Year Two of Production: Shamrock Shuffle 8K Shoot Tomorrow!

The very first day of production on our film was at last year's Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago. Tomorrow (April 10), WendyCity Productions returns to the Shuffle to follow our ladies as they ramp up for the 2011 racing season... a season each woman hopes will result running the qualifying standard for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in Houston, TX.

Although the Shamrock Shuffle segment shoot is tomorrow, there's still time to contribute to our film fund! Once we've shot the footage, it will need to be organized and stored on external hard drives. Of course, we'll need to duplicate the video and store it on duplicate drives in the event that one of the drives crashes, so you can imagine how expensive that can be! That being said, we really need your help! Your donations directly support this film by expanding our resources. Any amount is appreciated and each dollar will help. (Ex: $15 will allow us to rent a clip-on lavalier microphone for interviews. $45 pays for our tripod.) Please click on the Paypal link to the right if you'd like to help us get this film made. Thanks!

(p.s. We've added some new athletes to the film - see photos below - and are very excited to see how they do tomorrow!)

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/04/year-two-of-production-shamrock-shuffle.html

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Saturday's staple: call a spade a spade...

Life has taken over this week, so I had to adapt my training accordingly. I still trained three times this week, but my classical lifts were down. The upside to this is that my squats were a lot better this week and I was able to match my Front Squat double and triple pb's for the first time in a year and a half.

On Monday, I Snatched up to 100 and I did Clean doubles up to 130. I tried for 134, but I could only get the first rep in on two attempts; my mind won over and I did not even go under the second attempts. It was very frustrating because I wanted to get it badly. My training was affected quite a bit by a gash in my left leg that has been very slow to heal, but it affected my Snatch a lot more. I Front Squatted afterwards, and worked up to a double with 150 and then I hit a double with 155kg which matched my pb from 18 months ago. Embarrassing, yes, but I was happy to get it. I had a four second sticking point to get through, but it was worth it.

On Wednesday, I Power Snatched up to 95 for two singles and one No Man's Landed Snatch 98kg. I was unable to Clean and Jerk at all and ended up missing 130. Very strange and very frustrating. It has been a long time since I have missed that weight. Anyway, I had to accept it and move on to the Back Squat. Last week I was unable to hit 167. This week I hit 160 and 165 for a triple. I then hit 170kg for a double, which I was happy with because I think that was a first. I was pleasantly surprised, because I felt so empty in my lifting and devoid of any momentum.

Today, I was knackered again and I was happy to hit 108/134. Not impressive weights at all, but a year ago I would not have been able to hit them when I had been this drained. I then worked up to a single with 160 in the Front Squat and then I hit 150kg for a triple. Harry Leech was training a few lads in Santry gym and I was able to get out there for a session. it was great training with him again and he also gave me a Chinese-style weightlifter's massage where the coach walks up and down the lifter's back and legs.

I finished off with some shoulder mobility drills also and I felt tired, but happy.

So, I finally bit the bullet and I started following Kelly Starrett's MWOD. I was taking bits and pieces, but I decided to actually follow someone who knows far far more than me. I went all the way back to day one and I am now finished day 30. Generally, I do two mobility of the day workouts and I am really enjoying them. I thought my shoulders were flexible, but I was wrong. It takes around ten or twelve minutes for each MWOD, so sometimes I do two, sometimes three. I am following Starrett's direction for general health as much as for weightlifting. One thing I know for certain is that I am getting more flexible generally and I am also enjoying the process.

Here is an awesome old school Bulgarian weightlifting video:



Here is an outrageously impressive physical performance of a different kind:



And lastly, Ray Lewis's speech to a team before kick off is probably up there with Jim Telfer's 1997 Lions' pre-games' speeches:





Which do you prefer?

Source: http://weightliftingepiphanies.blogspot.com/2011/05/saturdays-staple-call-spade-spade.html

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Usain Bolt ultimate competitor for our time

While racing in Saturday's 200-meter final at the world championships, Usain Bolt appeared to briefly glance up at the stadium's video board to watch himself running. If so, who can blame him? The man has provided track's most exhilarating performances since the opening beach-running scene in "Chariots of Fire."

We missed out last weekend when the new false start rule disqualified Bolt from the 100 final and provided us only with the image of the world's fastest man whipping off his jersey and stomping off the track in frustration. But he did not jump the gun Saturday in Daegu, South Korea. Bolt was the last out of the starting blocks but quickly passed the rest of the field and continued full-out to win the race in 19.70, the fourth-fastest time ever and .21 seconds shy of his world record.

Bolt immediately celebrated the victory by slapping his chest and performing an arm-weaving, hip-rolling and finger-pumping dance to the crowd. All he was missing was Len Goodman grading him on his performance. He knelt on the track to briefly catch his breath while a ludicrous mascot also took a knee beside him and placed its hand (paw? hoof?) to its mouth as if deep in contemplation.

Would it be inappropriate if I asked him to sign an autograph now?

Bolt gave the crowd his signature lightning gesture and the crowd replied with thunder in its applause. According to The Associated Press, he later told the crowd "I am still the best" before taking off his shoes and dancing barefoot. He also pretended to run away from photographers, but that was just a joke because the camera is the one opponent he doesn't out-distance.

He did, however, stop short of a fog machine, but maybe we'll get that if he leads Jamaica past the United States in Sunday's 4x100 relay finale. That race will be somewhat reduced because Jamaican teammate Asafa Powell dropped out due to a groin injury and American Tyson Gay has been out with a hip injury since June.

But forget Powell and Gay, or even Walter Dix, the American who finished second in the 100 and 200 here. The guys I want to see Bolt compete against come London are Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco for the most outrageous, over-the-top victory celebration. Even the opening ceremonies would pale in comparison.

Bolt's theatrics are why the Jamaican sprinter is so popular and so important to a sport that desperately needs the wattage of his star power. The perfectly named Bolt is so electrifying, the stadium could lose power and he still would light up the track bright enough to be seen from Pluto. He is the ultimate competitor for our time, mixing the oldest, most elemental sport there is (who can run the fastest) with the modern competitions that so obsess us ("Dancing With the Stars" and "American Idol").

Not only is Bolt the fastest man on earth, but he puts on such a show that the London organizers may need Simon Cowell as a track referee.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/olympics/post/_/id/1766/usain-bolt-ultimate-competitor-for-our-time

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Make This Time Count!

In light of yesterday's sad news about the death of top U.S. marathoner, Sally Meyerhoff, I thought I'd post some words of inspiration and motivation from my very good friend, Janeth Salazar-Ohst. Janeth qualified for and competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon. Now a wife and mother of two, she continues to run competitively and is a source of inspiration for many young (and not so young) athletes.

Someone asked me why I was training so hard for the Olympic Trials if I didn?t have a realistic shot at making the Olympic team.  I simply said, ?Because it IS my Olympics.?  The Olympic Trials represented the very best I could be.   It may have not been the international stage but it was a grand stage nonetheless.  I worked hard to qualify, I met the standard and I was going to give that race everything I had. 

Watching your video about Heather reminded me of this.  I think she is right on the money when she says she has to keep her focus on the race that she will attempt to use to qualify for the trials.  All steps lead to a possible qualification and the focus needs to be on the here and now.  I?m sure it is different for the top professional elites in our country as making a qualifying mark is not a big concern for them.  Heather isn?t responsible for them, she?s responsible for herself.  You can dream big but the details of the work involved must be attended to, day in and day out.  

My advice to potential qualifiers is, for this short time in your life, make all the necessary sacrifices to make this dream your reality.  The Trials only come around once every four years.  You want to be there and you want to be on that line with the very best you have.   Life has a way of really changing in four years when you don?t necessarily make your living off of racing.  MAKE THIS TIME COUNT!

Source: http://milesandtrialsfilm.blogspot.com/2011/03/make-this-time-count.html

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Saturday's staple: call a spade a spade...

Life has taken over this week, so I had to adapt my training accordingly. I still trained three times this week, but my classical lifts were down. The upside to this is that my squats were a lot better this week and I was able to match my Front Squat double and triple pb's for the first time in a year and a half.

On Monday, I Snatched up to 100 and I did Clean doubles up to 130. I tried for 134, but I could only get the first rep in on two attempts; my mind won over and I did not even go under the second attempts. It was very frustrating because I wanted to get it badly. My training was affected quite a bit by a gash in my left leg that has been very slow to heal, but it affected my Snatch a lot more. I Front Squatted afterwards, and worked up to a double with 150 and then I hit a double with 155kg which matched my pb from 18 months ago. Embarrassing, yes, but I was happy to get it. I had a four second sticking point to get through, but it was worth it.

On Wednesday, I Power Snatched up to 95 for two singles and one No Man's Landed Snatch 98kg. I was unable to Clean and Jerk at all and ended up missing 130. Very strange and very frustrating. It has been a long time since I have missed that weight. Anyway, I had to accept it and move on to the Back Squat. Last week I was unable to hit 167. This week I hit 160 and 165 for a triple. I then hit 170kg for a double, which I was happy with because I think that was a first. I was pleasantly surprised, because I felt so empty in my lifting and devoid of any momentum.

Today, I was knackered again and I was happy to hit 108/134. Not impressive weights at all, but a year ago I would not have been able to hit them when I had been this drained. I then worked up to a single with 160 in the Front Squat and then I hit 150kg for a triple. Harry Leech was training a few lads in Santry gym and I was able to get out there for a session. it was great training with him again and he also gave me a Chinese-style weightlifter's massage where the coach walks up and down the lifter's back and legs.

I finished off with some shoulder mobility drills also and I felt tired, but happy.

So, I finally bit the bullet and I started following Kelly Starrett's MWOD. I was taking bits and pieces, but I decided to actually follow someone who knows far far more than me. I went all the way back to day one and I am now finished day 30. Generally, I do two mobility of the day workouts and I am really enjoying them. I thought my shoulders were flexible, but I was wrong. It takes around ten or twelve minutes for each MWOD, so sometimes I do two, sometimes three. I am following Starrett's direction for general health as much as for weightlifting. One thing I know for certain is that I am getting more flexible generally and I am also enjoying the process.

Here is an awesome old school Bulgarian weightlifting video:



Here is an outrageously impressive physical performance of a different kind:



And lastly, Ray Lewis's speech to a team before kick off is probably up there with Jim Telfer's 1997 Lions' pre-games' speeches:





Which do you prefer?

Source: http://weightliftingepiphanies.blogspot.com/2011/05/saturdays-staple-call-spade-spade.html

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London 2012 Prepares - BMX

BMX-20110820-IMG_7632, originally uploaded by catfordCelt.

Watching the BMX Event with the Velodrome for a backdrop.

Source: http://insidelondon2012.blogspot.com/2011/08/london-2012-prepares-bmx.html

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U.S. crew close to locking up Olympic spot

The United States women's quadruple sculls crew set itself up to become the first U.S. boat to qualify for the London Olympics.

In a furious race through choppy water on Tuesday, the U.S. crew overcame an early lead by Great Britain, then exchanged leads with China through the final 50 meters of the race before crossing the finish line 0.12 seconds ahead of China for the win.

They will race in the finals at the 2011 World Rowing Championships on Thursday. The only way the crew does not qualify for the Olympics is if it does not finish Thursday's race. The world championships are the first opportunity for nations to qualify crews for the 2012 Games. But, specific athletes won't be selected until next spring.

"Obviously, it's an honor to qualify the boat, but there is still a lot of work to be done Thursday and a lot of work to be done in the next year," Natalie Dell said in a statement released by US Rowing. "[Great Britain] was up for probably the first half of the race and then China came up in the last 500 [meters]. I don't know what happened after that.

"It was crazy out there. I thought, if it's this bad and we're leading, we must be doing something right."

Crews that fail to qualify for the Olympics at worlds will have another opportunity at the Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, from May 20-23, 2012.

Also qualifying for the semifinals on Tuesday was the arms and shoulders men single sculls, the legs/trunk/arms mixed four with coxswain, the men's pair and the women's double sculls.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/olympics/post/_/id/1713/u-s-crew-close-to-locking-up-olympic-spot

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