Outdoor PMU: I lost count

I'm back in good old Cha-town and I am so happy to be back. To say it was an eventful weekend would be an understatement. That seems to be a trend with the Auburn meet for our team. Last time we went there we almost wrecked on the way home, but instead the two 15 year old kids who stole the truck slammed into a charter bus in front of us, sending debris our way. Then they went across the multiple lanes of traffic that Atlanta has only to stop in the center lane sideways. Amazingly enough they didn't hit another car, but they proceeded to jump out of the truck and run across our lanes and the opposite direction lanes of traffic. It looked like a frogger game. So that was Auburn meet one.

Now Auburn meet two was looking up. We got down there to watch the hammer throw on day one and went out to eat. It was a nice relaxing day before a meet. After we are done eating coach is MIA so we decide to go to Target. Oh I love me some Target. I got a super cute bag on the sale rack! We were told to take our time because there was some hotel issues. Not a good sign but we like Target so we are fine with that.



Hotel issues was an understatement too. The lack of a hotel would be the better name for it. Well at least the lack of a hotel within a two hour radius. When coach Vought made the reservations he looked at an address, called them up and made reservations of over $3,000. Have you guessed what was wrong yet? The hotel industry would be the answer. They had the wrong address. So what we thought was only a 5 minute drive from Auburn, didn't even exist. So then we called them and asked their location. Atlanta. Yes two hours back the same direction we had come from! The normal thing to do would be to try to transfer the reservations to a sister hotel closer right? Wrong. Since we had over $3,000 in rooms we couldn't cancel, nor could we afford to lose that much money.

So load up track team and back to Atlanta we go! Our relaxing night turned into a cramped ride. So that made for 8 hours traveling, which is never good day before a meet, just to get up earlier the next morning to travel 2 hours back to Auburn. Not fun. Guessed what the outcome is yet? Tight legs and backs, which equal a slow track team. Well, maybe not slow per say, but not right on spot either.

Now to the fun stuff! This meet was probably one of the most competitive meets we have been to, minus national meets. A lot of the top schools were there and it was a great opportunity for our team. Of course where there is really good teams, there is higher opening heights. So girls vault opening was 10'4. Now to say I was disappointed that I didn't clear a bar would also be an understatement. What I don't understand is how I can be jumped on the biggest pole I've ever been on, fast and stronger than I ever have been, and jumping all around better than I ever have, but my heights still aren't going up? Once again for the 3rd straight meet in a row, I was over it. I had plenty of height and then some to clear the 10'4 bar, and I didn't. I really don't know what else I need to do. Coach wanted to move me down a pole, which I quickly refused to do. So the next suggestion made sense, moving up my hand grip. Hold a little higher, bend the pole a little more, and get in a little more. I was told I have my peak height at about 35 and standards can't come up past 45. So there lies my problem. So I have plenty of height just not enough penetration into the pits. If the hand grip doesn't work (and bringing my step out from being under a foot) doesn't work, I don't know what else to do. Vaulting has to be the most frustrating even ever.

So now we have two weeks leading up to conference and I have a lot to work on! However, for today I'm going to rest. Getting in at 4am was not fun and my body is burnt to a crisp. A day for sleep, relaxing, and a little school work will be nice. (Minus the school work part)