2009 Goals and Training

[jgorley]

We have had some crazy weather this winter! 18" of snow for 2 weeks, where we usually have 2" of snow for 18 minutes. Then there was the flooding and landslides. And now Bluebird days! I have been able to get out twice and practice. My main goal was improving my hammers. I am now up to 91 feet in practice, that is 8 feet over last season PR in games. Everything else is as expected, right about at last season. I am somewhat rusty, but that will shake off. I really think that practicing in my living room, without the hammer , has helped immensely! A bit of advice, if you have hardwood floors, don't do this in socks! It hurts! My wife still laughs at me. Seriously now, I spent two months focusing on body position and balance. My coach says my form is like night and day compared to the end of last season. This is great, as this is the beginning of my second season.

For anyone interested, these are the following games that I will be competing at, hopefully:

Bellingham, WA
Prosser, WA
Tacoma, WA
Portland, OR
Bend, OR
Enumclaw, WA
Whidbey Island, WA
Boise, ID
Tucson, AZ
Victoria, BC

Maybe one or two more, it depends on my wife's input!

James

[Babyfire]

Hi James..

Great topic...

Here are my goals for 2009....2008 was my first year competing too and I basically took all of my personal bests and added 10 percent.

2008 I went to 8 competitions and for 2009 I hope to get to 12 or 13. My wieght then was 290 and I'm now down to 240. (which concerns me a bit but my strength in the gym has improved and hoping that lighter wieght will make me faster)



Light weight for distance: 67' feet 5 inches
heavy weight for distance: 34 feet
Light hammer: 112 feet 7 inches
heavy hammer: 86 feet 9 inches
Weight over bar: 14 feet 3 inches
Braemar: not an event in most of the comps I go to (Ontario)
Open stone: 41 feet 5 inches
Sheaf: 31 feet (16 lb)
Caber: Same as you James.....all 12:00!!


My two events I want to improve on most are Stone and heavy hammer....any suggestions?

Babyfire

[Ryan Nielson]

I think I want to drive down and do the Portland competition this year. Some other guys from my group did it last year and i'd like to go to a larger more competitive games besides just the local ones around here.

[Alan H]

Hi James..

Great topic...

Here are my goals for 2009....2008 was my first year competing too and I basically took all of my personal bests and added 10 percent.

2008 I went to 8 competitions and for 2009 I hope to get to 12 or 13. My wieght then was 290 and I'm now down to 240. (which concerns me a bit but my strength in the gym has improved and hoping that lighter wieght will make me faster)



Light weight for distance: 67' feet 5 inches
heavy weight for distance: 34 feet
Light hammer: 112 feet 7 inches
heavy hammer: 86 feet 9 inches
Weight over bar: 14 feet 3 inches
Braemar: not an event in most of the comps I go to (Ontario)
Open stone: 41 feet 5 inches
Sheaf: 31 feet (16 lb)
Caber: Same as you James.....all 12:00!!


My two events I want to improve on most are Stone and heavy hammer....any suggestions?

Babyfire

You're far, far beyond my marks, so it'd be silly for me to make suggestions. Try looking up the NASGA forums.

[Alan H]

If I can throw, and the jury is still out on that, though I'm feeling a LOT better than I did back at the end of October. But IF I can throw, here's what I'd like to see.

GAMES

Woodland
Livermore
Campbell
Monterey (Nor Cal - So Cal Master Team Championships)
Pleasanton
Ben Lomond

MARKS:

Open Stone...I want to break 30 feet. My current PR is 28 feet and change. I think if I really work on the tips I got from Rusty in the November Clinic, I might be able to do it. This has been a long-standing goal of mine.
Braemar Stone... I don't actually have a goal. How about over 24?

Light Hammer: 86 feet...current PR is 83 feet and change.
Heavy Hammer: 68 feet.....current PR is 65 feet and change.

Light Weight for Distance: I broke 40 this year which was my Big Goal. I've thrown 43 in practice, so how about 45 feet. That will put me knocking on the door of me mates, Steve and Jim.

Heavy Weight for Distance: I want to see 30 feet with the Masters weight.

WOB: I CAN do 14 feet. I just have to get it OVER the bar, not just straight up and down.

[jgorley]

Hi James..

Great topic...

Here are my goals for 2009....2008 was my first year competing too and I basically took all of my personal bests and added 10 percent.

2008 I went to 8 competitions and for 2009 I hope to get to 12 or 13. My wieght then was 290 and I'm now down to 240. (which concerns me a bit but my strength in the gym has improved and hoping that lighter wieght will make me faster)



Light weight for distance: 67' feet 5 inches
heavy weight for distance: 34 feet
Light hammer: 112 feet 7 inches
heavy hammer: 86 feet 9 inches
Weight over bar: 14 feet 3 inches
Braemar: not an event in most of the comps I go to (Ontario)
Open stone: 41 feet 5 inches
Sheaf: 31 feet (16 lb)
Caber: Same as you James.....all 12:00!!


My two events I want to improve on most are Stone and heavy hammer....any suggestions?

Babyfire

Wow! I thought I was doing good for a Rookie! Were you a thrower in school and just graduated college! (I can only hope, to make myself feel better!) Those are great goals. I am going to try and make a couple of games in BC this year. I probably, unfortunately, won't be making it to Ontario this season. Eventually I hope to. I hear the Canadians have some great games! Well run and have some clinics too.

Ryan, come on over! Portland is fun, with the pros, and so is the Enumclaw games. If you move up to B division come to the "Claw", it is a chance to see the pros again. We would love to see you there!

An update on goals:

Light Hammer-105', in just two practices I am up over 90' average.

Throw far!
James

[Detroitpete]

Ok guys,
NONE of you are allowed to throw in the Midwest :-)

Alan, were we EVER that young? Geeze!

My goals this year are to break my PRs. Right now I'm snowed in here, so I'm hitting the gym. My knee rehab is still ongoing but I'm finally able to do some light squats. Mostly I'm working on exercises that come as close as possible to hitting the areas I think will impact my throwing, along with some 'core' and back exercises.

This year I'm also trying to focus on staying in the 190 class whenever I can, if not, I'll mash in with the Masters when available. It looks like I'll get at least 3-4 games in the 190 class and possibly 2 others--all in the Midwest. I'd LOVE to be able to come out west and throw with you guys though.

Good luck and happy training!

[jgorley]

I would love to have you make the trip!! I would love to compete across the country! I have heard some rumors that The East side of the country is less hospitable to competitors who are not local. I hope it is just a myth. It would really bum me out to make a stop at a games and not experience the fun I am now. Keep up at the gym, I am trying to get down to the 190 class, but 40 pounds to drop is a bit rediculous! And by the way, I am only 8 years from masters, so keep an eye on the clock!

[Detroitpete]

I would love to have you make the trip!! I would love to compete across the country! I have heard some rumors that The East side of the country is less hospitable to competitors who are not local. I hope it is just a myth. It would really bum me out to make a stop at a games and not experience the fun I am now. Keep up at the gym, I am trying to get down to the 190 class, but 40 pounds to drop is a bit rediculous! And by the way, I am only 8 years from masters, so keep an eye on the clock!

J,

Who knows how rumors start, but I wouldn't be involved with anything where athletes weren't treated with respect, or treated others with anything less than respect. My experience has been that when you throw here, you're amoung friends. I've competed in all-am games and Pro-Ams and found the pros and ams to a bunch of good guys. I think that if one doesn't have a 'just happy to be here and mosh in with the rest' attitude, they can't stay in our sport long. Muscle-headed uber competitors are best left to other sports. Our games are about family, tradition and fun. Besides, you don't 'compete' in highland games, you SURVIVE them ;-) And to survive them--it helps to have a few buds cheering you on and slapping your back.

My first WFD after coming back from knee surgery was a one-spin 40 footer--all arm. The guys I was throwing with who knew what I went through just to get on the field last year, stood up and clapped for me.

Afterward, we drink, tell lies, feel beat up and long for the next time we get to kilt-up, and walk out on the field, lift the 'tools of ignorance' and throw heavy stuff ;-)

Think about this...I'd hate to see what happens to the guy who talks smack on the field--too many guys with too many heavy things to go gettin' all cocky ;-)

[jgorley]

Pete,
I hope to someday have the honor of competing with you and Alan, as well as the rest of us Kilted Oafs dumb enough to torture ourselves on the field. I would really enjoy proving the rumors are just that!

Anyone have any good hints for the Caber? I know I just need to grow stronger. I can pick them all, I just don't get the height I need to turn them. Looking at photos of myself and those who do turn them, I notice that their Caber levels out about 2 to 3 feet above mine. Any crazy home remedy will be gladly accepted!

James