Jumping Journal: December 12, 2009
BOY was I wrong! Talk about a rapid change.
Well, November passed by with only a few flurries back on November 4-5. Otherwise November quite frankly was WAY too warm for snow. Decemeber started even crazier. December 1st saw a high of 40, the 2nd 48 and December 3rd it hit 61 degrees. Seeing the forecast, BOY DID IT CHANGE!, I sent Dan and Bill an email asking them if they wanted to jumping on plastic on the 4th. I was looking at trying to save the streak on the K25 and it sure seemed like winter wasn't trying to arrive quickly. My thoughts were getting to the point that I'm going to have to jump this darn thing in the rain right before Christmas again this year to save the streak. There was no snow making weather in the forecast for the foreseeable future. I was even suggesting to someone that Storrs Hill might not be able to open the day after Christmas likes it always tries to.
December 4th the high hit 50. On the 5th the forecast caved in turned drastically wrong. High temperature was 37 and snow began falling around 2PM. December 6th saw 3 inches fall. It melted over the next couple of days cause it got into the mid to upper 30s for highs. Talk a stark contrast. Then December 9th hit. It brought 10 inches of snow and much colder weather. MUCH COLDER!
Guess I didn't know what I was talking about did I. We met up today at the hill and Dan had did some work earlier in the week getting the hill ready after the snow storm. The snow guns were running in full force. They were making snow in the outrun on the 50. It always sees the snowmaking first and then it comes over to the 25. Normally we jump on the 50 first and the 25 gets jumped on snow around Christmas. Only in 2005 did we jump the 25 before the 50. That is until today.
I woke up this morning and noticed I was having the usual effects from a fast I'm on. I never had these symptoms in a couple of previous fast. This one is feeling lighthead/fuzzy. I picked up the symptom back around day three or four. I've been on two other fast a 14 day fast in November 2008 and a 10 day fast back in early April this year. I never had the lightheadness like I've had this time. From what I've read up on fasting it isn't something unusual. Actually Dr. J explained today that it's simply low blood sugar caused by not eating. It made total sense after he said that. I know someone that has had low blood sugar for several years.
I also knew one of the problems with long term fasting is the possibility of going to stand up and getting so lighthead you end up fainting. Any sudden movement can trigger a fainting episode. I knew this could be a problem...a BIG problem when it came to ski jumping. The thoughts of passing out on the takeoff because of making the move forward and kicking could cause a fainting spell especially since I'm having the lightheadness anyways. The past day or two I thought I was actually getting away from the lightheadness. It had been getting weaker with each passing day and yesterday it hardly even noticeable all day long.
I was worried about jumping to say the least. Terrified might be more like it. After doing some hill work at the bottom of the landing hill Dan, Dr. John and I suited up for a late morning session of jumping, yes on snow.
Gee, it felt kinda strange putting a jumping suit on. I haven't did that since...March.
Before we headed up the landing hill we ski packed the area we had just finished raking and shoveling. I was surprised how well it packed down. The snow was quite soft and fluffy but it pack down nicely. We decided to help pack the landing hill a little and all three of us took and outrun. This is when I knew I was in trouble. Yeah, I had been noticing the effects all day, ever since I woke up. I put on my skis and was actually nervous about riding the landing hill. I stepped over to the spot where I was going to ride down. Well the extension that is put on for summer jumping and the leg underneath it were still in place. Cannonball jumped. He wanted me to make a jump turn. I knew not to. I knew that would turn out ugly. Talk about embarassing. He stepped over and gave me hand. I ended up knocking a ski off that hadn't set in the telemark binding correctly. Fortunately he caught the ski before it made its way downhill. I got the ski back on and turned around with Cannonball's and Dr John's help. I rode the landing hill. I manged to do it safely and not crash but I knew was in for the jump of my life.
To say I was worried at the top of the inrun would be putting it mildly. I knew the run down the landing hill was fuzzy most of the way down. I'm not sure how I stopped at the end of the outrun. Oh yeah, I slowed to a stop. There was no hockey stopping or anything like that. I don't think I could have reacted fast enough to. I didn't even think about. Admittedly, after jumping all summer and never having to try to stop does help some as well.
I put on my skis and after talking to Dr. John while getting the flag from Cannonball a couple of times. I finally headed down the inrun. I didn't move into my inrun position fast at all. I was probably 1/3 to 1/2 the way down the inrun before I was in a tuck position. That isn't normal for me, even on the 25, especially on snow. I noticed the lightheadnes slightly. It was there but it wasn't bad. I got to the takeoff and jumped. I went through the air and about the time I landed I knew I was going down. I actually landed on my feet but fell immediately afterwards. Dan commented later that it looked like I landed and then passed out. I was sliding on the snow while saving...this isn't safe. I'm done for the day.
I grabbed the skis that came off and called it quits. Both Dan and Dr. John continued to jump. Not sure what the future holds. Not sure how long I'm going to stay on the fast for sure. If I could get rid of the lightheadness I know I would stay the whole 40 days I have been planning on. I'm on Day 22 right now. I'm not sure if I want to even think about trying to jump again until after I start eating. It'll all depend on how the head is feeling. This could go down as one of the smallest months of ski jumping on snow for me in the nine years I've been jumping.
Crash
posted by Ryan Crawford at 6:25 PM
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