Alan's 2013 Season Log

**eclarkhb** · 25th June 13, 07:52 AM

Good Luck in Monterey!

**Alan H** · 25th June 13, 10:17 AM

Yeah, I wish it was back at Toro Park as well. I don't much like throwing on dirt either, but there may be plywood and astroturf throwing platforms. Whatever, a day throwing beats a day doing most other things and if I don't throw at Monterey, it will be all the way until July 21 at Portland before I get to a Games again.

My hip flexors tire very rapidly these days. The past two nights I've foam rolled and worked a softball into my hips and glutes. It helps a lot, but I'm sleeping on the futon while Joan recovers some more from her hip surgery.....God forbid I kick her or something, and I'm a very "kinetic" sleeper. I expect there will probably be another week of that before I get back in a decent bed. Hopefully, things will normal out when I get off of the futon.

Thanks, Eric...we shall see!

And in other news.... plans are firming up for a sailing expedition from Richmond to Stockton, the second weekend in August. 4-5 of us will take some small boats on the trip, which should be quite the adventure in the 10-15 footers that we'll be sailing/rowing. I need to finish my dacron sail, I don't think the polytarp sail is up to this trip!. Our friend, Skip might bring along his 24 foot catamaran as the mother ship.

**Martin Roy** · 25th June 13, 02:42 PM

Isn't the Duke set for August 4th?

Edit: Oops, I misread that one. Second weekend. 4-5 people. I got it now....

**Alan H** · 26th June 13, 10:51 AM

Yup, I made sure there wasn't a conflict! I've got a busy summer goin' on!

Had a nice CHAC practice last night. Bethany, Schantae and I threw, Summer P. came out and helped us with Braemar Stone. Two things for me to work on: 1.) keep the weight on the back leg as long as possible 2.) punch THROUGH the stone. I actually launched a couple of 28 footers with our 21.8 pound Braemar stone last night, but that was in the middle of a mess of not-so-wonderful tosses, so I can hardly say that I "got it".... but I have something to work on, as well as keeping my left arm up.

Then did some light hammer, 'cause I forgot the 22 pounder. Schantae's back was extremely sore, so the 16 was too much, she threw the 12'er a few times and then called it a night. Bethany is dropping the 16 pounder in about 58-60 feet, sort of her usual. I scored 5+ throws all over 84 feet, a couple were probably 87's after 3 x 10 winds with the 16'er to warm up...it was flyin' last night and no sign of the "pull-off" issue I had on Sunday.

We finished up with some HWFD and LWFD. The Heavy was flyin', I had 3 out of 5 throws WAY out there, certainly 34+ and one total bomb that might have been 36?? Hard to say, it was getting dark. Then I did some LWFD and confirmed that "go fast through the whole throw" just does not work for me though it sure works for Scott Hutchinson. I need to just stay low, reverse my feet as late as I can and set up a big pull at the front.

Hips were getting tired at it was almost 9:00 PM so I wrapped it up and headed home.

**Alan H** · 27th June 13, 10:29 AM

I've been mulling this over for several weeks now, but a couple of conversations with "sort-of" CHAC throwers has convinced me that it's time. I will not "disband" the Club after the 2013 season, but I am definitely ending my ongoing attempts to recruit new throwers. I will let natural attrition drop it down to wherever it will be next year. If SHA guys send potential new throwers to us, I will be happy to let those folks come to the field once and try the implements, but aside from that, no more. We have several members who have reasons to never show up, and of course these are, in large part, very good reasons, but I'm done with expending energy on this situation. I suspect that the CHAC, next year, will be about 5 people instead of the twelve or thirteen that are currently listed on the website.

As an example of this, over the past few months, and for a significant part of last year, I have tried to lay out weekly practice schedules that will benefit the greatest cross-section of the Club. However, when practices are me and one or two other people, and it's seldom the same one-or-two, from week to week, what's the point? I've started just doing what *I* need to do at practices for *my* upcoming Games schedule, and that's how it's going to be from here on out.

I and "the Club" will still do Ardenwood, of course.

**RogerWS76** · 27th June 13, 01:41 PM

You are always welcome to come up and throw with us at the Rattlesnake Glen on Thursday nights! We've had special guests, Kim Pollard, Beth and Shannon Burton, Micah Studer, and tonight, possibly, Dustin Scott. It would be a privilege to have you throw with us whenever you get into our neck of the woods!

**Alan H** · 27th June 13, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by RogerWS76

You are always welcome to come up and throw with us at the Rattlesnake Glen on Thursday nights! We've had special guests, Kim Pollard, Beth and Shannon Burton, Micah Studer, and tonight, possibly, Dustin Scott. It would be a privilege to have you throw with us whenever you get into our neck of the woods!

it would be fun, but I have to say, not likely to happen any time soon. But if I'm up your way...

Micah is coming along REALLY well, eh?