Everyone left for the weekend. The Auburn track and field team went to NCAA East Regionals, the main weight room I usually lift in is closed for the week, and Aretha left for the 2010 California Relays.
No problem….I strapped up my lifting shoes and rolled up the track and field shed doors. It started as a light and fast lifting day but I was feeling good and I don’t compete for another week so I thought…why not have a little fun. After snatching and benching I stepped up the weight in the squat and hit a new lifetime best of 505lbs. Watch as the rinkity squat rack shakes back and forth.
The 2010 Tucson Elite Throwers Classic was hosted by the University of Arizona. The meet was set up with 2 days of competition. The first day, Thursday May 20th, a day of training, then a second day of competition Saturday May 22nd. Team Gold Star (our training groups) was in full force. 3 members of our group competed. Cory Martin in the Mens hammer and shot, Aretha Thurmond and Will Conwell (me!) in the discus.
Arizona was HOT! The average temperature for the week was 95 degrees and I’m pretty sure it was 100 on Saturday. Our first day of competition Cory Martin threw the Hammer 71 meters, Aretha threw the disc 59 meters and I threw 58 meters (Cory was looking for 75 meters and Aretha and I were looking for 62+ meter throws)
The next day we worked with a sports psychologist and had our videos analyzed by a bio-mechanist. The combination of mental and physical advice was very beneficial (Thank you USATF High Performance). Nearly everyone threw better on Saturday. Cory Threw a new world leading throw in the Shot put, 22.10m (72’6″). Aretha Thurmond threw 61.98 meters and I threw 61.28 meters (201′).
We celebrated Cory Martins 25th birthday and world leading throw and took an early flight out of Tucson the next morning. We are now back in Alabama getting ready for our next competitions. Mine will be in Montana on June 5th.
Here are my best throws from Thurday and Saturday. Check out the video’s tab to see Cory Martin’s 22.10m (72’6) world leading shot put.
The 2010 Triton Invitational at UCSD was a huge success. The whole trip was a blessing from God. I was concerned about not having the finances to make the trip to San Diego and I had been throwing poorly. I was nervous about paying $500 to compete in 2 meets without my coach on the other side of the country.
2 weeks before the competition I was talking with Aretha Thurmond. I was telling her about my concerns and giving her every reason why I thought I shouldn’t go. She didn’t buy it. She encouraged me to trust my training, get myself to the west coast to compete in high caliber meets with other great throwers…and she topped our conversation off by telling me she would be using some of her miles to cover my flight costs! That was blessing #1. Blessing #2 came when I went to practice the next day and my coach, Jerry Clayton, informed me that his athlete Eric Werskey and him would be traveling to San Diego for both the meets I was now planning on competing in. Eric has been throwing so well the team decided to move him out of his red-shirt year to compete. This was great news for me because now I had a flight, a coach, and a group to travel with. Blessings #3 and #4 came in the discus rings at Chula Vista and UCSD. At the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista I threw a seasons best of 60.80m (199′). That throw was better every throw of my 2009 season. Two days later at UCSD I threw two throws over 61 meters with a best of 61.36m (201’4″). That is my 6th best throw of my career. I am really enjoying training right now and I can’t wait to see what will come of this 2010 season…..63+ meter throws will send me to Europe this summer.
BACK ON TRACK! Today was the first day I have throw over 60 meters (197′) in 2 years! I competed at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California with a group of elite throwers. I was nowhere close to winning but I had a great day of progress. I had one que today….get balanced over my left foot while entering the throw. This sounds easy but often we (throwers) rush past the balanced position…falling toward the front of the ring and trying to recover in time to throw. I will continue to que this position until it becomes 2nd nature. Thank you everyone for your support! After last meet I was pretty down but your encouraging emails, texts, and facebook messages really helped. I throw again on April 24th at UCSD (University of California San Diego)
Today was a little frustrating. I had such a great week of practice! On Sunday coach Clayton and I began working on a change to the back of my throw. I am trying to enter the throw with a bent right him, knee, and ankle. My goal is to have my right knee flexed at 90 degrees with my right toe up while I bring my right leg around into the middle of the ring. This is HARD FOR ME!!! My whole throwing career I have used a straight right leg entering the middle. a bent right leg is quicker and easier to move in front of the right shoulder…which I HAVE TO DO!
Anyway, This was my goal all week…and I did get better at it. However, when the meet came I digressed back to my old technique. I was really frustrated during the competition. It seems like such a simple adjustment but in the heat of competition my body’s muscle memory was stronger then my mind. Here is my video.
My training partner Aretha Thurmond had a great day. Her goal was to throw over 60 meters (197 feet). She started the competition off with throws in the 180′ range but made the necessary adjustments. On her 5th throw she was on balance with great separation which led to a big throw of 60.86 meters (199’8″). Watch as the official has to run and drag the tape because her throw was so far!
On April 4th we had our first track meet of the season. I threw with many college athletes and several other professionals at Auburn University. It was a beautiful day and there were 25 throwers in the Men’s discus. The goal of the meet was not only to throw far and win while seeing what technical adjustments carried over from practice to an actual track meet. I won the meet with a throw of 57.60 meters (189 feet). My next meet will be on the 17th of April at Auburn University. My training partner had a great day as well. Aretha Thurmond threw 195 feet. That throw currently ranks her #1 in the USA and #11 in the world.
Aretha Thurmond and I work out together in the weight room. On Monday we challenged ourselves in the squats, incline bench, snatches, and several auxiliary lifts. At the end of each weight room day we end with core strength training and a post-workout recovery protein shake. Here is a Video of Aretha doing heavy safety squats.
And some pictures of us doing our triceps exercise and corner bar core strength exercise.
I was in the middle of throwing practice on March 21st when the rain came. As many of you know, I grew up in Kent…just south of Seattle Washington. In the Northwest the rain is consistent and will rain for hours at a time. Here in the south…..the rain is a torrential downpour and lasts a half an hour or so. On Sunday we were throwing when the sky opened up. We grabbed everything and ran for cover.
Today was a great practice. I have been working on turning my left foot in the back of the ring without shifting my weight or rising. If I can turn my left foot, my next goal is to keep my right foot dorsiflexed (toe up) and my right knee bent while entering the center of the ring. OK…lets say I do those things well….next my goal is to “face the throw”. This means I will work my right leg and hip in front of my shoulders while looking toward the throwing sector. This will keep my weight on the back of the ring while maximizing separation between the right hip and right shoulder which leads to farther throws. Here is my most recent training video showing what I have been working on. See if you can see what I’m talking about and feel free to comment
Since arriving in Alabama I have had a completely different focus while throwing and lifting. Now, more than ever we focus on technique. It is still important that the weight is difficult but only if the technique is maintained can we increase in weight. The concept is “work smart….and hard” instead of the more common “work harder” method. Here is a little clip of us in the weight room having a good time while we finished up our lift on Tuesday.
And here is a video of Aretha working her cleans from a box.
