Mount Sac 2012 + Video

Mount Sac Relays April 21st 2012
18'1" 5.50m

Mount Sac was a blast. I was able to make 18'1" or 5.50m for this first time in a regular outdoor competition since 2008. Honestly, the jump was terrible, and most of my jumps were, but luckily I forced myself to finish that particular jump even though rational thought was screaming at me to bail out on it. So this is what a 18' clearance looks like when someone is going to quit halfway, then forces a completed vault. It made me laugh, and viewing it put an even bigger smile on my face. If I can jump this bad and make 18', then I can jump 19'. Its an exciting recognition of fact.

Regardless of how it looked, I was happy I completed the jump for several reasons. The main reason already stated above, but another based mainly on the fact that I still had the opportunity to jump at PR heights later in the day. The PR heights did not come, but I did clean two jumps up enough to look more like myself again at the following height of 5.60 (18'4.5"). Here is one of those attempts.

I was struggling all day. For some reason I did not want to finish jumps, I felt like I wasn't getting deep enough into the pit (despite the fact that it is the safest, largest pit manufactured), even though I was. So each jump was forced, until the very end. The heat was awesome for my old bones, but it took its toll as the competition continued on. My lower legs from the knee down felt like they were full of blood and on the verge of cramping, but luckily they didn't. So next time around I'm hoping to put myself in a position at higher heights where I'm a bit more fresh physically.
This competition was just what I needed. In my mind 18' is no longer the obstacle that it has been in the past. I've been doing everything I can to tear down the walls built in my psyche that can impede performance based off the ridiculous notions that some heights are more difficult (near impossible) than others. The physical task of being able to clear higher bars with ease, is an extremely powerful psychological tool in the whole process, and it's a hell of a lot more fun.
Now it's time to tear down the next obstacle.