Chapter 72 : TMA : The triple jump (part 3)

Day 7

I arrive at the pits for my event. The first take-off line is the long jump line and is way too short for me. The take-off lines from the t-jump look too long. Too far away from the pit. After my complaints the other people agree to put a tape across the track and let me jump from that.

I run and jump three times and then look at my results. The first two have been called a foul. I must have overstepped. The third one has been measured. I have a result. I have legally done a t-jump.

The others resume their long jumps. One guy is jumping much longer than me. I think they all are but one guy seems to be flying. I stand mesmerized and fascinated by his jumping. He seems to run very fast at the pit. His emphasis seems to be on running fast, taking off in the right spot and not jumping technique. 

I need to practice my run-up. I need to run faster. I need to get my feet landing in the right spot. Speed is now my aim and having my feet in right spot for a good take-off. They are my aims. Not technique.

My run-up must be fast and aggressive. Not apologetic and submissive. No thinking as I run down the track. I need to practice running hard and fast without jumping. I need to continually practice running down the track. Seeing where my feet land.

Another thing to practice is my step. According to an expert (who was helping) when doing the step I need to wave my leg forward. Increase my step.  Think about waving my left leg forward and not about landing it is soon as possible.

And another thing I need to practice is jumping from the lines provided. The first t-jump line is 5m from the pits. I have to jump from this line not a tape spread across the track.  The tape across the track was helpful but…

Next morning Mrs C askes me, “why did you have a restless night?”

“I was thinking of the t-jump.”

“I thought you were happy with your jumps. Well I don’t want you to get any worse.”

“No I also want to get better.”

“What other events could you do?”

“There are other events but the t-jump is put on.”

“It’s very good they put all these events on.”

“It is good. There are people, up there, doing a fantastic job. I try and fit in where I can. Not much I can do. I don’t know if being the only one to do an event helps or not. It keeps the event alive, hopefully until someone good turns up.”

I celebrate everybody who gets out and does something physical.  I love the people running laps. The ones jumping longer long jumps than my t-jump. At the moment I want to diversify slightly. To do the t-jump but I will return to running circles. I can see that in my future. At present I did one legal t-jump, one jump that was measured. For me that’s success.  

Chapter 71 : TMA : The triple jump (part 2)

Day 1 

I go for a run. And then do some drills. After my drills I do some exercises which I think may help my t-jump.

I do some standing t-jumps.

I hop on my right foot ten times.

I hop back on my left foot.

I jump with both legs together.

I stand still and jump as high as possible and touch my feet ten times.

I repeat the whole procedure and then run home.

Day 2

I look out the window and realise I must live in Hobart. It’s drizzling. I have a jacket and a long time ago I decided I don’t let the weather control my running.  I run up to the DAC track. I start with my running drills and a man says, “What injury are you recovering from?”

I reassure him and continue. After the drills I do a standing t-jump. I try this with eyes closed. I then try a running t-jump on the track finishing with a landing on both feet together and then continuing to run. I will build up to the pit.

Day 3

I do my drills on the bike track.

Do a few standing t-jumps. Goes well.  Seems to work better if I include the last two steps before doing the t-jump.

I feel ready for the pits. The t-jump is flowing sub-consciously and automatically from the hop.

Day 4

I go for a swim. You could say I am increasing my aerobic fitness with very little chance of injury. The truth is I swim it because I enjoy swimming.

After my laps I do double leg jumps starting with feet flat on the floor of the pool. I jump as high as possible and slowly make my way down the pool.

Afternoon. I jog to the local soccer field. There are a group of young kids playing soccer.  There is a disused jumping pit beside it which I head for.  I have one practice t-jump and one of the soccer kids approaches me. He says, “I can show you what to do.”

I reply, “Okay. Show me.”

He does a perfect t-jump, better than me.  He is blithe, graceful and young and jumps further than me.  I say, “That was very good.”

I wander down and do another jump. He beams and says, “I am good. I can show you what to do.”

He races down and does another good jump. It’s my turn. I jump and he immediately says, “Watch me. Watch me. ”

We are joined by other kids who have stopped playing soccer. They all want a jump. And the adult who is umpiring the soccer glares at me. Don’t worry I want the same thing as you.

I love their enthusiasm and their love of jumping and their enjoyment of physical activity but... 

I tell them, “I love your jumps. You are good. I want to see some good soccer play. That’s what I really want to see. Some good soccer.”

They drift back to the soccer and I have the pit to myself. A few practice jumps. I decide the last two steps have to be right. If they are right then everything else follows in a nice rhythm.

Day 5

Run back to the local sporting fields. Today nobody is playing soccer and the disused jumping pit is empty. I place my drink bottle down as a guide and practice jumping. I run down the runway and jump without a takeoff board. Without worrying where my feet land. My rhythm feels good. 20 jumps and only one aborted. I need to crouch down before jumping. And then I need to become more vertical and jump as high as I can. In a few days I have to put everything together. What will be a good jump? 

I do some running drills on the soccer field. Perfect spot for drills. I then run back home.  The drills and the jumping are tiring. More tiring than jogging up the bike track.

Day 6

Run back to my regular spot. The local soccer field. Nobody is there and I run towards the pits.

I have to work out how long my run-up is. I start with 6 paces and scratch a take-off line on the runway.  I want to run fast at the pit and have my right foot land just being the take-off line. It is just practice. I move my starting spot by centimeters and run again. I move it again and jump again. I repeat and repeat. I try running without jumping to see where my feet are landing.

There are two things that matter. One is doing the t-jump correctly. The other is running fast and taking off with my foot in the right spot. What is more important?

A lady who cannot help me turns up with her dogs. I ignore them and they ignore me. Perfect result.

I run back home.

“How was your run?”

I answer, “I did the t-jump?”

“How’s that going?”

“I will find out tomorrow.”

Chapter 70 : TMA : The triple jump (part 1)

I look at next week’s program and see the word Triple-jump. I have a week to practice.

Triple jump is also called the hop, step and jump. I call it the t-jump.  It consists of one continuous movement which you could say is composed of three distinct jumps. The aim is to jump as far as possible.

The hop consist of taking off and landing on the same foot.

The step consists of landing on the other foot and then taking off for the jump.

The jump consists of landing anyway you like, but normally on two feet similar to the long jump.

Other rules are similar to the long jump.

What are the origins of such an obscure event?

In historical records of the ancient Olympics jumps of 15 meters are mentioned.  This led people to conclude that in the ancient Olympics there was an event that consisted of several continuous jumps.

In the first modern Olympic Games in Athens an event consisting of two hops on the same foot and then a jump was included. In the next Olympics the event involved present day rules. 

The standing t-jump was included in the 1900 and 1904 Olympics.  In Ireland the triple jump was contested in ancient Irish Games and was possibly an inspiration for the modern version of the T-jump.

The t-jump was retained in modern athletics because the runway and the landing area were similar to the long jump.

The take-off board is placed across the runway. The jumper can decide which board to jump from or how close to the pit is the board. A legal jump consist of not over stepping the board when taking off.

A foul jump occurs when over stepping the take-off board, not using correct foot sequence or not performed in allotted time. Scraping the ground with the trailing leg is not a foul.