Vaulting in the Big Leagues

This semester is finally over!!!!!

After reading close to 3,000 pages in chapter books, writing close to 60 pages of essays, learning well over 300 note card, and begin stressed out of my mind, I’m beyond excited for this semester to be over.  Last year being a business major I had little work to do, but after switching over to being an early education major the work load has tripped in size.  At first I had no clue how to handle all the work which effect my jumping a lot.

The first meet of the season went no where near as well as I was hoping.  After dropping my bagel cream cheese side up  on my lap at breakfast, I knew it was not gong to be a good meet. I almost no height, had a mental break down and just wanted to go back to bed.  So going in to the second meet I was a little hesitant to jump.  I jumped better but was a little disapointed with only making 9’6, but I was happy I had a good day. After the work load finally settled down, my jumping became better.  I finally started to care a lot more and was ready to jump again. Finally with a great practiced under my belt I finally felt good about going on break.

I guess stress does really take a toll on your body if you know it or not.  Sometimes there nothing you can do but just move past it, and keep your head up.  The worst that will happen is have a bad day.

Now all I need to do it have a nice break and get ready to go RENO!!!!!!!

Happy Holidays!

With my season coming to an end I guess I should blog again.

Last weekend was our conference meet.  We traveled to Southern Maine to compete in both MASCAC and the Alliance (which is made up of The Little East and MASCAC).  Sadly Westfield took second to Worcester, but that’s besides the point.  Going into the meet I was seeded second over all, but for some weird reason I was nervous.  I knew winning MASCAC wasn’t going to be very hard seeing as how the second best girl was seeded roughly a foot below me, but here I was freaking out I was going to no height.  After warm-ups all I wanted to do was just jump and get the fear of no heightening out of me.  As the height slowly moved up, people seemed to be getting out left and right.  As I sat watching all but one girl get out at 8’6″ I couldn’t help but think how in high school that height wouldn’t have placed in some of my dual meets, and definitely not in my league meet.  Finally it was 9 feet, it was my turn.  In one jump, which was not very pretty I might add, I won the meet.  I ended up making 10 feet which broke the previous MASCAC record by a foot and a half.

The next morning I went to the Westfield Athletic page to read the write up about the meet.    The second line read “Led by outstanding record setting performances from….” don’t get to excited they forgot me.   Way at the bottom I finally got my line “Westfield’s other first place in the MASCAC meet was recorded by freshman Amy Auclair in the pole vault with a winning height of 10-1/2″.   Not making a height  in a meet is disappointing but you forget it and move on. Not being recognized when you doing something like break a record hurts.  Its not something I will easily forget.  I know it might sound like I’m selfish and just want everyone to know what I did, but that’s not it at all.  I want someone to care about pole vault like all other event are cared about, I guess that is just to much to ask sometime.

In other happier news my season has been very good.  I’ve been consistently make 10 feet, and during the last meet I used a 13′ 130 and didn’t die!  My Shoulder has been doing a little better, it has it days when it hurts but for the most part it doesn’t hurt.  I’ve been going to rehab twice a week, but I haven’t started lifting yet. (But I’ve been told there’s no more avoiding it.)  This weekend I will be going to D 3′s and hopefully using a 12’6 130 and finally making 10′ 6” for the first time in a very long time.

I’m not sure which is more frightening the fact that tomorrow is my first college meet, or the fact is little over a week ill be done with my first semester of freshman year.

School has been good, challenging but fun at the same time.  And now that track has started time seems to fly by.

In the first two weeks of the season I’ve probably run more then the last 2 years in high school.  We’ve run everything from 20 meter hills to 800′s in the rain.  I guess my days of slacking off left when I got my high school diploma.   Sadly thought my days of shoulder problem are still around.  I was about to do the right thing and go to rehab (PT) but before I could go the pain in my shoulder come back.  So now I will be going to rehab 3 times a week until, well I graduate or stop pole vaulting which ever comes first.  Moral of the story, and I cant believe I’m going to say it but go to the trainers and get help before things get to bad.
With my first meet tomorrow, we can up with a game plan. I will only be jumping on small pole (11 110) so it doesn’t hurt my shoulder at all.  And sadly I’ll have to stop after 6 attempts.  I guess breaking the school record in the first meet might be a little harder then I was expecting, but being safe is well worth the sacrifice.