The NFL has been getting pretty dramatic the past few weeks. It's actually been a very good season to watch games. But, getting towards the end of the regular season play there have been some pretty big upsets. Last night it started with the Saints vs. the Cowboys. If you know anything about football you know the Saints were undefeated up until this game. Cowboys probably played their best game all season to upset the Saints. Anyways, I was feeling pretty good about the Vikings playing the Panthers. I even told my brother that I guaranteed a win from the Vikings...my bad.
The Vikings took their 3rd loss tonight against a team they should have beat...but, it seems recently there are no shoulda's. I'm not sure what is going on with the Vikes but they looked flat as could be tonight...a very similar look as the game they played against the Cardinals. All is not lost yet, and no reason to panic, I just expect more out of the Vikings. They are the second seed going into the playoffs still, but they need to win the remainder of their games and the Eagles need to lose a game, or else the Vikes could lose the second seed. This is my understanding at least. So, we'll see what happens in the next few weeks.
On to non football related material. I am back home in Minnesota! It is nice and cold here and plenty of white snow to be enjoyed. It is a huge change from San Diego, but it is a welcome change. You probably wouldn't think you could get sick of sunshine everyday, but I guess I do. I love me a cloudy day with snow flurries or even blizzard like snowfall. Sunshine days are nice in the winter too though...I just like that weather change, I guess you like what you grew up with, and for me that is tons of snow and frost biting temperatures, that would get old too if it weren't for the three other seasons.
My flight into Minneapolis reminded me of flying into a frozen tundra or at least similar to something you would see on T.V. It just looked cold outside of the plane. The sky had that purplish look the sky gets at dusk in the winter, it was awesome. All the lights from houses and street lights had a soft glow that only snow creates when the light reflects off of it. It was a nice welcoming home...simple, but fantastic!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Today was another great day for Minnesota Viking football! Living out here in California keeps me from watching the Vikings play on TV so I have to resort to sitting in front of my computer and watching a streaming video of the games being played. It isn't ideal, but it does the trick. So, anyways, my beloved horned, purple people eaters are 9-1 after handily defeating the Seattle Seahawks 35-9. Now I know that the Seahawks aren't a very imposing opponent, especially for the Vikes, but it was good to see Minnesota play a clean game and run the score up a little. I'm certain the score would have been greater if the Golden Boy Brett Favre played the entire game, but he did not after being pulled at the end of the 3rd quarter to keep him healthy. For the most part the defense played tough through the end of the game, slipping up a little and allowing Seattle to score. Here is the highlight reel from the game earlier today. http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/videos/Full-Highlights-Vikings-35-Seahawks-9/c1a00f6d-3682-45f6-956c-6651fece98aa
Sitting here writing this blog I am officially 2 days away from enjoying some time back home. I hadn't planned on it, but I will be flying home for Thanksgiving...thanks to a surprise sale on flights. Fares were cut in two from the original price to fly from San Diego to Minneapolis. Best thing about the flights is that they are direct. I was ready to stay here and train, but unfortunately I strained my oblique muscle throwing. I have been doing everything in my power to heal it quickly, but it's one of those deals where time is the best cure. I am hoping to be out from throwing no more than two weeks. Funny thing is I am able to lift without aggravating the injury but any violent twisting movement like throwing a discus I am unable to do without pain. I'm lucky it isn't more serious than it was. Many throwers have abdominal issues, even pulling ab muscles off the ribs. I have been fortunate enough not too have had any issues until now, but my ribs are a little tender. I tried to be smart about stopping before I hurt myself any further.
I don't feel so bad about heading back home for about a week, otherwise I would just be hanging out by myself during Thanksgiving. Some good home cooking and rest should heal me up and get me ready to continue with the great progress I have been experiencing this past month of training.
Sitting here writing this blog I am officially 2 days away from enjoying some time back home. I hadn't planned on it, but I will be flying home for Thanksgiving...thanks to a surprise sale on flights. Fares were cut in two from the original price to fly from San Diego to Minneapolis. Best thing about the flights is that they are direct. I was ready to stay here and train, but unfortunately I strained my oblique muscle throwing. I have been doing everything in my power to heal it quickly, but it's one of those deals where time is the best cure. I am hoping to be out from throwing no more than two weeks. Funny thing is I am able to lift without aggravating the injury but any violent twisting movement like throwing a discus I am unable to do without pain. I'm lucky it isn't more serious than it was. Many throwers have abdominal issues, even pulling ab muscles off the ribs. I have been fortunate enough not too have had any issues until now, but my ribs are a little tender. I tried to be smart about stopping before I hurt myself any further.
I don't feel so bad about heading back home for about a week, otherwise I would just be hanging out by myself during Thanksgiving. Some good home cooking and rest should heal me up and get me ready to continue with the great progress I have been experiencing this past month of training.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Back at it
I have been in California for two weeks now, and the time has flown by. I feel like I have been so busy I haven't been able to keep up with what is going on in the news. When I was back home I had a little more down time to stay updated on current events. This is a good thing that I'm busy, but it is also blatantly obvious that my vacation time is over.
I jumped right into training with my training group as soon as I got here. The workouts have been intense. We are throwing for about two and a half hours in the morning and then in the weight room for another two and a half hours after lunch. Throwing sessions have been going well and I am very pleased with my progress and carry over from last year. At this point I feel I am ahead of where I was at this time last year. My strength training has also been good. My legs have been feeling better than last year when I was barely able to do body weight squats. I have actually been able to load up the bar with weights and do some serious leg training. Two weeks in isn't very long, but I am feeling very positive about this year.
I have talked about pec issues I have had during the past four years, and finally this week I will be having an ultra sound image done on my right pec. I am told these images are better than MRI's, so hopefully I get some good feed back and uncover any issues that may be going on inside my pec muscle. I will update any information I receive as soon as I get it.
I jumped right into training with my training group as soon as I got here. The workouts have been intense. We are throwing for about two and a half hours in the morning and then in the weight room for another two and a half hours after lunch. Throwing sessions have been going well and I am very pleased with my progress and carry over from last year. At this point I feel I am ahead of where I was at this time last year. My strength training has also been good. My legs have been feeling better than last year when I was barely able to do body weight squats. I have actually been able to load up the bar with weights and do some serious leg training. Two weeks in isn't very long, but I am feeling very positive about this year.
I have talked about pec issues I have had during the past four years, and finally this week I will be having an ultra sound image done on my right pec. I am told these images are better than MRI's, so hopefully I get some good feed back and uncover any issues that may be going on inside my pec muscle. I will update any information I receive as soon as I get it.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Park City
I spent the past week hanging out in ritzy Park City, UT watching bobsledders and skeleton athletes go flying down ice covered tracks down the side of mountains. I made a pit stop during my trip from Minnesota to San Diego to support my girlfriend, Mia, during her team trials for U.S. World Cup team. It was an impressive week watching everyone run and push 400+ lb. sleds down ice tracks. Hanging around my girlfriend all week gave me an inside look into everything that is involved with the sport. It is quite the production!
Everyday the athletes get to track and start at the bottom of the mile long length of ice track. They start their track walk hours before they actually start sliding to go over the curves and turns and dips. This helps them to get a good mental image of the track and visualize what they are about to drive on at over 80mph! It's pretty amazing. Once they start sliding they get to runs down the track which takes about an hour and a half total depending on the amount of athletes training.
During race day everything is a frenzy. The day before was spent sanding runners. Runners are the blades of steel that the bobsled rides on down the ice. Runners are very complicated from my perspective. To me they are just pieces of metal, to bobsledders they are incredibly important. First of all, the metal needs to be blemish free. There can be no nicks or scratches. It is the smoothest metal I have ever seen. Bobsledders spend hours sanding these steel blades to perfection. They use all kinds of different grades of sandpaper to get the steel ultra smooth. After the blades are sanded, acetone is wiped across the runners to clean them. After the runners have been finished they are basically untouchable. I was not allowed by Mia to handle the runners very much, and if I did, I had to use extreme caution. It was stressful.
The competitions just finished today. There were two days of competitions, with a total of four runs down the hill. Mia did a great job with the equipment she was given to use this year. Not all sleds are created equal which really minimizes ability to get a fair and accurate measure of any individuals skills. It is a long and frustrating problem to explain, but there is a issue that needs to addressed in that sport. I am very proud of Mia though for all the hard work and commitment she has put into her sport, she is a very inspirational woman an amazingly gifted athlete.
Here is a cool video of bobsledding. It is of a 4 man bobsled team. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofzbV9-Nyag
My week long pseudo vacation has come to an end and now it is time for me to get back to work. Tomorrow morning I will be driving 11 hours from Park City to San Diego. It is tough to leave this comfortable resort I have been staying at, but I need to keep from getting soft mentally and physically! I am very excited to start up a new season of training. The only bad thing about leaving tomorrow, which is a Sunday, is...I'm sure you can guess...yup, I will be missing the Viking and Steelers game. It's going to be a long drive...
Everyday the athletes get to track and start at the bottom of the mile long length of ice track. They start their track walk hours before they actually start sliding to go over the curves and turns and dips. This helps them to get a good mental image of the track and visualize what they are about to drive on at over 80mph! It's pretty amazing. Once they start sliding they get to runs down the track which takes about an hour and a half total depending on the amount of athletes training.
During race day everything is a frenzy. The day before was spent sanding runners. Runners are the blades of steel that the bobsled rides on down the ice. Runners are very complicated from my perspective. To me they are just pieces of metal, to bobsledders they are incredibly important. First of all, the metal needs to be blemish free. There can be no nicks or scratches. It is the smoothest metal I have ever seen. Bobsledders spend hours sanding these steel blades to perfection. They use all kinds of different grades of sandpaper to get the steel ultra smooth. After the blades are sanded, acetone is wiped across the runners to clean them. After the runners have been finished they are basically untouchable. I was not allowed by Mia to handle the runners very much, and if I did, I had to use extreme caution. It was stressful.
The competitions just finished today. There were two days of competitions, with a total of four runs down the hill. Mia did a great job with the equipment she was given to use this year. Not all sleds are created equal which really minimizes ability to get a fair and accurate measure of any individuals skills. It is a long and frustrating problem to explain, but there is a issue that needs to addressed in that sport. I am very proud of Mia though for all the hard work and commitment she has put into her sport, she is a very inspirational woman an amazingly gifted athlete.
Here is a cool video of bobsledding. It is of a 4 man bobsled team. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofzbV9-Nyag
My week long pseudo vacation has come to an end and now it is time for me to get back to work. Tomorrow morning I will be driving 11 hours from Park City to San Diego. It is tough to leave this comfortable resort I have been staying at, but I need to keep from getting soft mentally and physically! I am very excited to start up a new season of training. The only bad thing about leaving tomorrow, which is a Sunday, is...I'm sure you can guess...yup, I will be missing the Viking and Steelers game. It's going to be a long drive...
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Going back to Cali...
This was a great week for our country and for our President. In case you were avoiding any news, President Obama was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize. I was pretty excited to hear this and my initial reaction to this news was "wow, seriously?" I asked my dad what Obama got the award for and he said "promoting peace." I didn't even have to give it a second thought. Even before the presidential nomination, Obama was conceptualizing and verbalizing peaceful ideas for the country under his leadership. I was extremely happy and proud at the same time that our President would be chosen for this honor. I said to my dad "This is going to look good for the U.S. Maybe this will shut some critics mouths and they'll give the President some respect." Oh man was I wrong on that thought.
As I went through the rest of the day I heard more people than not saying how ridiculous it was
that Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize. Far right Conservatives in the media tore down the honor of the award and even went on to say the award has been tarnished. I couldn't believe my ears! Even on Facebook I had friends posting negative views on the event, whom I'm sure were spouting commentary they heard from various media outlets. How could anyone not be happy for what the award represented for the country? I was purely looking at the positive side of things, I still can't see how anyone could take such an honor and turn it into something negative. It really makes me question the patriotism of people.
I was really disappointed that I didn't see more positive backing and acceptance of this award for our President and more importantly what our country is trying to represent and promote, peace. I did find a very insightful and well done video segment posted by one of my friend's on their Facebook homepage. I wish this video was played all over for people to see what should be seen, the positive nature of the honor for our President and our country after years of disapproval by much of the world. It is a major step in the right direction for our country and the international community. Here is the 11 minute video segment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMJuEOaF84o
Anyways, enough about political stuff, this was my last week here at home and it has gone pretty fast. Two months of hanging out with family and friends and now it is time for me to get back to work. I'm a little bit bummed out but at the same time I'm excited for the start of a new training year. The time I spent at home was much needed and enjoyed. I was able to help out my parents a great deal with landscaping around the house and other little chores, mostly to earn my keep! I was able to hang out with my brother Sam almost every weekend at his college of Winona State. That was important to me to be able to spend that time with him.
This weekend I had the chance to go to the University of Minnesota Homecoming football game against Purdue in the new TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It was the coolest college football experience I've ever had! I wanted to go to a game so bad while I was home and I accomplished that goal. I can now go back to San Diego happy!
I will be leaving for San Diego this Friday but will be breaking my trip up with a week long stay in Park City, Utah where my girlfriend, Mia, will be training and competing for a spot on the World Championship team.
As I went through the rest of the day I heard more people than not saying how ridiculous it was
that Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize. Far right Conservatives in the media tore down the honor of the award and even went on to say the award has been tarnished. I couldn't believe my ears! Even on Facebook I had friends posting negative views on the event, whom I'm sure were spouting commentary they heard from various media outlets. How could anyone not be happy for what the award represented for the country? I was purely looking at the positive side of things, I still can't see how anyone could take such an honor and turn it into something negative. It really makes me question the patriotism of people.
I was really disappointed that I didn't see more positive backing and acceptance of this award for our President and more importantly what our country is trying to represent and promote, peace. I did find a very insightful and well done video segment posted by one of my friend's on their Facebook homepage. I wish this video was played all over for people to see what should be seen, the positive nature of the honor for our President and our country after years of disapproval by much of the world. It is a major step in the right direction for our country and the international community. Here is the 11 minute video segment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMJuEOaF84o
Anyways, enough about political stuff, this was my last week here at home and it has gone pretty fast. Two months of hanging out with family and friends and now it is time for me to get back to work. I'm a little bit bummed out but at the same time I'm excited for the start of a new training year. The time I spent at home was much needed and enjoyed. I was able to help out my parents a great deal with landscaping around the house and other little chores, mostly to earn my keep! I was able to hang out with my brother Sam almost every weekend at his college of Winona State. That was important to me to be able to spend that time with him.
This weekend I had the chance to go to the University of Minnesota Homecoming football game against Purdue in the new TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. It was the coolest college football experience I've ever had! I wanted to go to a game so bad while I was home and I accomplished that goal. I can now go back to San Diego happy!
I will be leaving for San Diego this Friday but will be breaking my trip up with a week long stay in Park City, Utah where my girlfriend, Mia, will be training and competing for a spot on the World Championship team.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Chicago 2016
The announcement for the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games will soon be selected. The selected city will be named on October 2 from the IOC Session in Copenhagen. Madrid, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and most importantly Chicago are all making bids to hold the Olympic Games. It appears that there is no clear cut favorite to host the games. In my opinion from what I have read, I believe it is close between Rio and Chicago. It appears that Tokyo does not have much public support behind their bid and with Europe already hosting the the 2012 games, Madrid would be an unlikely candidate as well. So, that leaves Rio and Chicago.
It is also my understanding that President Obama will be making an appearance in Copenhagen to support the 2016 bid for the United States. Originally, Michelle Obama had the lone job of representing the city of Chicago and the President. But, after finding out that the President of Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the King of Spain were going to be in attendance at the IOC Sessions President Obama thought it would be an important appearance to make. I agree that his presence would indeed help the cause greatly for bringing the Olympics to Chicago. With the combined duo of the Obama's representing the U.S. and their hometown of Chicago it would be difficult to not be awarded the host city honors.
Naturally I would love to have the Olympics held in the U.S. I believe any hot blooded American would want it here. Also, Chicago happens to be five hours away from my hometown. This would be great, and God willing I am still competing in track and field and even fortunate enough to make an Olympic team, it would be a dream come true for myself.
Be sure to pay attention to the news on Friday. It is a big deal to host an Olympic Games for any country. It will be a great benefit to any city that is awarded the duties of hosting such an event. I feel there is a good chance that Chicago will get the privilege. We'll all have to wait until this Friday to find out. Here are some links to check out the announcement live. http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
http://www.universalsports.com/
It is also my understanding that President Obama will be making an appearance in Copenhagen to support the 2016 bid for the United States. Originally, Michelle Obama had the lone job of representing the city of Chicago and the President. But, after finding out that the President of Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the King of Spain were going to be in attendance at the IOC Sessions President Obama thought it would be an important appearance to make. I agree that his presence would indeed help the cause greatly for bringing the Olympics to Chicago. With the combined duo of the Obama's representing the U.S. and their hometown of Chicago it would be difficult to not be awarded the host city honors.
Naturally I would love to have the Olympics held in the U.S. I believe any hot blooded American would want it here. Also, Chicago happens to be five hours away from my hometown. This would be great, and God willing I am still competing in track and field and even fortunate enough to make an Olympic team, it would be a dream come true for myself.
Be sure to pay attention to the news on Friday. It is a big deal to host an Olympic Games for any country. It will be a great benefit to any city that is awarded the duties of hosting such an event. I feel there is a good chance that Chicago will get the privilege. We'll all have to wait until this Friday to find out. Here are some links to check out the announcement live. http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
http://www.universalsports.com/
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Gophers and Vikings
Well, I have returned to blogging...I am going to officially state that I am the worlds worst blogger. Not proud of that, but I am going to try and change that. The thing that sucks about not keeping up with your blogs is that there are a lot of things to talk about that pass, and it's difficult to go back and talk about it because it may be irrelevant...but, I'm going to do that anyways. I have a lot of things to talk about. So, I'm going to start with this one right here....
This was a great weekend for Minnesota football. I am lucky enough to be in Minnesota right now too to enjoy the football excitement. The weekend started off yesterday when my alma mater, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, had it's first game in the brand new TCF Bank Stadium. It is going to be difficult for me to describe my feelings surrounding this game because there were a lot of emotions...all positive of course! It was hard to believe that the Golden Gophers actually had their own on campus stadium to play in after a 30 year absence of on campus games. Every home game was played in the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. But, this weekend was the start of something new! From now on the Gopher football team will be playing before their fans on their own turf...literally! It is an overwhelmingly exciting feeling, and I know I share this overabundant joy with all Gopher fans.
Too break in the new 300 million dollar stadium with the biggest locker room in the country both pro and college, third largest high definition big screen in the country of all the colleges and a capacity to hold 50,000 screaming maroon and gold fans, the Gophers started a long tradition with a win over Air Force. Winning their first home game in the the brand new stadium was as sweet as it gets. Sadly, I was not able to get a ticket to the game because they were all sold out which hasn't happened too often in the past at the metrodome. I was able to watch the game with my dad and sister on a small t.v. but I didn't know the difference. I honestly felt the energy from the stadium come through that little television screen into the living room. It was the most fun I have ever had watching a football game on t.v!
Today, on NFL Sunday, I got to watch the Vikings take out the Cleveland Browns. I drove down to watch the game with my brother and his room mates down at Winona State on their 60" screen. This game was exciting to watch as well. In case you haven't heard, which I highly doubt is possible, Brett Favre is the new quarterback for the Vikings! Yeah, it's pretty sweet to say that. I can't remember the last time I was so amped up to watch the Purple People Eaters play football. There has definitely been a huge shift in attitude towards our football team here in Minnesota. Great things are expected this year, but most importantly it is fun to watch the Vikes play again! Today, was a good start to the season with a win over the Browns, which was a little shaky in the beginning, but proved to be the explosive and dynamic team everyone around these parts has been expecting...man, I can't wait for next weekend already, I've never felt this way before.
To share some of my excitement here is a link of the play of the game, and I can guarantee it is going to be in the top 10 plays of the week on ESPN if not the number one spot! It is a video of the number one running back in the NFL Adrian Peterson make a spectacular touchdown run. http://ballhype.com/video/adrian-peterson-touchdown-run-v-cleveland-browns/
This was a great weekend for Minnesota football. I am lucky enough to be in Minnesota right now too to enjoy the football excitement. The weekend started off yesterday when my alma mater, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, had it's first game in the brand new TCF Bank Stadium. It is going to be difficult for me to describe my feelings surrounding this game because there were a lot of emotions...all positive of course! It was hard to believe that the Golden Gophers actually had their own on campus stadium to play in after a 30 year absence of on campus games. Every home game was played in the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. But, this weekend was the start of something new! From now on the Gopher football team will be playing before their fans on their own turf...literally! It is an overwhelmingly exciting feeling, and I know I share this overabundant joy with all Gopher fans.
Too break in the new 300 million dollar stadium with the biggest locker room in the country both pro and college, third largest high definition big screen in the country of all the colleges and a capacity to hold 50,000 screaming maroon and gold fans, the Gophers started a long tradition with a win over Air Force. Winning their first home game in the the brand new stadium was as sweet as it gets. Sadly, I was not able to get a ticket to the game because they were all sold out which hasn't happened too often in the past at the metrodome. I was able to watch the game with my dad and sister on a small t.v. but I didn't know the difference. I honestly felt the energy from the stadium come through that little television screen into the living room. It was the most fun I have ever had watching a football game on t.v!
Today, on NFL Sunday, I got to watch the Vikings take out the Cleveland Browns. I drove down to watch the game with my brother and his room mates down at Winona State on their 60" screen. This game was exciting to watch as well. In case you haven't heard, which I highly doubt is possible, Brett Favre is the new quarterback for the Vikings! Yeah, it's pretty sweet to say that. I can't remember the last time I was so amped up to watch the Purple People Eaters play football. There has definitely been a huge shift in attitude towards our football team here in Minnesota. Great things are expected this year, but most importantly it is fun to watch the Vikes play again! Today, was a good start to the season with a win over the Browns, which was a little shaky in the beginning, but proved to be the explosive and dynamic team everyone around these parts has been expecting...man, I can't wait for next weekend already, I've never felt this way before.
To share some of my excitement here is a link of the play of the game, and I can guarantee it is going to be in the top 10 plays of the week on ESPN if not the number one spot! It is a video of the number one running back in the NFL Adrian Peterson make a spectacular touchdown run. http://ballhype.com/video/adrian-peterson-touchdown-run-v-cleveland-browns/
Monday, May 25, 2009
This past weekend was quite the experience for me. I traveled to Tucson, AZ to compete in the Tucson Elite meet. This meet was a strictly throwers meet for men and women. Discus, shot put, javelin and hammer were all held at the meet. It was a great event and was held in the evening to avoid the heat of the day. Personally I did alright at the meet. I took 3rd in the meet with a throw of 59.71m. Not my best throw ever but good for the conditions of the meet. 1st through 3rd were separated by 30 cm. It was fun though throwing in the meet, music was played to help add to the atmosphere; we don't usually get to have good music at our meets.
After the meet I got a late night dinner at In n Out, which I normally love, but probably not so much after this weekend. Around 1:30 in the morning I came down with a nasty case of food poisoning. It was my first time experiencing any sickness of that kind, it was brutal. I was awake the entire night, and caught a few hours of on again off again sleep around 8 in the morning before getting ready to fly back to San Diego. That was a miserable feeling and experience. I am still recovering today from the sickness. Not fun...
Hopefully I make a full recovery quickly and don't lose too much weight and get back into training full swing. I'm about 4 weeks out from US Nationals at the end of June. I still have a lot to work on in that time.
After the meet I got a late night dinner at In n Out, which I normally love, but probably not so much after this weekend. Around 1:30 in the morning I came down with a nasty case of food poisoning. It was my first time experiencing any sickness of that kind, it was brutal. I was awake the entire night, and caught a few hours of on again off again sleep around 8 in the morning before getting ready to fly back to San Diego. That was a miserable feeling and experience. I am still recovering today from the sickness. Not fun...
Hopefully I make a full recovery quickly and don't lose too much weight and get back into training full swing. I'm about 4 weeks out from US Nationals at the end of June. I still have a lot to work on in that time.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
FRUSTRATED
Tonight I am blogging late with good reason. I just flew into San Jose, CA and drove to Salinas, CA which is about an hour away from San Jose. There is a meet here in Salinas on Tuesday. This weekend and past week have been jam packed with meets. My training partner Adam Kuehl and myself just competed in Eugene, OR last night at the Eugene Twilight meet. We used it as a warm up meet for the US Championships which are going to be held in Eugene at the end of June. It was an alright meet for myself. I have been a little disappointed lately with my performances in my meets. I have expected a lot out of myself since my season opener where I opened up with an all time personal best throw. So far I haven't come very close to that mark. It is frustrating for me, and I am trying to figure out what my deal is! I have been having some "technical difficulties" with my technique. Ever since my season opener I feel I have been trying too hard to throw far instead of letting things just happen. I am hoping that I figure out my issues soon with the Championships right around the corner. Tuesday is another day and opportunity for me. Maybe I just need to blog more regularly to throw farther?
Sunday, April 12, 2009
A New PR
This past weekend I changed my plans of opening up my season at the Mt. Sac Relays and decided to take a drive to Mesa, AZ and compete. It was a last minute decision, and I am thankful to the throws coach at Mesa Community College, Colin Post, for allowing my late entry in the meet. I decided Thursday morning that I was going to drive 6 hours to Mesa, AZ after talking to my room mate and training partner Adam Kuehl. Adam went home for Easter weekend and decided that he would compete at the meet as well. He informed me that the weather was going to be prime for a discus meet, so naturally I could not resist the temptation of competing with good conditions. My girlfriend Mia and I drove out late Thursday, actually she drove the whole way, but we got into Mesa around midnight.
The next day I was very anxious to compete. I have been training for nearly 6 months straight, but have not had any competitions. It felt good to get those pre competition jitters back. Once I got to the track and felt at ease and ready to compete. The winds were blowing strong as a headwind which can be good but not optimal such as a right cross wind blowing across the discus sector.
The competition started and I was the last thrower in the flight. I got in the ring and wound up and went to throw, but I tried to hard and top the discus causing it to fall far short of where I wanted it to fly. My second throw was better around 59.30m which would have been my best season opening throw ever. I then got in for my 3rd throw and connected with it and sent it flying 62.77m which is a new personal best for me. The meter distance converts to 205' 11 1/2". This is also the Olympic B standard which I need to attain 4 more times during the season to ensure my place here at the Olympic Training Center.
It was a very exciting weekend for me and well worth the trip to AZ. I also got the chance to see some of my old team mates from the University of Minnesota. I definitely made me miss home.
The next day I was very anxious to compete. I have been training for nearly 6 months straight, but have not had any competitions. It felt good to get those pre competition jitters back. Once I got to the track and felt at ease and ready to compete. The winds were blowing strong as a headwind which can be good but not optimal such as a right cross wind blowing across the discus sector.
The competition started and I was the last thrower in the flight. I got in the ring and wound up and went to throw, but I tried to hard and top the discus causing it to fall far short of where I wanted it to fly. My second throw was better around 59.30m which would have been my best season opening throw ever. I then got in for my 3rd throw and connected with it and sent it flying 62.77m which is a new personal best for me. The meter distance converts to 205' 11 1/2". This is also the Olympic B standard which I need to attain 4 more times during the season to ensure my place here at the Olympic Training Center.
It was a very exciting weekend for me and well worth the trip to AZ. I also got the chance to see some of my old team mates from the University of Minnesota. I definitely made me miss home.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Just Another Day
I don't have much exciting to write about in my blog this week. But, that is not to say I'm not excited about things. Training has going going very well these past few weeks. I feel I'm starting to make progress towards throwing farther in the discus. I hate to talk about doing well though because I guess I'm a little superstitious about jinxing myself when I talk about myself. So, I'll keep the self talk to a minimum. Throwing the discus has been going particularly well lately. I'm very excited for the season to start up soon and put myself to the test. I'm hoping all the hours and sweat will pay off this year. My first meet will be at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, CA. I have never thrown there, but I've been hearing mixed reviews from people who have competed there. Apparently the discus ring is three feet below the surface of the surrounding grass. Many people will avoid throwing there at all costs. It sounds like it is more of a mental annoyance than anything. I'll find out on April 18th though, and so will you!
This past weekend a majority of the athletes at the training center gathered for a BBQ at Mission Beach in San Diego. There was a small group of foreign athletes who are training here as well that joined us. I can only count on one hand how many times I've been to the beach since I moved out here back in October. I guess I've just been too busy or too tired to go and play at the beach. So, it was a real treat to be able to go this weekend and grill some hot links and chicken on the grill! It may be one of the few times I get to go again for awhile.
This past weekend a majority of the athletes at the training center gathered for a BBQ at Mission Beach in San Diego. There was a small group of foreign athletes who are training here as well that joined us. I can only count on one hand how many times I've been to the beach since I moved out here back in October. I guess I've just been too busy or too tired to go and play at the beach. So, it was a real treat to be able to go this weekend and grill some hot links and chicken on the grill! It may be one of the few times I get to go again for awhile.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Busy
I have been getting lazy with posting blogs recently, a problem that will no longer be an issue from this post on. I shouldn't say lazy, just doing a poor job of managing my time...too much to do here in California! Anyways, a lot has been going on in my little world. A few weeks back I drove up to Newport Beach, CA with my room mate and training partner Adam Kuehl to work at a throwing clinic put on by Tony Ciarelli. What an amazing guy this man is. He has been putting on the camp since 1991. This was my second year helping out at the camp and let me tell you it is a joy to be at. Tony has the ability to gather many of the top throwers in the country from now and the past, and get them to come help out with the camp and get together afterwards and socialize. It is an amazing experience for me as a relatively young thrower to hang out and talk with some of my idols in the throwing world.
Also, my girlfriend moved out here within the past two weeks to Chula Vista to train during her bobsled off season. It has been wonderful having her here to hang out with. It has recharged me to be able to see her daily instead of talking on the phone everyday. I feel it has brought a little more balance to my life as well. We both are definitely trying to be resourceful in finding fun and cheap things to do here in spendy California.
I also got the chance to meet Sarah Groff, a fellow ITA teammate. It is nice to be able to put a face and personality with a name. She is one of the few ITA members that I could say I know...I wish I had the chance to meet everyone. I first met her in the training room here at the OTC and I was caught a little off guard since I had not been expecting the encounter, but she is a very positive and outgoing person. She was eager to take a look at the Boys and Girls Club here in Chula Vista. Luis Canett, the director of the B&G club was excited to meet her and to have the help of more volunteers at his club since there has been an influx of a number of new kids joining recently.
Also, my girlfriend moved out here within the past two weeks to Chula Vista to train during her bobsled off season. It has been wonderful having her here to hang out with. It has recharged me to be able to see her daily instead of talking on the phone everyday. I feel it has brought a little more balance to my life as well. We both are definitely trying to be resourceful in finding fun and cheap things to do here in spendy California.
I also got the chance to meet Sarah Groff, a fellow ITA teammate. It is nice to be able to put a face and personality with a name. She is one of the few ITA members that I could say I know...I wish I had the chance to meet everyone. I first met her in the training room here at the OTC and I was caught a little off guard since I had not been expecting the encounter, but she is a very positive and outgoing person. She was eager to take a look at the Boys and Girls Club here in Chula Vista. Luis Canett, the director of the B&G club was excited to meet her and to have the help of more volunteers at his club since there has been an influx of a number of new kids joining recently.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
the day after
I hope everyone had an excellent Valentines Day/Singles Awareness Day yesterday. I was unable to spend the day with my girlfriend because she is back in Lake Placid, NY preparing for the FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships. She will not actually be competing this year due to an injury she suffered back in December, but she will be doing what she can to help represent the U.S as the Lake Placid Olympic training center plays host for the championships. She will be a forerunner during the championships to help make sure timing devices are working properly and precisely.
I was lucky enough to spend the past two weeks with her when she got the opportunity to come to San Diego and train at the Olympic training center here with me! She and another fellow bobsledder spent two weeks of "dry land" training here in California. It was a nice chance for them to get away from the cold and snow back in Lake Placid. It was nice for us to reconnect after being apart for a few months as well. I was excited for her to see some of the training I have been doing since I moved out to California to train. It was great to see her but unfortunately she had to leave two days before Valentines Day...so I was left dateless...I guess she was too! She'll be back in a few weeks though, and this time for a longer stay...so don't feel too bad for me.
My discus training has continued to progress well. I'm still learning and figuring out new things about my technique. It can be very frustrating at times to work on something new, which is what I'm currently trying to do, but it usually pays off in the end...or so I tell myself! My knees have been giving me a bit of trouble lately though. More specifically the tendons around the knee area have been bothersome to the point that they are affecting my training. So, I am in the process of figuring out the problem and finding a way to alleviate the pain and resume my normal training protocol. It is a frustrating and difficult problem that I would like to resolve quickly. I am open to any advice someone may have reading this, and would greatly appreciate it!
I was lucky enough to spend the past two weeks with her when she got the opportunity to come to San Diego and train at the Olympic training center here with me! She and another fellow bobsledder spent two weeks of "dry land" training here in California. It was a nice chance for them to get away from the cold and snow back in Lake Placid. It was nice for us to reconnect after being apart for a few months as well. I was excited for her to see some of the training I have been doing since I moved out to California to train. It was great to see her but unfortunately she had to leave two days before Valentines Day...so I was left dateless...I guess she was too! She'll be back in a few weeks though, and this time for a longer stay...so don't feel too bad for me.
My discus training has continued to progress well. I'm still learning and figuring out new things about my technique. It can be very frustrating at times to work on something new, which is what I'm currently trying to do, but it usually pays off in the end...or so I tell myself! My knees have been giving me a bit of trouble lately though. More specifically the tendons around the knee area have been bothersome to the point that they are affecting my training. So, I am in the process of figuring out the problem and finding a way to alleviate the pain and resume my normal training protocol. It is a frustrating and difficult problem that I would like to resolve quickly. I am open to any advice someone may have reading this, and would greatly appreciate it!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
January Thaw
Life continues to be amazing here in San Diego in the middle of January. The weather has been more beautiful here than most people in much of the U.S. get to experience in the middle of winter. Not to brag, but it's awesome. Back home in Minnesota, they have been dealing with below zero temps and I'm out here going to the beach and surfing on my days off from training. I'm definitely living it up. Training is progressing well. I've had two solid weeks of training and going into the third week of heavy training before a much needed recovery week. My body is definitely feeling the pain of training right now. My coach gave me and my training group the day off on Saturday to rest and recover just to prepare for the final week of the cycle.
So, on the rest/recovery day we went to Coronado Beach and enjoyed some 4' + waves and attempted to do some body surfing. The water was shockingly cold, comparable to an ice tub. I would say it was 60 degrees in the water. We all lasted about a half hour in the water without wet suits. The waves were some of the biggest I have experienced so far. Being from Minnesota I am a little inexperienced in the wave department. So I did my best to catch some of the waves, didn't do the best but I had a good time trying. I'm thinking about buying a wetsuit for the next time I go to the beach just to last a little longer in the water. The beach was fun and a highlight of the weekend.
This week I stopped into the B & G Club hopping the kids hadn't forgotten who I was since I hadn't been in about a month. I was surprised they still remembered me. They let me know they weren't happy with me though when we played a little game of dodge ball/gang up on Karl. The episode lasted about 20 minutes and my Wednesday recovery day turned into a mini cardio workout. It was a good time, except for when I caught dodge balls with my face. The kids were ruthless and held nothing back, I was surprised at the power some of them threw the balls with. I think a few of the kids felt bad for me and decided to turn on their peers and help me. I am planning my revenge for this week.
So, on the rest/recovery day we went to Coronado Beach and enjoyed some 4' + waves and attempted to do some body surfing. The water was shockingly cold, comparable to an ice tub. I would say it was 60 degrees in the water. We all lasted about a half hour in the water without wet suits. The waves were some of the biggest I have experienced so far. Being from Minnesota I am a little inexperienced in the wave department. So I did my best to catch some of the waves, didn't do the best but I had a good time trying. I'm thinking about buying a wetsuit for the next time I go to the beach just to last a little longer in the water. The beach was fun and a highlight of the weekend.
This week I stopped into the B & G Club hopping the kids hadn't forgotten who I was since I hadn't been in about a month. I was surprised they still remembered me. They let me know they weren't happy with me though when we played a little game of dodge ball/gang up on Karl. The episode lasted about 20 minutes and my Wednesday recovery day turned into a mini cardio workout. It was a good time, except for when I caught dodge balls with my face. The kids were ruthless and held nothing back, I was surprised at the power some of them threw the balls with. I think a few of the kids felt bad for me and decided to turn on their peers and help me. I am planning my revenge for this week.
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