Saturday 3/8
Made the drive up to Highland, NY and competed in Viking fest. It was by far the heaviest contest I've ever done, and the first time I've competed in a 231lbs weight class. I had been gaining weight like crazy over the last few months trying to get stronger for this contest. I got much stronger, but the strength I gained didn't carry over too much. It also didn't help that I made the mistake of getting a [terrible] burger and fries from the cheesecake factory right before I went to sleep the night before, making me have a terrible stomach ache all night and the morning before the contest, waking up two different times to go to the bathroom, and thankfully getting to Joe Farino's house early enough to where we could go to a diner so I could use the bathroom again
During the weigh ins, rules, and measuring for the car squat, it began to rain a little, but not too bad yet. Rules are over, and everyone starts warming up for the first event...
230lbs stone press
I was cleaning the stone up really easily, but was getting no where on the press, just as I thought. Only one person in the 231's didn't bomb out, and he ended up getting like four reps.
As soon as this event was over, it started to absolutely pour out. We waited around a little while but they had a tent set up over the car squat, so we got this event going. I ended up going pretty far to last because I am so short and they went from highest pin settings to lowest. I don't know what everyone got, but I know Keller the Freak got something like 25 reps. I'm pretty sure this number beat everyone there, including the heavy weights. I ended up getting counted for 11 reps. I robbed myself of a few reps because I didn't know how to get set up, and on the first rep the bar fell off my back so I had to readjust. I also stood up with like 30 seconds left because I'm a bitch and rested for like 15 seconds. Oh well. The weird part about this event, was that it's the same apparatus used in the car deadlift at the hudson valley contest that was in september. On the car deadlift, I had 10 reps with about 5 seconds left, and got the 11th just before time ran out, but also hurt myself doing this. So on the car squat when I had 10 reps with only a few seconds left and start pushing to hit another, I felt exactly the same and thought I was going to hurt myself right after i locked it out again. Surprisingly I didn't.
After this event it started to rain even more. Everything started to flood, including the shack/tent that Joe has set up (which is the coolest thing I've ever seen. I am very jealous) We waited around a little while again hoping the rain will slow down a bit. After a while we went on to the next event
56lbs weight for height.
This was the first time I've even seen the implement. Most people took a few practice tosses, so I figured I'd go for it too. The weight felt extremely light and I was confident I'd make it over at least the first height (10feet) I get up, start swinging it, let go.... and I'm pretty sure I got negative 13 feet. A ton of technique is involved in this, and I had 0 of it. Awesome! Everyone starts lining up, and the rain is starting to come down more. The lawn was basically a big pool of water and mud mixed together, and every time the weight landed, mud exploded every where. My turn comes up, and the same thing happens, I throw the thing and I didn't come close on both of my attempts. Judging by the video I think I would have maybe cleared 8 feet? It was a little frustrating because it felt so light. Whatever. This was really cool and now I want to learn how to do stuff like this, even though I know I won't.
The rain keeps coming and the lawn was like a foot deep of water and mud everywhere so we wait a little while again, and the joe's driveway guys put the deadlift apparatus under the tent they had the car squat under so they wouldn't have to sub out that event for something else. It was raining so bad that they had everyone stay in the main shack or whatever you want to call it, and had the competitors come out 1 by 1 to do the deadlift event.
Keg deadlift
The axle was set at 18" and the apparatus was basically this big wheel barrel with no wheels. After each rep, a 100lbs keg was rolled into the barrel. This event was awesome and I wish I had something like it to train it. I ended up getting the first two weights (450 and 550) but couldn't even budge 650. A little dissapointed in this because I thought it was going to be easier than an 18" deadlift with a bar, but it felt harder to me. My grip was also slipping a little despite using straps, but as soon as my turn was over, a few guys were saying to how the iron mind straps aren't good for axles because they are too short. So who knows, maybe if I had longer straps and my grip wasn't slipping I might have been able to pull the bar to my knees and hitch it up. Just speculation though and I'm probably wrong.
Thankfully the last event was going to be inside the shack on this really awesome stone set up they have. I LOVE their platforms and wish I could make the same ones.
Stones...
All the platforms were 54" platforms, which is pretty high for me. The stones were also really heavy, starting at 300. Just getting the first stone would have been a big PR for me because the highest platforms I have ever loaded a 300lbs stone to was 48" for a double. We haven't really done any training with stones heavier than a small 260 over the last few months, so I was a little nervous going into this. My turn comes up, I get there, pop the stone into my lap sooooooo easily. I couldn't believe how light it felt. I throw the stone up to the lip and get under it, but couldn't roll the damn thing onto the platform. Drop the stone, pick it up again just as easily, pop it up to basically the same spot, but again can't roll it over. Drop it and pick it up a third friggen time and do the same exact thing. Ended up getting a big goose egg on this, and was the only time of the day I was frustrated, despite my terrible performance for the rest of the day.
I think I ended up in 2nd or 3rd to last in my weight class overall. I thought I was going to be in last place, so whatever. I ended up hitting 2 of the 3 goals I wanted to do today. 1.) I weighed in at 200lbs! well, kind of. I had shorts, pants, 2 shirts, a sweatshirt, and my sneakers on, and had a bunch of stuff in my pockets.. haha. Whatever. I was fat as hell. I was probably like 194-195lbs if I weighed in without anything on and no food in me. 2.) I didn't drop the stone on my head and die. My third goal was to hit at least the first stone in the series, but failed that. Oh well. I will load a 300+ to that height soon. Despite doing terrible today, I had a ton of fun, and don't even care that I sucked. I knew I was going to, and was just going up to have fun and to try out some new events. Really glad I did, and would do it again. Competing in the 231's was fun, I wish I wasn't a midget, (which I got reminded of from a few guys multiple times... especially when they were giving out the contest shirts and the smallest shirt was an extra large
) so I could compete in this class more often.
I told myself that after this contest I would up my conditioning and hopefully get in better shape. I don't really want to lose any weight, but I want to add in a bunch of conditioning to my workouts so I could get in better shape. I'm not going to go crazy and go on a diet or anything, but I am going to stop eating so bad most of the time, add in some type of conditioning after each of my workout, and try to do some slow paced cardio a couple of times a week as well. I also bought two empty kegs off of elliot too so I could make a 200lbs keg and a 230lbs keg, so I'm happy that I got some new toys to play with. I am going to start doing more carry type events because it's a big weakness of mine, and will also help me get in shape. The tire we bought is going to start getting used a lot more too.
I feel like I had more I wanted to say (surprising, I know) but I got distracted by my tv and now I'm drawing a blank so I'll just leave it there. This is REALLY long as it is anyway.
edit: We have video's of all the events, but they are on my friends camera and his computer isn't recognizing it when he plugs it in for some reason, so I'll get the videos up as soon as I can, even though they are pretty embarassing.. haha
