20 in 2: The Double Decathlon, or Icosathlon, is a track and field competition in which the athlete must complete all twenty track and field events over two days (which includes completing a standard decathlon in addition to the ten other events,) scoring points based on performance from the IAAF scoring formulas. After finishing seventh in the 2005 World Championship, I began to train for the 2006 Worlds. This is the blog of my journey, dedicated to promoting the Icosathlon, as well as promoting a friendly, healthy track and field community...
email Dimitry: dimitry@yakoushkin.com
Performance & Goal Log Training Log
March 2006 Archive:
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Blog Archive:
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March 23, 2006 Calm Before the Storm... I'm officially in the March 29-30 Cal Atlas & Athena Challenge Decathlon at UC Berkeley. The weather looks like it's going to cooperate, and it should be a great meet with a lot of talent. I'm thrilled, nervous, and a little anxious about my health. I still can't go 2 days straight without taking ibuprofen and not having a good amount of pain after a run longer than 3 miles, but with the "anti-inflammatory" (I don't like the word "pain killer" because too many celebrities have checked into 4-star recuperation facilities under this heading) I feel great. I e-mailed my doctor about my use and to learn the side-effects/negative effects, as well as listen to her general advice on the matter - I'm sure there are more than a few interested in this, particularly you athletes/weekend warriors, and I will keep you posted.
Now on to Berkeley, where Devin and Dawn might even be able to see my last event(s) after school/work - the 400 and the 1500 - on Wednesday and Thursday! (Coincidentally, my best events.) My first decathlon is just a few days away... -- post/email comment -- 0 comments -- March 13, 2006 Watering Down the Punch... I'm beginning to understand the frustration and perpetual self-critical nature of the multi-eventer. With so many events to do in such a short period of time , the track athlete's mantra of "I can do better" is multiplied by each of the ten (or seven, or twenty) events, and compounded by the fact that one event naturally takes something away from the other - be it training time, mass, strength, or speed. "I can do better" is legitimate - given time to focus in the 800, I could crank off four 2:05 intervals on grass (NOT the kind of "on grass" some of you are thinking), yesterday I could barely run one 2:05 in competition. I got into this in an earlier blog, but it's worth re-visiting; a famous Russian saying states that "a day without misery is like a day without sunshine" (it is no coincidence that Russian culture shares much with adult children of alcoholics.) You would guess that Russians would own every decathlon record, but it is not the case -- obviously, we talk big about misery but don't put the work in. Other than almost reaching my first 800 point performance (in that molasses-y 800), the UC Davis Aggie Open was rather uneventful from a competition standpoint. (Although I had a decent long jump... that I scratched, and a great throw in the shot... at warm-ups.) It was wonderful to see Coach Dee and V and the rest of the gang looking so great - like not a day went by since I left. Coach V walked by me as I held a javelin, and his first words to me in six years were "What the hell are you doing here? You can't throw that thing!" -- like I said -- it was as if I never left, and I still have a smile on my face - thank you coach V for not being anyone but you. I would recommend to every geek, ex-con, awkward teenager, frightened child, or any real or perceived misfit to return home for Thanksgiving - there are always relatives that are happy to see you, and new friends and family to discover. -- post/email comment -- 0 comments --
March 9, 2006 Testing, Testing... A strained hamstring, poor weather, and my first self-preservation thought (maybe ever?) kept me out of the Chico decathlon - and now begins the road to the Cal Atlas & Athena Challenge at UC Berkeley March 29-30. I really need to improve on a few marks to gain entry, and I also believe in competing your way into shape, so there are a few meets in between now and then -- most notable is the UC Davis Open, where I will be returning to my home track for the first time in seven years to do six events and possibly rabbit the 1500 or 5k. Results will be posted here after the meet. (Take note that the entries are seeded by performance, and that I am the last entry in every event that I am in, which is great because I can only improve!) This will be the first real competitive test of my leg, and the first real competitive test for me, period. It will be a fun, stressful, exciting and emotional few hours, for sure. Returning home is an emotionally interesting time. Sometimes it means so much to you, but not much to the people you are returning to, and sometimes it's the opposite. For me, it is a mix of both - it's thrilling, but awkward. Old teammates, some younger than me, are now assistant coaches. Injury, eligibility and some mediocre performance issues did not exactly provide me the glorious exit from track and field (which is probably part of why I'm still out here), so I feel like the second cousin that just got out of the joint after seven years and is coming home for Thanksgiving. But my college coach Dee was like my second mom - she could tell when I lost three pounds form the flu and how much sleep I got in the last three days just by looking at my face - seeing her is worth the trip alone. On another note, it seems that after going to a few vault practices, I'm learning that pole vaulting is one of the more difficult and painful events, (yeeow - at least we're done having kids), and that you can't really clear nineteen feet after four practice sessions. More on this later, as I am feverously trying to clear a respectable height by the end of March; Bruce Hotaling, a local coach with a top-notch backyard facility and Bryan Jaeger, a former teammate currently coaching at College of Marin periodically work wonders with me, when I/we have the time. On the good news side of things - March 7th I threw over 11 meters for the first time ever in the shot, the same day I ran my best 5k time in a few years - an awesome and polar opposite double to do that in. -- post/email comment -- 0 comments -- |
Links: Multi-Event Points Calculator - Enter your Marks & See Your Score IAUM - the governing body for the Double Decathlon All-Time Double Decathlon World Lists, Master's, Women's & Open. (individual & event performances) 2005 Double Dec. World Championship Complete Results USA T&F - United States Track and Field DecathlonUSA.org - history, records, current info on the decathlon Stabhochsprung - the most comprehensive video history of vaulting VS Athletics - track and field supplies, equipment Change of Pace.com: N.California Running & Training Clubs Kip Janvrin's Post-World Record Interview Masters Track.com: Masters Track and Field Website Have a link you want posted here or that should be posted here? email Dimitry |
