“Look at every path closely and deliberately, then ask ourselves this crucial question: Does this path have a heart? If it does, then the path is good. If it doesn't, it is of no use.”~Carlos Castaneda
The first day I was introduced to strongman, I pressed a 100lb log and lifted an implement onto one power stair. Since then, log pressing has been at the top of my list of favorites. A number of times I've been teased about never training without pressing, almost true I suppose….
I was first informed in January 2013 that Gary Montoya would be holding a record breaker in August. I should back up a bit…. A couple months prior I had finally hit 155lbs with the log for two reps. Me being very naive and clueless to strongman in general (much less the details of current records) I was shocked to hear Jay say that that my press was probably close to the LW record. Sure enough, the record was 150lbs. When I heard I could have a chance at this record in August, it was all I could think about. I felt like I had plenty of time and felt I still hadn’t peaked.
To try to make a long story short I continued training throughout the spring. I competed at a contest near Boise in May. I missed 170 lbs with the log. I was discouraged, but knew I had work to do. I ended up finishing the contest with 160 and was happy with my overall performance. About the time of Easter and following this contest, I had a hard time finding a rhythm with my training. It seemed every two weeks I was somehow getting injured. I fell backwards with the log, smacking my face on the ground; dropping the bar on my face benching; leading to 5 stitches across the top of my eye; smashing my fingers with a stone; to then smashing my toe with the car deadlift frame about 6 weeks before Reno. It seemed endless. My 'adjusted' goal then became to make it to Reno in one piece!
August arrived much sooner than I had hoped and I was a ball of nerves. The week before the contest I couldn't even make a packing list without having so much anxiety I was shaking. I ended up driving to Reno by myself, an opportunity to clear my head and focus. My stomach was on fire, burning into my chest and my heart beating like crazy. It seems ridiculous to most I’m sure, to have that much anxiety over pressing a log. But I've come to realize, I have this fear of failing. The log was natural to me. I’ve hit 170 in training. I should be able to crush that record. But… it’s a different log, a different place, different people, and Lord I was nervous. January was the first time I had pressed 170, I didn't lock out again until about 3 weeks prior to Reno.
It was comforting to arrive to Reno, seeing familiar faces and a chance to see Ron Strahan break the conan wheel record and to have something else to focus on. Good friends around reminding me to calm down have fun, and just ‘lift shit’.
That evening, I ate, stretched, ate more and actually slept like a rock. Friday I stuffed down breakfast with Matt LeBlanc at IHop and headed to the contest. It was an incredible experience being around the other athletes, the promoters and knowing I was where I was supposed to be.
My warm-up was fairly close to what I normally do prior to training. Push presses in the rack, rolling, stretching, waiting for the platform to clear to start warming up with the log. The log felt different of course than what I’m used to, wider handles, felt heavier than 92 lbs empty, and bigger I just took the 10-20 lb jumps up to 150. I was nervous as hell so I took some advice and opened with 152, to release the doubt and stress and build some confidence. I was so thankful for friends cheering, Gary Montoya reminding me I’d done it a hundred times, and to just press it. Resting in between sets, I tried to stay calm, but also keep my adrenaline high. My second lift pretty smooth and clean at 162 lbs. Another short rest and the third and final press; a successful 167 to set the National Light Weight Log Clean and Press Record (previous record was 150 lbs). Being able to relax and enjoy other setting records was somewhat numbing, Matt LeBlanc battling the dumbbell clean and press with Brian Tabor, and Leslie Burke Hofheins hitting a rack press recod of 185 lbs. Seemed like it had just been minutes when Mike Johnston said, “You’re up”, oh shit….I ran inside to warm up again for the log clean and press record. In training I would usually hit 8, re-clean it and finish around 11 reps. “Competitor ready, take your grip, lift” I pressed out 15, just missing 16 reps with one clean, 120 lbs in 60 seconds. The previous record had been 9 reps. After I caught my breath I was all smiles, excited to enjoy the rest of the weekend and face Saturdays contest with some confidence and weight off my shoulders.
(can't upload the video so here are the links to the record breaker videos):
I slept terribly and Saturday morning came too soon. I felt like the Reno heat hit before 10am. It was a struggle. After the second event I felt drained. My nervous system was shot and with so much stress put into Friday, I was exhausted. A few events I was definitely a bit disappointed in and missed first in the middle weight division by 1.5 points. Most importantly, I definitely learned a lot about myself, about training, and about strongman. Gary did a fantastic job at organizing the contest, with the help of Jon Strongman Andersen and Mike Johnston, all of the competitors seemed to get a great amount of advice and enjoyable experience.
For months I have been going back and forth with the idea of Nationals. I had decided after my humbling experience Saturday I wasn't going to go. I needed time, I needed more training more experience, and how on earth would I pay for $1,000 weekend anyway.
Until I was taking the long, lonely drive home to Boise, I decided, I have to go. I am supposed to be there. Regardless of the money, the lack of experience, I will get stronger by going. And that’s my goal in all of this. To get stronger. Stronger in who I am physically and mentally. I know I would regret not taking the chance to go to Nationals. Not going because of fear is exactly why I should go and am going. And bottom line, I love the sport. I love to train, and what nothing better to push your training than to compete against the best?
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| Record Breaker Competitors |
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| Strongman Jon Andersen |
I know I say this every blog, but through strongman I have met the most amazing people. I am looking forward to connecting with them and meeting new friends in Texas.
It most certainly won’t be an easy road with Nationals in about 7 weeks. But I will be there. Stronger than I am now. Doing what I love. This path, for me, has heart.
*Biggest thanks to Gary Montoya, NAS (Dione Wessles, Mike Johnston) and all of my training partners, friends and family for their support. Also, a shout out to Rae Chiropractic Center here in Boise and their efforts in keeping me in one piece :)
Looking forward to breaking my own record in the future :)
Looking forward to breaking my own record in the future :)
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| Training partners! Miss you Jess!!! |
