Balance

Balance - "Balance is an ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway...balance is used to mean a point between two opposite forces that is desirable over purely one state or the other, such as a balance between the metaphysical Law and Chaos — law by itself being overly controlling, chaos being overly unmanageable, balance being the point that minimizes the negatives of both."

Why balance? because the last month of my training and everyday activities, I thought I had "balance" in my life...sport, social, spiritual...but I was wrong. About a week before USA Champs, I decided I wasn't going to go (see previous shoulder issues in older blogs)... So I sat down with my coach and the distance coach from the training center Joaquim Cruz (1984 Gold 800m). It was a conversation that lasted over an hour, but Ill summarize the key point. Basically, it was like ok..Your not going to nationals, so now what? What do you want to do? Get a job? Go on vacation? I had no answer...no clue as of what to do with myself if there was no sport, no season, no competition, nothing to drive for, nothing to focus on...it was a pretty helpless, and embarrassing feeling... So I have spent the last few weeks searching for the elusive "balance" that I have been missing. With the help of my parents (who came out for a week long visit) and the beach, I think I have found an idea of where I need to be.

Its ironic that what I was searching for mentally, also has helped me tremendously physically. I have spent alot of time at the beach, in the water, on surfboards, boogie boards, and my new toy, my skateboard (that has a bottle opener built in on the bottom of it! oh yeah, its that sweet!) working on, balance. Its not something that I tried to do purposely, but it was a bi-product of me just trying to stay as loose as possible and not stress out about the rest of the season, or lack there of, if there is a season at all?

My typical routine after lifting sessions or throwing sessions is to jump in the ice bath...55 degrees for 15 minutes. It usually does the trick, helps flush out inflammation, removes lactic acid, and all the waste products that accumulate in the body during training. But I thought it was time to...switch it up. So for the last 2 weeks, after each of my more high volume or high intensity sessions...I hit the ocean, just to see if the ocean water, which is rocking around 62 degrees right now, would yield the same benefits as the ice bath, or maybe even something better...I have read that ocean water could be used as a replacement for blood plasma and that the ocean have every single trace element in the periodic table of elements in it. So far, Im REALY liking what I'm seeing.

So whats next for me? Good question...I have a guess on whats going to happen over the next week or so, but I'm not going to tip my hat on here until I see it happen. But the next blog entry will hold the details for the rest of my summer. The High Tech High season is long been over and Coach Earl's Team Elite summer season has also come to a conclusion and everyone seems to be looking for some time off away from the physical and mental stresses of the sport...sounds like a good idea, if only you can have both!

Heres a few picks of my last few weeks...Until next time
M++

Buckle Up, Venting Time!

Buckle up for this one!

This blog comes to you as I’m sitting on my couch watching the IAAF Diamond League, The Pre Classic. I’m doing everything I can to keep from throwing up in my mouth and throwing random items at the tv. Watching this meet makes me realize why Track and Field will never be popular in the USA. Just to prove my analysis, I put it to the test at random times of this competition, which just so happened to have some of the greatest athletes in the world competing there.

The meet has been on for exactly 30min as I type this...here is what I have tried: Switch channels every 5 minutes for approximately 30min, just to see what was on if I happened to be “channel surfing”…here is what I saw: A shot of the stadium…people standing around…more people walking around, introductions of the men’s 85k or something…guys jogging…guys in a press box, a few shots of starting blocks in funny angles…

So I wonder to myself, if I’m your average person channel surfing on a Saturday afternoon, would I stop and watch the Pre Classic, the answer is an overwhelming no.
This brings me to the coverage of last weeks National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. My training partner Kara Patterson destroyed the American record in the javelin throw, and got a whopping 18 seconds of coverage! 18 seconds of coverage by Universal Sports, who is supposed to be the greatest advocate of our sport…18 seconds…really? For an American Record, and one of the best throws in the history of the event….that added to the 50 or so spectators just makes me wonder if we are fighting a loosing battle. But if you want to watch 9 minutes of a 5k race or something, you’re in luck because you can see the entire thing, start to finish! Des Moines, Iowa is the host for the annual Drake Relays, which is a local high school and college meet, and the meet is sold out well in advance every year, packing thousands into the stands…so how it came to be that our NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS was contested with a less than half filled stands is kind of mind boggling…but then I reflect on the TV coverage, and it starts to make sense.

Speaking of TV coverage, we may not see an increase in interest in track and field until we get a fresh outlook from television commentators who aren’t jaded and biased from the own performances from the 80’s. How many years will we have to continue to listen to the rambling of guys like Dwight Stones? I remember watching the rebroadcast of last years Stockholm Super Grand Prix. Andreas Thorkildsen won with arguably one of the most impressive performances I have ever seen going 86m into a nasty headwind and intermittent rain. I placed 4th and Dwight made the comment that I just couldn’t hang with the Europeans and lacked the arm speed to contend…I’m guessing he didn’t notice that I knocked off the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Silver Medalists as well as the 2003 World Champion in that meet. It was a great source of motivation for me for the rest of the season and still continues to be today….you can imagine my pleasure when I got a friend request from him on facebook! It was also great to hear Dwight say about my roommate, Brad Walker, "Brad is built like a hammer thrower not a pole vaulter" …he then went on and broke the American Record…no big deal right?

Anyways, enough of the negative Nancy stuff… I did manage to throw almost 79m last weekend in Des Moines to take 2nd…again! That makes 4 silvers in a row, always the groomsman, but never the groom! Wait wait wait, not saying I want to be a groom anytime soon, but it would be nice to get a National Championship out of the way! It was a pleasant result, given the fact that I wasn’t even going to compete and the only reason I went is because USATF was threatening to make me reimburse them for my ticket if I didn’t go. I didn’t even take any javelins and was reluctant to even pack my spikes, luckily I did.

I'm sorry I cant even write about the meet right now because the television broadcast of the Pre just finished and guess what…NO JAVELIN COVERAGE! Kara won again with another throw waaaaaay over the previous American Record and kicked the Reigning Olympic Champs butt…I guess that’s not good enough to interrupt a 9 min jog around the track….seriously….I'm going to be sick

M++

Nationals Week

This blog comes to you the week of National Championships. I depart for Des Moines Iowa this Friday for the competition on Sunday afternoon. Most of the training center will be taking off Tuesday and Wednesday so it will be an empty nest around here for a few days...plenty of time to talk yourself in and out of competition form. I am sticking with my gameplan that I developed last year...which is...have no game plan, just lace 'em up and hit it as best I can and let the chips fall where they may. My parents are coming out to San Diego for their first visit since 2007 shortly after nationals, so any plans to try to hit the Euro circuit will have to wait a few weeks post nationals. As I mentioned in my last blog, the High Tech High Bruins season has ended and Coach Earl's Team Elite Club program is in full swing and are departing for Youth Regional Champs this week in Vegas. I have 1 jav guy who looks to be a lock for Nationals and a few others that may squeak in but will take some dramatic improvements to make the cut.
Sorry if this blog seems short in nature, I’m having to send it via a 1993 PC at the training center as my wonderfully amazing macbook is still in the shop, thus holding my recent videos and pictures hostage...Until next time.
M++

Back to the Drawing Board...again

This blog comes as I just returned home the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. I was there for 2 weeks doing rehab and analysis for my shoulder. It was a very successful trip and I got a large mount of quality work done and am anxious to get back to work in San Diego and get ready for the season...maybe...

No word from my management team yet on the New York Diamond league, but my gut feeling is that I am not going and will make a last second decision on USA Champs in 3 weeks. I am literally taking it day by day and I know when I will be ready and unfortunately I just haven't felt that yet.

The high lite of my trip to Colorado Springs was my visit to Pikes Peak at more than 14,000 feet. It was a stunning view that literally takes your breath away. Heres a few pics from Pikes Peak and a nasty video of my cortisone/novacaine and synvisc shots last Saturday...not for the weak of stomach (5.5 inch needle)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MifLldmqJLI







Until next time,
M++

Change of Scenery

Once again, this blog comes from an airport terminal, but I’m not flying to a meet as I would normally do this time of year. I’m headed to Colorado Springs, Colorado to train at the “other” USOC training center, which just happens to be the headquarters.

After several evaluations and countless hours of rehab and therapy, it was decided by the USOC medical staff that I take a few weeks to get treated in the Springs by a different group of doctors and therapists. My plan is to stay until I’m ready to throw competitively again. When I say competitively, I mean 80m shape. I can throw in the mid 70’s every time out but not without a considerable amount of pain and I know that 75m will not be medal contention. In a perfect world, I would be ready to throw by the June 12 New York Diamond League, but I’m not holding my breath. I’m taking it day by day and will do the best I can with what I have.

The High Tech High season has come to an end, on a bittersweet note. Last weeks CIF preliminaries where marred by a conflict in schedules between the administration and athletic offices that lead to a few of our best athletes missing the meet completely. Other had to work internships all day and rush to the competition, and in most cases arrive only minutes before the start time. All in all, it was a frustrating but fairly successful day. This weekends CIF meet in North San Diego County put a few of HTHCV athletes against the best in Southern California. Although we escaped the meet with a few personal and school records….the performances where not enough to advance to CIF Finals and the season has come to an end. It was a bumpy but fun ride and I now look forward to working with Coach Earl Cabanas “Team Elite” track club and will even get a chance to coach a few young promising javelin throwers.
My flight is boarding now....gotta bounce.
M++


new personal best in box jumps, 59" = 4.91 feet (1.49m)

Where to even start this one? I cant even think of a title for this blog?

The past 2 weeks were an extremely busy few weeks that included a high volume of training, visits from international friends and athletes, and a few outstanding performances by the High Tech High Bruins.
For the past 14 days I have had the pleasure of linking back up with my friend and training partner from Norway, Andreas Thorkildsen. This training camp will be my 4th training camp with Andreas and the Norwegian team and it has been just as good as the previous camps and maybe even better. Although my physical capabilities are better than ever, my throwing is still way behind where I would like it to be, and I had to withdraw from my 1st 2 meets of the year in Shanghai and Daegu. As of right now, I plan to open my season on June 12, in New York at the NY Diamond League. It has been a hard decision for me the last 48 hours. I would love the chance to go back to China and Korea, (where I have thrown well the last 2 years) but I am simply not ready. Speaking of being ready, I would expect to see big results soon from Andreas as he opens his season in Shanghai May 23, and big results as well from another (part-time) training partner Sean Furey of the USA. Sean and Corey White will be throwing in Daegu on May 19 and should both be up for some impressive results and I wish them the best. I know they will enjoy the city and hospitality of the Korean people, they do a great job!
The High Tech High Bruins put up another massive showing at last weekends dual meet with High Tech High Point Loma. During the weeks preparation, I decided to add a some different stimulus to their training and it paid off. In the previous weeks meets, I notice that my guys where doing much better in training than in the meets. They where almost backing off the intensity in the meets and competing "scared". After a few conversations with my guys they admitted to me that they where worried about "fouling" and it looked like they where worried about not doing well in front of others. That was my impression. So last weeks training involved back overhead shot competitions within the team and I was amazed at the results. Most of my guys found their inner-competitive drive and stepped up and put up big efforts and and as a result big throws at the competition (with a little help from Starbucks ;) There are still a few who lack the drive that I would like to see but as a group, they did great and I was actually very proud. This week is League Finals, followed by CIF Finals...Im not quite sure they realize the scope of what they have in front of them, but Im sure coach Earl Cabanas will do a great job firing them up. Until next time
M++

Bling Bling ...

Its a good thing that the High Tech High kids don't need to travel via air, because they would have a hard time getting all their medals through security! This weekends Grizzly Invite brought home 2 more personal bests for the HTH Bruins. Its an ironic occurrence when these kids step in the ring, the training volume is going down and their bodies are starting to react a bit quicker and as a result the are having a hard time "keeping their wheels on the ground". Lots of power in their throws (compared to when they 1st started) but they are having a hard time putting it into the right direction. It would be nice to get to a meet where they are allowed to actually have 6 throws rather than 3...but we do the best with what we got. There are no more "invitationals" this season, as the California CIF finals are approaching in a few weeks. So for the HTH Bruins, its a taper and tightening the screws...

On a side note, in case there are any potential coaches who just happen to be reading this...a word of advice...no matter how bad you feel you may be able to help out another teams athletes by pitching in your 2 cents, DON'T DO IT! There is nothing worse than investing hours and hours into a project (your kids) only to have an egotistical coach come over and throw his 2 cents in and screw everything up. I heard my kids say, "coach Mike, that guy said to do this, but now Im all confused?" uuuggh... wooooh - saaaaaahhh .... ;( So, lesson to be learned by me and others, if Im at a meet and feel like I can help out another jav thrower, you can bet your butt I'm not saying anything, out of respect for their coach, and his time and efforts, no matter how bad they might be!

No big news in my training, other than setting a few lifetime bests in back over head shot throws, hang cleans, standing long jump, hurdle hops...just to name a few ;) If the shoulder holds up (after the cortisone injection last Wednesday) then maybe....just maybe...we will see something cool this summer. If not this summer, next summer should be an eye opener....here's a few pics and videos from this weekend...till next time,
M++