Surgery Was a Huge Success!!!

Well it has taken a couple days for the effects of the anesthesia to wear off, so I figured I had better wait to blog about how the surgery went until now.  I am my fathers daughter when it comes to how much I am effected by the drugs they give you to put you under.  I text messaged my college coach today to tell him how the surgery went, which he then informed me I had already called him right after surgery.  Oops :)

Anyway the operation on my ankle went better than I could have imagined!!! As I was slipping off into the world of blackness on the operating table, I still had no idea what my timeline for healing was going to be.  Dr. Jarrett, the surgeon who had done my last surgery, decided to go in with a scope to clean out any loose bodies and shave off bone spurs if they showed themselves.  He was not certain how the condition of the cartilage in the joint would be, and prepared me for worst case scenario.  We already knew I had some disruption of the cartilage, but the extent was uncertain.  If there were any bald spots on the bone, Dr Jarrett was going to create a small micro-fracture in hopes of making new cartilage.  This would be at least a 4-6 month recovery until I would be back 100%. (Like I said worse case scenario.)

But as I started coming to in the recovery room, I was immediately informed that no micro-fracture was done!!!!!!!! I started cheering!!! The doctor came back in to explain to me what he had done in the procedure, and why I had been is so much pain when I sprinted.  He said that I had a curved bone spur off the bottom of my Tibia that gouged into my Talus every time I went into dorsi-flection.  Believe me, it was as painful as it sounds.

With the multiple bone spurs, loose bodies, and more taken out of my ankle, the doctor was VERY confident that he had addressed the main problem.  He made sure to explain that with the state my ankle is in, I would never be without a little pain.  Which is fine by me, no pain no gain right? :) As long as it is not as severe as these past 4 months.

Ok so now onto the recovery.  I am non-weight bearing for 4 weeks, with 2 of those weeks being pretty much bed ridden.  Then after the 4 weeks my comeback to 100% is exponential! The laying around is not ideal for an athlete, but I have not and WILL not complain.  This is nothing compared to what I was mentally preparing my self for with a 4 month recovery.  I am loving the time with my family, and getting to appreciate the most beautiful season of the year in Montana!!!

Everything Happens for a Reason

This past weekend I had the US Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon.  This competition decided who made the World Team that is to head to Daegu, Korea in August.  For the past three years this has been a huge goal of mine, topped only by my goal to make the Olympic Team next year.  As I said in my last blog, I have been battling an ankle injury since the end of indoor season, which only continued to worsen at the Nationals.  

I regrettably had to withdraw myself from the competition.  Somewhat of a setback, however, adversity is all apart of the job.  Thankfully I had plenty of family and friends there to support me and help provide perspective.  Now the time has come to get HEALTHY!!! I have surgery scheduled next wednesday on my ankle then back to rehabbing.  

Watch out 2012, I don't get mad. . . I get even :)

It Could Always Be Worse. . .

I was able to jump this weekend in the New York Adidas Track meet on Randalls Island in New York City... This was the first meet that I have had since indoor season, and with only two jump sessions to get ready for it.  The weather was less than ideal. . . Ok the only thing I could think of that would have been worse was a blizzard.  So bad in fact, they almost canceled the vault because our officials at the pole vault pit felt it was to unsafe. . . BUT they were shot down by the head official of the meet.  So with the meet still rolling and the unsafe conditions, I was very proud of myself for jumping off the ground almost every single time, from my full approach.  I may have not cleared the bar, but as you can see in the video below it was not lack of height!

It feels great to be back, and I am very very excited that the mental training I have been working so hard on  with my Sports Psychologist is coming together! One of the hardest things in pole vaulting is mentally getting over the fear of injury.  Coming back from this last injury has been a long hard fought battle, but thanks to my coach and team of Therapists I am finally able to jump again!!! And man it feels good!

I am hoping to jump this coming up Thursday here at the OTC Meet but it will all depend on how the foot feels.  Next Sunday is the National Championships in Eugene, Oregon and I want to be fully prepared to go in and make the US Team in order to compete at World Championships in Daegu, Korea at the end of August!!!

Thank you to everyone who continues cheering me on , I strive to make you proud!

INSPIRATION

Living at the Olympic Training Center, I have seen my fair share of amazing athletes, as well as performances.  But it wasn't until yesterday that I was a witness to something beyond extraordinary.  I had the privilege of watching one of our blind paraolympic runners get on a BMX bike and ride part of the course here at the Center.  Now, maybe I should let you know that this is a course where most people with their vision are too scared to ride. But not Lex, no King LEX walked it once, then began to riding. . . gaining speed with each pass he took.  As I stood there and watched in awe I couldn't help but think of how scary this must be for him, and the danger he was putting himself in.  But he went for it.  He didn't let the fear control him!!!

The video attached is what Arielle Martin (BMX World Cup Champion) put together.  The song playing in the background is one that Lex wrote after walking the course with Arielle This past fall.

On the right track!

After a very disappointing weekend in Boston, my coach Ty Sevin, Becky Holliday, and myself flew to Colorado Springs for the Air Force Academy Indoor Invitational this past weekend.  I was definitely ready for some redemption after my poor performance in Boston, and redemption is what I got!!! I jumped 4.51m (or about 14ft 10in)  This was a new indoor personal best for me, and only 1cm off my all time PR. This jump also put me at #2 in the US Rankings! . .  Here is the video of my 4.51m jump.

Next weekend is our National will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico where both family and friends have purchased flights to come watch me compete.  This means so much to me, and I am so excited to share that experience with them.  I have always loved vaulting with my family present, because I love the feeling of knowing that no matter what, after the meet I get to spend time with them!!!

Millrose Games

I competed this evening at the biggest indoor track meet of my career this far with a great field of 5 very competitive girls. This was my first time to New York City and I have really been looking forward to coming! The travel getting in, however, was not as exciting. With the big snow storm, all flights were delayed coming into the city. My ticket had origionally put me in at 9:30, which is pretty late the night before a meet anyway. But to make matters worse they had trouble with the plane so we didn't get into the hotel until 2:30 in the morning. Wowzer. Nonetheless I was still very excited about our hotel which was across the street from Madison Square Garden, which is where the meet was held. That in itself was a very inspiring feeling, walking into a facility that has held some of the greatest athletes of all time.

Even with a late night I was still able to get some sleep under my belt. I woke up in enough time to grab lunch/breakfast with Trey Hardee and Adam Nelson! So with food in my belly, and great conversations with good friends I was able to muster up the energy to give one of my better performances! I made each bar on my first attempt up until 4.54m or 14ft 11" about. So I walked away from the competition with a jump of 4.44m and a third place finish. Coming in right behind the #1 and #2 ranked girls in the world!!! I had a great cheering section comprised of family from Washington DC as well as some of the guys from USATF Foundation!!!

I will now try to catch up on lost sleep and get prepared to compete at the Boston Indoor New Balance Meet next Saturday!

Millrose

I am very excited to announce that I have been invited to jump at Millrose at the Square Gardens in New York on the 28th of January!!! I am very happy with this for multiple reasons. . .One being that I have never been to New York City before!!! I know that, coming from Montana, I may be a tad overwhelmed with the number of people. Nonetheless I am looking forward to seeing it all for the first time!!!  Oh yeah and I am of course excited to be vaulting at such a prestigious meet.

If I can make it happen, I am going to try to fly into Maryland in order to talk to some high school athletes at the school that my cousin attends.  That way I would get to see my family on the East Coast, and get a chance to share my experiences with some kids getting ready to head off to college.  Talk about a great trip. . . I will keep my fingers crossed that the timing works out!  It gets extremely hard when competition rolls around, to be able to commit to pretty much anything.  So all I can do is tell it to the agent, and hope that we can make it happen.

Other than that, first day of long run happen today. . .  I am very please that even on the first day the things I have been working on in my short approach are showing up!!!