New to Highland Games at 53 years old

[Alan H]

I'm 59, reasonably strong from 5 years of throwing-focused weight training but not terribly strong, and I've been doing this for ten years. I'll tell you what my numbers are, and were.

In the Braemar STone it will depend upon the weight of the stone, as they vary. When I started I would throw about 22-23 feet. Now I'm throwing 25-26. In my best year, 2013, I got several 26's and a 27.

In the open stone, 16 pounds, I'm right about 30 feet. However, this is my worst event. At my best I could count on 31 feet, my PR is 35 and change. It took me three years to break 30 feet, though.

Heavy Hammer; 22 pounds. I'm throwing about 63 feet. My PR is 71 feet and I've thrown 69+ about 4x ever. When I started, I was throwing 58-59 feet.

Light Hammer; 16 pounds. I'm throwing about 78-79 feet. I hope to break 80 a few times this season. My PR is 87-something. When I started I was throwing about 70-72 feet.

Heavy Weight for Distance: IN the UK this isn't contested as much, and I don't believe you'll see a 3-stone (42) pound weight very much at all. When you do throw this, it will be a 56 pound weight. This event is by far, physically the most demanding event, and it requires, absolutely requires flawless technique. Right now I could probably get 20 feet. In years past I've thrown 22-23 feet, maybe a 24, once.

Light Weight for Distance: This event is always contested. It took me 2+ years of not-terribly intensive training on my own to learn how to throw the thing 40 feet. In 2013 I threw over 50 feet, three times. In 2014, twice. Now I'm throwing about 44-45 feet.

Weight over Bar: In my first Games I cleared 9 feet with the 56 pound weight. I can clear 10 feet now, no problem. I cleared 10' 6" at a Games in Scotland where they let me try the 6-inch interval because they're nice and there was no way I was going to threaten to win anything. That was a knockoff bar, so that's my "Knockoff Bar PR". . I have actually cleared 11 feet but it was at a Games in 2012 with a fixed bar and that was the ugliest weight over bar, ever. As a Master, I don't throw the 56 very much, just in practice now and then for a strength exercise. I cleared 10 feet no problem, last week.


Hope that's helpful.