A Pretty Tough Pole Vaulter

(Editors Note: Pretty Tough Team member Hannah Trimble is a multi-sport athlete. Here’s her account of a recent collegiate track meet:)

I attend Lees-McRae College, a small liberal arts college located in the heart of the beautiful Appalachian mountains. Moving from Houston after attending a five A school to a small mountain town college with only 800 students has been a life changing experience. I started pole vaulting my sophomore year in high school and still hold the school and district record of 11 feet and 2 inches. Pole vaulting is an interesting sport that requires technical skills, stamina, and power. The dynamic and acrobatic elements of the event is what I love most about it.

I am now in my second year of college and last week competed in an indoor track meet at the University of North Carolina. I packed my bags for a long day. For roughly the next 17 hours, the LMC track and field team would be sprinting, leaping, jumping, sweating, gasping, and pushing themselves to reach new personal records. The charter bus was set for departure at the school book store at 10:15 am and drove the group of athletes to the indoor athletic complex at UNC.

Because of injuries from bike racing, this would be my first full season back in the track and field discipline. LMC pole vaulters face a challenge because of the harsh weather conditions during the winter. Although we were competing at an indoor track meet, we do not have an indoor facility and the times we get to actually practice jumping are few. This comp would only be my third time jumping in two months.

At the meet, I jumped a height of 9 feet and 10 inches. A disappointing height for me, but it was a good day of practice to prepare for the upcoming outdoor season. My next meet won’t be for another month at the end of March. Until then I will be training and preparing for that competition. My goal by the end of the season is to jump a height of 12 feet and 6 inches. Stay tuned….