Nor-Cal Throwers Meet

SATURDAY

Competed in Nor-Cal Throwers Meet.
This was a lot of fun!  It was a beautiful day and there were lots of participants of all ages.  Randy Wilson talked me into trying the shot put.  There’s some technique to it, although not a whole lot.  Once I got a few pointers I broke 10 meters.  Pretty sure I could get it out over 12 meters with a little practice.

No one ran or seemed to warm up in any way.  Between shot and disc I did a sprint warm up (and tweaked my Achilles – big surprise!).  Mostly the throwers sit under shade tents, eat and talk.  Then they throw.  Pretty nice life.

My discus throws were pretty bad, all off-balance and scooping.  Randy told me not to think, just throw.  On my last I made a PR, so that was ok.

The hammer throw was awesome – at least by the good throwers!  Naturally I didn’t compete in this (or the weight throw) but it was amazing to watch.  Ed Burke, one of the world’s all-time best,  was there. He got very close to breaking his own record with a throw of 54.9m.  Three younger guys went over 60m!  It was way cool – like a cannon ball crashing out of the sky.  The earth shakes!

I warmed up throwing the javelin for quite some time.  I’d spent a good part of the day hanging out with a former world-class decathlete who was coaching one of the kids.  He gave me lots of instruction and drills for both the discus and javelin. He also told me that it doesn’t hurt any more to run a 5:20 1500m than it does to run a 5:50.  Both hurt.

My javelin was pretty lousy to begin and my Achilles really hurt.  I finally got off a decent throw and a PR and passed on my remaining throws.

In the end I set 3 personal records, had lots of fun and met some great people.  I also received some invaluable coaching and got my first exposure to the javelin event.  A good day!

Shot put: 10.27 meters
Discus: 32.09 meters
Javelin: 34.75 meters

SUNDAY

Beautiful day.  Breezy.

Two workouts today.  I was suppose to meet the Norcal Throwers group at the local JC track but the track was locked up and none of the guys showed up.  Never heard boo from them.  I’m obviously not on the A-List.  Drove to one of the local high schools to see if they went there instead.  They hadn’t.  Neither was any one else there.  I had the whole place to myself.  Kinda cool.

DISCUS FOCUS

Actually ran a few hurdles today.  FUN!

• Warm up
• Stretching
• Light sprinting over low hurdle (10x)
• A LOT OF THROWS from all positions.  A lot of full throws.

WEIGHT TRAINING

• Bench Press (3×6)
• Snatch (3×6)
• Overhead Squat (3×8)
• Core work
• 530m timed (1:57)

The run felt GREAT!  Never expected that to happen.  I focused on form and it really paid off.  Seemed easy to break 2 minutes – without even trying!

Cool, partly sunny.

On Friday evening my 700g javelin was delivered.  Can’t tell you how excited I was to receive it.  It was hard not to throw it on Saturday but it was raining so that pretty much decided that.  I woke up early this morning, went down to the track and warmed up.  A fellow was in the discus ring heaving the hammer.  I figured he must be a senior athlete and I was right.  Met him a few minutes later – his name is Mark, a GREAT guy and one of the founders of NorCal Throwers.  He had heard I joined the club, which was surprising but pleasing.  Mark explained we’ll start working out once the weather changes and/or the high school track season nears the end.  I hate to think of all the bad technique habits I will develop over the next few weeks learning the discus and jav on my own but the club sounds great and I’m psyched.

So on with the new javelin… I’ve gotten pretty ok with the turbo jav getting it out about 40 yards on some throws.  What I’ve read had led me to believe that one can move right into a full size javelin and get the same distance results.

FALSE.

Did a dozen throws with the thing.  None of them went over 25 yards.  Most of them sputtered in the “air” like a wounded duck, landing on their sides, landing with THE END in the ground.  Only one went good – the last.  I am obviously pulling down like f*&king HELL on the shaft.  It was a humbling, potentially humiliating experience.

But I recalled that this is how the discus began for me and I can now get off some respectable, or at least not embarrasing, throws. So after a couple hours of telling myself the jav will come along like the discus, I at least feel better.  But I’ve also decided there is NO WAY ON EARTH I AM THROWING AT THE MEET ON FEBRUARY 20TH!

JAVELIN WORKOUT

• Warmup/stretching
• Drills with sand balls
• Seated throws with basesballs
• 3-step drill lowering javelin to throwing position
• 12 turbo jav throws
• 12 javelin throws

Deeker Meets NorCal Throwers

The track was swarming with high school age T&F hopefuls. Several of the local T&F coaches were holding clinics in the various practices. I met Randy, the pole vault coach at Loma Vista in Walnut Creek. Very nice guy who, when when I asked him if he gave private instruction, suggested that he can but that I should contact the PV coach in San Ramon. Good info but not urgently needed since I won’t be vaulting until next season. Really looking forward to it though. I used to love it and I think I can pull off a respectable height if I can get free of shoulder and ankle issues. (It’s always something!, I realize…)

More timely was meeting the implements coach and masters competitor John Burns. Great guy – supportive, instructive, talkative – and he lives here in Lafayette. He’ll become a great ally and mentor, I’m sure. Also met another master thrower and implements coach whose name unfortunately I forgot. He’s suppose to be one of the top throwers in the 50-54 age group. He didn’t throw while we were out there but he’s a very impressively built man and really knew his stuff.

John suggested I join the throwing club, NORCAL THROWERS, that he, the other coach, and a couple other coaches have recently launched. John gave me two pages of info and the membership form. Sounds great! Group training, affordable one-on-one coaching, discounts to events and clinics, etc. $50 annual fee. I’m joining!  I figure with throwing events accounting for 40% of the points in the pentathlon and 30% in the deca, getting high marks in these events will go a long way.  Plus I flat out love throwing…

What follows is the NorCal Throwers Mission Statement:

To provide a positive atmosphere for training and mentoring throwers of all ages and abilities.

To foster continuity for youth, high school, college, open, and masters throwers.

To expose throwers to different techniques and philosophies.

To provide year-round access to facilities, training, coaching, clinics and competition.

To expose high school throwers to hammer and javelin.

Many of the workouts will be at Alhambra Valley High School [map].  Interested athletes can contact NorCal Throwers via email at norcalthrowers@gmail.com