of confidence and if not, then you know what to work on for the next month.

We had our first All Comers meet this morning and had a nice turn out of about 10 vaulters. For the most part everyone looked pretty good considering we have not run further than six total steps in the first month. Our 8th grader Kara got a new PR at 8' 6" and looked good at 9'. The event was won by Seth Arnold who cleared 13' 6" from a very short run. Seth was last year's state champion as a junior and has a 16' vault to his credit. His dad, Don, vaulted with me in college so we have been friends for years. A "new old guy", Charlie, came out and cleanly made 12' at 48 years old. Next month is the "Halloween Vault" where all vaulters must wear costumes. Should be fun.

Poles - Leaving On a Jet Plane
Mr. Dependable, Bruce Caldwell dropped my poles off at DFW airport yesterday and they will leave Monday night and arrive Thursday in Sydney. Event management will get them out to the field for my competition and then back to the airport. Monday I'll have a tracking number for all of us to watch their progress. Why not? I'll be watching it anyway so you might as well have the same access.

Talking to Gary Scheffe today, in his first year back in the M50 group, he says he can tell that my blog is therapeutic for me. Gary's a super guy and we're thrilled to have him out with us, and he could not be more correct with his assessment. Today is another "off day" so that is the toughest. My buddy in Minnesota, Mike Soule would say, "well at least you got to do something "vaulty" by going to the All Comers meet. He's right as that helps a lot.

Lifting
I cheated yesterday and did one set and one rep of a new exercise from next year's program. I may do the same on a couple of other exercise when I stretch today. I've decided that as long as the weight is negligible then it can't hurt.

I'm reading a book by the strength legend, Dan John ("Never Let Go") where he states some baseline benchmarks based on your bodyweight - mine is 172. He says you need to at least be able to your bodyweight in bench (235), hang cleans (185) and twice your body in deadlift, which I have never done. What's funny is that every time I get this little hamstring ding I feel it when I bend down to pick something up. That's what a deadlift is - bend down and pick the bar up and then stand up straight. There are several variations that I'm looking forward to. Dan's basic theory is that you must pick things up and you must lift things over your head. He also says if it is that important you should do it every day. That's the rule I'll start with for deadlifts and front squats.

That's it today. I leave in 10 days and my last vault session will be a week from tomorrow. I'll be careful, have fun and report back to you here. Have a fun Saturday and thank you again for your support!! Bubba

Depending On Power & Focus

At 11 days out I hit my lifting PRs (Personal Record) on everything today leaving me some time to move ahead a bit more. Since my big poles have been gone for awhile I've simulated that experience by vaulting on smaller poles with a shorter run as that makes them feel much stiffer. My game plan is to come in fresh, focused on my technical goals and to be as physical as I can be. Big poles require you to be explosive but you also have less room for technical error. My smallest pole will feel big to me in warm-up so I'll need to overpower it immediately so I can move through safely to bigger poles. I have intentionally been holding back on my runway speed to prevent injury but also to become more dependent upon my technique to move the bigger poles.

Today's lifting indicates I will be where I need to be. Rest is easy when you're traveling and the technical focus comes naturally when you haven't vaulted in over a week like I plan. I used to vault the week of big meets but it seemed to zap some snap in my legs and left me overconfident in my technical skills. Now I come in a little fresher and maybe a little more scared of making sure my technique is perfect. I like the plan and so does Kris.

Golf & Pole Vaulting Again - Like Vaulters, They Help Each Other

ATLANTA - Sean O'Hair knew he would need some help from Tiger Woods to win the FedEx Cup. He got more than he expected. And it was about putting, not points. Woods and O'Hair practiced together on the back nine at East Lake on the eve of the Tour Championship, and O'Hair sought some advice on his putting from the world's No. 1 player, regarded as among the best in golf with the putter. Woods suggested that O'Hair open the face of the club on the way back so that he could release the blade through the ball.

It paid off Thursday when O'Hair made enough putts for a 4-under 66 and a one-shot lead over three players, including Woods. "I'm going to go chew him out right now," Woods said. Woods was joking, for it is typical in this sport for players to help each other even as they're trying to beat each other. O'Hair is the first to concede that his putting has held him back in his five years on tour.

“It's very simple,” said Woods, the FedEx Cup's No. 1 seed. “You always help your friends.”

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In closing I feel great and would like to vault today, tomorrow and Sunday but of course I will wait until Sunday for my next scheduled day. The end of training for a big goal is hard because you know the main work is done so you tend to want to coast in. The problem is that if you pull back too soon (or too late) you won't feel good on the day that counts. So I keep grinding it out and pretending that I'm getting ready for World Indoors. It doesn't help that I have just read two great books on training that Kris referred me to and I can't wait to try the new stuff but can't. You just don't make changes at this late date. So I will stay the course and remain patient. Once I hit the plane it becomes easy until the time to perform arrives. And then if I have planned and executed properly, that part goes well too. Right now it's just "get me to the plane" so I can get out of this "no man's land" of halfway training - really hard but short with too much time to think. As my dad used to say, "There you go thinking again - working without tools". Thanks for being here!! Bubba

It's Hard Acting Mature!

Well, I got my running and warm up done this morning and the sprinkles started. I thought, "It might rain in Sydney so I might as well jump". The closer I got to getting the pit and poles ready the harder it rained. Finally I blew off my jumping and finished my running and sled and headed home. My decision then was do I go about my regular training or do I back off and wait to vault tomorrow or in our little end of the month meet on Saturday? I called Kris to ask him but I knew what he would say and I agreed - blow off the vault component of this rotation and stay on schedule with the rest of my training. Tough as it was, that means going to the gym to lift legs and do bars. Walking through the gym doors today was very difficult because here I am fresh and ready to jump, yet I am about to destroy that feeling in the next hour. "Oil well", I did what I needed to do. Sometimes I hate growing up but it's not worth the risk to get off of schedule at this point.

I'm sure on the surface this looks like a "no big deal" moment but the fact is that I love to pole vault so I HATE it when I have to miss a rotation. I've had three hernias and two Achilles surgically repaired so I can continue to vault. My buddy Dan West has a bad take off foot so he has learned to vault off of the other foot as well as left handed because he too loves to vault. So when it's your day and you can't it SUCKS!! Fortunately I have a good balance of work and rest right now so jacking with the schedule is not a good idea as it would risk injury or a loss of sharpness.

With today's miss I have three vault days left of which only one will be at what I consider an intermediate to high level. After that its hit the plane and let the rest begin. When I vault at the meet it will be nine days since I have vaulted and that's about right for me. I like to come in a little more focused but also more fresh. I'm starting to get excited, but it's too early to register much more than a blip. Stay patient - that's the rule and today was a good test!!

More on Poles
We got an email today from the World Masters Games telling us that we have to bring or provide our own poles and that if we needed help that DB Schenker would be the freight contractor. That's the same company that originally told me it would be $2,300. Going through Bruce Caldwell and them I got $1,900 but that's still a lot. Apparently since Australia is an island country they are very serious about what disease come in and out of their country. I don't blame them but that really adds to the expense of sending poles. My poles are being fumigated before they are sent to save money off this end and to keep me from having to re-tape all seven poles if they were to use some type of soapy stuff. I can get them to Oz for $184 but it takes nearly $500 for them to clear customs, and then they must be transported to and from the stadium, back through customs and then come home. Fortunately I paid for the rest of the trip many months ago so it makes this necessity a little easier to swallow. If I don't do this then I have to show up and hope to borrow poles that I have never seen before. That's too big of a crap shoot for such a big event.

That's it for today. Many thanks to you all for your support and interest. Two weeks from today I will be there. Bubba