Bristols Strongest Man novice/inters comp back in July:
Went to bed at midnite, a little earlier than normal as knew nerves would keep me awake for a while, fell asleep about 1am in the end.
Woken up at 1.30 by some crazy heavy rain, this was some serious downpour and suddenly my heart sank. I'd prefer blazing sun where I burn to rain lol.
get back to sleep eventually, wake up at 7.30 and have a shower n 5 weetabix. No nerves, able to eat fine, good news!
Pack my bags, get in the car and leave the house.... drive back to house to pick up bags that I have packed. Doh, clearly am nervous
Some big lads at the comp, most seem to be at least my size (or in my mind they were) but taller or 20kg lighter (wtf!).
I'm listed as 2nd in the running order of 13 (should have been 18 but fair few pulled out last min).
Event 1 - apollons axle: floor to over head, 95kg starting weight rising in 10kg. MUST put completed rep (on "good rep") on to the bags, not the floor.
2.25" bar with big metal wheels on it that do not spin like a normal barbell and weights.
1st attempt - belly clean, up to shoulders, push press. Simple. "Good rep". Down.... onto the floor. Dan (the ref just laughed and shook his head) "no rep". First lift nerves clearly hitting me lol.
Still time for another attempt, I've never tried 2 in quick succession but gave it a go. Good rep. Yes!
Pertty much everyone got it, onto 105kg.
Belly clean 105, up to shoulders, more of a push press "good rep", down onto the bags. Cool
115kg - belly clean, up to chest, almost slipped but was well chalked up, got to shoulders. Knew this wasn't going up, it was sat on my chest still rather than just under my chin like the 95 and 105 was. Push press (should have tried to power jerk it really) to just over my head, no tricep strength to press out though. No lift.
No idea where I came on this yet, but thing only 5 of us got 105. Joint winners got 125, well impressed.
Event 2 - Farmers and yoke medley: farmers 110kg in each hand, low pick up handles for 20m straight into 260 yoke for 20m.
To save time on the height change for yoke we didn't go in order, just in who wanted to do x height, then move it up and do next people until all have done it. I went on the 2nd height which was about 8th person.
Nobody dropped the farmers and they were all fast, but this then screwed most for the yoke, less than half in total completed both parts. I was one of them Yes!
Nice steady farmers, nothing lighting speed but fast enough. Under the yoke, 260kg suddenly felt like over 300 (never done the 2 together so quickly before). Lifted, got moving. Think I covered 10m before first drop, knew not to stand up and breathe, just pick up and go again. Think I dropped it once more, then over the line. Awesome
Event 3 - Car deadlift, 60 secs. Front bar rather than side handles, I think about 230kg in the hands. Lift da weight from a dead stop silly! Wait for lift command and down command.
Hands were aching from squeezing the farmers not long before, we were back to list order meaning I was 2nd up for this. Eek.
First bloke struggled to get 2, it was raining again and I didn't have spare socks so had to do it in my trainers (basketball boots with a thick heel making the lift higher, doh!).
rocked up to the car, lifted first rep "down", sweet 1 rep. I then waited..... looked up at ref and he said "what you waiting for?" "the lift command you fanny
". Doh
Busted out 7 reps. After 6 it felt like i was gonna **** myself, seriously. Bad times. 20s left and I'm thinking 1 more and I'm gonna be glad i've got dark shorts on and its raining!!!
"10 seconds" was called. Bust out 2 more to make 8 reps. 4th in this event (winner got 19 (over 350kg powerlifter), 2nd was 16 and 3rd 9 reps.
Lesson learned there, get the **** on with it, walked away from that feeling like i could do it again. Damn.
Lunch break - jelly babies and flap jack nom nom nom
Event 4 - Block press, 75s (I think) floor to overhead for reps. 90kg metal block, forged from the depths of hell.
This is a serious piece of hell, you could see everyone (competitors and crowd) just looking at it like "wtf, that's 90kg?!". Seriously, it's like a breeze block, not like the flat ones you can grab easily in other comps, this was a beast.
I hate it and have struggled with it immensly in the gym, it scares the life out of me (and clearly the same for others who have just set eyes on it).
First person up, I didn't really pay attention, I knew that 1 rep would be a big score here. 2nd person up, i realise its not me! We're running in reverse order now, meaning I'm 1 from last to go. Breathing space and a chance to see what others do.
Superman Tom (was 2nd to go, he got 4 reps. I've seen him do the same in the gym and expected this from him, simply awesome to watch). Then no one else lifted it until the comp winner who got 3. Lots of people struggling to clean the thing then get in a position to press, let alone actually press it.
My turn. I can clean this thing easily, easiest part of it. 3,2,1 go - On to toes, lap it, hip drive to chest, sweet. Hold under chin, little push press "HEAD THROUGH MARK" I heard, needed this reminder to take my eyes off it. "good lift". Down to the floor. **** yeah
By this time the platform was wet with people walking on and off it, i know the block would get wet from this so had a pocket full of chalk and gave it a wipe.
On to toes, lap, drive to chest. Great!
Wait, thumb is moving under the weight, in a wet spot. Damn! Chest was well chalked so rested on chest and tried to get it dry with chalk. Thumb back under, felt better. Push press, almost locked out, but couldn't get under it or take eyes off it. Confidence had gone. Dropped it. Time for a 3rd attempt, go it to chest but no time to attempt a press.
3rd in this event, I think my mum filmed this one so will find it and post it up. 1 rep, YES!
5th Event - barrel loading. carry barrel to yoke, throw it over. 54" yoke height, then padding on top adding 2". 75 sec. 60kg over 20m, 90kg over 15m, 100kg over 10m, 120kg over 5m.
At this point I know I am in 5th and being 1 from the end I know the the person in 4th only got 3 barrels. Not many actually completed all 4.Few people wearing gloves for this!! must have helped, good idea!
Run in is towards the crowd, so they can see us all grimacing lol.
Stood at the starting line I said "I've not run 20m since I was 12" which Joe (on the mic) proudly repeated to the crowd which got a laugh and a cheer. Great atmosphere
Go!
1st barrel, simples, no sprinting, just jog it over I've got 75s and going to fast will screw me on last barrel. Good tactic.
2nd barrel, simples. Up onto chest, 15m, over the yoke.
3rd barrel, a puddle has now formed where the barrel was, I could have moved it out of the puddle before starting and gave it a dry (wasn't raining at this point). Lean to side grab underneath and pull to chest - it slipped. Wet hands now, damn.
Lift again, lap, drive up higher onto chest. It crushed my chest and stopped me breathing. 10m, up and over it went. Sweet.
4th barrel, 120kg. I've done this a fair few times, by arms have been bruised lots by it. Much respect for the 120kg barrel. I NEED this to come 4th!
Lean, lap, up on to chest like i've done before. ****. I didn't take a breath. Need to breath but cant! Get to the yoke and had to drop it.
Take a breath, 10s left. Plenty of time.
Lean, lap, drive to chest and pop it over to a great cheer
That's it. Done. Awesome first comp and i'm proud of getting 4th
Joe comes on the mic to do the results in reverse order.
13, 12,11,10,9,8,7,6... at this point i'm not quite listening clearly and start walking over ready to raise hand when he announces 4th.
4th place - rhys. Umm, wtf? I'm thinking did he miss 5th, has something gone wrong?
He stopped for a moment "and now on to our top 3", i'm confused.
3rd place - Mark!!!!! Wtf!!! Yes
2nd place - Tom (hope tom carries on training after this, he will be awesome with some more technique. Him screwing up car deadlift and getting 7 reps lost him 1st place, but meant I was 3rd lol).
1st place - Ryan (2nd in 105kg southern qualifier for natural strongest man).
Over the moon.
