Alan's 2013 Season Log

[Alan H]

Second CHAC throws...I mostly played coach with the ladies. New lass Schantae Wright did great! I didn't throw much, just some stone throw examples, a few 28 for distance to work on that "fouling out the right side" issue, and then some 56 HWFD at the end with Robert watching. After 4 "sprint drill" throws with the 56 pounder I did a single spin, keeping in mind the suggestions from Sunday about not going too hard at the beginning and it was much better. It didn't go any farther but it was better. Progress is happening.

[Alan H]

Last night after workout, I weighed the new caber. 115.3 pounds, and that's after I got all the bark off of it. Perfect. It's 17' 1". I'll probably take a pound off by sanding and shaping the bottom and then put most of that back with clear polyurethane and paint.

I got myself a bunch of tiny, tiny little splinters off the thing, most of which came out in the shower, but there are a few on my hands which are itching, something fierce.

[Alan H]

No throwing or nuttin' but I just dropped $100 in welding, cutting and steel materials for A) shortening the WOB standards to 18 feet and putting a couple of rope cleats on them, B.) taking 1/4 inch off of my 44 pound WFD, which should bring it down right close to 42 pounds. C.) an inch and a quarter of 7-inch diameter medium-thick wall pipe, which I will cut in half with a hacksaw, and turn into two super-beefy D-handles for the 42 and 56 weights for distance. A buddy of mine can do some light welding, so I just need materials.

The WOB standards were 21 feet, which is awfully tall since the pipe is pretty thick stuff and it gets heavy - > somewhat unstable. Not too many people here in California throw WOB over 18 feet, so I think this should do it.

Once the D handles are made, I'm almost "done" with making or acquiring gear. I have one old and weird 28 pound weight that I will get cut down to 21 pounds for the Masters Women to throw, and I might take a 60 pound steel cylinder that I got and get it cut-down to 40 pounds, to make a better 42 WOB. Then again, I might not. Beyond that, everything is made, bought, finished and acquired.

Stones... I have an array of them...a 7.8, 9.1, 12 and 15.6 pounder for the ladies..... two 16.2 Opens and two 21.6 pound Braemars.

Weights for Distance ... Three 28's, actually four, one of them will get cut down to 21.... two 14's, a 56 and a 42.

Weights over bar ... a 28, a 42 and a 56.
hammers ... one 12, two 16's (one has a messed up hole for the handle, need to drill it out), two 22's

one sheaf fork

WOB standards... one for practice, one for competition. Practice goes up to 15, competition goes up to 18
Sheaf standards .... normally goes up to 28, but have 5-foot inserts to take them to 33.

I have welded wire fencing and 5 poles to make a hammer cage, though it could be taller... it's 6 feet.

I think that's enough stuff!

[Alan H]

Sonora Celtic Faire - Saturday Masters Classes.

Roger and I were neck and neck all day long, I'd win an event, he'd win an event.. it was great fun. Our Friend Larry Sisseck beat us both in caber and Rogers brother, Paul won light hammer, notching what I think was probably the only semi-respectable throw of the day..

Hammers, generally were awful. We had a very awkward platform set up to throw from, and nobody liked it. We drew a line in the muddy-dirty next to the platform and most guys threw from there, but there was no board and there were foot-fouls a-plenty. Basically, everybody was 'way off in hammer on Saturday.

Stones went well, I had two Braemar tosses 26+ and that's good. Roger won this one by putting one out at a bit over 27 on his last throw. Open Stone went pretty well...I stood one out to 31' 10", which is pretty decent and then shuffled one out to 33 and a bit, which is also very good, but not enough to catch Roger. WOB always belongs to Roger but I cleared 13 clean on my second throw and I'm starting to realistically threaten to get 14 feet, so that's good. Sheaf is also Rogers strong point, though both of us were a bit off, today. Still, I cleared 23 feet, probably would have gotten 24...but not 25. considering as I haven't touched the fork since October, I'll take it.

For me, Saturdays highlights were the weights. I still have some fouling issues, but I stuck my last 42 HWFD throw quite well and got a new PR at 35' 4", I believe. Light weights went well, I fouled a couple of them, but of the six throws I took...3 regulation and 3 "extras" every single one of them was over 50 feet and two were over 51. This is now 4 Games in a row that I've thrown LWFD over 50 feet...and six throws in a row is *Huge* on the consistancy front.

The caber was a long toothpick, not all that heavy but no taper at all. I muffed the first one, then managed two turns, one was called at 12:00, I think....not too sure about that, but that's OK.

Sunday, there were only 5 of us. ONe of the judges changed his shirt and threw with us. I had to simplify my sheaf technique to deal with the 20 pound bag, but while I had it high enough to clear at 17 feet, I couldn't get it over the bar. Grrrr. I got 10 in WOB, nicked the bar 3x at 11 with the 56 pounder. That's my usual with that weight.

Hammers were much better, we put down a board out there in the horse ring, and the ground had firmed up a bit. Heavy Hammer was still just sort of OK, but I got one out to 62' 7". Light hammers was much better than on Saturday, with two throws over 77 and topped out at 78' 10".

After lunch we came back to stones, and I shocked myself with putting the 22 pounders out to 27' 4" +/- an inch or two, three times. To go over 27 feet, three times in a row also speaks well for consistency, so I'm happy with that. O stone was OK, I think I stood one out to 31' 10" or something.

We moved on to weights, and after the first 56 HWFD my hips just gave out. I had nothing...NOTHING left. I've never actually felt my hips just completely fail. I had to settle for 17-something in the HWFD and after completely failing the first two LWFD, I realized that it was just *over* so I singe-spun out a very shaky 41 foot single spin, which was good, still for 2nd place.

None of us but John Enzenaur could handle the caber, though I got an 80 degree score, I think...which all things considered is pretty good.

IT was a fun, but very tough weekend at Sonora.

[Alan H]

Sonora numbers.... we didn't get certificates, I think I might make up an ersatz one, to add to the binder!

Braemar Stone - 26' 10" (beat this on Sunday @ 27' 4" in the Open competition)
Open Stone - 33' 2"
Heavy Weight for Distance (42) - 35' 6" PR
Light Weight for Distance - 50' 6.5" (fouled two at 51+)
Heavy Hammer - 62' 0.5" (beat this by a foot and a bit more on Sunday in the Open competition)
Light Hammer - 75' 6" (beat this on Sunday, 78' 10" in the Open competition)
Weight over Bar - 13
Sheaf - 23
Caber - 18 feet, 65 pounds- 12:00

It's Tuesday morning and I am STILL feeling it.... wow.

[Alan H]

With four hours left to the drop-dead deadline for letting me know, Ardenwood is shaping up nicely.

Masters - 9 athletes in the 40's and 50's.
A's and B's... 3 A's, 4 B's - 7 athletes
C's and Lightweights ... 5 C's and 3 lightweights - 8 athletes
Women... the big question..could be three, could be seven. I might have to open a fourth trig! fortunately I have an extra judge.

[RogerWS76]

Hey, where can I find that Pockoski Video from the Arnold?

[Alan H]

Hey, where can I find that Pockoski Video from the Arnold?

It was on Matt Vincents log, it mostly has Matt...I'll see if I can find it.

[Alan H]

It was on Matt Vincents log, it mostly has Matt...I'll see if I can find it.

Hmmm... now I can't find the video. It's not even on YouTube.


OK, yesterdays practice...we had a reporter and Photorapher out from the Stanford Med Center publication "Inside Medicine" so the practice was half publicity. I also pinged the Stanford Daily, so maybe3 we'll get some more publlicity from that, as well.

Did a couple of easy stone throws.
worked 3x with the Grandpa's II caber...17 feet and 70 pounds with a really problematic, slow bend in it which makes it very hard to get stable. Turned it once for a horrible 9:30.

Did 3-4 LWFD throws with Bethany, who stuck one out to 60 feet. I worked on tightening up my first turn and landing with a smaller base. That should help with the fouling issues, but I need to do a LOT of that sort of work. These were really just for the Photographer.

Then did a mess of 16 hammer after everybody went home, probably threw about 8x, working on going slow and relaxed for the first two and then dropping my center of gravity and hitting big acceleration on the last rotation. I tried to drive the hips and shoulders out into the field....upshot, most throws seem to be 80+, pacing them off, with a high of about 84... but pacing off distances that big gets kind of inaccurate.

The key here, for me....if I'm going to throw this way and it certainly seems like this is a better way for me to throw....is to NOT RUSH the second wind. Just catch it over on the right and relax.

[Joshua]

Then did a mess of 16 hammer after everybody went home, probably threw about 8x, working on going slow and relaxed for the first two and then dropping my center of gravity and hitting big acceleration on the last rotation. I tried to drive the hips and shoulders out into the field....upshot, most throws seem to be 80+, pacing them off, with a high of about 84... but pacing off distances that big gets kind of inaccurate.

The key here, for me....if I'm going to throw this way and it certainly seems like this is a better way for me to throw....is to NOT RUSH the second wind. Just catch it over on the right and relax.

You and me both Alan. Tonight is stone practice but Sunday I'll be working on the chant I mentioned in my log...
Wind 1: Relax, long arms
Wind 2: Hips like Elvis, opposing the force of the hammer
Wind 3: Aggression from 8 o'clock to 1 o'clock, look UP AND RELEASE!

I'm printing that out to take with me.