Minnesota Senior Games: from novice archer to silver medalist in three months

With my three Minnesota Senior Olympic Games events behind me, but the archery event only yesterday, the adrenaline is finally subsiding and I can tell you what it was like.

Two days ago, I spent the afternoon preparing for the tournament, having my bow repaired at Average Joe's Archery, and practicing and adjusting my sights at Rapids Archery in Coon Rapids, MN.  If you have not discovered Rapids Archery yet, I highly recommend it!  For a mere three bucks, you can practice shooting all day long, and the bales are well marked and maintained.

Yesterday morning, with bow case and a couple of lawn chairs loaded in the van, I excitedly drove to Bloomington's Marsh Lake Park archery range for the Senior Games tournament.  It was a beautiful day for archery: overcast, four-mile-an-hour wind, not too hot.  Although I left 75 minutes prior to the event, a highway closure added a 25-minute detour through South Minneapolis to my trip. 

I had practiced once at the Marsh Lake Park archery range.  Today it had been amazingly transformed.  The half dozen saggy straw bales facing east had been moved off to one side and replaced by a neat row of 19 deluxe foam bales on wooden easels across the range's north side. Colorful, four-foot-wide plastic targets were tacked onto each bale.

Archery targets at the MN Senior Olympic Games

By the time I parked the van, it appeared as though the other contestants had already checked in. The majority were men, dressed in neat outdoorsy clothes and looking ready for a day at the lake, with coolers, bowstands and spotting scopes (like a telecope) set up on tripods.  Some had even brought mini awnings and umbrella chairs.

I set down my equipment, took out my bow out of its second-hand hunting case, and walked over to the check-in table.  As I walked past the row of men with expensive-looking equipment, I felt their eyes upon me.  "Do I look like an amateur?  Do I look too young?  Does my bow look cheap?"  I wondered.  I own a decent bow -- an "Infinite Edge" by Diamond -- but it is green camouflage and looks like utilitarian hunting bow, not a fancy wooden or high-tech one.  Then I spotted Roger and Kathy Wertanen, a friendly couple I had met at the previous Saturday's Track and Field event, and felt a bit more at ease.

2014 Minnesota Senior Games archery contestants

The check-in staff inspected my bow, asked if my arrows were marked with my initials (they weren't yet), checked the bowstring's draw weight, and made sure I had brought a release.  Then they handed me a clipboard with my scoring sheets, and told me I would be shooting at Bale #17.


The six female archers were grouped at one end of the shooting line, the men at the other end.  I must have had a bewildered expression, and the other woman in my age group, Julene Hakl, reassured me, "We'll get you through!"  She and and a few volunteers began filling me in on the myriad rules: don't touch the bale before the arrows have been scored, mark all of your arrows, make sure your arrows are the same color,  etc.  A dad sitting behind me volunteered his 11-year-old son, Noah, to act as my "spotter," looking through a spotting scope and telling me where my arrows were hitting.  Noah seemed happy to take on this important job, and I was happy to not have to bend over and pick up my binoculars after each shot. 

Firing Line:  I am on the far right, in the black shirt

A loudspeaker voice announced that we would get two practice rounds before the official event.  Thank goodness!  I shot all of my arrows into the grass during practice, and discovered that I was aiming with the wrong distance pin.  A group of volunteers came out to help locate the arrows, but I found most of them by taking off my shoes and going barefoot.  This was against official rules, but it was before the event and I found the arrows quickly.  A "traffic light" set up on one side of the field shone green during the five minutes we were allowed to shoot each "end" (set) of six arrows, yellow with 30 seconds remaining, and red in between ends.

Then the whistle blew, signaling us to step up to the firing line.  My stomach was full of butterflies, and I wondered if I was prepared enough.  Was everyone scrutinizing me?  We began shooting at the longest distance, 60 yards, the opposite of how I had been training.  I blocked out of my head the realization that I had only shot at a 60-yard target for the first time the previous day.  I focused on maintaining proper form: taking a deep breath, getting anchored, finding the target with the proper pin, firing, holding "still like a statue" until the arrow hit the target.

Female archers score their arrow hits

After the first six arrows actually hit the target, I realized that I could fare decently if I maintained my focus and paced myself.  I had done a yeoman's job setting my distance pins, so the key would be using the correct one at each distance, and not allowing my nerves to take over.  Plantar fascitis had flared in my feet two weeks prior, putting me on crutches for a weekend.  To preserve my stamina, I sat in my lawn chair every spare moment.  The previous day's four-hour practice marathon also concerned me.  Would my strength withstand two days in a row of shooting?  While there was no getting around holding the bow and drawing back the string, I set the bow down and rested as much as possible between rounds.


I would be remiss if I did not mention how lovely it was to meet the other archers and shoot with them.  Their dedication to the sport and shooting skills were admirable, and give me new levels to aspire to.  During one scoring round, Norma and Edna (pictured above in the yellow and blue shirts), remarked, "We've been discussing you, and you must be a 'miracle child,' because there is no way you could be old enough to be in this tournament!"  Rather abashed, I thanked them and explained that although I was still 49, my 50th birthday in December made me legal to join the Games. 

The event was supposed to end at Noon, but one archer's equipment failure, requiring extra make-up time, stretched out the event until after 2:00 pm.  Nobody had explained the complicated scoring process at the end, where every participant is expected to tally the score sheets until they match. Despite losing one arrow and hitting the wrong target with another, I earned 23 points above the minimum.  I not only qualify for next year's national event, but because there were only two people in my age category, I earned a silver medal!

My daughter, Tacy, running late for a birthday party, frantically called me on my cel phone at 2:15 to inquire as to my whereabouts. Sigh! The kids were unaware of my accomplishment.  Reassuring Tacy that I was going as fast as humanly possible, I finished scoring my and Norma's tally sheets, and turned in mine at the booth.  I told the staff I was in a rush because my daughter was late for a birthday party.  Most Senior Games participants are retired and must not have many obligations.  They looked perplexed, and said they were about to hand out the medals.  I think they had planned to do it more "ceremoniously,"  perhaps in front of the entire group.  But after explaining my home situation, they nodded in understanding, handed me my silver medal in its plastic bag, shook my hand, and said "Congratulations!"

As I drove home, the adrenaline began to drain away and I felt as though I could have collapsed in a chair for the remainder of the day.  But not until I drove Tacy to her birthday party and picked up a few groceries on the way back.  Olympian by morning, mom by afternoon.  This tournament begins my journey to the 2015 National Senior Games.  Looking forward to honing my skills during this next year!

Silver Medalist Janet Lenius
Saturday, Aug. 9th, 2014

Not Your Average Ordinary Workout: The Senior Olympics

An unexpected side benefit of attending the Ann Bancroft luncheon (see previous post) was that I ended up in the National Senior Olympic Games!

Standing in line next to me waiting to talk to Ms. Bancroft was an employee of the National Senior Games Association.  The fellow informed me that Minneapolis was hosting the Games in 2015, and that competitors must turn 50 by Dec. 31, 2014 to qualify.

I was unaware that such a thing as Senior Olympic Games even existed!  I used to run 5k and 10k races in my 20s, before giving birth to my first child at age 30, but gave that up due to overstretched ligaments that were causing pain during the high-impact exercise.  Five years later my second child arrived, and with her came added foot problems.  I was forced to (gasp!) begin wearing comfort shoes (how humiliating)!  I spent my 20s in three-inch heels.  But I digress...

Me running Grandma's Marathon at age 22

 In the ensuing 19 years, I've done "maintenance-level" exercise, such as spinning  classes and weight training, to stay toned and feel good, but have not competed in any races. 

But after a week or so, curiosity got the better of me and I Googled the website, http://www.nsga.com/.  I turn 50 this year on Dec. 6th, so I will definitely qualify.  The listings included some "old fogey" sports like bowling and horseshoes, and there were events that were out of my grasp, such as running races.  But then I spotted race walking and archery. 

"Could I?" I asked myself.  I was unsure as to whether I could withstand the training or learn the proper form, but my 12 years of distance running and dozens of races had to count for something.  I had even run a marathon!  Race walking would surely be lower impact and seemed within my grasp.

I had tried archery with my daughters at Girl Scout camp, but not other than that.  Unlike the discus throw, archery seemed to pose less of an injury threat.  Then there is the "Hunger Games" appeal and the way that movie has romanticized the female archer as lone hero.  Another appeal was that it is a practical skill.  If our society collapses into anarchy and we end up hiding out in the woods, the ability to shoot a rabbit for dinner would definitely be handy!

So one evening in May, after the rest of the family had gone to bed, I impulsively registered for the 5000 meter racewalk event and the compound bow archery event.  Total cost: $40.  The confirmation email arrived the next day, making it official.  Now I was committed, and my journey as an Olympian had begun!

My first job was to purchase a bow.  I found one on Ebay that turned out to be made for someone much stronger than me.  I could not even pull the bowstring!  No worries, the seller happily refunded my money once I returned the bow.  When purchasing my second bow, I was careful to pay attention to the "maximum draw weight," and got one rated for 25-35 pounds.

My next mission was to get the bow fitted for me and buy some arrows.  I took the bow to Average Joe's Archery in Coon Rapids, MN.  The staff there treated me very well, expertly assembling the pieces, fitting it to my strength and arm length, adjusting the sights, cutting arrows to the proper length, and even coaching me on shooting techniques.  I happened to visit during their "Customer Appreciation Days," so ended up getting free shooting practice on their range as well! 

Now I am in practice mode, refining my technique and aim, and learn how to score my "ends" (groups of arrows).  The Minneapolis park system has four free archery ranges that I have been regularly visiting.  I've enjoyed meeting other archers and learning all kinds of helpful tips from them, including their favorite archery shops and ranges. I consistently group my arrows at the nine-o'clock position, so I plan to head back to Average Joe's for another lesson on technique, and buy a few more arrows to replace the ones that mysteriously disappeared in the woods.

The racewalking practice has been a "long, winding journey" as well.  I found a book called "Racewalking Clinic," which has practice drills specific for the race walker.   I have also watched a few YouTube videos.
My technique has been inconsistent, as I don't believe I completely understand it.  I want to "get" the form one hundred percent before I start adding speed, but now that there is only one month before the race, I need to start adding speed!

Shooting pains under the toes have been cropping up during my fast-paced three-mile walks. Last week I made the mistake of going out for a race-walk without first warming up or stretching.  After a half-mile the foot pain was so great I had to hobble back home. My wonderful husband David (who happens to also be a massage therapist) informed me that a muscle underneath the calf, not the toes, are the source of the problem, and that I can prevent or reduce pain by massaging this muscle.  Check.

I also got in to see a podiatrist, who chided me for not warming up or stretching, and recommended that I add long compression athletic socks (I am really a fogey now!) as well as replace my "Smartfeet" shoe inserts and wear pads under the balls of the my feet.  Check.

Today I emailed the organizer of Twin Cities Race Walkers, and asked about their twice-monthly meetups in Como Park.  If I can meet even once with this group to learn their techniques, I believe it would be tremendously helpful. 

With one month left before the competitions, the pressure is mounting.  But I am excited to see how far I can go with my two new sporting endeavors!  So, dear readers, what have you done for your body lately?

Ann Bancroft and thoughts about life

Today I had the opportunity to hear arctic explorer Ann Bancroft speak about her adventures.  What a treat!  The setting was the tame and sedate Edina Country Club -- a far cry from the frozen tundra where she earned her claim to fame.

Although her famous trips via dogsled and the one on foot with Liv Arnesen while dragging a 267 pound sled happened several years ago, she is preparing for another trek commencing October 2014.  This one will include six women, one from every continent in the world.  Truly a global, multicultural event!

Many people have read about Ann's adventures, or perhaps heard interviews with her, but sitting eye-to-eye with her at the front table in a room full of 200 people and hearing her recount her stories "live" really let me understand what it was like.

Most fascinating for me was that as she spoke I imagined metaphors for trying to accomplish anything in life.  She talked about how she had to persevere with hours of hard work to reach her daily mileage goal, and that reminded me about persevering and never giving up on my goals.  She talked about her and Liv becoming discouraged midway through the trip, and how they made silly videos to buoy up each other spirits.  I thought about how my family and I joke around, and encouraging others I come in contact with each day, to keep their spirits up so we can get through tough times and achieve our goals.  She spoke of making her treks educational, so that kids around the world could learn from her experiences.  I thought of how important it is to give back to others and think beyond my own selfish needs. I saw pictures of her out in all that nothingness for days on end, and thought about how we can make meaning out of life even when all around us everything looks bleak.

After the meeting I shook Ann's hand and thanked her for her excellent talk, and was impressed with her air of happiness and absolute self reliance.  What a great role model and reminder that anyone -- and especially women and girls -- can accomplish what they set their minds to.

Thank you, Ann, for talking to the Bloomington, Eden Prairie, and other Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce members today!
Read about Ann's upcoming trek and her charitable foundation at http://www.annbancroftfoundation.org