This afternoon marked the initiation of my 2010 hammer season. Today was also my first meet utilizing my “new” technique of four heel turns instead of a toe and three. Although essentially I am making the same number of turns in the circle, the throw (I feel) is a completely different animal. I’ve been struggling for the past week with the transition and catch between my first and second heel turns, so that was my focus for today. Essentially my thinking is, focus on the beginning of the throw and the rest of the throw will fall into place. I felt today that my first two turns transition and catch was smooth, and I even had a bit of a counter and sat my hips back! What was lacking in my throws today was tempo. My second, third, and fourth turn into delivery were all the same speed and I couldn’t find another gear without pulling my shoulders out of the throw. I was upset with this until I was reminded that I just finished week three of my weight room cycle (next week is a down week! Yay!!!) and am coming off of an injury where I haven’t done any speed or explosive work in two weeks. Derek said that he was pleased with my mark of 64.17meters (210’6”). He told me after my second throw that he was actually pleasantly surprised with the mark and it was a meter and a half further than he thought my best would be today. According to him, because I had had such a difficult week with my throws, he thought that a decent mark would have been a 62.50 or 63m throw. I had more lofty goals of around 65meters and can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Technically I am pleased with how my throw is progressing, but part of me wants the BIG MARKS now! LOL. I know that it is a process, and sometimes I forget that I haven’t begin my throw with a heel turn in over five years. (and even then it was only a three turn throw and WAY worse!). My goal is for 2012 and I need to keep making successful baby steps to set myself up for the bigger picture. Having expressed my disappointment, keeping things into perspective, last year I only threw 60m(ish) in March with a toe and three heels….. a technique that I threw my personal best mark with. So in a way I consider myself to be 3+ meters ahead of last year. If my best mark this spring is 3+ better than my best mark from last year (68m) I’ll be a very happy hammer girl come July.
As I mentioned before, my training week in the ring was a rough one. I don’t think that I had a single mark over 60meters with the 4k or 10lb hammer. Even my 3.5k throws were nothing to brag about. Although I’ve been able to increase my reps in practice, I am still not back at the 30 throw practices I had worked up to. I think in the past two weeks I only logged 120ish throws (that’s both weeks combined). Generally I would have at least that many in a single week, I’m looking forward to getting that number back up next week.
I have been able to push it again in the weight room, but because of the recovery from my shin mishap I have stayed away from jumps and sprints again this week until I’m back to 100% health. My squat workout was better than last week with my final set of 4 at 365… better than my 335 two weeks ago. My clean and clean pull day went well too, my last set of 4 with clean pull was at 245! Other than that, I have eased back into switches (less aggressive this week with less weight) and have added the side snatch to my snatch day….. that reminds me… I CAUGHT a set of 4 in the snatch at 60kilos (135lbs)!! That’s by far my best for reps ever (I think the last time I MAXED in the snatch it was at 60 kilos! Lol). So once again, my weight room training continues to surpass any of my previous achievements, even from my 2007 season. I know once I find my throw, I’ll be at a fitness level far beyond anything I’ve had in the past. That can only mean good things….baby steps in the ring, baby steps in the weight room, and baby steps with my diet will all add up!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Drills, and cross training
This week can pretty much be summed as a drill and cross training week, not by choice but necessity. Last Saturday while at the NCAA Championships I was still having excessive pain in my shin from my tumble with the hurdle last week. I swear I was not being a baby when I said it was painful, it was still sore to the touch and a beautiful array of colors ranging from just below my knee into the middle of my arch. Derek had asked the team trainer to take a look at it and the faces he made were not all too promising as he began his initial prognosis. He said that I had a lot of "pitted edema" which typically results after serious trauma to an area. Well... I guess my tibia thought that landing on a hurdle was a bit traumatic. Ben's initial assessment in Arkansas planted a seed of worry in the back of my mind that I could have perhaps fractured my tibia. I have never (knock on wood) had a broken bone in my life, other than my big toe that I swear was broken after I dropped a 45lb plate on it in the fall of 2007. I was still able to grit my teeth and do drills and get my lifts in while in Arkansas, although it was painful to do, I could grin and bear it. Dude!! What if it was really fractured?
After work I made it into the training room for a more thorough assessment. Ben (LSU team trainer) poked and squeezed and made me wince in pain until he made the statement that I had hoped for. "Well, its not fractured but....." I really didn't process much beyond the "not fractured" I was just relieved that I wouldn't be hobbling around in a boot, loosing valuable training time. Basically Ben's assessment was that although I did not fracture the bone, it was pretty badly bruised. Derek and I had to adjust the training for the week and limit throws to only two days where I threw only half the reps I typically do. Then I ended up drilling more and doing more cross training rather than aggressive lifts.
Soooo.... I finally pulled my bike out of the garage and dusted it off, pumped up the tires, located my helmet and took a awesome bike ride on the levee. I also spent some quality time on the elliptical this week. Yesterday I got back into the ring for high rep throws and did a squat workout in the afternoon. Derek adjusted my reps for squats this week to be higher than they would typically be this time of year, but it was necessary to wean myself back to loaded exercise. I believe that today I will FINALLY have a high rep day in the ring and test out some short hurdles and cleans. Although I typically HATE to drill, perhaps this little injury set back will benefit my throws in my opening meet at LSU on Friday! Have a great week everyone!
After work I made it into the training room for a more thorough assessment. Ben (LSU team trainer) poked and squeezed and made me wince in pain until he made the statement that I had hoped for. "Well, its not fractured but....." I really didn't process much beyond the "not fractured" I was just relieved that I wouldn't be hobbling around in a boot, loosing valuable training time. Basically Ben's assessment was that although I did not fracture the bone, it was pretty badly bruised. Derek and I had to adjust the training for the week and limit throws to only two days where I threw only half the reps I typically do. Then I ended up drilling more and doing more cross training rather than aggressive lifts.
Soooo.... I finally pulled my bike out of the garage and dusted it off, pumped up the tires, located my helmet and took a awesome bike ride on the levee. I also spent some quality time on the elliptical this week. Yesterday I got back into the ring for high rep throws and did a squat workout in the afternoon. Derek adjusted my reps for squats this week to be higher than they would typically be this time of year, but it was necessary to wean myself back to loaded exercise. I believe that today I will FINALLY have a high rep day in the ring and test out some short hurdles and cleans. Although I typically HATE to drill, perhaps this little injury set back will benefit my throws in my opening meet at LSU on Friday! Have a great week everyone!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Champions Rise
This week of training and work has literally FLOWN by. I am currently at the NCAA championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Being at the indoor meet is a first for me. The closest I ever came to making an NCAA Championship was coming within one spot my senior year in 2004. Watching the women’s weight and the track events yesterday really made me appreciate how much I really have accomplished since 2004. Although I will never have the “All American” credentials, and have never made NCAA’s, I have worked hard and proven that I am one of the best in the country. I have been determined to place in the top 4 at the USA National indoor meet, and top 8 in the outdoor USA National meet for the past six years (except indoors this year, lol). The women’s weight field was impressive with first through third places all placing with personal bests and strong marks. Watching the mental capacity of some of the athletes who entered the meet with big marks was interesting to observe. Some of the women who did not make finals or who were seeded much higher than they finished, seemed to crumble under the pressure of the meet. Better athletes and technicians were beat by those less technically sound, but who COMPETED well. Watching the women’s weight yesterday solidified my belief that on the day of a big competition the winners will be those who have the mental capacity to COMPETE and RISE to the challenge. The same is true for the USA level meets. Previous marks will only get an athlete so far, once at the meet, its “competitors compete and champions rise”!
My training week has been solid once again. My weight room stats continue to be above anything I have put together in the past. Monday night was a bit of a challenge as I couldn’t get my workout started until 8:45. Its nights like this when I would much rather get ready for bed and unwind instead of heading to the garage and pumping iron for an hour. But the feeling of accomplishment when I have finished one of these workouts after a long day of work make me believe that I have the fortitude to accomplish my lofty goals. My sets that night went really well considering I was lifting well past my typical bedtime. My clean pulls are moving up, my sets of 2x5, 2x4, 2x3 all over 225lbs , my hang cleans were in the 180-190range for reps, then weighted box jumps for 8x5, and a killer core workout.
Tuesday was solid in the ring, I threw 10 throws with the 16# on a 15” wire, with my range between 85-92’, then took 15 throws with the 4k, with a close grouping around 60m. After throws I had a short sprint workout that kinda’ killed my legs, I haven’t done much sprinting in a while, so my two sets of 5x50m wiped me out!
Wednesday was a rough training day, my throws were better off not having been released, I think I got through three sets and decided it was just one of those days for my mental sanity that I decided to stop and drill rather than become more frustrated and get my reps in. Drills went ok, and gave me some insights as to why my throws were not on par for the day. I was rushing out of the back after wind two, and then dropping my hands on the catch for all of my turns. Anyone who knows the hammer well can easily tell you that those two things are a recipe for poor throws. Anyway, from there I had a jump circuit. I had 75 contacts to make total so I broke it into 3x5x5 over the 33” hurdles. I have recently been able to jump the “big girl” hurdles and have been feeling confident about my power output. Wednesday night however, my body was not responding the way I need it to. I was just starting on my third set when I landed with my right shin on the top of the hurdle. Don’t ask me how this was possible, I probably couldn’t ever do it in the same manner again. Obviously landing on the top of the hurdle caused me to fall, land on my face and feel like a total idiot. Not to mention that I was about ready to explode because of the numbing pain. Think about it, nearly 200 lbs of body weight coming down on the small top of a hurdle through my shin. Not too cool. I did my typical roll around on the track in agony, punching the mondo time and again before gritting my teeth and “walking it off”. To my credit was not a pansy, I didn’t cry. I completed my set (my last couple of jumps became more of a one legged bound over the hurdles) and completed my 20 sets of agility ladder exercises for the day. I look at the gash in my shin today and my pathetic bruises and am slightly proud that I still have the “just rub dirt on it and get back into the game” ability. LOL.
I traveled Thursday after work to Arkansas to join up with Derek and the LSU team at the NCAA Championships. Derek and I did a “shake out” late that night (again, starting at 9:45pm…) that consisted of a power-walk alternating with ¼ mile run for 2.5 miles and an abdominal circuit.
Yesterday Derek and I watched the women’s weight throw and spent nearly two hours searching for the mysterious and evasive “other ring” to throw off of. When we finally did find the ring we couldn’t access the circle due to a locked gate and barbed wire. There wasn’t even space for me to crawl under or through like I would typically do, so needless to say we had to resort to drills the past coupe of days. Once again though, my lifts have been going well. Derek found an awesome “hole in the wall” Anytime Fitness where I was able to get my squat day in yesterday. Squats went well, 2x5 @ 315, 2x4 @ 335. I was definitely favoring my right leg and my shin was still sore from my hurdle misshap, but the rest of the workout went well. 5x8 of SLDL, 3x5 jump squat, lat pull downs 5x8 and rotational abdominal circuit.
This morning I was able to get a quick lift in before heading to he men’s weight throw to watch Walter and Max . My lifts were easy today, overhead squat 5x5, snatch pulls 2x5,2x4 , dumbbell snatch 2x4, 1x3 and switches 8x5. Today will be off from the hammer and will get back to the ring when I return to Baton Rouge tomorrow.
Watching Walter and Max compete in the weight throw was quite possibly the most stressful thing I have experienced in a long while. I know how hard both of them have worked all year and how important it was for them to have big performances. I am definitely guilty of living vicariously through them for the competition as were many of those who watched. I’m not going to deny that I was shaking when Walter nearly gave Derek a heart attack with a foul on his first throw, but then settled in on the next two preliminary marks. I thought that Max competed very well for his first time ever at such a big meet, he was able to remain technically sound and improved his seed from 15th to 11th. Walter solidified the ”competitors compete and champions rise” saying. I am proud of how he handled the stress, pressure and expectations that have been put on him for this meet. He was able to keep it together, rise above all, compete with the best in the nation and come out on top. Being in his situation could not have been an easy task, but he had the mental fortitude to overcome it and RISE above all with his first NCAA Championship title. His win marks the first and a very memorable National Champion moment for my husband. It has definitely been a memorable weekend, I am so proud of Derek, Walter and Max! Geaux Tigers!
My training week has been solid once again. My weight room stats continue to be above anything I have put together in the past. Monday night was a bit of a challenge as I couldn’t get my workout started until 8:45. Its nights like this when I would much rather get ready for bed and unwind instead of heading to the garage and pumping iron for an hour. But the feeling of accomplishment when I have finished one of these workouts after a long day of work make me believe that I have the fortitude to accomplish my lofty goals. My sets that night went really well considering I was lifting well past my typical bedtime. My clean pulls are moving up, my sets of 2x5, 2x4, 2x3 all over 225lbs , my hang cleans were in the 180-190range for reps, then weighted box jumps for 8x5, and a killer core workout.
Tuesday was solid in the ring, I threw 10 throws with the 16# on a 15” wire, with my range between 85-92’, then took 15 throws with the 4k, with a close grouping around 60m. After throws I had a short sprint workout that kinda’ killed my legs, I haven’t done much sprinting in a while, so my two sets of 5x50m wiped me out!
Wednesday was a rough training day, my throws were better off not having been released, I think I got through three sets and decided it was just one of those days for my mental sanity that I decided to stop and drill rather than become more frustrated and get my reps in. Drills went ok, and gave me some insights as to why my throws were not on par for the day. I was rushing out of the back after wind two, and then dropping my hands on the catch for all of my turns. Anyone who knows the hammer well can easily tell you that those two things are a recipe for poor throws. Anyway, from there I had a jump circuit. I had 75 contacts to make total so I broke it into 3x5x5 over the 33” hurdles. I have recently been able to jump the “big girl” hurdles and have been feeling confident about my power output. Wednesday night however, my body was not responding the way I need it to. I was just starting on my third set when I landed with my right shin on the top of the hurdle. Don’t ask me how this was possible, I probably couldn’t ever do it in the same manner again. Obviously landing on the top of the hurdle caused me to fall, land on my face and feel like a total idiot. Not to mention that I was about ready to explode because of the numbing pain. Think about it, nearly 200 lbs of body weight coming down on the small top of a hurdle through my shin. Not too cool. I did my typical roll around on the track in agony, punching the mondo time and again before gritting my teeth and “walking it off”. To my credit was not a pansy, I didn’t cry. I completed my set (my last couple of jumps became more of a one legged bound over the hurdles) and completed my 20 sets of agility ladder exercises for the day. I look at the gash in my shin today and my pathetic bruises and am slightly proud that I still have the “just rub dirt on it and get back into the game” ability. LOL.
I traveled Thursday after work to Arkansas to join up with Derek and the LSU team at the NCAA Championships. Derek and I did a “shake out” late that night (again, starting at 9:45pm…) that consisted of a power-walk alternating with ¼ mile run for 2.5 miles and an abdominal circuit.
Yesterday Derek and I watched the women’s weight throw and spent nearly two hours searching for the mysterious and evasive “other ring” to throw off of. When we finally did find the ring we couldn’t access the circle due to a locked gate and barbed wire. There wasn’t even space for me to crawl under or through like I would typically do, so needless to say we had to resort to drills the past coupe of days. Once again though, my lifts have been going well. Derek found an awesome “hole in the wall” Anytime Fitness where I was able to get my squat day in yesterday. Squats went well, 2x5 @ 315, 2x4 @ 335. I was definitely favoring my right leg and my shin was still sore from my hurdle misshap, but the rest of the workout went well. 5x8 of SLDL, 3x5 jump squat, lat pull downs 5x8 and rotational abdominal circuit.
This morning I was able to get a quick lift in before heading to he men’s weight throw to watch Walter and Max . My lifts were easy today, overhead squat 5x5, snatch pulls 2x5,2x4 , dumbbell snatch 2x4, 1x3 and switches 8x5. Today will be off from the hammer and will get back to the ring when I return to Baton Rouge tomorrow.
Watching Walter and Max compete in the weight throw was quite possibly the most stressful thing I have experienced in a long while. I know how hard both of them have worked all year and how important it was for them to have big performances. I am definitely guilty of living vicariously through them for the competition as were many of those who watched. I’m not going to deny that I was shaking when Walter nearly gave Derek a heart attack with a foul on his first throw, but then settled in on the next two preliminary marks. I thought that Max competed very well for his first time ever at such a big meet, he was able to remain technically sound and improved his seed from 15th to 11th. Walter solidified the ”competitors compete and champions rise” saying. I am proud of how he handled the stress, pressure and expectations that have been put on him for this meet. He was able to keep it together, rise above all, compete with the best in the nation and come out on top. Being in his situation could not have been an easy task, but he had the mental fortitude to overcome it and RISE above all with his first NCAA Championship title. His win marks the first and a very memorable National Champion moment for my husband. It has definitely been a memorable weekend, I am so proud of Derek, Walter and Max! Geaux Tigers!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Proud Wife
I have to take a minute to brag about my husband Derek. I just got word tonight after my training session that he has been named the REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR!!! And to top it off, Walter has been named the REGIONAL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR! I guess you can say that they make a good team! Lol. I am very pleased that others in the coaching community recognize the hard work and dedication to Track and Field that these two have. And I'm not just saying that because I'm married to one of them. Derek is a grounded coach who is constantly learning, listening and open to others knowledge and is able to adjust his coaching to fit his athletes. Walter is the hardest working athlete that I know, focused and inspirational (as well as determined). In addition to training Walter, Derek has also just found out last night that his number two NON SCHOLARSHIP SOPHOMORE weight thrower Max Lauro qualified for NCAA's this weekend (yay!). This season Derek has had Walter, Max and two other men who rank in the top 10 all time at LSU. His women are writing the history books at LSU too, all four of his weight throwers posted personal best marks and are all listed as top ten in the history of LSU womens throws. Now I am even more fired up to head to Arkansas to watch the NCAA championships this weekend, I can't wait to see some LONG throws and BIG competition! Congrats boys, I'm proud of you!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
"Cowgirl Up"
It has been a long week. Sunday night came way too fast last weekend, but after I received the phone call that my coworker and friend Amanda Burns was killed in a motorcycle accident, suddenly time slowed to a grinding halt. Shocking news, terrible news, sad news. Like most of my coworkers I couldn't believe it at first. Mandy LOVED her life and was the type of person who was ALWAYS doing something fun. How can someone so young, so vibrant, be gone? On several occasions last spring/early summer I had been invited to join Amanda horseback riding. I am so glad that I took her up on those offers, because the days I spent at her ranch, enjoying the outdoors, good company and sharing in her love for horses, are some of the best that I have from Louisiana so far. I am thankful for the time I did get to spend with her and will miss Amanda very much in the days/years to come.
My workweek was a long one, helping the students through the tough emotional time, dealing with my own emotions and trying to still be an effective teacher made for an exhausting week. Training on the other hand went well, in fact I had quite possibly the best full week of training I have had in three years. My throws were smooth, technically sound, and going a reasonable distance, my power via hurdles was at a new level and I maxed in the clean and the squat for the first time in three years with huge success (clean 265 and squat 475! WHOOO!). I finally feel that I am returning to the level of fitness, strength and mental confidence I was before my car accident three years ago. It amazes me that it takes so long to recover from such trauma, and how often I felt embarrassed or wanted to quit. Derek's words of encouragement and reassurance that things would come back together are finally coming true, now it is time to put the marks out there to prove it.
It is interesting how dealing with emotional stress can help put things into perspective and provide additional fuel to motivate. This week I really felt like I was back into the mindset that I need to be to have HUGE throws. Watching the Olympic games the past few weeks has really helped to open my eyes to the DESIRE that each Olympian must contain. I could feel the passion when they spoke and as soon as they put the skis on, stepped onto the ice or stood ready at a gate I could see within their eyes the passion and fire of determination. Nothing could stand in their way. Mental, physical and emotional condition all contributed to an athletes success. Every gold medalist that I witnessed all had one thing in common. They believe that they would have that they are an Olympian at heart and they believe that they could win GOLD! Somehow three years ago I lost that mentality after my accident. I became more concerned with what I didn't have or how to be "friendly" that I lost focus on my own goals, and lost desire to BEAT people. Every practice, every throw, every meet is precious. Each one is a step towards my goal for 2012. As Amanda would say, I need to "Cowgirl Up" and get it done.
My workweek was a long one, helping the students through the tough emotional time, dealing with my own emotions and trying to still be an effective teacher made for an exhausting week. Training on the other hand went well, in fact I had quite possibly the best full week of training I have had in three years. My throws were smooth, technically sound, and going a reasonable distance, my power via hurdles was at a new level and I maxed in the clean and the squat for the first time in three years with huge success (clean 265 and squat 475! WHOOO!). I finally feel that I am returning to the level of fitness, strength and mental confidence I was before my car accident three years ago. It amazes me that it takes so long to recover from such trauma, and how often I felt embarrassed or wanted to quit. Derek's words of encouragement and reassurance that things would come back together are finally coming true, now it is time to put the marks out there to prove it.
It is interesting how dealing with emotional stress can help put things into perspective and provide additional fuel to motivate. This week I really felt like I was back into the mindset that I need to be to have HUGE throws. Watching the Olympic games the past few weeks has really helped to open my eyes to the DESIRE that each Olympian must contain. I could feel the passion when they spoke and as soon as they put the skis on, stepped onto the ice or stood ready at a gate I could see within their eyes the passion and fire of determination. Nothing could stand in their way. Mental, physical and emotional condition all contributed to an athletes success. Every gold medalist that I witnessed all had one thing in common. They believe that they would have that they are an Olympian at heart and they believe that they could win GOLD! Somehow three years ago I lost that mentality after my accident. I became more concerned with what I didn't have or how to be "friendly" that I lost focus on my own goals, and lost desire to BEAT people. Every practice, every throw, every meet is precious. Each one is a step towards my goal for 2012. As Amanda would say, I need to "Cowgirl Up" and get it done.
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