Hengelo

Well I ended up only jumping 540m/17'9" and finishing 4th but it's hard to describe how hard it can be to jump high here in Europe.  With a lot of Mets here there in stadiums, and if there's any wind at all it can really swirl and blow in any direction, which was the case today.  During warm- ups I might have a decent tailwind in the back and then half way through my run it would turn to a headwind.  This was happening to everyone and no-one looked very good in warm-ups.  So I decided to come in at 520 to make sure i made a bar.  I came down my second attempt and halfway down the runway I hit that headwind, i tried to keep my run the same and just make sure i was ready at take- off and made it easy even with a bad jump.  Then the bar went to 540, the wind was getting a little better, still not good but not as strong.  I came down with the same thought as before, just keep the run the same, but with those big poles a lot of times that's easier said than done.  I was able to make the bar with a little scrape and was feeling pretty good.  Only 5 guys had made the height and I was sitting in first when we went up to 550m/18'.  I came down on my first jump with a decent wind, had a bunch of height over the bar and just clipped it coming down.  I moved the standards up 5cm came down 2nd attempt with a good wind and had a good jump but this time I hit the bar on the way up.  So i moved the standards back 10cm thinking I could get the same wind and have the same jump.  Still no-one had made the bar.  I started my third jump and got hit with that stupid headwind and got stood up, meet over.  Then I had to watch as tim lobinger, Derek miles, and Rafael holdzeppe made it on their 3rd attempt.  That's just the way it goes sometimes.  Now I just have to make sure Im ready to go for the next one, try to learn from what happened today, how I overcame some obstacles and didn't some others.

Always Pursuing,
Mark

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Hengelo, Netherlands

I made it to Hengelo after quite the trip over. My flight out of Chicago was delayed so i got into Atlanta right about the time my flight to Germany was taking off. So Delta put me on the next flight to Barcelona and from there onto Dusseldorf. By the time I made it to Dusseldorf it was already 8 hours after i was first supposed to be there. My poles made it but my other bag with my clothes and uniform in it did not, so then i had to talk to the airline people for another hour about getting my bag back to me. So by the time i finally got to the hotel it was 7pm here which is 1 eastern time. I had been on the road since 9am the day before, it was good to not be on the road or in the air for a while. My first meet is tomorrow around 430 here, 1030am eastern time here in Hengelo, Netherlands. I came to this meet last year and it rained pretty hard, so i am hoping its better conditions for us to jump in tomorrow. Then its off to Munich for a couple of days before i head to Innsbruck, Austria for the Golden Roof Challenge.  So a pretty quick trip before heading home to get prepared for nationals at the end of June.  Ill try to take some pictures tomorrow and have them up with an update tomorrow night.

Always Pursuing -Mark-

a couple of videos from practice today at fuzion athletics in minneapolis

Always Pursuing -Mark-

Down to St Louis

I've come down to St Louis to spend the week with my buddy Jeff Hartwig.  I've come down here to get a fresh perspective on my jump by having a fresh set of eyes to watch and give me feedback.  We jumped yesterday and watched video lady night and really figured some pretty cool things out that I think are going to make a big difference in my jump.  Im planning on jumping again tomorrow and then heading up to Minneapolis on Friday for a meet on Sunday at Fusion athletics.  Then im heading back home for the week and then heading to Europe for 2 meets, one in Holland, and the other in Innsbruck Austria for one of my favorites the Golden Roof Challenge.  I hope to have some videos later on this week that I can upload for all you guys.

Always Pursuing,
Mark

Frustration in Doha

Well that's not what I wanted to end up with.   Ended up jumping  my opening height of 540m/17'9.  I made it easily and was very happy to get the first height out of the way.  The bar went up to 550m/18', and I'm not really sure what is going on but I'm just not setting up the takeoff right on my last two steps and so when I hit the box sometimes I get jarred a bit rather than really hitting the pole.  This causes me to be out of position as I start my swing sometimes I go right, sometimes I get stood up a bit.  This is what happened on 2 of my 3 jumps at 18'.  The wind was fairly good a little bit of a cross but not too bad.  I ended up tying for 5th place but I easily could have been 4th or 3rd possibly without an amazing day.  I do have to say that I had a stomach ache as soon as I walked on the track, I don't think it was nerves, I have jumped in comps like this in the past and have not felt this way.  Also jumping on borrowed poles probably didn't help but I didn't think it was a big issue.  As you can probably figure out I'm frustrated that I wasn't able to capitalize on the opportunity better.  It make for a long plan rise home tomorrow that's for suee.  I don't leave until 1030 tomorrow night so I'm gonna try and soak up some sun and strategize about what to do next.  I don't have anything planned for may so if anyone has any ideas I am open to suggestion.  Oh well, just a bump in the road, if I wasn't able to learn from my mistakes I wouldnt be where I am today, now I just have to learn how to move on from this mistake, and road to take to put me on the right track.  Thanks for all your support, I feel like I'm in a bit of a valley right now but I know on the other side there's a mountain peak waiting for me.  

Always Pursuing,
Mark

Just shoot me

I show up to the airport today ready to depart for my first Diamond league meet in Doha.  I check in pay for the poles and proceed through security.  Minutes after I sit down a lady comes to me and says she has bad news, the poles are not going to be able to make it on the plane, I look outside and see the biggest plane I've ever flown on.  She says they measured the poles and looked in their books and they will not fit, I told her she was crazy and I've done this a hundred times they will fit, but to no avail.  So now my poles are in their way back to my car on a shuttle bus and I am about to board a plane and go to a meet knowing I will not have poles.  The good thing is that I know Fabian Schultz from Germany will be at the meet and I've use ls his poles before.  So I'm ready to make the most of it  and kick some butt on borrowed poles.  HAHA all I can do is laugh right now.  It's time to get on the plane, hopefully this is the only hiccup on this trip.  

Always Pursuing,
Mark