Pat Haws, our swimming and diving coach for about thirty years, told me he stumbled onto something that really helped him and his divers in practice and competition. He would time his diver from first motion until the moment of departure. Which had nothing (and everything) to do with what happened in the air. Too fast or too slow got a less than optimal result.
Joe Vardas, our jumps coach, will tell you that if the first phase of the triple jump is too elevated, the jumper will spend the next two phases “in crisis management”.
After watching a bevy of terrific discus throwers in the MIAC in 1980, my first year coaching at Saint John’s, I went to the Olympic Trials in Eugene and could not believe how “slow” the 200 and 225 foot guys were in the back of the circle. Al Oerter, Mac Wilkins, John Powell, et al for you old-timers.
My brother, Bill, tells how, when one of his Wayzata runners opened an early season 1600 meter race in 59 seconds, he (Bill) hollered with great gusto “3:56, Jimmy, 3:56!!” He made his point, and the race result much more so.
A good beginning is paramount, and our team executed much better at the UW La Crosse Jim Drews Invitational this past Saturday. We will attempt to do better still at the MIAC Championship, our next outing. Of course racing fitness is never static. We never know what our optimum pace and early positioning may be on the next race day, but we want to put ourselves in or near a spot where we can get our best result. That is to say, we love it when “5:10 becomes the new 5:20”. Which is really what we are all about. Redefining ourselves.
The wet weather afforded us the opportunity to do 10 x 400 (fast and relaxed) on the outdoor track yesterday (the football team went under the bubble). With the reshaping of the intramural fields, we now have a nice 700 meter loop which has served us well, but it was just a little soggy. Saturday morning we will do a three mile tempo run on Collegeville.
And then the MIAC Championship at Carleton on Saturday, November 2. We race at 11:00, the women race at noon. The State Meet is on the other side of town at St. Olaf. Come and watch us.
Enjoy your fall. It is beautiful up here in Collegeville.
