Finally in the air!

Friday was our first day in the air! Kalei and I figured out where our hand grips where and an estimate on how long our runway will be. Friday, my runway was about 54 feet at 5 left steps. To figure out your runway you stick the end of the pole in the box and grip the pole where your hands are supposed to be for your long runway. You then keep your hands and feet in the same place, turn around and run as fast as you can down the runway while your coach, or another teammate, counts your steps. For me, where my 5th left step lands is where I will start my runway for the day. For Kalei it's where her right foot lands. You do this every day so your runway is exactly where it is supposed to be for how your body is working that day. I feel good about how I was jumping Friday but I'm not sure how I'm going to do since we don't really have a coach this year.

What is Failure?

To me, failure is not achieving your goals. Again, since my blog is about "how to pole vault" I will share one of my pole vault failures. At our very first meet of the season this year I only cleared opening height (7ft). I consider this a failure because I should be clearing well above that since my PR (personal record) is 9ft. Lack of practice and not being ready to compete lead to this failure. The picture below is of Holly Bleasdale as she is unable to clear her height at the 2012 Olympics. This is a failure because she did not achieve her goal in clearing the height she needed to clear.

This photo was taken from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2184709/London-2012-Olympics-Athletics--Perri-Shakes-Drayton-misses-400m-hurdles-final.html


I am more motivated by failure than success. Failure motivates me because it makes me strive even harder to achieve my goals. If I am always successful than I will not work as hard to achieve my goals because I will have gotten accustomed to being successful and would just expect it.

What is Success?

To me, success is achieving your goals. Since my blog is about "how to pole vault" I will share my success in pole vault. Last year I started vaulting after the first couple meets and by the last meet of the season I ended up holding the school record. I achieved this success by working hard all year and listening to the instructions from my coach. Last year, my goal for vault was really only to do the best I could and see how far I could go. This year, my goal is to secure my spot at the State meet! It is an achievable success as long as I work hard and put everything I have learned to work. The picture below is a picture of pole vault success. Renaud Lavillenie had just cleared his final height at the Olympics on August 10, 2012, winning the gold! This photo was taken from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-11/renaud-lavillenie-reacts-after-a-successful-attempt/4192232.

We finally got the pit up and can start jumping when come back after spring break. Yesterday, I worked on regaining my balance with my pole and building up my endurance. I also worked on the basics of my takeoff and turn. To work on my takeoff and turn I stand the pole straight up and reach as high as I can. Then I run a couple steps, plant the pole on the ground and jump up, letting the pole carry me and twisting my right foot over my left, which in turn twists my body. To work on my endurance and balance I ran 35 yards over and over with my pole in hand. I worked on running as fast as I can and planting the pole on the ground and jumping as high as I can. This will help me to gain balance and increase my ability to explode on my takeoff.

So, we had our first meet last week. It was not a very good day for pole vaulting! I only cleared 7ft. It seemed like I forgot everything I had learned about vaulting...my runway was all messed up as well as my hand grip. The standards were almost never where they were supposed to be... Not having a coach there to tell the people that run the pit where to set our standards is going to really mess us up this season! I can't wait until we can actually get to practicing so I can be more prepared for our first outdoor meet on the 15th!

Track season starts today, I'm so excited! Although we are unable to practice pole vault until the snow clears. For the first week or so I'm just going to focus on shot put. At our first meet, on the 25th, I will be able to throw shot put as well as pole vault. Our first meet is an indoor meet at Michigan State University. It's called the Play-maker's meet and is usually for the top three people in each event. Typically only returning people get to attend that meet... unless you're really good. This will be my third year attending this meet. It is so fun; you get to see your competition and be in the track atmosphere for the first time that season. I am super optimistic about this year being as successful as last year... if not more successful. I plan on making it to states. That is my goal for this season!

     Kalei and I did not end up going to the pole vault camp this weekend due to horrible road conditions. Track season starts in a week from today. I just finished gymnastics season and can't wait for track to start! I am so excited for pole vault this year, I actually have a great chance of making it to states!
     Last year I finished the season 6 inches below state qualifying height and this year the qualifying height should be a little bit lower. They choose the qualifying height according to how the vaulters jumped at states the previous year. They take the lowest height cleared at states and make that the qualifying height for the next season.