Recovery
Well, since I last posted, a lot has happened over here in Hoboken. With the snowy weather, and no indoor track to use, our workouts consisted of a lot of warm-ups, medicine ball workouts, lifting, and pool workouts. And of course, pole vaulting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After setting the school record at the Armory, my hamstring decided it did not want to cooperate. At our second meet, the Gotham Cup, I ended up scratching because my hamstring was really tight, and it was the feeling I got right before I pulled it back in December so I knew I could not jump. But by the next week I was ready to go for the Wesleyan invitational. WPI was at the meet, and so was Ingrid. I was doing pretty well, and almost cleared 10’ on my first attempt, but on my second attempt, I strained my hamstring again. I was so upset because I had been doing really well, and this meant that I was not able to compete at the Empire 8 championships, our conference meet at RIT.
I spent several weeks getting treatments at the trainer, massage treatments by my coach, and a lot of stretching. In between all of that, I did a lot of aqua jogging pool workouts working on getting my knees and toes up. I still went to pole vault practice, even though I was not able to sprint. I spent a whole practice doing zero steps, and even worked on swinging from a zero step. The next practice I spent the whole time at a 1 step, and then the next practice I spent the whole time at a 2 step. Finally, the Thursday before our CTC championship meet I was able to do 3 steps. I probably would have been able to 5 step, but mentally I was not ready.
So because I have not done anything more than a 3 step in practice, Branko and I decided that I would use Saturday as more of a practice, and compete only from a 3 step. I used a 12’ 130 pole, and held at 10’9”, running from only 33’. I think the other girls at the meet were soo surprised to see that I had such a short run. I opened at 8’1”, and cleared that on my first attempt with my standards at 70. For my first attempt at 8’7” I pulled my standards in but I really needed them back further, so for my second attempt I pushed them back to 73 and cleared it easily. 9’1” I cleared on my first attempt. My second attempt at 9’7” was really good! The top of my jump was probably my best of the day. If I had only pushed off the pole a little bit more, I would have cleared it. I felt my stomach brush up against the bar on the way down, and then it fell off L Both my coaches and I were very happy with my jumps. I tied for 3rd place out of 11 girls. To be able to beat most of the competition from a 3 step while they were all going at least 5 steps made me feel great about my technique and how I am improving. I can’t wait to see how all of the little stuff will pay off when I move back to a 5 or 7 step and get on some bigger poles! Next up is the last chance meet, in 2 weeks, where I hope to qualify for ECAC’s which is 10’6”.
