Woke up this morning with that feeling in the pit of my stomach. Drank a little coffee and piled the family up in the car and headed to Carrollton, Ga to the GSM Icebreakers 2013 strongman contest.
The drive went well, it was a little foggy, but we took our time.
We arrived at the venue and I was greated by my old buddy Brad Stanford and his wife Kim. We set up a little camp site under the big pavillion and got ready. After registering they told me, much to my dissappointment that the weight for height had been eliminated due to wet ground conditions. I was ready for that event and couldn't have been more dissappointed, thought I could do well there.
So the firetruck arrived for event 1 and it was massive.
A good many of the lightweights could barely get it rolling. Brad did well with a pull of about 6 feet in the Master's class.
Eventually, my turn came around and I fought like the devil for about a minute and got six feet also, I think not practicing my pulling event could have cost me a few extra feet here. Lesson learned.
40k lb. firetruck pull x 6 feet
Event 2 - Log Press
I had been nervous about this event, just because overhead pressing is where I usually lay a big egg in a contest. It was a log press medley of 250, 280 and 310lbs. My strategy was simple, dominate the 250 and get on the board. Take my time and take a few breaths and sell out on the 280 (would have been a 10lb. PR for me).
The 250 flew up, i casually walk to the 280 and get my feet and mind right. I got the clean easy and a good rack position, but when I went for the press I just couldn't get it there. But at least I was on the board.
Event 3 - Max Deadlift
Now it was time to find out who the strong people were. Warmups went well. just took a few increasing singles to 515.
Opened at 565, good lift, felt good.
2nd attempt 605, good lift, felt great
3rd attempt 625, easy, good enough for a tie for 3rd place, and a 10lb. PR. Wish I had attempted more, but getting the lifts was my goal.
Event 4 - Keg Load, Wheelbarrow medley
Fortunately a good placing in the previous event let me see how well I needed to do here. My goal was just to get all 4 kegs loaded and then if I had time, try and take a few steps to the finish line and beat out a couple of folks to hold my placing. did exactly that, multi-way tie for 3rd (I think). In hindsight I should have moved quicker, since this was not a difficult as I thought it was going to be, but another lesson learned.
Event 5 - Stones
I have been training stones and stone loading movements religiously for the last few months because I was sick of stinking it up on the stones. Well, it paid off.
240,275,270,290,310lbs stone run in about a minute. My best stone run to date, once again if I had hussled by a couple of seconds I could have finished one placing higher and added to my position.
Big thanks to Brad Stanford for his help, coaching and encouragement. It always is better when you've got somebody in your corner rooting for you.
Finished 5th (should've finished 4th were it not for some mental errors and self doubt on my part) my best placing yet and a great place to keep building from.
Wore out, now for a week of rest and eating.
We arrived at the venue and I was greated by my old buddy Brad Stanford and his wife Kim. We set up a little camp site under the big pavillion and got ready. After registering they told me, much to my dissappointment that the weight for height had been eliminated due to wet ground conditions. I was ready for that event and couldn't have been more dissappointed, thought I could do well there.
So the firetruck arrived for event 1 and it was massive.
A good many of the lightweights could barely get it rolling. Brad did well with a pull of about 6 feet in the Master's class.
Eventually, my turn came around and I fought like the devil for about a minute and got six feet also, I think not practicing my pulling event could have cost me a few extra feet here. Lesson learned.
40k lb. firetruck pull x 6 feet
Event 2 - Log Press
I had been nervous about this event, just because overhead pressing is where I usually lay a big egg in a contest. It was a log press medley of 250, 280 and 310lbs. My strategy was simple, dominate the 250 and get on the board. Take my time and take a few breaths and sell out on the 280 (would have been a 10lb. PR for me).
The 250 flew up, i casually walk to the 280 and get my feet and mind right. I got the clean easy and a good rack position, but when I went for the press I just couldn't get it there. But at least I was on the board.
Event 3 - Max Deadlift
Now it was time to find out who the strong people were. Warmups went well. just took a few increasing singles to 515.
Opened at 565, good lift, felt good.
2nd attempt 605, good lift, felt great
3rd attempt 625, easy, good enough for a tie for 3rd place, and a 10lb. PR. Wish I had attempted more, but getting the lifts was my goal.
Event 4 - Keg Load, Wheelbarrow medley
Fortunately a good placing in the previous event let me see how well I needed to do here. My goal was just to get all 4 kegs loaded and then if I had time, try and take a few steps to the finish line and beat out a couple of folks to hold my placing. did exactly that, multi-way tie for 3rd (I think). In hindsight I should have moved quicker, since this was not a difficult as I thought it was going to be, but another lesson learned.
Event 5 - Stones
I have been training stones and stone loading movements religiously for the last few months because I was sick of stinking it up on the stones. Well, it paid off.
240,275,270,290,310lbs stone run in about a minute. My best stone run to date, once again if I had hussled by a couple of seconds I could have finished one placing higher and added to my position.
Big thanks to Brad Stanford for his help, coaching and encouragement. It always is better when you've got somebody in your corner rooting for you.
Finished 5th (should've finished 4th were it not for some mental errors and self doubt on my part) my best placing yet and a great place to keep building from.
Wore out, now for a week of rest and eating.
