Jumping Journal: January 16, 2008

It doesn't get much better than this.  At least I don't think it can.

 

After dropping down to the single digits last night for lows the highs today shot back up to around 30 with very sunny skies.  Obviously weather wasn't going to wreak/wreck any kind of havoc on the jump.  I knew it should make for another sweet evening of jumping tonight.

 

I drove on up to Lebanon and when I arrived at the hill Cannonball was already suited pu and ready to head up and start jumping with Esky flagging/coaching us. I saw Dan in the lodge talking with the race coach about snow making on the ski hill.  I guess it started off pretty decent last night but didn't end the same way.  The plans for snow making tonight had been called off.  Looking the ski hill, it could use some additional snow in spots.  The jumps though all are looking real nice.  After having went through the January thaw it's surprising that they still look so good.

 

I did a small amount of stretching, far more than last night, and then suited up.  I grabbed my skis and headed on up the jump.  I saw Cannonball was going to go from the top bar.  I was a little surprised since everyone jumped from the house last night.  I decided to join Jon and go from the first bar for my first jump.  I knew I would be able to get set into the inrun position quicker going from the bar.

 

Jump one.  It started right where last night left off.  I jumped, questionably early.  I knew immediately right after the takeoff that I did something wrong.  I don't remember what but I next noticed that the left ski/ski tip was trying to swing itself toward the right.  It wasn't looking like it was going to be a fun jump...to say the least. I managed to regain control and landed around 34-35 meters.  I was just thankful that the jump didn't go as bad as what I was thinking it might.

 

As I walked back up by the coaches stand Esky asked me if I had jumped early.  I said that I didn't know for sure, I was questioning him on it actually.  He said right after I jumped the tips just hung nice and level for the longest time.  Once I got clear of the knoll and cocked my ankles/got the small push of air coming up the hill, then the ski tips came up.  Both of us then started figuring I probably had jumped early.

 

Jump two.  Things all the way around went better.  I was another meter or two down the hill and I didn't have any problems at the takeoff like I did before.

 

Jump three.  It's back.  I headed down the inrun and jumped.  The right ski/ski tip this time went crazy on me.  It was acting just like jump one except on the opposite side of the body.  Once again I landed around 36-37 meters.

 

As I passed by Esky he mentioned that I wasn't cocking my right ankle on that jump as much as I was the left ankle and when I went to cock my right ankle the ski went all crazy on me.  I knew what to work on for the next jump.

 

Jump four.  Finally back in the house, turns out Matt had moved some snow around up top before he took his first jump.  It gave snow under most all the ski versus just the front part of it.  It made it much easier trying to push off when you started down the inrun.  You wasn't trying to fight yourself like we were last night.  The first three jumps were from the top bar.  The remainder of the jumps for the evening were from house.  I just focused on cocking the ankles and not on much of anything else.  This time around I had one of the best ankle cocking jumps I think I have ever had.  It was a real nice jump.  Further the previous jumps.  I would say it was in the 37-38 meter range.

 

Jump five.  I changed one small little thing on the inrun, my head position.  It just happened on its own.  I dropped the head down just a little so I was looking so far out as I was riding down the inrun.  At the takeoff it seemed like everything was more dynamic than what it had been in the past jumps, even going back to yesterday.  I landed down around 38 meters.

 

So far this season it does seem like I have been having my head a little too high/looking to far out in front of me as I go down the inrun.  It's going to be something I'll have to work on and retrain my mind to do it the right way.

 

Jump six.  Pretty much a carbon copy of jump five.  It seemed like the intial jump at the takeoff was even better than the jump before.

 

On the way back up for the last jump of the evening I got to thinking about one thing I have always heard.  Granted as I write this I'm remembering even better what I've always heard.  I did screw up the last jump tonight.  DRATS!!!

 

I'm typing this as I'm thinking, so this is a very lively entry.

 

One thing I've heard over the years is to look out/jump toward the horizon.  Granted the other saying also goes to look toward the bottom of the hill/where you want to land.  Well, I got to thinking about the first saying on the way up the inrun for the final jump of the evening.  I decided to look toward the horizon when I jumped.

 

Jump seven.  I headed down the inrun, keeping my head down and eyes focused just a few feet in front of my skis.  I got to the takeoff and shifted my focus/head toward the horizon.  I felt totally off balance.  I wasn't used to having my head looking up so much.  It caught me off guard and I ended up landing a bit shorter than what I probably would have otherwise.  I still ended up around 35-36 meters but it seemed like the jump should have went further if I hadn't 'jumped' so much with the head.  Admittedly, in one respect I do like the expanded view but as in the past it does take some getting used to.

 

Afterwards as we were changing clothes the talk become about how the conditions aren't really all that fast but how we are getting such nice jumps.  One suggestion that will have to be checked into is the possiblity that the takeoff angle has changed and as a result we are getting more help getting further down the hill.  The second I heard it, it made sense immediately.  The rain last week did take the snow level on the inrun below the grade boards so more than likely the takeoff angle did get effected a bit but by how much I don't know yet.

 

It does seem strange with the slower inrun conditions that I'm still getting as far down the hill as I am.  I'm not minding it any...but.

 

Keep the ski tips up,

Crash