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
Friday, May 6, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
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
Always Pursuing,
Mark
Monday, April 25, 2011
Drake Mall Vault and Relays
Its Monday morning and im busy packing and preparing for a very exciting week in Des Moines Iowa. As many of you know the mall vault at the Jordan Creek mall in Des Moines is one of if not my favorite place to jump in the world. 3 years ago at the mall I went in with a PB of 5.50m/18' and came out with a new PB of 5.71m/18'8", I ended up finishing 2nd to Derek Miles on misses. Then 2 years ago I jumped 5.61m/18'4" but ended up winning the competition. The atmosphere of the mall is really what makes it so awesome, the crowd is within 6 feet of the runway on both sides as well as crowded around the balcony on the 2nd floor looking down on the runway and pit. Couple that with the loud music and the energy is unlike anywhere else in the world that Ive been. This year they're doing a team format where every guy will be coupled with a girl with the best combined height crowned the champion. The main sponsor of the event is Scheels, a huge sporting goods store in the mall, the prize money for the event is a shopping spree at the store which is a lot of fun. This year is going to be an awesome competition, the guys competing are Derek Miles, Brad Walker, Jeremy Scott, Giovanni Lanaro, and myself. The ladies are Mary Saxer, Kylie Hutson, April Steiner-Bennett, Lacy Jansen, and Becky Holliday. The comp is Wednesday at 6:15pm and if your anywhere in driving distance this event is a cant miss.
Then on Saturday we all vault again at the Drake Relays, which as long as the weather permits is also a great place to jump. Training and practice has been going really well, Im jumping higher on the same poles and the same run so we must be doing something right. Im really excited about this week and the possibility of jumping really high, another 7 inch PB wouldnt be so bad.
Always Pursuing -Mark-
Then on Saturday we all vault again at the Drake Relays, which as long as the weather permits is also a great place to jump. Training and practice has been going really well, Im jumping higher on the same poles and the same run so we must be doing something right. Im really excited about this week and the possibility of jumping really high, another 7 inch PB wouldnt be so bad.
Always Pursuing -Mark-
Thursday, April 7, 2011
quick video from practice
Heres one of the best jumps from practice the other day. Working on keeping the right arm straight as I extend up the pole. Im really excited about the progress were making, long run day today, will post more videos later.
Always Pursuing -Mark-
Always Pursuing -Mark-
Monday, April 4, 2011
Oh Boy...
Well its been a month since my last post and I have to apologize. But, at least I have many valid excuses as to why.
1. Moved into new house
2. Got a black lab puppy
3. I was knocked on my butt with back spasms for a week
4. Just recently got our internet hooked up
Most of these things have brought excitement to my life but have brought along with them stress. I planned on taking about 2 weeks off to gear up for the outdoor season but after my back seized up my break turned into 3 weeks. Ive been back training hard now for about 2 weeks, heavy lifting, gymnastics, and technique training in the vault. So I know its been a while so ill just recap on USA's and tell you a little bit about whats been going on with training and whats next to come.
My last post was written the morning of the USA National Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And as most of you know, I ended up winning the meet. The morning of the meet, I was very confident in my abilities and the work I have put in. So I had a plan of coming in at 5.40, passing to 5.60, 5.72, and 5.82. Even though things got a little crazy, I was proud that I stuck to the plan, even tho I didnt get the height i wanted I am very happy about winning a second national title.
After nationals my plan was to jump once at Notre Dame the next week and then travel to Minneapolis for a meet put on by Fuzion Athletics, and then call it a great indoor season and take a little break. Well I jumped at Notre Dame from 8 lefts because they dont have enough runway for me to run from my long run. I wasnt expecting a whole lot from the meet because we had moved into our house that week and so i had been doing a lot of lifting and not much actual working out or practicing. Well I ended up surprising myself and jumped 5.63m/18'5" a new indoor best!
After that meet I decided it would be a great idea to do some painting as a little job. Well I ended up having to move the furniture in the rooms and after finishing 2 rooms and having only 1 to go my back started spasming like crazy. I have had spasms before but never like this, so my hopes of jumping at the meet in Minneapolis were gone.
But for the last 2 weeks ive been feeling good, we're back lifting hard and ive been back to gymnastics getting my core strength stronger. Vaulting has been going well, figuring some things out and really looking forward to this outdoor season. My first meet is April 16th at the Mt. Sac Relays in L.A. California. After that I will be competing at the Drake Mall Vault on April 27th and then the Drake Relays that following weekend.
Well I apologize for taking so long to update this, and hopefully now that Ive caught up a bit I can write on a consistent basis as i was before. Until next time here is another video from practice last week.
Always Pursuing -Mark-
1. Moved into new house
2. Got a black lab puppy
3. I was knocked on my butt with back spasms for a week
4. Just recently got our internet hooked up
Most of these things have brought excitement to my life but have brought along with them stress. I planned on taking about 2 weeks off to gear up for the outdoor season but after my back seized up my break turned into 3 weeks. Ive been back training hard now for about 2 weeks, heavy lifting, gymnastics, and technique training in the vault. So I know its been a while so ill just recap on USA's and tell you a little bit about whats been going on with training and whats next to come.
My last post was written the morning of the USA National Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And as most of you know, I ended up winning the meet. The morning of the meet, I was very confident in my abilities and the work I have put in. So I had a plan of coming in at 5.40, passing to 5.60, 5.72, and 5.82. Even though things got a little crazy, I was proud that I stuck to the plan, even tho I didnt get the height i wanted I am very happy about winning a second national title.
After nationals my plan was to jump once at Notre Dame the next week and then travel to Minneapolis for a meet put on by Fuzion Athletics, and then call it a great indoor season and take a little break. Well I jumped at Notre Dame from 8 lefts because they dont have enough runway for me to run from my long run. I wasnt expecting a whole lot from the meet because we had moved into our house that week and so i had been doing a lot of lifting and not much actual working out or practicing. Well I ended up surprising myself and jumped 5.63m/18'5" a new indoor best!
After that meet I decided it would be a great idea to do some painting as a little job. Well I ended up having to move the furniture in the rooms and after finishing 2 rooms and having only 1 to go my back started spasming like crazy. I have had spasms before but never like this, so my hopes of jumping at the meet in Minneapolis were gone.
But for the last 2 weeks ive been feeling good, we're back lifting hard and ive been back to gymnastics getting my core strength stronger. Vaulting has been going well, figuring some things out and really looking forward to this outdoor season. My first meet is April 16th at the Mt. Sac Relays in L.A. California. After that I will be competing at the Drake Mall Vault on April 27th and then the Drake Relays that following weekend.
Well I apologize for taking so long to update this, and hopefully now that Ive caught up a bit I can write on a consistent basis as i was before. Until next time here is another video from practice last week.
Always Pursuing -Mark-
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