HAMMER TIME!

OREGON TWILIGHT

2008-05-28T12:25:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed competing in the Oregon Twilight on Friday May 9th at Hayward Field. There was a great field of women hammer throwers and I had a great opening mark of 65.38 (214'7"), which is the farthest I've opened up to date and also ended up being my farthest throw for the competition. I had some foot fouls out of the ring during the competition but am working on getting my technique that will ultimately allow me to throw far. My next meet is in Tucson, Arizona and I am excited to start seeing my throw come together!

OREGON RELAYS

2008-05-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

We were really lucky and had great weather for the Oregon Relays on April 25th and 26th. I won the competition and opened up with almost 64 meters (209'10") and then got my best throw of the day on my last throw with 65.42 meters (214'7") This was my first time competing in the new hammer cage that was made for the Olympic Trials. I was exited to open up with a far throw, because that is exactly what I will need to do for the Trials. I'm looking forward to my next meet in May at the Oregon Twilight!

SPONSORSHIP

2008-04-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

My first year out of college I was able to fund my throwing career through many small personal donations by friends, family, and local contacts. Now in my second outdoor season, Lochmead Farms has become my first business/corporate sponsor and I am thrilled to represent them on and off the track. Lochmead's financial sponsorship and support will allow me to grow and improve as a post-collegiate professional athlete. With the help of Lochmead, I am able to financially pay for travel and board to out of state competitions, throwing equipment, and coaching fees. In return for their sponsorship, I will be advertising and promoting their company by wearing their logo during meets and travel, presenting and participating at business functions, and promoting their company in all track related events/articles. I feel so lucky to not only have the opportunity to support a local family owned business, but to be a part of a company that is owned and run by such wonderful people. I can't wait to wear Lochmead on my jersey at the 2008 Olympic Trials!!

Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational

2008-04-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have now officially begun the outdoor season of 2008. I opened up at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational hosted by UCLA in Los Angeles, CA. After coming off of a mild neck injury, I was hoping to open up my season with 64 meters or more. With the help of perfect weather and a dry ring, I accomplished this on my fourth throw with a toss of 64.29 meters (210'11"). This is the farthest I have ever thrown for my opening meet and a great start to my journey towards the Olympic Trials. I was very excited to reach my personal goal for the meet but was disappointed with my lack of consistency. My throw series:

62.98m FOUL FOUL 64.29m FOUL FOUL

I definitely have kinks to work out in my technique and am really looking forward to my next opportunity to improve upon my opening marks. I really enjoyed the experience of traveling and competing as a post-collegiate thrower. One of my teammates, on Team XO, and I had a day after the meet to check out L.A. and had a great time playing on the rings at Santa Monica Beach. My next meet is a home meet here in Eugene, OR at the Oregon Relays. I can't wait to throw at Hayward Field!

Hayward Field's New Hammer Cage

2008-02-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

For the 2008 Track and Field Olympic Trials, Hayward Field has made many renovations and added new top of the line facilites. Two of which are: a brand new hammer cage and a brand new video score board donated by Nike. The new cage is in the same field and directly across from the old cage (right next to Agate Street). The new cage will allow more seating for spectators and fans and was designed by Lance Deal. The new, state of the art, video score board and display has a 30 X 17 foot screen and stands five stories high. For more infomation on the Nike scoreboard you can visit the following site: http://www.nikebiz.com/media/pr/2007/11/02_haywardfield.html
Not only is Hayward Field one of the best track and field facilities in the country, but arguably one of the best in the world. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, I highly recommend taking a look for yourself.

University of Washington Husky Classic

2008-02-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

I had another solid Indoor performance at the Husky Classic this past weekend. Unfortunately I was hoping for another PR (personal record) but ended with being less than a foot off of my new PR from a couple of weeks ago. My series were as follows:

17.86 meters, 18.35 meters, 19.44 meters, 19.15 meters, 19.13 meters, 19.12 meters Best: 19.44 meters/63'10"

The University of Washington put on, yet another, terrific meet and I enjoyed my first place finish for my last indoor meet of 2008. I am really looking forward to the outdoor season and will be opening up at two outdoor meets in California. I'll keep you posted on how my training is going (with any luck, in good weather) these next few months.

University of Washington Indoor Invitational

2008-02-09T12:52:00.001-08:00

I had a great first indoor meet in Seattle, WA at the University of Washington Indoor Invitational on February 2nd. My first throw of the day was a new PR (personal record), from last years mark of 61'10" to 64'5", and I continued to improve on several other throws as well. My series was as follows:

19.13m, 19.59m, 19.17m, 19.47m, FOUL, 19.63m,

19.63/ 64 feet 05.00 inches

The University of Washington put on an excellent meet and ran it very efficiently. It is really nice to have such a wonderful indoor facility to compete at that is close to home. Growing up in Olympia, WA, these indoor UW meets allow many of my friends and family to make the short drive to watch and cheer me on. I really enjoy having the people in my life see the results of my hard work and passion that goes into my throwing. I have one more indoor meet in Seattle on the 16th and am looking forward to another PR!

Tentative 2008 Indoor and Outdoor Schedule

2008-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

-2008 Indoor Schedule-

University of Washington Invitational - Saturday Feb 2nd, Seattle, WA

Husky Classic - Saturday Feb 16th, Seattle, WA

-2008 Outdoor Schedule-

Stanford Invitational - Saturday April 5th, Stanford, CA

Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational- March 10th-12th, Los Angeles, CA

Oregon Relays - Friday and Saturday April 25th and 26th, Eugene, OR

Oregon Twilight - Friday May 9th, Eugene, OR

Prefontaine Classic- Sunday June 8th, Eugene, OR

U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifying - Thursday July 3rd, Eugene, OR

U.S. Olympic Team Trials Finals - Saturday July 5th, Eugene, OR

WORKOUT JOURNALING

2008-01-21T15:04:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days of Fall training! It seems to have gone by really quickly for me. I do feel that I have built up a great base for my indoor and outdoor seasons. By putting more energy into the weight room and preventative injury exercises, I feel that I have produced the "edge" to be as successful in throwing as I want to be. I've also started keeping a workout journal for the first time this year. I do daily entry logs for all the following: Warm up exercises, throws, lifting, cool downs, sprint/jump workouts. I also keep a section in my entries to write down ideas and comments from my coach, how I feel that day, what did/didn't work for me, and what I can improve on. Though I am very busy with athletics and holding two jobs, taking the five or ten minutes to write down workouts and ideas has really helped me stay focused and I feel that it has been very beneficial to mentally go over and reflect on my training a second time. I gain emmense satisfaction in being able to visually see all the work I have put into my sport. These joural books will be a great resource for me in the future when I decide to transition from athlete to coach. I highly recommend keeping a workout journal for any type of athlete, at any age, and any level.

2007-09-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

HERE"S THE RECAP OF MY 2007 OUTDOOR SEASON:
Oregon Invite: 201'2"
Oregon Twilight: 209'9"
The Road to Eugene 08': 216'6" (New personal best)
USA Outdoor Championships: 214'9" (Placed 10th)

I really enjoyed my first post-collegiate season. There were so many "news" for me this past year. I had my first high school coaching opportunity, a new coach, new technique, and worked two new jobs to support my passion. I feel really great about what I accomplished and know that I have set myself up to be successful for the Trials.
I took two months off after USA outdoors and enjoyed other cross training exercises: jogging along the Willamette river, aerobic lifting, swimming, and hiking. I began weight room circuit training in mid August. My circuit training is designed to move around my own body weight in twelve different exercises. I just started throwing and drilling with Stewart Togher for the 2008 Olympic trials in the beginning of September. I will replace circuits with lifting in October. I will keep you posted on what my 2008 competition schedule will look like.

I hope everyone had a great summer!

-Brittany

OREGON INVITATIONAL RESULTS

2007-05-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

I competed in my first outdoor meet on April 21st at the Oregon Invitational. Unfortunately weather conditions were poor with lots of rain and wind. Despite this set back, I opened up higher than I ever have before at 201'2". Last year I opened up at 199'3" at the Oregon Preview and threw 205'1" at last years Oregon Invitational. With my new coaching and new technique it is hard to throw the same numbers as I did last year, so I am really excited to see that I am very close to last years PR's (Personal Records). Training has been going great and I will throw in my second meet of the season this weekend on the 5th of May at the Oregon Twilight in Eugene, OR. The Oregon Twilight is unique from the other University of Oregon meets because it is held in the evening. With the new lighting system installed for the 2008 Olympic Trials, this meet should be great for spectators. and athletes. I hope to see a jump in my numbers as I become more comfortable using new technique in a competition setting. I'll keep you posted on my results.
-Brittany Hinchcliffe

2007-03-26T22:37:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday was our third track meet of the year and our first home meet against Willamette High. Even though the weather conditions were less than ideal, my throwers did an excellent job and several threw personal bests that day. I've really been enjoying the coaching process and have a great group of kids to work with. I have a strong background in coaching. My very first job was coaching gymnastics to kids ages 4-12 and I've assistant coached for the University of Oregon Track and Field camp for two years now. Though I have a very young team, they are all showing great improvement and consistency with each meet. We have four more meets before Districts where I hope to have some athletes qualify to compete at the State meet. I'll keep you posted on our progress as we get closer to Districts.
-Brittany

COMPLETING INDOOR SEASON

2007-03-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

As anyone who has lived in the Northwest knows, the cold winter months will drive most of us inside. For track and field this has created two seasons; indoor and outdoor. Though it would be fun to throw a hammer over 200 feet indoors this is not quite a realistic possibility. Therefore, we long distance throwers throw a much heavier and much shorter implement, called the weight throw, to reduce throwing length and injury to spectators. While the outdoor hammer only weighs 8.8 pounds (4 kilos) the women's weight weighs 20 pounds and has a handle attached to a heavy ball with no wire. Though the weight throw does not travel as far as my hammer, I use the same technique and the added weight of the indoor implement only makes me stronger at holding positions in the hammer. During this past indoor season I had the pleasure of competing in two meets at the University of Washington in Seattle. Though I am no longer a collegiate athlete, many meets are considered "open" and allow post collegiate athletes to get competition marks in for US Indoor Nationals. These two meets were my first time competing for Team XO Track Club as you can see by my new jersey. Team XO is a track club that trains in Eugene and consists mostly of graduated athletes from the University of Oregon. I look forward to the outdoor season and better weather when I open up at the Oregon Invite at Hayward Field in Eugene on April 21st.

-Brittany

TUESDAYS IN TRACK TOWN

2007-03-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

As I was driving down Agate St. last Tuesday evening, I could see the glow coming off of the track. The new outdoor lighting was so intense that it seemed as if daytime light forgot to leave Historical Hayward Field. It was very exciting! I was just attending the very first "Tuesdays in Track Town" meeting held at Hayward Field. This monthly forum is intended to share information regarding various track and field topics, and specifically the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Over thirty people showed up from all walks of life. U of O track coaches, local high school coaches, track athletes, track fans, and media were all there to gain information, ask questions, and "talk track". I was really glad that I had the opportunity to attend. U of O Head Track and Field Coach, Vin Lananna, gave a short briefing on all of the facility improvements for the 2008 Olympic Trials. As a hammer thrower, I was glad to hear that temporary seating would be added around the hammer cage to seat up to 800-1000 spectators. Though the hammer will not be thrown inside the track (but just off to the side) the men's and women's hammer competition will take place during prime time television hours and also be broadcasted on the new big screen result boards on the track. The upcoming Olympic Trials in Eugene will be receiving more that eleven hours of live TV coverage (more than any Olympic Trials before). A direct course of action is taking place to make these 2008 Trials the most media covered, spectator friendly, and the largest promoter for the sport of Track and Field. I think that "Tuesdays in Track Town" is a great way for Track fans and community to come together and rekindle the fire that has kept Eugene known across the nation as Track City. I can't wait for next months meeting. I hope to see you there!
~Brittany Hinchcliffe

TRACK & FIELD HAMMER THROW FACTS

2007-03-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

Some fun hammer facts for you!!

-The Women's competition outdoor hammer weighs 4 kilos (8.8 pounds)

- The Women's competition indoor weight throw weighs 20 pounds

- The Women's American record in the Outdoor hammer Throw is 242'4"

- The Women's World Record in the Outdoor Hammer Throw is 255'7"

- The first women's Olympic hammer competition was in the year 2000

- The World Record in the Women's Hammer throw was reset three times last year

Coaching in Track and Field

2007-03-05T22:16:00.000-08:00

The relationship between coach and athlete is very unique. Many elite athletes spend more time with their coach on a daily basis than any other person, including close friends and family. Successful coach and athlete relationships create success in athletics. I have had many coaches throughout my life and each one has helped, in one way or another, get me to where I am today. It is as important to believe in your coach as it is for your coach to believe in you. I know this for fact as I have had the honor of participating in this positive and fruitful dynamic first hand. When I transfered to the University of Oregon from Washington State University, I finally found a coach who could provide that for me. I received what I consider to be my first positive and rewarding coaching in Track and Field from Lance Deal (far left in the photo) for three years while I competed for the Ducks at the University of Oregon. Coach Deal not only mentored his athletes on the track but off the track as well. I had many successes in my sport, as did other athletes, while training with Coach Deal. Post collegiately, I am now being trained by Lance Deal's coach, Stewart Togher (standing center in the photo) and am honored to have the opportunity to train with a coach that has had so much success in the sport of Hammer Throwing. Stewart Togher coached Lance Deal to a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics and helped coach Koji Mourofushi (far right in the photo) from Japan to win a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. I currently train with one of the top American male throwers in the nation and 2004 Olympian, James Parker. I am overwhelmed on a daily basis with the knowledge Stewart has to offer in the Hammer Throw. I currently am coaching at a local High School for the first time and have found the world of coaching to be very rewarding. I am very excited to see my athletes excel in Track and Field and in life just as the coaches in my life have done for me.

~Brittany Hinchcliffe

MY HISTORY IN TRACK AND FIELD

2007-02-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

When I first began throwing my Junior year of High School I told myself I wanted to see how far I could go in this sport. Six years later here I am a 2006 All American, placing third at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and currently training for the 2008 Olympic Trials. Staying true to myself and maintaining my initial goal in the sport of throwing, involved solely focusing on Track and Field my Junior and Senior year at Capital High School, signing for a smaller scholarship but more competitive division at Washington State University, leaving WSU after two years to transfer to the University of Oregon, and now working with a new world class coach and learning new technique. Asking myself to be my best has meant constant risk and assessment, the line between success and defeat becomes blurred and it feels like every time I've hit a wall I've been able to climb over it, go around it, or move through it. Hammer Throwing is my passion and I am excited to move to the next level as a post-collegiate athlete and join the ranks of Elite Athletes in their quest to be their best and go as far as they can.

~Brittany Hinchcliffe

The Olympic Hammer Throwing Dream

2007-02-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

Did you ever have a dream? Was the dream so simple that it ate up your last six years? Initially I felt awkward beginning this blog until I was number one in the nation in my sport, but then I came to realize that I wanted to make people part of my journey. My name is Brittany Hinchcliffe, I am a female athlete in the sport of Track and Field and the Hammer Throw is my event. I have a dream to be the best I can be in my sport. I am top ten in America and like so many others, did not think that I should share my thoughts out loud until I was number one. And then I realized that my dream has become a journey and a journey worthy of discussion includes other people. I want to share my achievements as well as my losses. What I hope to create with this blog is a well worn path. A path that creates ideas, answers questions, and promotes feedback. I want to share with you my successes and my occasional frustrations. I have a dream to be the best I can be in my sport and I will be the first American woman hammer thrower to medal in the Olympic Games, I have said it out loud to myself, I have told those closest to me, and now I am putting it out into the world. Join me on my path as I continue on my journey.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you!

~Brittany Hinchcliffe