Overcoming Adversity in Triple Jump
- Tyler Lewis
- Oct 9, 2020
- 3 min read
Before starting this post, if you want to know more about my story, please feel free to read the Jump Farther Origin Story.
Anyone can train hard, master technique, have a good day, and get strong to jump far. What separates a good jumper from a great jumper is their will to overcome adversity when they need to. In my years of triple jumping, there are many times where I have had to overcome adversity and on a few occasions, I failed.
Something that is important to know is that you will fail. Even Usain Bolt false started out of the world championships. The best jumpers will foul on all three some days. Some days you will not perform but when it is time to go all out, you have to stack the cards in your favor. Adversity can mean a lot of things: overcoming a deep competition field, a lingering injury, a bad nights rest, a sickness, or anything that hurts your chances of performing that day.
It was my senior year of highschool at the indoor track and field state championship. I was competing in Long Jump, Triple Jump, and the 4x400m relay. After jumping poorly in long jump, I had an hour wait before triple jump due to delays. After jumping around 42 feet in Triple Jump, right around my PR at the time, I secured the 7th spot in the finals but the 4x400m relay was about to take place. I had to run that and then take my last three jumps afterwards.
After I ran the 4x400m not even thinking about the time I ran, I went back to triple jump to find out I was the last jumper. They gave me a few minutes to gather myself and I found out that my teammate was in 4th place. Top 4 get medals at the state championship so it was my goal to get one that day. Although I came in as a severe underdog, and I was completely spent from the 400m relay.
(Photo from that 4x400m Relay)
I managed to jump almost 44 feet, pushing me into the 4th place position and securing myself a medal. Although my body did not permit a jump significantly past any jump I had done in the past, I decided in that moment that I would not let the moment get away from me and I would not find excuses.
The reason, I tell this story is not because I think these jumps are impressive because if I was to jump 44 feet today, I might just get kicked off my team. The reason I tell the story is to remind you that you are in control and if you focus your entire existence into achieving something, you can do it in that moment.
I have failed however. At the state championship for outdoor track that same year, I was seated to finish in 2nd place, behind the number 3 Triple Jumper in the country. It really was my goal to get 2nd but I fell short and got 4th once again. I did not meet my expectations that day,
College has been a very rough ride for me. Another level of athletics came with another level of training. Triple Jumpers apply more force to the ground than any other athletes in the world. The inricacies of the technique and the sheer force required to jump far can cause injuries.
My freshman year of college, I suffered a stress fracture in my lower back and still competed in the outdoor conference championship, giving myself another personal best. At the indoor conference championship my sophomore year, I competed with a torn groin and gave myself and even better record. Although injuries are not good to compete on, and I do not recommend it, I am expressing that even if your body says no, your mental preparation means a lot. The reason I am able to do well at the bigger meets, with injuries is because I have trained myself to step up when it matters most.
Now, for my tips to succeed when it matters most. Think about triple jump as much as you can. In class, close your eyes and picture yourself running down the runway. When you are waiting to do another rep at practice, visualize your technique. Begin mental preparation for a meet 1 week out and make sure you set aside time for that change in your schedule. Eat better, not only to prepare your body, but to prepare your mind. If your mind is convinced that you can jump far, you will.
Although I have suffered injuries that I do not wish on others, I believe my story can help people who might doubt their capabilities when it comes to jumping.
Best,
Tyler Lewis
LJ/TJ
Before reading this story, I was unsure about how much I would be able to relate to it as a swimmer. I think you told this story in a very eloquent way that allows for comparison in many different fields! For example, you mentioned that there is a big mental aspect to your sport, and the same is true for swim. You can often only go as fast or breathe as few times as you need to if you are mentally prepared to do so. Your body is going to tell you that it's uncomfortable, and it takes a lot of mental capacity to push through that pain and be a top-level athlete.
I found this story to be very captivating! I too, am an athlete, although not at the university level. It takes so much practice to get your technique down to a science. I experienced extreme mental block playing tournament fastpitch softball my sophomore year of high school. My dad put me in one on one training with a college hitting coach in order to prepare me for the college level. Even though I was being trained three days a week for an hour, just on hitting, I still could not get over my mental block so I continued to strike out at every game for months. This was so discouraging to me. I finally turned it around that year on…
As a kid who's grown up playing sports, your blog is very accurate. Being an athlete is half mental and half physical but many people don't understand just how important the mental side of the game is.