We drove accidentally drove by the contest site. I say accidentally because we saw it, thought no way was that place going to be the contest site, and kept driving. While Joe's front lawn looked like a wetlands preserve with all the rain, it was obvious it was the place since no other driveway had chalk marks on it. Stepping inside the tent/building I saw some very worn stone platforms and lots of stones. The 405lber looked massive. It looked smaller than what I thought the place would look like in the videos I'd seen from past contest. I came it at 263lbs with my shoes on so I probably was about 260lbs without them. Only four competitors were in the heavyweight class including myself. Rules were at 9:30 and we started at 10:00. First event was the axle clean and press.
The axle press was clean and press every rep with 285lbs with 60 seconds time limit. I was concerned with the cleans/continentals as my last workout with my axle was awful. I made sure to do more warm-ups than I usually do on contest days to hopefully get the kinks out of my form before I went. The lifting area was very small and uneven. I missed my first rep since I didn't get enough leg drive and did it again to lock it out. I lost my balance and hit the stone platforms behind me and the axle came down and landed on my knees. The good thing about adrenaline is that pain stays at bay for a bit. I taped up my one knee after the event since I had a gash that was bleeding. My second rep was better and I tried for a third. At this point three was the number to beat. I missed a third continental and asked for my time. I had 20 seconds so I knew I had the time. I got it up to my shoulders after inching it up and tried. But I couldn't get enough pop. A PR for me but only good enough for fourth out of four.
Up next was an 18" axle deadlift. 640lbs for as many reps in 60 seconds. Touch and go was not allowed. Straps were allowed. None of that really mattered to me. This was the event that I knew I had the greatest chance of bombing. It was going to be tough for me to even break it off the blocks. Any confidence I had on getting one rep were kind of dashed when my warm-ups with 340lbs and 430lbs were tough. I strapped in, gave it two tugs and got it off about quarter of an inch. Goose egg so a last place out of four.
Next was the crucifix hold. Each loading pin was 35lbs. This was one I had been working on quite a bit so I knew I'd do decent. This could possibly bring me out of last place. When my turn came up, the time to beat was 40 seconds, which had been my goal in training. I focused and locked out my arms. Already my arms were shaking. I tried my best but my left arm lowered. I got 37.10 seconds which was 1.5 seconds PR for me. Good enough for second out of four on this one.
Then it was a frame hold. Due to the rain, the frame carry was changed to a frame hold. The weight was kept at 700lbs but the frames were widened to 36". This was the second event I was worried about bombing. Holding on to it wouldn't be a problem, just picking it up. While in training I had picked up this weight, it had been at 18" with a closer stance. This was about 3" lower and much wider. This was really the point were I could get back into the contest. Either bomb it and end up in 4th or lift it and get some points. I setup and gave it a go and nothing. Goose egg so a last place out of four.
Finally it was time for the atlas stones. The stones were 280lbs and 310lbs to 52" and 330lbs, 355lbs and 405lbs to 48". I had missed feelings as I was happy to have made improvements on two events but pissed off and confused with bombing two. The points were tallied at this point to determine placing. I knew I was in last place so I would be going first and it didn't matter what place I got for my final placing. These stones were dirty and odd shaped so I was unsure how it would go. I made sure I had on a lot of tacky. I hesitated a little picking up the first stone but I powered through the first four in about 14 seconds. I jumped on the 22" 405lbs stone couldn't get a good grip on it. I reached for my tacky jar and applied some more but the jar and plastic bag stuck to my hands. I didn't think this through to well I guess. I shook my hand violently and dislodged the jar into the crowd but the baggy was still there. I then swatted my hand against the platform and got rid of the bag. I got down deep and got as much of my body as I could on the stone and squeezed. It came up slowly but just enough to get under it and lap it. It was heavy! The tape around my one knee split open. I pulled it in tight and prepared to load it. I got it to the lip of the platform but I knew it wasn't high enough so I tried to roll it up even higher. I felt like I was about to be bent in half with it on my chest but I didn't care. I wanted this stone loaded! I got it on the platform and shoved it up the rest of the way with my hands. I raised my hands in victory! I was the only one to finish all the stones with a time of 44.30 seconds. First place on the final event.
I ended up in in last place in the 232lbs and over class. The day ran the whole gamut of emotions, from the bitter disappointment of defeat to the euphoric success of personal victory. I'm still getting better but man does my deadlift suck. It really is holding me back in the heavy weight division and I need to fix it. My pressing is improving so that is good. I couldn't be more pleased with how my stone loading has been going. I found out after my run that I'm the third person to ever load Joe's 405lbs stone (the other two are Derek Poundstone and my friend Johnny Wasiczko) and the first person to ever load it in series at a contest. So out of all the year's that Joe's run Viking Fest, I'm the first to load it. I guess I can live with that. Unfortunately, our camera didn't film my stone run so if anyone has it, let me know. Besides working on improving my abysmal deadlift, I'll be working on training for the Iron City Classic and Battle of the Bad Ass.
No comments:
Post a Comment