EVENT # 19 TRACK AND FIELD (July 25)

I was back on my feet today thankfully.  I was able to get connected with the Sprints and Hurdles coach, Coach Vaught, at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where I teach part time.  He invited me to practice tonight with a group called the Carolinas Track and Field Club.  This club is designed for ages 30 and up and apparently there are some competitors in their 80's and 90's.  THAT IS MY GOAL!!  I was told for only $20 you can come out and join the team and participate in major events such as sprints, hurdling, relays, shot put, and all the other events involved with Track.  Tonight I began my training with an AWESOME dynamic warm up which included some jogging, skipping, squats, forward and backward walking lunges, and grapevines (sideway motion).  The coach then engaged us in three 50 meter sprints in which I finished.....well let's just say 8th place.  I was then trained individually by one of the members of the team with hurdles and was made aware very quickly that track runners do NOT wear basketball shorts or New Balance running shoes.  So I was not prepared completely but I began working on walking over hurdles, which then let to running over hurdles.  And as you can tell on the video, my hurdle was just a little bit shorter than the one next to it.  Yes it was the girls hurdle and also the above 60 age group hurdle.  I was just getting in shape for that.....in 23 years from now.  Anyway, I raised the hurdle up to mens level and thought it might just be easier to go UNDER but that is not allowed.  So THANK YOU COACH VAUGHT AND THE CAROLINAS TRACK CLUB for a great experience in my event # 19.

http://www.carolinastrackandfield.org/