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Okay, I'm a XC girl and a distance runner for track (altho not that good really?). I'm not built to where it's like "oh, there's a distance runner" but I sort of am, and I'm not built like a sprinter either.
We do this weird "tiger olympics" thing at the start of track and i was able to do the flexed arm hang for 1:06 minutes... so I got to thinking that maybe I should do something that involves my arms cuz they have gotten strong from washing cars (i work at a carwash).
So I started thinking about pole vault... I've always thought it looked awesome. And now I'm thinking maybe I'd be alright at it, so I want to give it a shot.
I have a few questions tho.
First... is flexed arm hang even a good indicator? lol
Second... I run the 1600 and 3200... is that plus pole vault... impossible? Would I be so tired that it wouldn't even be worth it?
Third... any random tips for a first timer?

if u do pole vault, u would be the first distance doubler/pole vaulter (i made a thread to find if anywas there) second, arm strength is good, but u also need a strong core, and need some speed on the runway. I did teach a 2 miler girl to pole vault so i know it can be done. Some tips, practice, and be really patient...really really patient.

I was in the same boat. I ran distance in high school and during senior year, I thought, well, I need to break 1:58 in the 800 to be top 7, I need to break 4:35 in the 1600 to be top 7 or so, and break 9:45 to be top 7 or so...So I thought why not pole vault, and give it a try in college, as I did not want to run a million miles again. To make a long story longer, I tried it and still did distance. The slow twitch muscles needed/used in distance do not compliment the pole vault, but the endurance does. You can do both, just don't be frustrated and give up. The top arm strength is really good, especialy for beginners. It'll be fine I imagine. Have fun with it!

Hopefully I have the core strength. My distance/xc coach is crazy about abs... it's weird. She makes us do them constantly.
I'm not a very good sprinter at all tho (I ran a... 6.3s 40 yesterday? I think that's what it was... I have a bad memory.) So I'm sure that (well besides inexperience) will be my biggest problem.
Thanks for the quick reply's!!!
I might get to start working on PV tomorrow? Maybe not till friday tho.
I'm excited to start!

ya i think im built like a distance runner too.. small and skinny haha. but ya i vault and its amazing. i do xc and i mainly runt eh 800 at meets, although at this one meet every yr hell put me in teh 2mile as well, i don tkno y haha. but ya i train wiht all the distacne guys and all and i actually find that i do better vaultign when i run more. although ive never done just sprint workouts, so i cant say that they help more or not. but ya after not running for awhile and just vaulting, which i did during the summer, i felt i was worse off.
o well i think as long as ur in shape and up for a challange, anythings possible, try it out and see if u like it. if nto that o well but if u do hey u kno. i mean u really dont have much to lose now do ya.

"ya i think im built like a distance runner too.. small and skinny haha. but ya i vault and its amazing."

modest arn't we fong jp lol

I love not having anything to lose! I think that's why I want to try this so badly!

Just go have fun pole vaulting You'll have to see how it goes in meets, but the important thing is to have fun.

That's what I say just go hav fun and enjoy it you never know, I was a distance runner pole vasulter in high school, the only hard time i had was when i had to leave the vault to go run the mile and come back and try to vault again. but try it out and have fun

Thanks for all the encouragement about just going out there and having fun. That is definitely what I'm going to do
I got to work with the pole vaulters after distance practice today, it was pretty fun! We just did pole work in the long jump area. I did alright. I didn't do so well with the whole jumping up thing, I was trying to make the pole do too much. But it was really fun and a nice way to end practice.

I dont think it really matters if your a distance runner or sprinter. My vault coach had me do a sprinters workout one time and I was way behind on every one. I think I run faster with a pole than just sprinting.[/quote]