100 Days are Gone!

Exactly one third of my training time is over.  I’m not sure if I’m happy or sad about that.  I definitely know that I am not yet ready to compete at Worlds. 

Since Daylight Saving Time went off at the beginning of November, I have been focusing on weight training and cardio during visits to my local YMCA.  It is too dark to play disc golf after work, so this gives me something to do every day to stay busy training.

Generally, if I have the chance, I play some disc golf on the weekends, weather permitting.  This weekend was one of those times.  Both Saturday and Sunday we had rain showers, but I considered them practice for what Worlds would be like if the day was rainy.

Let’s just say that I’m hoping that won’t be what happens in July!  Yikes!  It added a few more steps to every throw when I had to wipe each disc after it was thrown. 

I did learn a few things during practice.  

• First of all, I am getting stronger.  My throws are starting to go farther.  The remarkable thing about that is I’m not practicing the actual form of disc golf right now.  I feel very “rusty” on the rare weekend day when I can play.  Which brings me to point two:  
• There is nothing like a lot of regular practice to get my body moving the way it needs to move for maximum affect.  At my age, I need to continually work on form so that I don’t have to think about it so much during match play.  
• My foot continues to ache as it has ever since playing in Charlotte over Thanksgiving.  I think that it was so cold there that I never properly warmed up, and may have strained the tendons in my right foot. 
• So point four is that I need to warm up my joints before starting to throw.  
• Point five would be that I still need to lose more weight so that I can better tolerate all the walking/standing that is required during a round of golf.

One hundred days of training has gone by in a flash.  In four months I return to the doctor to see what my blood work shows.  That will be a good goal period to see how much more weight I can lose before the World Championships.  

In two months I will be competing at Barnett Park in Orlando, where I will have to throw over open water and make it on the island.  Good practice for throwing over water at Worlds.  In three months, I will be competing in the Sunshine State Shootout.  Another milestone as I will not have much opportunity to practice on the actual course where this competition will be held.  

At the end of May, the Orlando Open will be held at Bill Frederick Park.  This will be a perfect chance to see how much I have improved since last competing there at the first of September.

So lots of milestones are set in place.  There is still a lot of training to do, but I can see that by the time Worlds actually begins, I will be wishing that I had even more time to prepare.  

200 Days to Worlds

Out of Sorts

Last Saturday I played a round of disc golf in DeBary.  My right foot still aches a bit from when I played in Charlotte over Thanksgiving. I'm not sure if it is tendonitis, or a slight sprain, or just aching bones.  It was so cold in Charlotte, I believe that may have had something to do with it since I didn't really have much time to warm up before beginning to play.

But the really surprising thing was both last Saturday and the one before that, I played really lousy!  I was so disappointed that all the weight training I'm doing has translated back into throwing farther.

Now, I must admit that I FELT stronger even if I didn't throw better.  It seemed to take me a good 10 holes just to feel like I was in some sort of groove with my throws.  Am I tired?  Lacking practice?  Forgetting basic form?  Unable to move like a used to  6 weeks ago?

The truth is, probably all of the above is correct.  I wish I was able to throw a bit every day, but I just can't do that right now.  And with the holiday season upon us, it seems as though I have no time on the weekends either to play a couple rounds of disc golf.  I'm lucky to get one in.

My foot is another situation altogether.  I can't really put extended pressure on the foot as I'd have to during a long walk.  It seems that I've been trying to redistribute my weight on my foot which has now made other parts of the foot ache.  Most cardio involves pressure on the foot, so I'm a bit stuck right now.

I'm still going to train, lift weights, and will resume longer walks when my foot feels better.  But for right now, I'm just out of sorts when it comes to the training.

Blood Work

Today I had to go in to the doctor to have blood drawn.  One week from today I will get the results.  It will be interesting to see if there have been any changes since last time I had blood drawn which was August 8^th of this year. 

At that time I had been playing a LOT of disc golf – every night if the weather held, because I was preparing for the Southeastern Amateur Championships held over Labor Day at my home course in Orlando.  It was the first time I’d seen my new doctor after having had a kidney removed in April.  I had determined it was time for me to find a doctor who I was able to communicate.  Years of suffering with undiagnosed kidney problems resulted in me losing my left kidney.  It was clear I could not make that mistake again.  I only had one left.

My new doctor wanted to take me off of some of my medications which she did after seeing the report on my blood work.  Today’s blood tests will determine if reducing my medications had any affect on my numbers – and if the change was good or bad.

Next week Wednesday, I will go back in for a follow up with the doctor.  She will review the blood results with me and we will see where we go from there.

Since August, I’ve begun full-blown training for 2014 worlds, have been exercising like crazy, and have lost some weight.  I’m very curious to see what affect that has had on my numbers. 

Stay tuned for the answer!

220 Days to Worlds.

One Fourth of the Way is Complete!

Today is the 75^th day of the 300 days set aside to train for the 2014 PDGA Disc Golf Amateur World Championships!  That is one fourth of the way there.  

In the last 75 days, I’ve

• played disc golf 50 days
• lifted 195,255 pounds of weights in 28 days
• walked (apart from disc golf) 18 days
• had 3 days of putting practice
• successfully met diet goals 69 times

I miss being able to play disc golf every night as I can do during daylight saving time.  It has been fun playing in some different courses on the weekends and especially while we were in Charlotte last week.  Tomorrow I’m going to play handicaps at my home course for the first time in about a month.  It will be interesting to see how rusty I am at playing those courses.

At any rate, tomorrow brings on my second quarter of training.  I’m ready to say, “Bring it on!”

225 Days to Worlds!

Rest in Peace, Ed

 Shortly after I got home last night, we heard someone at the front door, and then the roar of a delivery truck pulling away from our home.  While we didn’t hear the doorbell go off, we surmised that someone had delivered something for us.

Sure enough, there was a thin square box at the front door.  It was addressed to me, and when I opened it, this is what I found in the box!

It was a “Lines of Headrick Memorial Freestyle Disc” with the inscription, “Herein lie the ashes of “Steady” Ed, founding father of Frisbee and the sport of Disc Golf.  A giant of a man who was many things to many people.  Fly Free and rest in peace.”

It was “Steady” Ed’s wish that once he passed away his ashes be incorporated into discs so that his soul could fly freely. “Steady” Ed loved the Disc Golf and Frisbee® community and wished them to have his discs. Tiny specks of ash can been seen in the disc when you shine a light through it.  It is amazing to know that I have one of these discs.

All proceeds from the sale of “Steady” Ed Memorial Discs go to the nonprofit “Steady” Ed Memorial Fund, raising money to support “The Ed Headrick Memorial Museum,” home to the Disc Golf Hall of Fame, showcasing many historical items from the early days of our sport at the PDGA International Disc Golf Center at Wildwood Park, Appling Georgia.

I received the disc since I was named a weekly winner of the Disc Golf Association’s Spirit of the Game Contest.  While I didn’t win the final prize, a MACH X disc golf basket (which would have been awesome) my essay was one of the four weekly winners, and I was honored to receive this disc.

My first thought was to take it to work where I have a display of some of my competition discs, and that is where it is at the moment. 

However, since his wish was that he could continue to fly freely down the disc course, I will have to honor that request and take it for a spin every once in a while.

Rest in peace, to be sure, Ed!

226 Days to Worlds!!

Dry Creek Monroe, NC

Last week we visited our family in Charlotte, NC.  We often try out some of the disc golf courses there when we visit.

This year we discovered a new course in Monroe, NC, which is just a few miles away from where our oldest son lives.  About half of the holes were in wooded areas and half had more open fairways.  It’s called Dry Creek Disc Golf Course. 

I’ve only played the Charlotte courses when we visit around Thanksgiving, so all I know about them is what they are like during the late fall.  There are a LOT of leaves on the ground.  

This year, there was a fairly big rain just before we got there, so the leaves were quite matted down.  Some years, they are all fluffy and crunchy which is fun to walk through, but discs get lost so easily when there is six inches of fallen leaves for them to disappear into.

On one hole, Danny got as close as a person can get to the basket on his drive, without making an ace!  It was great to watch.

I think this is the kind of course we will enjoy playing again the next time we go for a visit.

A Golden Day

On Friday after Thanksgiving, I had a chance to check something off my bucket list.  Danny and I were able to play the Winthrop Gold course at Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC.  This course is the home to the United States Disc Golf Championships (USDGC) which is played each October featuring only about 150 of the best of the best disc golfers in the United States.  It is one of the few tournaments that is televised.

Danny had a chance to experience the course when he played in the USDGC Performance Edition in 2011. It was a daunting experience to say the least, but he actually played quite well.  Since he had played the course during that competition, he remembered well each hole.  Some were slightly different when we were there after Thanksgiving, but mostly, the general layout was still in place.

Of course, none of the out-of-bounds ropes were up, but he told me where they had been and Danny played as if they were still in place.  I just played the course from the short pads, as it stood -- that was challenging enough for me!

We took a few photos while on the course, and of course took some at the famous Bamboo Hole including a video of Danny making the shot through the garage door-sized opening.

Many of the views from the tee-box were exactly as they appeared on Disc Golf Planet, but the shot looked a lot tougher in real life than it did on the computer screen.

Having watched some videos, and having a DVD of the 2012 USDGC, it was so interesting to actually play the course.  I'm going to replay that video now that I'm back home and can do it from the point of view of having been there!  It was thrilling, and definitely a bucket list item.

229 Days to Worlds

Strains of Rocky Playing in my Mind….

For the past three weeks, I’ve been lifting weights for the first time in my life.  In a never-ending quest to get stronger and have more endurance for the 2014 World Championships, I have begun a weight training program.  Our son, Danny, who has been weight training since he was part of the swim team in high school, has been my coach.  He designs my workouts and posts them to a Google Doc that we share.  I do some training every night, varying the type of workout from one day to the next.

Yesterday, Danny didn’t get a workout written before I got to the gym.  I felt as if I was floundering a bit, but decided to just repeat what I had done the week before.  However, to my surprise, I noticed that the workout was significantly easier than it had been the previous week.  Shock and surprise!  I guess it’s starting to work.

This being Thanksgiving week and all, I’m expecting that my workouts will need to be somewhat abbreviated later in the week, so tonight I’m going back to the gym and work out some more.

Sometimes, by the night’s end, I hear the sounds of “Rocky” playing in the mind as I feel as if I’m getting just a little stronger every time I lift.

My gym is connected to an online system where you can go in and look at the workouts you have completed, the amount of weight lifted, and an evaluation of your form.  It’s based on whether you are lifting too fast or touching down on the weights in between reps.  They also put a little chart on the sign in page indicating how much you have lifted in terms of how many “elephants” you’ve done.  

As of yesterday, I'm up to 14 elephants!  Inconsequential data, I realize, but a very visual representation of one’s progress.  

I'm a Weekly Winner!

Just got word that I'm the third of four weekly winners of the Disc Golf Association Essay Contest to win a brand spanking new Mach X Disc Golf Basket.  YIPPEE!!!!

After next week's winner is announced, there will be a determination who of the four weekly winners has won the basket.  I'm still a bit shocked that I was chosen.  Now, I'll just have to wait a couple more weeks to hear the answer.

Click here to see the post:

It would be absolutely super to win this practice putting basket.  AND, I definitely need the extra practice.

Doing Nothing

For the first time in 63 days of preparation for the 2014 World Disc Golf Championships, I did NOTHING yesterday.  I didn’t walk, I didn’t lift weights, I didn’t even pick up a disc.  I just don’t know what happened.

The day started a little late.  I didn’t get up until 7:27, and I needed to leave the house by 7:45 to get to church.  Not a good beginning.

Got a call from Danny that he had locked his keys in the car.  That meant a trip to DeBary was in order at some point during the day to get him his spare key.

On Saturday I drove up there to caddy for him for his second round of the day at the DeBary Open Disc Golf Tournament.  It was interesting watching him as he competed with other guys in the Pro Open division, which was a first for him.  He had hoped to be able to compete with some disc golfers who were at the next level to learn from them.

Some of the holes he played brilliantly, but then there were a few that got the better of him.  The best hole of the day from round two was hole 13, a 422 ft par 4 where he threw a brilliant drive, that landed about 35 feet from the pin.  And BAM!  He made the putt, too, for an Eagle!

Only hole that surpassed hole 13 was the second last hole of the afternoon.  It was hole 1, a CTP hole.  From the tee pad you could see the marker where the previous best throw landed.  It was less than a foot from the pole.  Danny decided to flick, approaching the shot from the left with a skip shot to the pin, avoiding the trees and overhanging branches.

It was a perfect throw, with a big skip, that I thought at first might make it in the basket.  That didn’t happen, but his disc hit the pole and died right there.  The shot ended up landing just a few inches closer to the pin – for a nice win of $92!

That was fun to watch.  The trip back home after the round was over wasn’t nearly so much fun.  Traffic worse than rush hour as the Interstate turned into a parking lot for at least 10 miles.  My nerves were frazzled by the time I got home.

So on Sunday, making another trip to DeBary wasn’t something I looked forward to, but of course, sometimes we just need to do those things for family.

In the afternoon it got quite cold, and my energy level was at an all-time low.  So I did nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  Watched some TV, made supper, enjoyed my grandsons, but basically did nothing. 

I’m not proud of that.  Tonight I’ll dig in again, and start with weights and cardio.  It’s Thanksgiving week.  There’s going to be enough calories to eat later in the week!  Better start working off some of them ahead of time.

236 Days To Go!

Free Basket – Sure Thing!

Disc Golf Association is offering a chance at a free disc golf basket on their Facebook page.  All you have to do is submit an essay and then get people to vote for you.  It’s a typical sort of social media campaign, and normally I stay as far away from those things as possible.

This one, however, was particularly appealing to me (obviously!) since I’d love to have one of those new baskets to practice with in preparation for Worlds.

So, I’m going to do some shameless promotion here, and let you know that if you would like to be a part of my journey to do well at the 2014 World Championships, you could to on Facebook and vote for me.  I’m currently in second place and you can vote for me if you want to.  Click on this link:  Spirit of the Game Contest

Ultimately, I’d love to see more people become aware of the sport of disc golf.  It’s great for all ages (I’m a perfect example of that) and all abilities (ditto on the example thing) and all levels of fitness (need I say it again?  Ditto!).

Thanks for reading my blogs, and hopefully you’ll also vote for me!

Spirit of the Game Contest

This Isn’t World Peace

 Week two of post-daylight saving time training is nearly done.  I am now fully oriented to all the weight machines in the gym, plus Danny has me on a pretty rigorous schedule of cardio training.  I also have a trainer at the Y who is assisting me do some other simple and age-appropriate stretches, balance drills, and core training.

Is my whole life focused on this?  It seems that it is.  But for now, that is OK.  I know that these next weeks and months are going to fly by and if I want to do well at Worlds I have to make use of every moment to prepare and train.

We aren’t talking world peace here it terms of importance.  But for the first time in my life, I have the time to do this, and not a lot of outside commitments that can conflict with reaching my goals.  It is sort of liberating.

Lifting weights is a whole new training element for me.  I’ve done a lot of walking over the years, and certainly played a lot of disc golf in the past few years.  But I’ve never had a regimented weight lifting program before.  I’m finding that I really enjoy it.

Part of the reason I like it is that I can log in to my fitness center and see my workouts that I’ve done each day.  It is fun and oddly satisfying to see the amount of weight increase each workout.  My account also shows me how WELL I’ve lifted at each weight machine.  That gives me direct feedback as to how I’m doing.

I’m not going for buff here….but I would like to end up stronger and certainly with more muscle tone.  Only time will tell!

Why Can’t I Remember?

In the past two months, I’ve trained consistently and enthusiastically for 2014 Worlds.  Training has included playing a LOT of disc golf, plus other forms of cardio and weight lifting.  As I’m doing all the training, I think about getting stronger and developing more endurance.  It appears to be working.  My problem appears to be my mind!

On Saturday I played two full rounds in DeBary Florida with Danny.  I had good solid rounds.  On several of the holes the baskets had been moved from where they were the first two times we played that course.  They are preparing for a big tournament in a couple of weeks and so it was good for Danny to be able experience the new pin locations.

My level of play is nowhere near where Danny’s is.  Every time we have a chance to play together, I learn something from him.  So much so, that even when I’m playing by myself, his words are in my head.

There were a couple of times this weekend when I was wondering why my disc wasn’t going where I wanted, and expected it to go.  That was when his words hit me, “You have to follow through!”  Every time I get to a hole and my discs aren’t going where I want them to I realize that I’m not following through.

On Sunday I played the original course (T-1) at Bill Frederick Park, and had a fantastic round--that is until the very last hole.  I have only recently learned how to throw across a small ravine from the tee pad.  The far side of the ravine has steps leading back up so that the hole continues at the same elevation that the tee pad is on.

Lately, if I visualize the way to throw the disc, I can get it over the ravine and up past the stairs.  From there it is one approach shot and a putt to the basket.  

On Sunday, I just couldn't get over the gap.  After throwing several discs, I decided to go retrieve all of them and start over.  When I was ready to throw again, it hit me, "You have to follow through!"  Duh!  Why did I forget that?  So, I got up on the tee, did my run up and WOW!  It went all the way over, and landed closer to the basket than I have ever before reached.  

So I ask, “Why can’t I remember this?  Why do I actually have to remind myself to do a good follow through?”  It shouldn’t be that hard.

Maybe it’s my age.  Maybe it’s because as I was learning how to throw I was very cautious and tried to carefully place my disc, and didn't learn the follow through.  Whatever it is, I realize that I have to completely break that habit.

This lesson does not go unnoticed as I’m beginning to lift weights for the first time in my life.  I’m going slowly, as instructed and trying very hard to have proper form on every lift.  Maybe, starting slowly, I’ll be able to remember form and not have to remind myself six months from now when it should all be routine.

Let the weights begin!

I had my first session with a trainer at the Y on Tuesday.  She only showed me half of the weight training machines.  Her first questions to me were about why I was wanting to do this, what my goals were, what (if any) physical impediments I had, etc…  After hearing my answer she decided to start slowly with me.  She started me out with stretching and then set me up on the first five machines.   

Considering my age and all, I wasn’t surprised. 

I have not been able to figure out what sort of routine I need to be in.  Danny has given me a training plan which helps considerably, but I’m not sure if I should go in the morning before work, or later in the day after work.

The other day I walked on one of the treadmills.  Years ago I did that while Danny was on a year round swim team.  The aquatic center where he trained had a fitness center, and I used the treadmill while he swam.  I used to watch him swim back and forth, back and forth.  It seemed so peaceful.

Running is something I’ve never been good at.  Walking suits me fine, but it can be so boring.  And if I’m going to walk, I’d prefer doing it outside, but that has its problems too.  By the time I get home it’s nearly dark.  While I’m not afraid to walk in the dark, there are all sorts of dangers that can get a person in trouble.  

Dogs that come running after you, uneven sidewalk pavement, low hanging tree branches, thick bushes with a myriad of spider webs, and the inevitable lawn sprinklers that make one hope from the sidewalk to the street and back again.

I found that walking right in the street was the best.  Now, I’m not talking about doing that on a main street with a lot of traffic, but on a quiet, safe, neighborhood street.  I used to do that near our home, and always took a small but powerful flashlight with me.  I’d use it not to light my way so much, as to flash at cars as they approached from either direction so that they knew there was someone in the street.

Then, one day, as I was walking about 7 PM, a car slowed down just past me.  Alarm bells went off, but I just kept walking, and in fact picked up my pace.  Then the car backed up.  I began walking even faster.  I started looking for a home that had a porch light on in case I had to make a run for it.  (Yeah, right!  Me run?  I might just as well give up!)

The person in the car told me to stop, and it was then that I looked at the car closer.  It did not have any markings on the outside or lights on top, but inside there were all sorts of lights and dials, and the driver was also sitting at some sort of computer console.  Then I looked at his uniform. It was a county sheriff.  That was a relief.

The relief was short lived.  He told me I wasn’t allowed to walk on the street and that I needed to go home because it was too late to be walking outside.  What?  Are you kidding me?

I explained why I was walking, and why I was in the street.  I think he took it as sass, but really I was not at all nasty.  Then he told me if I didn’t get out of the street he was going to give me a ticket.  I laughed right out loud.  Seriously?  A warning bell went off and I decided not to be a jerk, but just listened to his nonsense and started walking on the side walk.

That experience sort of soured my attitude about walking outside.  Shortly after that I took up disc golf and haven’t done much seriously aerobic walking since. 

So now I’m back on that treadmill. 

I wonder if I could write my blog while walking?  That would at least occupy my mind…..  Hmmmm….

Confounded Body and Mind

This is the first week since our clocks were turned back an hour upon the return to normal Standard Time.  That means less time in the evening to do activities outdoors.  So, my family decided to join our local YMCA to have access to some additional activities that we can do either before or after work, including making use of the weight training machines.

My first session of weight training was a “get acquainted” session with a trainer.  I learned how to track my progress and set up each machine to get the maximum benefit from lifting weight.  That happened yesterday.  Today is a resting day from the weights, so I intend to go to a local middle school and throw in the field a little after work.  When I get home, I’ll take a walk around the neighborhood even though it will probably be dark by then.

My understanding of this whole process is to try and confound the body by doing something different day to day, working different parts of the body, and still gaining strength and endurance. 

I don’t know if my body is confounded, but my brain sure seems to be!  I just hope that all the hype about weight lifting proves to be true and that it will help me more than just walking at night.  

My First Birdie!

This past weekend I got my first birdie ever at Bill Frederick Park.  In the past two months, I've been practicing pretty regularly, and especially in the last two or three weeks, there have been times when I thought, "I could make this putt, and it would be my first birdie!"

Since Danny has been the one coaching me, I thought it would be great if I'd make my first birdie while he was playing with me.  Several times, I'd be close enough for a birdie to be a possibility.  Try as I would to not let that get in my head, it did.  But, more to the point, I never made one until Saturday.

Saturday was a rainy dreary day.  As disappointed as I was that we couldn't play disc golf, there was the reality that we hadn't had a good rain in a couple of months.  Our grass, and trees really needed the nourishing rain.  Late in the afternoon, the rain let up and I decided to head over to the park to get in some practice.

Danny suggested that I try working on just a few holes, playing them over and over again, to hone my approach to getting a par.  I decided to play holes 10, 11, and 18 on the original course.  All three of those holes have elevation changes, plus quite a bit of random vegetation that can get in the way of an optimal throw for me.

After my first round of those three holes, I started over, and at that point I was warmed up and focused even more on every aspect of my throw.  Hole ten has this dip in the terrain between the tee and the basket.  If you have a strong arm, it is easy to throw over all of that and have your first throw land right near (or maybe even in!) the basket.

I've never even thrown close to the rise of the second hill.  But Saturday was my day.  My drive landed half way up the rise, giving me a good look at the basket.  Danny's words were in my head, "Throw a nice hyzer just to the right of that pine tree."  (It stand like a guard right in the way of the basket!)  I had four Rocs in my bag, and prepared to send them on their way to the basket.  I picked up my first one, a pink Rock, and threw it.

Almost the moment it left my hand, I could see that it was going to be VERY close to the basket.  When it hit those chains, I wanted to laugh, scream, and jump up and down all at the same time.  I kept looking at the basket and could barely contain myself.

I had to call Danny!  He answered his cell and told me he knew that was why I was calling.  He said he knew I was very close to achieving that goal of my first birdie, and all along he's said it would be on hole 10.

I didn't get any other birdies that day, but the one was enough.  I gave me just enough push to keep training and working hard toward Worlds, 2014!

The Sad So-Long!

This is the last week that I will be able to play disc golf after work.  Bill Frederick Park, my home park, where I play every night will begin closing at 5 PM once Daylight Saving Time ends this coming Sunday. 

I’m already having withdrawal symptoms.

Playing disc golf has provided me with so much enjoyment ever since I had surgery to remove my kidney last spring.  At first, it was something to do to regain my strength and endurance. 

  Then I was practicing to prepare for 2013 World Championships.  After that I was training for the Southeastern Amateur Championships (SAC). 

After the SAC, I ramped up the training efforts and have been working hard to get stronger, and faster and more accurate with my throws.  I really enjoy the time spent on the disc golf course.  After sitting at my desk at work all day, it is great to get outdoors and walk a few miles while throwing plastic.  Since my surgery, I’ve logged 264 miles of walking/playing disc golf.

While I will still be able to play on the weekends, and will thoroughly enjoy it, I’m going to miss being outdoors and walking and having time to “be in my own head” while practicing.

I’m sure I’ll find something else, but it’s really hard to stop doing something that is so good for you!

Ript Disc Golf Card Game

On Sunday, we played "Ript" on the disc golf course.  It is a card game that you play while playing disc golf.  The game consists of a deck of cards with various actions on them.  At the start of a hole you can use a card on your opponent which will most likely be a disadvantage to him/her.

Danny bought a deck of "Ript" cards the other day, and this was our first chance to play the game.  We play a game of skins, meaning that the winner of each hole gets a point, everyone else gets nothing.

Since Danny is SO much better than I am, we devised our own rules for the game.  For instance, he takes all his throws from the long tee, while I use the short tee.  Most importantly, he plays NO cards on me.  I'm the only one playing cards against him.

I have five cards at the start of each hole and am allowed to play two on him per hole.  Some of the cards are meant to be played before any throws, such as "Choose a disc from your opponents bag for the next drive" or "Your opponent must be silent during the playing of the next hole."

On Sunday, we had to quit half way through the game.  One of my cards was, "Make your opponent throw a Roller off the tee."  Making Danny throw a Roller is no advantage to me as he can throw that shot with as good as, if not better, accuracy than a normal throw.  However, I had the perfect hole in mind for this card -- hole 16 on T-2 which is a long water hole.

Danny has a big arm and can drive from the tee to within a few fee of the basket.  I, on the other hand, throw from the short tee and have a very difficult time making less than four on this hole.  Making him throw a roller, meant he would have to go all the way around the water to where the basket was, and that included going through an area that had a lot of roots in the way for the Roller to get caught on.

Since we had to cut our game short on Sunday, we agreed to resume it one night this week.  Last night was the night.  On Sunday we had been working the rules out so that it would make us be more competitive in the game of skins.  Last night when we resumed the game, we started where we had left off with the following additional provision:

• When I get the card that allows me to pick the disc for him to throw, I can pick something from MY bag, including my mini.

The only way I can get points from in this game is to minimize his drive.  I had a card that said, after everyone drives, replace your lie with the lie of your opponent.  So Danny threw his big drive from the long tee.  I on the other hand, stood on the tee pad and threw backwards, and towards some trees.  That meant Danny was taking his second shot from way back in the midst of trees while I was able to take my second shot from where is first one landed!

His second shot was nearly as good as his first, but it was still in a more difficult position than where is first throw had landed.  I was able to just make it close enough to the basket on my second shot that my third shot was for par which I made.  My skin!

By the time we got to hole 16, I could barely contain myself.  I knew I was going to make him throw that roller.  However, one of the cards I drew prior to his throw was, "You must remain silent until you have completed this hole."  That was the card I gave him first.

Then I said, "Here is your second card."  It was the Roller card!  Oh, if looks could kill!  He had bad card and couldn't even say a curse word!

I laughed with glee.  It was truly a dastardly trick.

Thankfully, Danny is a good sport.  He also is SO much better than I am that anything I can do to deter his success he somehow manages to overcome!

I Survived My First Worlds!

In July of this year my son, Danny, and I attended the 2013 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships in Emporia, KS.  This was the first major tournament I had ever participated in.  

I had no idea what to expect as I prepared for the event.  I was pretty sure that most of the players would be way out of my league, and that proved to be correct.  But that was not a concern for me.  All I wanted to do was survive.

Just 10 weeks before the tournament, I had my left kidney removed after a lengthy illness.  We had made the decision to go to Worlds way before I knew that I was going to need surgery, or I probably would not have gone so soon after that procedure. 

There were moments when I was preparing for the competition when I fretted about whether I could survive all the walking and all the throwing that was involved in a six round disc golf tournament.  I knew that the weather would play a big part in my ability to play all six rounds.  I was hoping for sunny weather, so that I didn’t have to deal with lugging an umbrella, or alternatively, playing in rain-drenched clothes.

The number of discs I took to Emporia was more than I needed, but I did not know how many I might lose in lakes, ponds, or streams along the various courses we played.  During the actual competition I limited my bag to six discs, two Leopards, two Kites, one Putter and a spare disc that I was willing to risk losing if it landed in water.

Most of the other competitors had far more discs with them than I did.  However, I was concerned about carrying anything too heavy.  I also carried a water bottle that I could refill at numerous places along the course, and a tri-pod stool, so that I could rest my legs and feet while waiting for someone to throw.

What I wasn’t figuring on was that the weather would be nice—too nice!  It was sunny and hot during the whole tournament.  The first day it was over 105 degrees by the time we got off the disc golf course.  There was a point during that first day when I thought I might not make it the full 18 holes of the afternoon’s session. 

The morning session was at a course with a good amount of shade trees.  It was fairly flat with small elevation changes, and some holes wound their way or near some woods and a small stream.  This was nothing out of the ordinary for me.

The course that afternoon was rolling hills and long fairways.  It was super-imposed over a ball golf course just for this tournament. However, we weren’t allowed to use golf carts to transport ourselves. We were constantly going up one hill and down another. 

The 18^th hole was a hole where the basket was located on this small island in the middle of a small lake.  I had some bad dreams the night before I played that course.  I had no idea how I was going to get across the lake.  I have never had a strong arm that could throw a long drive.  But in my post-surgical state, throwing across all that water was something of a nightmare for me.  I thought I may have to throw every one of my discs in the water.

Just at my moment of deepest doubt when I reached hole 13 Danny showed up to caddy for me!  He had completed his round for the day and came to help.  He carried not only his bag, but mine as well, and ran for water for me, and carried my stool while I was throwing.  It was so encouraging to have him there.

Once I got to the dreaded 18^th hole, I threw my first disc in the water, and then had to throw from the drop zone.  But I made it across to the island from there!  When that hole was done a good friend, Ken Franks, was there driving all competitors up this large hill back to hole one.  That, too, was such a blessing!  There is no way I could have walked up that huge hill.

After that there were just six more holes for that afternoon.  By the time I was done, I was giddy with relief.  I knew right then that I could make it for the rest of the tournament. 

The second day I only had to play one course, and while it was the same, long, hilly course from the day before, I knew that once I was done, I had the afternoon off.  On the third day, I had to once again do a double session.  The morning course was easy and familiar as it was a repeat of the first day.

The afternoon course I had to play sight unseen.  My head kept telling me, just keep moving forward, and throwing in the middle of the fairway.  It, too, proved to be a very long, very hot, afternoon.  I was approaching my 30^th hole of the day when suddenly, I began to get very dizzy.  My biggest fear was looming in my face – that my body would fail me and I wouldn’t be able to continue.

Thankfully, one of the other women on my card, Kim, ran back to the group behind us.  One of those ladies had some nursing and emergency care training, and she told Kim what to do for me.  While I had been drinking plenty of fluids, apparently my body temperature was just getting too high.  They wrapped a pack of ice in a small scarf and placed it on the small of my back.  In about 10 or 15 minutes, I had relief from the heat.

The following day I just had one more round to play, and at that point, I figured that either I was going to complete the journey, or they would have to drive me away in an ambulance.  I was so determined to get it done, and so thrilled when I did!

I told people later that it was the biggest physical challenge of my life.  To make it through the surgery, and recovery, to push myself to be ready to compete, was difficult.  And then to have enough strength to make it through Worlds was no small task, but I had done it!

That’s why I’m so determined this year to be fully trained and ready for the 2014 Worlds.  It isn’t going to be enough just to survive.  This year I want to really compete.  Last year it was OK to say, “I’ve just had surgery.”  

This coming year I’m going to be strong, and be able to throw as far as my competitors did last year.  I’m going to be a real contender this year!  Are you hearing those strains of “Rocky” in the background?  I am!

A Baramoter of Health - Part 4

(This is a continuation of yesterday’s blog.)  Late in April of 2013, my left kidney was removed during an operation that was supposed to be done laparoscopically, and take just a couple of hours.  The operation ended up taking five hours, and required a full incision on my left side running from just under my rib cage all the way down and over to the left side of my waist. 

It took 65 staples to close the incision, plus more to close up the four small incisions made initially to try to do the procedure in the less invasive laparoscopic method.  My doctor had me up and walking less than 12 hours after the surgery.  I was to walk as much as possible in the halls of the hospital, to begin to recover my strength.

Moving with the incision was difficult, even with the pain medication.  I suppose in a way it is kind of like childbirth – no one really talks about the pain ahead of time – they just deal with it afterwards.  I guess that is a good thing.  Now, all these months later it doesn’t seem like such a big deal, but at the time it was.

During post-surgery blood testing, it was discovered that my iron levels were beginning to rise.  That was exceptionally good news for me.  Having to take iron supplements does not sit well with my system.
  

While we were discussing my post-op care, my doctor told me he was going to push me to regain my strength.  The first day back home from the hospital, I had to figure out how to do simple things like sit in a chair and stand up, get dressed, take a shower, use the facilities, get in and out of bed – just normal movement – without hurting my side or ripping out the staples.

The second full day home I began (at the doctor’s orders) to walk around the neighborhood.  The first day, I probably only walked a half a block. By the time I had gone that far, I was so glad to be back home.  

During those early days of recovery, I was quite terrified that I would trip over an uneven sidewalk, or some debris in my way, and rip open my incision.  So my family took turns walking with me, holding my hand as I walked. 

My daughter came home during the week on her lunch hour to take me for a walk.  In the evening my husband took over that duty or my son.  Every day I walked just a little farther than the day before, always pushing myself, all with my doctor’s blessing.

A week after surgery the staples came out which was definitely less painful than I thought it would be.  Surprisingly, I barely felt it when each one was removed.  The nurse put steri-strips over the incision to promote healing, but it wasn’t until the strips fell off about two weeks later that I had any confidence that it would not pull apart!

I returned to work about three weeks after the surgery, but it wasn’t until my six-week post-op check that I felt I was ready to return to the disc golf course to attempt to play again.  That first day, I was oh, so, cautious every time I threw.  My entire left side had no feeling due to the nerves that had to be severed during surgery.  So I had to relearn how to make my body twist so I could throw properly.

On my first trip to play disc golf I only played four holes – which was enough to push my endurance but not enough to hurt myself.  From there I tried to play at least one additional hole on each subsequent outing.

It wasn’t until three weeks before the 2013 Worlds that I played my first 18 holes, post op.  After that, I added a few more holes every chance I had, until I was up to 36 holes in one day.  I kept pushing, doing a little bit more every day, so I was ready to head to Emporia, KS for the tournament.

It took all my energy just to get myself around the course, so I took a minimum of discs in my disc golf bag, and had plenty of water to stay hydrated.  I also purchased a little tripod stool so that I could sit and rest my legs when I got tired.  It was interesting how just a brief one or two minute break renewed my energy and allowed me to continue on to the end of the course.

Once again, disc golf had become a barometer of health for me.  Even as I was gaining back strength post surgery, I realized that I was feeling so much better inside.  It had been a long time since I felt strong.  For the first time, I thought that just maybe, if I was smart about it, I could make it through the tournament.

So, with my discs in my bag, plus a water bottle and my stool, I was as ready as I was going to be!  It was off to Emporia, KS for me.

I was going to the 2013 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships!

A Barometer of Health – Part 3

 (This is a continuation of yesterday’s blog)

After having two lithotripsy treatments to remove a staghorn kidney stone in 2012, I was beginning to feel more like my old self. 

My son Danny had been encouraging me all year to be sure to register for the 2012 Orlando Open.  If I successfully competed in that event, I would have an automatic invitation to compete in the 2013 PDGA World Disc Golf Championships.  He wanted me to participate in that tournament, as he had gone to Worlds in 2012 and he wanted us to go together in 2013.

Being a more cautious, one step at a time person, I figured, first things first, and decided to see how I did in the Orlando Open that fall.  I prepared pretty well for the amount of throwing and walking I would have to do, and for my first tournament, I was pleased with the outcome.

So again, talk in our home centered on going to Worlds in 2013.  We needed to register for that event in March of 2013 before the tournament was opened up to any registered member of the PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) rather than just those who qualified for it.

There were a few times when I still didn’t feel quite right, like something was still wrong internally, but without being able to put words to the symptom, it was hard to figure out what doctor to go to or what to tell him or her when I got there.  My energy level was beginning to come back, but some days I still seemed extra tired.

So, in March of 2013 we signed up for Worlds and paid for our hotel room.  Travel arrangements would be made closer to the event. 

It was later that month that I went back to my urologist for a follow-up exam following the removal of the kidney stone I’d had the year before.  They did an ultra sound of the kidneys which indicated that more tests were required.

Three weeks later I returned to the urologist’s office to have another CT scan, and this time they were able to administer the contrast medication.

 

The great thing about my urologist is that those tests are done right in their offices and an initial reading is made immediately.  As we were looking at the films together, my urologist discovered that I had no kidney function on my left kidney!

Wow!  That was a shocker.  I immediately was sent back to the Same Day Surgery Center to have a stent put in place to see if he could get kidney function to return.  That attempt proved to be unsuccessful, and in fact caused me great pain for about a week. 

At that point my doctor was very concerned and put me in the hospital immediately to try and discover the source of the pain.  I probably had 20 different tests over the course of ten days, not to mention daily blood testing and nothing obvious showed up except for the fact that I was extremely anemic, and in a lot of pain.

Ultimately, after seeing a plethora of doctors, they decided that my kidney was the source of all the problems and so surgery was scheduled to remove it.  I was told the procedure would be done laparoscopically with four small incisions, through which the organ would be removed.

Five hours after the procedure began (which we had been told would be a two-hour operation) the kidney was removed.  It was very infected and enlarged which meant that the surgeons could not remove it through the small incisions.  Instead, a large incision was required so that they could remove the kidney and clean out the abdomen of all the infection.  I awoke later with 65 staples in my abdomen and side.

However, the very next day, when I got out of bed, I knew I was better.  Oh, I had plenty of pain from the incision, but inside….I felt great.  The thing that I knew was wrong but could never describe was GONE!

Prior to the surgery I had told my doctor that I had planned a trip to Worlds.  Could I still go if I had this surgery?  Of course, he based his decision on the anticipation that I would have four small wounds, and so he told me Yes!  

After the outcome of the unexpected complicated surgery, I just didn’t know what would happen.  At my one week post- surgery check-up, my urologist told me that I could still go as long as I wasn’t in any pain.

The question was….could I be ready in time?  My side had to heal, I had to be able to twist my body, I was very weak after the surgery, and I hadn’t been on the disc golf course in over a month prior to the surgery.

As with most things in life, I decided it would be best to take this challenge one day and one obstacle at a time.  Come back tomorrow for the final episode in this story!

A Barometer of Health - Part 2

(This is a continuation of yesterday’s blog)  After being sick on and off for a couple of years, my doctor finally sent me to have a CT scan done of my kidney.  When I arrived at the imaging center, blood was drawn to determine if there were any obvious problems.  Then, into the CT machine I went.

It was explained to me that they would do a series of images without giving me any contrast.  Then they would give me the contrast and repeat the test for clearer detail regarding how the kidneys were functioning.

I remember distinctly when the CT tech came to my side after the first series of images had been done.  She said, “Mrs. Voss, we will not be giving you the contrast.  Your blood work indicates that your kidneys are under distress, and if we gave you the contrast, that would further stress your kidneys.”

In a way, I felt a bit cheated.  I thought that this test was going to finally give an answer to why I had been feeling so awful for so long.  I got up off the table, gathered my belongings and returned to work.

The following day, I got a call that changed everything.

“Mrs. Voss?  This is your doctor’s office.  (Ok!  Warning!  Anytime the doctor calls you – it is BAD!)  The CT you had yesterday indicates that you have a staghorn kidney stone.  We need you to visit an urologist right away.”  I’m surprised that I had the wherewithal to ask some questions, such as, what is that, how is it fixed, how bad is this?  I had lots of questions but of course received no answers.

I was, however, given the name of an urologist to call to schedule an appointment.  I made the call almost immediately and was asked the usual questions about was I a new patient, insurance, blah, blah, blah…..  When they asked the reason I was calling, I mentioned that I’d had a CT scan the day before and they discovered I had a staghorn kidney stone.  Things changed very quickly after that.

I was given an appointment for the following day, when I met with the urologist.  After reviewing the films, and taking some x-rays of his own, he directed me to view the films with him.  There it was, right on the x-ray – a large object in my kidney, about the size of a thumb.  He explained what it was, and then gave me the options for removal.

The very next day I was in the Same Day Surgery Center having a procedure called a lithotripsy (ESWL).  I went back to the urologist in one week where they repeated the x-ray.  Magically, nearly all of the stone debris had been flushed from my kidney except for one, small chunk.

That meant a return to the Same Day Surgery Center for the procedure to be repeated.  The second try eliminated all the calcified material from my kidney.  I was sent on my way, and told to come back in six months for a follow-up.  I was also told to be on the look-out for any further fevers, or symptoms of a kidney stone that might have come back.

A few days after the second procedure I was back on the disc golf course, glad to be able to once again play 18 holes of disc golf.  I thought that my problems were over.  I was feeling better, though still not 100%.  I figured that in time, I would be back to full strength and ready once again to resume playing the sport that I had grown to love.

However, I later found out that there was more serious trouble yet to come.  (Come back tomorrow for part 3.)

A Barometer of Health

The sport of disc golf, for me, has become my personal barometer of health.  There was a period of time when I was quite sick, and didn’t fully realize how dangerously ill I was.  It was only because of disc golf that I had a way of gauging when I was sick and when I was well.  Ultimately, it was the inability to play the sport at all that made me realize something was very wrong.

I had been playing disc golf for about a year.  When I first began playing the sport, I would play just a few holes at a time, and eventually worked up to nine holes.  Sometimes, I would skip a difficult or exceedingly long hole because the physical exertion was too much for me.

 

Over time, the nine holes became more manageable and I began taking a “break” after the first nine, and adding another 4 or 5 holes to extend my playing time.  Eventually, I tried paying the full 18 holes.  While I often couldn’t get 18 finished in the short time I had to play after work, weekends were another matter.  I tried my best to complete all 18 holes.

It was at that time when I starting playing handicaps with Danny on Saturday morning.  The first attempt left me nearly exhausted, and I needed to take a nap when I got home.  Eventually it got a little easier.  Sometimes I was really struggling on the last 3 or 4 holes, but I managed to get through it.

However, one day, I was exhausted and breathing extremely hard after just five holes.  I didn’t understand what the difference was.  I had been having chills and fevers during the day, but it always went away with some Tylenol.  After a time I went to the doctor who said I had a urinary tract infection.  A course of antibiotics, and I was good to go, and good to play 18 holes again.  Or so I thought.

The problem was, I wasn’t actually healthy.  Shortly after finishing the course of antibiotics, the fatigue and exhaustion returned.  After a month or two I again was unable to complete even 9 holes of disc golf.  So, back to the doctor I went. 

This cycle repeated itself time after time.  For two years I struggled with the fatigue and fevers.  I felt as if I wasn’t making any progress. 

Many, many days I went out to my car during my lunch break and took a nap just to get through the afternoon.  Sometimes I feared I might fall asleep driving on the way home.

However, it was always when I was unable to play even 9 holes of disc golf that I knew something was very wrong and headed back to the doctor.

At some point, I just couldn’t fight the fight any more.  I went back to the doctor once again and insisted that some other testing be done.  He sent me for a CT scan, and that’s when things really started getting interesting……  (More tomorrow)

How Many Flicks Does it Take?

That is a burning question in my training right now.  Ever since I began playing disc golf, this shot has been difficult for me, and because it was difficult, I focused more on the backhand throw.  Every time I attempted a forehand or flick, it was pretty pathetic.  So I never used it.  Now, I am fine tuning the backhand, while I’m still in the novice stage of the forehand.  Sounds like a good

So, I’ve watched videos, like the one below:

I’ve watched others throw at the disc golf course to get a concept of what I’m not doing correctly.  I’ve gone in the field and tried to learn the sequence leading up to the throw as well as the actual throw.

In the trunk of my car I have a milk carte filled with discs that aren’t a part of my regular disc bag.  I use them to practice shots in the field – whether it’s a sidearm, backhand, or roller.  There are 26 discs in that crate and I usually throw them all out, go into the field and throw them back to the starting point, and repeat that routine about four times per day.  That gives me about 200 tries at getting a particular shot embedded in my muscle memory.  Even with all that practice, I still throw a flick awkwardly and not with much accuracy or distance. 

When I’m playing with Danny or any other player who knows how to throw a forearm well, I watch closely how they are executing it.  I’ve even taken videos of players throwing the flick and viewed them on my Ubersense App so I can slow it down to analyze the parts of the throw.

The bottom line is, I still haven’t reached that magic number – when the throw becomes an extension of my arm, and is a natural motion from the tee to way down the field. Or I still haven’t seen that perfect video that will cause that “click!” in my brain that will make me finally understand the “how”of the throw.

Things I have working in my favor to learn the throw are determination, and a large dose of stubbornness.  I know that I can do this if I just get that motion down.  I have been practicing disc golf steadily for months now—daily in recent weeks—and I know that practice eventually makes perfect.  Or, if not perfect, at least I should attain acceptable performance.  Factors working against me would be a lack of natural athletic ability, and strength.

So, how many flicks does it take to learn this throw?  For me, the answer is still unknown, something along the lines of how many licks does it take to get to the middle of a Tootsie Rolll!