Dizzy Brunette No More!

Finally!! An answer to my vertigo, at least this makes the most sense. I had another episode on Sunday and still have some dizziness. When I called my doctor, he referred me to an ear, nose, throat doctor. Long story short, the doctor was very thorough and asked me lots of questions and did an exam. He said that he thought that it was related to the accident and his reason was that when there is a whiplash situation, it usually does not just affect your neck. Whiplash can affect ears and eyes also. All the tissues surrounding the whiplash area can be inflamed and stay that way until completion of healing. Well. I was taking Tylenol PM until about mid-March. I decided, after going through a full bottle of it, I would discontinue it completely, right before my parents came to visit. That is when I had my first vertigo episode. Every night before I have had an episode, I had a knot in my neck and stiff and sore. Since I did not have Tylenol pm in my system or any anti-inflammatory medicine, that is how it affected my inner ear and surrounding tissues. He suggested many different medications (steroids, valium, etc) as a solution for now until the swelling goes completely away but he said that since Tylenol pm was working during the night, he would stick with that and then for me to take Naproxen during the day. He also wants me to do physical therapy to help with all the above. I am SO Grateful to have some direction. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Grandsons, Track, and a Moose!

This has been an interesting week. The week started with Jaxon Taylor Ellingson being born. Jaxon is Julie and my 2nd grandson, oh, and he belongs to Jason and Lahia. Julie flew home early Saturday morning to be with Jaxon, Lahia, and Jason during the delivery. She returned Sunday. A quick trip but well worth the time and money. Jaxon had a bit of a rough entry into the world, but both he and mommy are doing well now. I am jealous of those who have gotten to see and hold him. I haven’t yet and I won’t until this next weekend.

That gives me two grandsons now and the third one on his way. This is going to be so much fun with these three boys so close in age. I can’t wait to watch them in sports and life. That brings up an idea I have been mulling around for a while. I think we need to make a family rule, fathers don’t coach sons. Uncles coach nephews, grandpa coaches everyone, and fathers become spectators for their sons. I think this will help in maintaining peace at the various homes and ensure the next generation of state champion discus throwers and shot putters. (Can you even begin to imagine the base of knowledge we will have built by the time these boys are ready to throw? They should be nothing short of incredible.)

Jeff had his district meet this past week. We haven’t reported much so far this season about the other young man from Camas County that I have been coaching. His name is J.D. Jewett; he’s a senior. Jeff and J.D. met last season prior to us moving to Camas County. They have been great for each other all season. Pushing each other and encouraging each other. Wednesday afternoon was the first day of the District Meet. Jeff’s first three throws blew the rest of the field away. All three of his throws in the preliminary round were over 150’ (45.72m,) with his longest being 152’ 3” (46.41m.) (For those of you keeping track, that’s a new PR – his old PR was 147’ 8” (45.01m.)

J.D. struggled in the preliminary round and barely made it into finals. To that point, his PR was 129’ 11” (39.60.) In the finals, J.D.’s first two throws were very short and a sector foul. This Conference and District does something weird. Instead of alternating turns and measuring a throw at a time, they have the throwers step in and throw all three throws and mark them in the field with pegs. They then measure them. A thrower can take all three throws at a time, or take two and save one to the end. J.D. saved his final throw. At that point he was in 7th place. Only the top 4 go to State.

The next throwers went and the positions between 2nd and 4th changed with every thrower. When Jeff came up, Jeff was in first with 152’ 3” (46.41m,) the boy in 2nd was at 139’ 0” (42.37m,) the boy in third was at 138’ 1” (42.09m,) and the boy in fourth was at 135’ 5” (41.28m.) Jeff didn’t throw any further in the finals; however, all six of his throws were further than the 2nd place throw. This left J.D. the only person remaining to throw. He needed a PR to go to state. More precisely, he needed 135’ 6” (41.30m) to go to State. He stepped in and the discus sailed to the wide right. I was sure it was out of sector and I was just sick in my stomach, because I knew he had thrown it far. The field marker marked it inbounds, but just barely. When they measured it, it was 137’ 5” (41.88m.) We all went nuts. That meant both boys were going to State together.

Then yesterday in the shot put, Jeff just didn’t seem to be able to put it together. He only threw 39’ 4” (11.99m;) remember, his PR is 42” 3” (12.88m.) He placed 5th and will not be going to State in the shot. J.D., on the other hand, showed up ready to throw. He threw 43’ 10” (13.36m) his 2nd throw and won the District Title. It was both an exciting day and a disappointing day.

Julie had a unique experience on Friday morning. When we got into the office, she was talking with several of the field guys. They asked her if she had seen a lot of wild life crossing the Camas Prairie on their way back up into the mountains. She told them she had seen just about everything that lives in Idaho except a moose. About 20 minutes later she got a call from one of the job site superintendants telling her that if she wanted to see a moose she better get to his site as soon as possible. She took the pictures to the right of the one-year old calf that was meandering around the job site. This is the same job site I took the picture of the wolf’s paw print from a few months ago.

152' 3"

Jeff became the District IV, 1A Discus Champion today. He threw 152' 3" (46.41m.) All three of his preliminary round throws were over 150' 0" (45.72m.) Tomorrow is the shot put. I'll update then.

Shoes!!

If you look closely at the picture below of Jeff throwing, you will notice on his right tow, the shoe is worn through and has a gapping hole. He loves the feel and grip of these shoes and they are not made anymore, so he continues to wear them. He has other shoes, and they don’t have a hole in them, but these are the ones he prefers to wear. This is their third season, 2nd full time season. In the 8th grade, he used them only occasionally as they were just a little bit too long. Last year he switched off between these and his black-soled Asics. This year he has thrown almost exclusively with these. If they make it to the State Meet, it will be a miracle. They look pretty ratty and beat-up, it’s going to look like his family is so poor they make him wear shoes that have his toes hanging out the fronts.

45 meters.

Jeff threw 45.01 meters today in the discus (147' 8".) He is the 2008 Sawtoothe Conference Champion in the discus. He won today by more than 25'. Next week is the District IV 1A Championships, he has to place in the top 4 to move on to the State Meet. At this point, he is leading the entire 1A state in the discus. We are excited to see what he throws next.

His throws thus far this season have been very, very consistant. He has only had one bad week. Today started off like it was going to be a bad day, but he came around in the finals and pulled off this new PR. It seems that he just doesn't do well in Carey. I've already said that we hate their rings. We also hate that the wind blows constantly there and to make it worse, it is always a tail wind, which if a discus thrower doesn't adjust to, pushes the discus down to the ground short. Terrible place to throw. Luckily we don't have to throw here again until next track season.

27 Years!

Today is Julie and My 27th Anniversary. 27 years ago she and I knelt across the alter and made sacred convenants and vows. As I drive to or from work each day, I have an hour to an hour and a half to ride and talk with her. 27 years have made her more beautiful, fun to spend time with, and more my dear sweet companion. Thank you for the years dear; I wouldn't mind 27 more.

Camera update.

We gave our camera to Jer and Stef when their's broke. We keep forgetting to get a new one. Sorry we have had no pictures lately. We'll get one next trip into Twin Falls.

T-Shirts Guys!!!

We need ideas and sizes for the t-shirts. I wanted to get them screened and ordered on Tuesday of this next week. So far we have two ideas - only one of which is any good, and it is only marginal. Come on guys - I look to you for the ideas here - I build houses, I don't make up catchy slogans. Hurry up, time is running out.

The school's colors are gold and almost navy blue. I was thing gold colored shirts with names over the left breast and a slogan on the back. The best so far is:
"We are Jeff's Athletic Supporters!"
Do we have anything better?

Jeff's Meet - May 1st.

Jeff had a sunny, not warm, but sunny meet today in Carey, Idaho. We've said before that the rings in Carey are terrible for both the Shot Put and the Discus. He threw well, in spite of it. We are just about to taper his training in preparation for District and State Meets coming up - in the mean time - we have stepped up his lifting and running and so he came to today's meet with a sore hip, sluggishly slow feet, and generally tired. He still threw a new PR in the Shot Put of 42' 3-1/2" (12.89m) and threw 142' 4" (43.38m) in the discus. In all, it was a good day.

The weather right now is just completely crazy. We had 72 degrees (22.22c), sunny, warm with a very light wind on Sunday and Monday of this week. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday it snowed and got down to 29 degrees (-1.66c.) I'm ready for some nice spring weather.