What About Bob

Friday night I had the opportunity to jump once again. After competing in the meet Wednesday I had a much better idea what I was capable of doing, and walked into the Fuzion facility with a plan I was much more confident in. Only having jumped once since March my goal was to make a mere 17', and that would allow me to leave the competition happy and confident in the upcoming events. To my surprise I managed to make 17'4.5" instead. 
Now I'm not trying to brag about the height as it is lower than I have opened at many meets in the past. But its the highest bar I have made in a meet since my injury was diagnosed. So this is great progress and something to celebrate. There have been many days and nights during the past 9 months where I have started to lose hope, only for a moment of course, and doubt what I'm doing. Never the why, I never doubt the why, only the what. But small victories like these make it more than worth it. To quote the wise words of Bill Murry in What About Bob, "Baby Steps".
Something else that is for the pole vault minds out there. I started the meet on a 16.0 flex (190lb) 5m (16'4.5") pole and finished on a 15.4 flex (195lb) from a 14 step (7-left) approach. I haven't jumped on poles this size since July of 2010, and I was about 10 lbs heavier back then. So yet another exciting piece to the puzzle.
Its odd to me that I have been able to manage all this without any running or real lifting workouts in weeks as I had to put all that to rest for returning back pain and nerve issues. Spending my days running in a pool, sprinting on an elliptical, spinning full speed on a stationary bike, and only working out my upper body on the rings. I'm appalled at how well that regiment is actually carrying over. So to all you injured athletes listening, there is hope, and regardless of what others may say, there is more than one way to train and become a successful athlete. I will produce more evidence to support my argument soon.