Hannah Sparks was fourth in last year's 5A long jump, and should be looking for a higher rung on the ladder this spring. Colorado Track XC file photo.
After some initial success with jumping, the jumping events have remained mostly a puzzle to me. I recall winning the blue ribbon in the "standing broad jump" in my third-grade class field day. Like so many other youngsters, I quickly esteemed myself an accomplished jumps athlete on the basis of that compelling evidence, but would spend most of the rest of my life running into the brick wall of deeper reality.
First, sometime shortly after third grade, the "standing" part of the event went away. Competing successfully in the long jump requires considerable speed on the runway and the ability to hit a takeoff board. I wasn't long in coming to the conclusion that I was sorely deficient in both. I own a lifetime PR of 17-6 in the long jump, good enough for fifth-place at a small meet in Alamosa during my junior or senior yea...