actually throwing javelin

Like I said, my back has been feeling better...when the javelin mini camp was here last weekend, I did a little bit of walking around and throwing an actual javelin in the grass. It was fine, but I was nervous to push it because I was still pretty sensitive. When I got to practice this morning though, I felt ready to go! I didn't throw explosively by any means, but got to do a bunch of walking throws using good technique. As soon as Mike sends me the video, I'll post it! I had no pain, and most of the technical things I've been pondering in this hiatus from throwing went really well.

I'm excited!!

Another part of training today is lifting. In the fall, we got Keiser Equipment in the building down by the track. This is what I use to lift on Thursdays! It's awesome, because it doesn't let you use momentum to lift weights; you really have to do all the work and create all your power just from your muscles. There are readouts on all the equipment and it keeps track of your maximum power output, showing percentages for each repetition. I really enjoy Thursday lifts, because they are a refreshing departure from a normal weightroom setting. There are also garage doors on the track building, so on beautiful days like today, we leave them wide open!

I've never been able to lift basically outside before. Love it.

Training cycles go in 4-week increments. Three weeks of high-volume, all-out practice, and then a week of lower-volume and rest! This week is rest week, and that means no practice for me Friday or Saturday! Meaning today was the perfect day to test out acupuncture for the first time. I think I liked it! The needles sort of felt like what my muscles would feel like after a vaccine shot when I was little. I know that's random. Apparently I'm supposed to be a little sore from it, so we'll see in a few days if it was beneficial for the old back!

Chula Vista OTC Javelin Elite Development Camp

Little back story: I live and train at the ARCO U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA (slightly southeast of San Diego). Athletes from all different sports come in and out of here all the time, whether for camps with lots of other athletes or simply for some sunny weather training!

So, the "elite athlete development" sector of USA Track and Field has decided to focus a little more on javelin this year and hopefully the next few (yay!), and this weekend a bunch of great US throwers showed up for a little technique analysis, skills/strength testing and camaraderie! Athletes here include: Mike Hazle (my training partner) and Sean Furey (who also trains here regularly), Corey White, Chris Hill, Rachel Yurkovich, Kim Kreiner, Alicia DeShasier, and Katie Coronado. Tom Pukstys and Duncan Atwood , a couple of US javelin greats, are leading us through exercises and sharing knowledge and opinions about our throwing and javelining in general! Steve Leigh, an excellent biomechanist from UNC, is also here analyzing and sharing his extensive knowledge. Overall, a great opportunity for involved javelin talks and some friendly (but for sure quality!) competition.

About 3 weeks ago, Mike and I were doing some testing throwing shots...the big metal ball kind of shots...and I sprained a facet (facet) in the low-middle of my back. It was super painful the first day or two, then calmed down a bit, but hasn't gotten significantly (to me that would mean totally haha) better since about three days after I did it.

SO FRUSTRATING

I am hardly ever a Negative Nancy, but when you're an athlete and suddenly your body won't do what you want it to without pain (or it's not smart to make it do so for fear of worsening the situation), it's tough to smile constantly like I normally do.

Needless to say, it was difficult today to watch my fellow javelinists throwing and bounding and competing against each other (complete with friendly banter) without being able to join in! I wanna play, too!!! Very impressed with Sean and Corey and their far practice throws, and, as expected, Rach is prolific at all the general explosiveness testing; major props! Camp continues tomorrow with more analysis and tests, in which my participation will again be limited.

POSITIVE SIDE

Since I'm SO much more used to being excited about things than gloomy! I am itching to throw! I'm visualizing all the awesome technique I have learned since November under new coach Ty Sevin, and the full approaches I practiced today while everyone else was throwing felt stellar! I focus on the things I can do instead of the things I can't. I do lots of core strength rehab things, which I love. Plus, I'm going to AcuSport Health Center on Thursday on recommendation to experience my first-ever acupuncture! (AcuSport Health Center) Exciting!