Personal best heptathlon and Victorian Champ!!!....closing the gap:)

I am very pleased to report that I have just set another personal best heptathlon in Melbourne at the Victorian Champs over the weekend. I scored 5958 points! 53pts better than Palmerston North at Nationals and more importantly 92pts to go until I nail the London standard:) Unfortunately again this performance was wind assisted with the total of my three wind readings over the legal limit of +6.0ms (+2.2 hurdles, +0.2 200m, +4.7 long jump).

I got off to a great start with a windy personal best in the 100m hurdles of 13.83 (+2.2). It was the first time I've scored over 1000pts in the hurdles so we were very happy to get going. On to high jump where I cleared 1.83m and I felt great over that height. I really wanted to throw the shot a lot further than I did in Palmy. I did but it wasn't by much! 12.40m. I finished the day with a slower 200m in 25.80 (+0.2). Despite the first three events being better than my Nationals heptathlon I was 26pts behind my Palmy with a day 1 total of 3528. After starting the heptathlon at 12.45pm, at 5pm we had only completed 2 events...it was a long day in the sun!

 

Track 9, 2012...Albert Park, Melbourne. Perfect blue skies to match the track!

We knew the numbers I needed to get back on track for day 2. After a slightly stressful long jump in Palmy I knew it was hugely important to nail my first attempt. White flag..big cheer from my family...massive sigh of relief from Elena...6.28m...even bigger cheer! Wind +4.7...bugger as this now put my heptathlon into the windy category. The difference being this time I was able to have a legal back up with my second attempt at 6.11m (+1.5). On to the javelin and I knew I needed a big personal best. This I managed to do with my first ever throw over 40m - measured at 40.17m:) I am so happy to finally break 40m! I still needed to run a very fast 800m to qualify. My 800m was much better than Palmy. I was out by myself and pleased to finish with 2.19. Not fast enough for my magic numbers but it is not far away:)

 

 

Gritting my teeth in the last 50m of the 800m

 

There is no denying that we wanted a qualifier out of the weekend. However, I can take a huge amount out of this heptathlon and the fact I've taken another big step up. Another windy pb, 2 windy personal bests (hurdles and long jump) and a pb javelin. I know I'm in striking distance and for me this is very exciting.

 

Trying to cool down after the 800!!! Elena and I

 

 

So the plan now is to finish my season with a race this weekend in Melbourne at the Australian Olympic Trials. I will have a short rest, recover physically and mentally and then resume training for a big block to bounce me over the standard and build into London:) I will have my next heptathlon in May in Europe. Thanks heaps for the support and bring on the next one!!!!

 



Great support team! Mum, Gaz, Tess, Coach Elena, Coach Angus, Lou, Donna, Bec and Arran
Thanks to other crew in the shade!!!

Getting out of a 'hepta-coma' and preparing for the next heptathlon!...since last heptathlon

My good friend Becky Wardell and I named the few days following a hepathlon a 'hepta-coma'. It's hazy time where your body is stiff, sore and not wanting to do too much! A fast recovery is essential so you can get back into some training and move on to the next competition and the same time enjoying your performance!

Recovery compression boots at the STRIDE RECOVERY ROOM@ The Recovery Room

I competed the following weekend after Nationals at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton. It was a great competition to be part of where I competed in the shot put and javelin. I had a season best in the shot put with 12.83m.

Great to have my Cowley cousins supporting me in Hamilton :)

Following Porritt and a wee summer school exam to polish off I completed my preparation for my next heptathlon in Auckland. I competed at the Sydney Track Classic in the weekend in the 100m hurdles.

Track 7 and 8 - Olympic Park, Sydney. Warm up track in the distance and main stadium in the middle

It was great to have a race against World Champion, Sally Pearson. I always need a race after a heptathlon and leading into a heptathlon to blow the past heptathlon out and to get racing sharpness back.

Great to have my brother Gaz and his partner Tess at the track!

Me and my awesome strength coach Mike

Season bests for my training partner Morty (400m hurdles) and superwoman Val with Jean Piere


So now the hepa-coma is well and truly over it's about fine tuning a few things and resting up for the weekend. Have a great week everyone and in the words of the late and great Steve Jobs...Stay hungry, Stay foolish!

National Champ and PB heptathlon!!!! Heptathlon training to heptathlon:)

After a big weekend in Palmerston North at the New Zealand Combined Events Championships, I am so happy to tell you I set a new personal best in the heptathlon with a score of 5905points!!!! This is a great step forward for me from my previous best 5752 set in Tauranga at the same meet in 2011. It is also a big step closer to achieving the Olympic Qualifying standard of 6050points.

Track 6, 2012...great setting for a peak performance:)

Elena and I talked about making a really strong start to the heptathlon and building throughout the weekend. A pb in the hurdles got me off to a great beginning with a time of 13.86. Onto high jump which was a very long competition not only because all the heptathletes jumped together but I had a bit of a third attempt day on a number of heights! I cleared 1.82 which was very good and nice to get over 1000pts in one event. Onto shot put which I was excited about as I have been making some real improvements in training. I have been very fortunate to be training with the legendary Jean Piere Egger who is the coach of my super woman friend Val Adams. However, my desire to throw far took over and I recorded 12.31m - ok but we want more! I was really pleased to finish the day with my best 200m performance in a very long time 25.24 seconds. PB day 1 total 3548pts.

Hurdles 13.86 (+0.8) wind..PB!

Onto day 2 and first event long jump. Just because I hadn't given my Mum, Elena, Angus and other supporters enough stress after the high jump I fouled the first two rounds. Facing gusty winds, sitting on two fouls and backing up a great day 1, I knew this was it. White flag...nailed it...6.18m...Thank you who ever was watching down on me! It was fantastic to record my best ever jump but unfortunately the wind on this jump pushed my total winds over the legal amount for the heptathlon (all three wind measurements from the 100m hurdles, 200m and long jump must not exceed a total of +6.0ms). At this stage I was undeterred from the focus of finishing off a great heptathlon. Javelin was difficult into a cross head wind but I threw my second best ever throw and best in a heptathlon 38.95m. In the final event I gave it everything but my legs fell off me and I finished the 800m in 2.21 seconds. 

All the hepathletes. Well done to Portia Bing (sitting) who is a member of my club for achieving a World Junior qualifier

A very happy but tired team - Elena, Angus and Mum. The officials at Palmy were awesome at putting the athletes needs first - thanks heaps guys



So it's recovery time for me in preparation for my next heptathlon in 3 weeks time. Bring it on!!! Thanks for the support:)

Sarah