ActionReaction Archery!

 First scoring end! Looks like I've got this thing down! Precision about as good as it gets for someone still learning how to properly use a clicker and get used to a bow that weighs a lot more than the longbow even if the draw weight is significantly lower!

 Precision at its finest... I did damage a nock though. Ouch! I think I need to move the sight down a touch though, but I'm not consistent enough to really be certain...

 First 30 arrows -- made a few not so good shots but overall I did very well -- kept everything IN the scoring rings and even within the black, which is a huge step up from last week! 230/300, can't complain -- still have a lot of traditional scores that beat it, but it's still good!

 Second 30 arrows -- made a few crummy shots too but overall a stronger round. 242/300, still got some traditional scores that have taken this score out, but heck, I'm just happy to keep everything IN the scoring rings and even within the blue this round!

 My final target face after 60 scoring arrows! I guess this is a reasonably good distribution!

 Follow-through... shrugged up a bit after doing a lot of snatches and cleans admittedly...

And setup... still got a tendency to shrug my shoulders up. Apparently weight-lifting and Olympic archery can clash a bit!

Olympic Recurve in Action

Two Olympic recurve videos of me shooting...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr0iTKfYEy0&feature=share&list=UUSj2_g7FnjAO7GBYi-HyFWw

http://youtu.be/j7AK2Try59U

Recurve Action Redux

 At full draw after a bit of adjustment on the clicker so I can actually pull through it reliably... working mostly on blank-baling at this point to make sure *I* control the clicker instead of letting *it* control me.

Looks like I made a reasonably good release + follow through. Still have A LOT of work to do, especially in developing a really strong, aggressive anchor and a much cleaner expansion and release.

Olympic Recurve Calibration 1

 I really need to work on my form...

 I also need to really get back into 100% training!

I guess I do have some competence after all!

Inglis Lock Canal: Solo Run/Walk Edition

First of all, a public service announcement... unless you're exceptionally tough or masochistic, do NOT attempt the following stunt in Vibram Five Fingers. I walked/ran from the bridge to the Gulf. This was probably a round trip of approximately 12.5 km plus some change from me wandering off to investigate interesting objects. That being said, it was a worthwhile opportunity to do some herpetology and birding as well as getting some cardio in a non-boring way. I did miss some good photo opportunities because of camera death/malfunction, including that of a few beautiful snakes that crossed the trail and several brightly colored songbirds that passed by, including cardinals and some kind of yellow warbler.

Indoor Charity Shoot

This shoot was for M. Collins, who qualified to shoot in the Olympic recurve division for the USA in the World Indoor Championships in Nimes, France. This shoot was at On Point Archery in Alachua, FL and as you can see, there were archers of all shapes and sizes!

The Next Frontier

 That one got the bow in an attempt to try and shoot more with me... 25" Samick Vision riser with long 40 lb @ 28" Sebastien Flute limbs and sight, Easton stabilizer, and a dozen ACC arrows. This is a 70" bow, which is a bit on the BIG side for me.

This is me with the bow itself... I think with some small adjustments, shorter limbs and some extra stabilizers to give it a bit more of that forward "oomph!", this bow and I can get along really well! Even poorly tuned and a bit tender, I was shooting reasonably good groups at 18 meters.

International Round at Citrus, Round 2

I completed my second International Round at Citrus Archers with a 118/300, which is a significant improvement over my last round. I shot with an amazing and fun group of younger folks who made even the worst shots and groups something to grin about.

Oops at 55 yards. My initial guess was a bit off apparently. I forgot that I had to incorporate a pretty significant left offset and that colder temperatures do require me to aim significantly lower.

 Look at the penetration on that piece of wood at 55 yards! Just imagine the horror of the compound shooters knowing that the midget with a 25" draw length on a 46 lb (@ 28") longbow can still pull this stunt off!

 Who shot the compounds and who shot the longbow at 20 yards?

UF archery practice, 20 meters. If I could do this *consistently* with my longbow in competition, I'd be in amazing shape! Those 3-spot targets are brutal but I enjoy them! This was at the end of the day after approximately 200 arrows.

Random Feats of Late in Archery

 50 yards, simulated Hunter round (4 arrows). First shot was high but then the rest were slightly low although the group was awesome. Now if I could pull THIS group off in a 900 round with 2 more arrows dead-center...

 25 yards, absently shooting ends of 6. Bi-modal distribution, anyone?

20 meters, shooting a 40 cm (inner 5 rings only) 3 spot target used by skilled compound and Olympic recurve archers at 18 meters. This was done with the longbow. Not too shabby especially with the wind conditions!

Feathered Friends

Dug these upon my computer recently... Think these were from one of my many trips to gardens that happen to have animal displays as well. In any event, I seem to have a way of making friends with parrots especially when there's food in my hand!

Crusader on Fire

First non-calibration round of the day at 20 yards on a 35 cm hunter target face...

Final round of the day at 20 yards on a 35 cm hunter target face, grand total 108 arrows plus 15 minutes of SPT.

International Round at Citrus Archers, 2013 Dec 22

My very first round after getting laid low by what felt like the plague, courtesy of my little disease vectors. Holy cow, my form has gone to hell for release and follow-through! Time to get cracking on it once I can get back to the training center or moral equivalent! Photographs courtesy of S. Fitzgerald, whose husband I had the honor of shooting with and teaching him the ropes.

CrossFit Iron Legion Members' Mayhem 1 (September)

Courtesy of Jesse Clements Photography and CrossFit Iron Legion

 No photographs (yet) of the first WOD... where I tied for second in the event and involved an ascending ladder of 65 lb hang power cleans and 2:1 ab-mat sit-ups (because I couldn't quite do knees-to-elbows or toes-to-bars yet) in 10 minutes.

The second WOD consisted of walking 400 meters with a 55 lb barbell in rack hold (female scaled B division) and doing a thruster every 15th step and 5 burpees for every time the barbell hit the ground. I only did 5 burpees throughout and took first place in this event.

 

The third and final WOD was 75 snatches or clean and presses (basically any way of getting the bar from the ground to overhead) at 55 lbs with a time cap of 10 minutes and 2 burpees over the bar every minute on the minute. I took 3rd in this one.

 I took an overall first in the scaled B division! The second WOD was my salvation and what allowed me to pull ahead of my entire competition!