Well I cant really say much except that I am feeling great.  I have been training hard all year and now is the first time that I am truely rested.  I am stronger, faster and more confident than I have ever been.  I have high high hopes.  I am not going to throw out any height predictions but I am expecting big things for myself.  Being a competitive person I hate losing especially on my home track, Hayward Field.  

Last year when I was preping for the Olympic Trials I had a totally different mind set.  I was uptight and worried.  This year I am relaxed and carefree.  Yesterday I went fishing with two close friends on the McKinzie river.  Fly fishing actually.   It was great I was able to clear my head completely and enjoy Gods beautiful wildlife creations.  The only negative was that I got a lot of sun!  I was out for 4 hours and got burned.  But its alright I got a full day to recover.  Today I will do my pre meet warm up in the middle of watching my girl friend compete in the heptathlon. 

I am excited to compete and have my hometown Hayward field crowd behind me one last time this year. 

"Attitude determines altitude"

Jesse

Well I am waiting for my flight in Vegas right now on my way to Brazil for the weekend.  I love Vegas!  I wish I could just stay here for all weekend instead of the long trip that lies ahead of me but the competition awaits. 

I am really excited to compete again!  I feel like things are going real well and another PB could be in the making if everything goes as planned.  I will be competing against some of Americas best....Andra Manson (current world leader with 2.35m), Dusty Jonas and Jamie Nieto.  The startlists go up today but I am not sure who else will be jumping. 

Last meet I cleared 2.34m a new outdoor PB and had some good looks at 2.37m.  I am really not sure what I am going to be capable of this weekend but things are looking on the upside. 

I want to wish everyone who is competing this weekend luck!

Jesse

The stage was set this year for the Drake Relays with 8 of the top 10 (Jim Dilling, Dusty Jonas, Tora Harris, Andra Manson, Keith Moffat, Jamie Nieto, Scott Sellers and myself) ranked high jumpers in the nation all in the same competition.  The day before the meet Des Moines was beautiful with sunny skies and 85 degree weather.  Then Saturday morning we wake up to rain, wind and 40 degrees!  This was disapointing to say the least but what can you do.....

During the warm ups it seemed like everyone was struggling.  The pit didnt seem like a pit it seemed more like a soaked sponge.  Landing on that thing was like diving into a pool of water.  Then they announced the opening height to us and to everyones surprise it was 2.15m (7-0.5).  I feel like if the weather was nice 2.15m would be perfectly fine but under there conditions its seemed silly to have such a high opening height.  (Looking back I thought they should have had an opening height lowered 5 to 10cm)  As the warm ups went on I myself started feeling adapting to the weather and gaining confidence for the start of the competition.   

I was in the middle of the order and was the first to clear 2.15m after 5 jumpers missed the opening height on the first attempt.  For me this first jump was a good jump.  I was happy and started gaining confidence.  After 4 people NH'ed the bar then went up to 2.20m (7-2.5). 

After watching all the jumpers at the previous height I knew that if I could make this bar on the first attempt I would probably win the meet.  I knew I had to make this bar.  And I did just that.  It was a poorly excecuted jump but I managed to make the bar with some room to spare.  And then 4 more people are eliminated from the competition with only 3 of us remaining. 

I felt like now I was in control of the competition.  Fortunately it was good enough for the W.  On all three of my jumps at 2.24m (7-4.25) I felt as though I was trying to get off the ground fast but couldn't do it for some reason.  I could not set up my take off the way I normally do.  I knew I was more than capable of making that next bar but ultimately could not get her done!  The other two competitors missed out at that height and I was named the winner. 

I was of course happy with the win but it was bittersweet.  Who knows what would have happend if the weather was different.  I love competing at the Drake Relays despite the cold and rain there were still a lot of fans getting into every jump which made it a lot of fun for us jumpers.  For the 100th Anniversary of the Drake Relays it will be a rememborable one for me because fo the win and the weather. 

I am looking forward to competing again.  The next competition for me will be May 9 in Eugene, OR (Oregon Twilight Meet).  If the weather is nice a jump over 2.30m would be nice....so we will see what happens

Well I have been sick the past few days but that is not slowing me down from hard training and finalizing some things for this years outdoor season.  I have recently been sent a schedule from my agent with what meets have the high jump and have now almost completed my season schedule.  Heres what I got so far.

4/25 Drake Relays, Des Moines, Iowa

5/9 Twilight meet Eugene, Oregon

5/24 Belem, Brazil GP Meeting

6/7 Prefontaine Classic GP Meeting

6/14 Harrry Jerome Classic

6/28 USA Outdoor Champs

7/7 Lasaunne, SUI SGP Meeting

7/13 Athens, GRE GP Meeting

7/25 London, GBR SGP Meeting

7/31 Stockholm, Sweden SGP Meeting

8/19 and 8/21 Must qualify (top 3 USA champs) World Champs Berlin, Germany

8/31 Gateshead, GBR GP Meeting

9/6 Rieti, ITA AP Meeting

9/12-13 Must qualify (based on point system) World Athletics Final Greece

9/20 Shanghai, China GP Meeting

I might throw a couple a other meets in there but it looks like a fun schedule this year and am looking forward to my season opener at Drake relays this year. 

Also AP (Area Permit Meeting) GP (Grand Prix) and SGP (Super Grand Prix)

he flowers are blooming the birds are singing its spring time as the outdoor season officially begins.  I am up in Eugene and its finally starting to get a little warmer!  The weather here has been quite miserable at times and we have all been longing for the clouds to let in some sun.  Its been quite the change for me moving up here after living in Los Angeles for 4 years.  I am in desperate need of some sun as my skin starts getting closer and closer to the color of my whitest t shirt!

Well what can I say I am happy with the way my indoor season went.  I averaged a 2.31.8m jump (just over 7-7) won 3 meets and got 2nd in 3 meets.  I never would have thought that the indoor season for me was going to be this successful.  I have a lot of confidence going into the outdoor season and feel like this is going to be a special year for me. 

I was however disappointed at the USA indoor meet.  I felt in control of the meet the whole time I was there and felt like I could have jumped much much higher but got unlucky and the winner got a little lucky.  I felt I was jumping better than everyone there that day but ended up not jumping the highest.  Thats high jump.  Thats the way things go at times with this nearly impossible sport.  I will not beat myself up about it and will just use this as motivation to be ready for the meets that are more important this year.  (USA's and worlds) 

I have made 2 two world champs teams in 05' (Helsinki), 07' (Osaka) and last year I made the Olympic team in Beijing and did not make the finals in any of these competitions!  Each of these teams I made I had an unbelievable experiance and a great time overall but each trip has been tainted from the lack of success while competing.  This is something that has been looming me and has been quite upsetting for me.  Each year that I have competed in these meets I have been more than capable of making the finals but have not been able to simply get it done.  So this is my one goal for the year.  This is all I care about.  I feel like if I can just make the finals I will be able to do big things, I just need to get there. 

My 2009 outdoor goals.....

1st get top 3 at the USA outdoor meet to qualify myself for the world champs in Berlin, Germany

2nd make the finals in Berlin

Of course I like to win every meet and jump new PB's but this is ultimately not what I care about the most.  I would rather make the finals in Berlin and have a season best jump of 2.30m than to jump 2.36m and not make the finals.  I could go on and on with these types of senerios.  This is all I am thinking about in practice, this is what motivates me everyday. 

This week I have a light week of training so its nice to let down my guard a little and relax before I resume hard training for the outdoor season.  I will be going to the indoor NCAA championships next weekend in College Station and am excited to see how it plays out.  I dont think I have been around a year where everyone is so close going into the NCAA meet.  I mean one guy has jumped 2.24m but then there are 15 guys between 2.21m and 2.18m.  Thats crazy!  I feel like anyone in the field could win.  ANYONE!   I am very excited about this meet.  I will be taking videos and putting them up on the site after the meet. 

Finally I want to wish everyone goodluck and I wish the best for everyone to keep on jumping high

I have not had the internet for a week now!  I have a blackberry so I can use the internet and email on it, but its just not the same.  I finally got back into Sweden they are always good for internet use, its streaming everywhere!  Thank you Sweden!

I compete here in Stockholm on Wednesday against a great field that is still taking shape.  I know for sure I will be dueling again against Linus Thornblad who last time I jumped against we both jumped 2.36m for then a tie for the world lead.  I think we both again will be ready to battle it out again!  

I do however have one concern for myself.  I have had 4 competitions in 11 days and this will be my 5th competition in 15 days and I feel the fatigue.  My body is 100% healthy but is not nearly 100% rested.  Its a mental game for me now.  I have to be the strongest mentally and not let my body fatique affect my game plan.  If I will be strong mentally I am sure for another great result. 

I have just been gaining momentum every meet.  Opening up at 2.32m, then 2.34m, 2.36m and on Saturday with a poorly run competition making 2.30m for another victory. 

I am really looking forward to Wednesday there is a buzz in the media here about the show down between myself and Linus.  I think this could be a rivalry for years to come but time will tell.  Tomorrow we will have a press conference for Linus and I that will be interesting to see what questions will be asked. 

The buzz out here is huge but I know there is no buzz in the USA.  I am tired of seeing headlines of distance runners setting American records with video interviews, newspaper articles and a rediculous amount of attention that us high jumpers will never get.  I am happy that these distance runners are doing so well and am happy that it is getting so much attention but I just want some respect fo us high jumpers.  On a world stadge the high jump in the USA is having a year that is much more impressive then distance running in the USA will ever see.  With myself jumping 2.36m, Andra Manson 2.31m and Tora Harris 2.32m we get absolutely no attention for such great jumping in comparison.  I am getting really tired of this.  No headlines no articles nothing.  I am not saying we need more attention than distance runners or anyone else I am just asking for something!  This kind of year that us USA jumpers are having does not happen very often and to get no respect over it is a slap in the face for all the work that we put into jumping! 

Anyways I wont keep my fingers crossed because I am probably certain that no matter how high we jump and no matter what records or medals we win it will always be overshadowed but other events,especially distance running.  

Recently there have been three prized money meets in the USA.  These are the only meets that professional track and field athletes can make money from.  The Boston Reebox games, Millrose games and the Tyson Invite make up a series called the Visa Championship series.  This is how the Visa Championship series works according to USATF.org

"The top American male finisher and top American female finisher in each event of the Visa Championship Series, including the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships, will have their performances assigned a point total based on the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics. The athlete whose performance has the highest point total at the end of the Visa Championship Series will be named the Visa Champion."

Who ever has the highest point value wins the Visa Championship series and an amount of $25,000.  There are many events that only have one shot at winning this amount of money because they are left out of these meets, Boston, NYC, Tyson...  I have been a pro athlete going on 4 years now and I have yet to get a sniff of one of these indoor competitions.  4 years!  This year with my 2.36m jump I would be in the lead of the Visa Championship series but since we do not get any chance to even compete in one of these meets its not even possible for me to win this money unless I duplicate this preformance at the USA indoor meet.  I do not think that this is fair I get one chance while some people are given 4 chances!  This is simply put not fair.  I might not be in as great a shape by the USA nationals but you can bet I am going to try and make a big statement and win this Visa Championship series.  Maybe then I could make one headline! 

I will not be regularly blogging on this but felt the need for it today.  I want to say again that I love every event and always wish well for everyone in the sport I just feel like high jumpers get the shaft given to them too much and felt the need to let it out.  Thanks for reading and will write again soon!

Well this was a crazy meet one that I thought I might not even compete in!

I strained my back the day before the competition and it did not feel good in the warm ups before the meet.  I did my usual warm up and then took a few jumps at some low heights.  Then the height was raised to 2.10m (6-10.75) and I may have made it one time out of 5 jumps.  I was getting worried in my head but I didnt let it get to me.  My back kept on getting more and more loose every jump.  I decided to open up at 2.10m there were only 4 of us in the competition so I knew the competition was going to go by fast which was good because I needed to keep moving around to keep my back from getting tight.  So soon enough I was up and cleared the bar pretty easily at 2.10m but it didnt feel great.  Then the same happened for the next 2 heights, 2.15m and 2.20m.  I was in the lead at this point.  Andra Manson missed once at 2.20m then passed to 2.24m and made it on his first attempt while it took me two jumps.  My first jump I didn't hold my take off and went into the bar taking it off with my shoulders.  The bar was then raised to 2.27m and again Andra made it on his first attempt.  I knew if I could make this height on the first attempt as well I too would be tied with Andra but again I went into the bar and didnt hold my take off, but on my second attempt hit a great jump easily sailing over the bar.  This big jump gave me a lot of confidence going into the next height 2.30m.  Andra missed his first attempt I missed my first attempt then Andra missed his second.  I knew then that this was my chance to take the lead and I took it with a great make at 2.30m possibly the best jum I had all night.  Manson settled down and made his 3rd attempt at 2.30m.  So I was in the lead now but couldnt relax because I knew Andra was very capable of making 2.32m, but he missed out on all three jumps while I had a great first attempt and eventually prevailed on my 3rd jump!!!!  Opened the season up with 2.32m which ties my indoor PR and is only 1cm off my outdoor PR, 2.33m

I thought this meet was a great statement for USA high jumpers.  And hopefully will start to open the eyes of more spectators.  I think that if we keep this kind of jumping up more and more people will be interested in the sport which is my ultimate goal.  So USATF take note and keep your eyes open for bigger and better comps by more USA high jumpers. 

Finally I have to say I am pleased with the competition and am getting excited for Arnstadt this weekend 2/7.  http://www.arnstadt.net/hmm/ This is possibly the top high jump competition in the world year in and out. 

Look at the start list and see the potential

Ok here is the info for the meet I am going to compete at in Sweden

The meet website is http://www.malmoindoorgala.se/index2.php

and here are the start lists should be a good competition!!!!

High Jump Men 20:25