actually....

I'm not Jason Hinkin, but this message is 100% Hinkin approved.


Just so everyone is clear, this blog is a fake. None of the events that are outlined in this blog ever took place, although they are loosely based on a real person. Me.

Let me explain my motivation for doing this.

Every Olympic year, there is always someone that comes out of the woodwork to qualify for the trials. I had wondered what it would be like if I came out of retirement, given my situation: being married, having two kids, working full time and also coaching high school kids. Trying to seriously train given my schedule and total lack of physical readiness would have been comical. I decided to chronicle my fictional comeback as a satirical blog. It was originally intended to show me failing spectacularly, but after hearing a couple of elites supposedly being nervous about this unknown "great" making a comeback (and some gentle persuasion by Shawn Devereaux), I upped the ante to show amazing progress in my training and jumping. It was only natural to develop this into an early April event.

After building up a following and amid all the speculation, I also added in some drama (the divorce) to spice things up a bit. Once a few people started guessing that something was up, I decided it was time to have some fun and start hiding some clues. Becca and all the other Moderators on Pole Vault Power knew what was going on and helped in the misdirection as well.

I never expected you guys find, let alone solve the numbers so quickly.

1+1+1/28 + 4 = 3/28 + 4 days = 4/1

(3*2-1)/1 - 30 = 5/1 - 30 days = 4/1

92 references the 92nd day of the year, which is 4/1

Also, a lot of the posts I made (and the interview) actually reference me in real life or pulling this prank.

in this post (http://livinthedream2008.blogspot.com/2008/03/skeptic-in-every-bunch.html), the statement about not sitting on my hands is true. I have been coaching for 8 years. The second paragraph talks about writing the blog and not jumping or training.

When VTechVaulter asked me a series of questions (http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=104331&highlight=#104331) , I answered them all truthfully, except one: I didn't really jump in a meet the weekend before, although I had thought about actually jumping in one and putting the bar up at 5.50m so I wouldn't technically be lying about taking three jumps at it.

I would like to clarify a couple of my answers in that post:

yes, I have achieved All American status before, in the 90's.

I was an indoor All American in 1994..........in high school.

I've warmed up at every NCAA meet I've been to

I've attended, but not competed in 3 NCAA indoor championships. Each of those times, I worked as part of the field crew, so i had a field pass, which allowed me to warm up, workout and jump a little the day before the meet.

The "interview" I did with Becca (thanks Becca) was actually all about doing the blog and perpetrating the prank and not about jumping or any sort of comeback at all. You just assumed that's what it was about. Everything in that interview is 100% true. Go back and re-read it (http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14424) but now you'll be reading it in a different context.

The final post I made in the thread

"yep, i'm done.



it was a great ride. hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

time to think long and hard about some things."

is about posting to PVP using that alias. "time to think long and hard about things" was directed to you, the reader and not a statement of what I was going to do.

The Hinkin thing was just a last minute swerve to throw off all of you that had thought you'd figured it out, even though if you went back through all the statements made, none of it would match up with Hinkin, but I guess his reputation precedes him.

I'd like to thank all of those who gave their well wishes and support, as it shows there are still truly good people in the world and that vaulters are always the friendliest bunch on the field (and track). To all those who somehow get upset or offended by all this: lighten up. A special thanks to Becca for allowing me to perpetrate my shenanigans on her site and for all the help she and the other Moderators gave me.

As far as the issue of my true identity, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=85789&highlight=#85789

and I don't want anybody to say "I knew it!", because you really didn't. did you. :)

I know I've just raised the bar to a ridiculous level, but stay tuned as I have another 365 days....

time to come clean

Happy April Fools Day!

After doing some soul searching (and a lot of drinking), I've decided to end the subterfuge.

My name is Jason Hinkin. that is all.

its official....

I'm done.

Torn ACL.

Torn meniscus.

Surgery is next week. Will be out for at least 4 months. I'm so bummed right now.

I did something really stupid yesterday.....

I broke one of my third attempt rules and went up a a pole before I had the standards back at 80cm at 5.50m. The result was me coming up short, landing on the front buns, and feeling a large pop in my knee. Instant pain all over my left knee. Trainer at the meet thinks I popped my ACL.

I went to Urgent Care and am now on crutches with a knee brace. I'm not able to put any pressure on it laterally without the brace, so I think the ACL diagnosis is correct. Got an appointment for an MRI and with my orthopedist tomorrow.

Damn. Just when I was getting close.....

a skeptic in every bunch

There's some talk that I'm not a real person and this is all made up.

Let me assure you, I am a very real person. I've not just been sitting on my hands for the last nine years. I've been actively coaching the vault for 8 years now, so I've not magically gotten good at the vault suddenly in the past few months. I've been jumping with the group I coach, but Ive not trained seriously up until now. My technincal ability has not been a limitation for me, only my fitness level.

It really irks me after all I've been through, after all the time I've put into this, that someone would doubt my sincerity in this undertaking. I seriously considered not bothering at all and just carrying on with the status quo, but a few kind souls twisted my arm and convinced me to do this. This is not easy you know.

and so it begins......

Jumped in my first meet today! Didn't get 5.50m, but took 3 good attempts at it. I'm thinking I shouldn't have passed directly to it after making my opener, but I still feel pretty good about my performance. I'm glad the college close to here has good vaulting facilities. There were a lot of people surprised to see me today and were really great about encouraging me. I'm so glad I got back into vaulting, just to be around the people involved.

I just want to thank all of you for all the support and encouragement you've been giving me. I'm also getting a kick around all the speculation around who I am. Makes me feel like a celebrity or something. :)

some sad news...

Well, the solution to my support problem at home has come to fruition. I filed for divorce from my wife yesterday. This was a long time in the works, but her complete lack of support and daily criticism of me pursuing my dream was the straw that broke the camels back (that and some mysterious TXT messages). She never appreciated anything that I sacrificed for her and our family. I gave up my initial dream of vaulting professionally to settle down with her and start a family. Once the opportunity presented itself to come back, she was nothing but negative about the entire thing.

I feel pretty awful right now, but this whole process has doubled my resolve to follow my dreams. I'm making such good progress (5.60m over a bar today!) that I can't waver from my goal. Things are going to be that much harder, but I can't let these setback deter me.

onward and upward!