Mikko HirvonenTraining in Finland in late winter 2008
Tanhuvaara training camp, 21–24 FebruaryThe Tanhuvaara camp was a combination of training and lectures on technique. It is easy to arrange small competitions during a training camp, and it is also easy to achieve a good training feeling. One of the highlights of the Tanhuvaara camp was an East vs. West test session that took almost three hours. Finally, West was able to clearly defeat East. Plenty of great results were achieved. There is no question that the best ones were the world champion's all time records in shot-putting over the head forwards: 21.65 metres and a 20 m running start at 2.10. East was able to gain a win to compensate for their gruesome loss in the test in a floorball game at 7 pm, where East defeated West with a murderous result of 19–6. All the participants went to the gym after the game to participate in a special muscular condition exercise, which ended with stretching.
Finnish training camp, 3–6 April
When preparing for the camp in Finland, Tero recapped his feelings about the past winter season:
"The winter training season has steadily improved up until now, and we have avoided the mistakes made last year. I have been healthy all winter long; I haven't even had a cold. We have stuck with the training plans: in the same way as during the past years, we have focused on throwing. We have done more speed throwing than last year, and now I'm more confident with throwing with speed. We will see what it's actually like in a couple of weeks when I start throwing outdoors."
"The training camp starts tomorrow with long throws in the Bothnia Hall. These will be analysed by KIHU. The camp will continue in Kuortane until Sunday, and we plan to, for example, test my physical condition on Friday."
This time, the throwing in the Bothnia Hall was more important than normal javelin training because researchers from KIHU were present to measure the throws (KIHU - the Research Institute for Olympic Sports). The throws were recorded from the side, the back and the right with a high speed camera that takes 250 frames per second. Several variables of the throws will be analysed during the next two weeks in Jyväskylä, and the athlete, the trainer and the coach will analyse the results after that. These results are to be used to achieve top performances in the Beijing Olympics.
"At this point, I can say that the world championship was convincing and there are no worries", said coach Hannu Kangas.
The main training objective with the KIHU project is to support and promote the training of javelin throwers when they prepare for the Beijing Olympics. The technical measuring system includes a three-dimensional movement analysis with high speed cameras (250 fps), measuring running speed with a radar, and measuring the properties of the javelin when it is thrown at a throwing gate, based on the athlete's unique needs. Feedback on technique is offered both immediately after the training and afterwards as more specific movement analyses and video feedback.
The training part of the camp in Kuortane which was started after the Bothnia Hall session in Vaasa. Fine results were achieved on the last day of the camp. In the words of coach Kangas:
"We were testing in the afternoon: 20 m flying start, five-phase jump, three-hand, over the head backwards, over the head forwards. We saw several season's best results and new records during the testing, but one man was really going strong: Tero Pitkämäki achieved four new all-time records, even with extremely good old records. Tero achieved a result of 17.45 in the five-phase jump test and 11.30 in the triple jump. The triple jump record is one of the best ever achieved in this sport in the world - at least, nobody is aware of anybody jumping longer. I was able to capture the jump on video, and I can say that there were chills going down my spine when I heard the result. Tero continued the record streak in shot-putting: five kilograms over the head backwards 23.80 metres, and four kilograms over the head forwards 21.73. I bet a dinner in Portugal for these results and lost, but I'm happy to pay with these results", said the pleased coach Kangas.
Tero's feelings after the camp:
"The throws were fine and the second training session in Kuortane went exceptionally too. All in all, the training camp was excellent and I was able to achieve several test records. Below is a video of my best throw in the Bothnia Hall, the triple jump record (11.30), a throw during the second training session and a 4 x 145 chest draw."
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