End of the season analysis

[Alan H]

Well, the last Games is in the record books, now. The upside is that I obliterated my PR in the LWFD, and notched a 46' 3" at Santa Cruz. That's great, thats' what I've been throwing in practice for two months, so it's really good to see that happen at a Games. IN contrast, I started the year throwing 38-39 at the first two Games...tossed a 43 and a 44 at Enumclaw, messed myself up bigtime for Pleasanton and only threw 40. Then a month later I come out and throw a 45+ and a 46+. YEAH.

This field was really small, so we didn't throw hammer. That means I didn't have a chance to put into practice some of the things I've learned recently about hammer technique. That's too bad, but I've been throwing low 80's now and then in practice, with the 16 pounder.

I spent the entire season improving VERY slowly in the stones. When I say slowly, I mean *slowly*. I'm now throwing 28-29 in the Open Stone after a LOT of work this year. That's a foot to a foot and a half improvement over last year, which is good but it's pretty darned frustrating, I'd hoped for 30-31 by now.

I spent the entire season clearing 12 feet in the WOB, with no worries, and smacking the weight into the bar, or JUST tapping it off, at 13. Did it again, at Santa Cruz. I'm not sure how to bust out of this stalemate.

I didn't spend as much time this year practicing caber, and it showed. I posted 3 turns at Games this year, but flamed out bigtime at Pleasanton and Santa Cruz. I'm going to find a caber I can turn, but have to WORK to turn for my workout stick for next year.

Upshot was, though...I had a lot of fun, posted big improvements in the weights, and life is good... Oh, I also finished out the year ranked 17th, out of 80 participants on the 50-59 class, in North America.