“Gawddamit…shit…wha the f%#k…”
Pretty much my thoughts during the first event, Farmers Walk. While it was originally listed as 100lbs for 200ft for the Lightweight Women, the promoter changed it to 110lbs and not the usual farmer implements, but anvils. So, this is strongman, no prob; I will adjust. BUT, both the lightweights and heavyweight women used the same implements as well as tire (400lb), in those events. What to do?
Learning experience, indeed. Learned alot. And will use that to my advantage.
Christian: your post means tons. Thank you so much. And I’m going to print it out and keep it. Them were words worth their weight in gold, that’s for sure.
Pitt: it was such a pleasure meeting you! I was so happy for your friend! I hope you get to Nationals, too. And I hope our paths cross again at a contest.
Joel, Magnus, CMC, Cupcake, E~, et al: wow. I can’t believe that you all have such belief in me. And I’m just…speechless. Irondoc: exactly, live and learn. And man, I learned. Really!
I must have drank at least 3 bottles of Gatorade. As well as a gallon and several bottles of water. It was 87degrees that day. And the contest didn’t begin until 1PM. Last year, it began at 10AM. Which would have been great this year, due to the heat. Oh well. It’s all part of strongman. The contest ended a bit before 6PM. I didn’t have a beer until 8PM (along with my steak).
What Ko said is right on. Except I thought I had eaten enough the day before (had a nice bacon burger Friday evening). But also, I didn’t hydrate properly the night before, too. We figured this all out on Sunday. Note to self: For Nationals, take along softback cooler filled with extra food and whatever else needed.
Also: I need to work in a variety of settings, besides the gym. Outside for one. In the heat. On the grass, gravel, etc.
As for the contest: met some truly great people. Strongman is sooooo different than bodybuilding. In a bodybuilding contest, you’re backstage, AWAY from the crowd. You’re also not talking, socializing with other competitors. Not so in strongman. We’re all giving each other advice, socializing, etc. I didn’t socialize as much, I felt I needed to “stay focus”. Which I think I won’t do anymore. From now on, I’m hanging in the competitors’ tent and socializing, staying loose. There’s some great people, and I wanna meet 'em. There’s indeed more of a “family like” atmosphere in strongman. More so than in bodybuilding.
Oh, as for that insane “bodybuilding is a sport” thread? Let me tell you that last year, I remember a thread where someone asked the same thing. Bill Roberts posted a no with a very good explanation. I dissagreed. Hey, not anymore. I was in the wrong. A bodybuilding contest is a cakewalk compared to this.
Everytime I came up to the “platform” at this contest, the promoter would be yelling into the mike, “long time bodybuilder, first time strongwoman competitor…” as part of my announcement. People were coming up to me, saying “wow, I gotta get into bodybuilding…” since they thought that bodybuilding “prepared” me for strongman. Uh uh. It did not. Renegade Training did. So did Oly lifting. And certainly, strongman training. NOT bodybuilding.
I did walk away with a few things I’m proud of. I weighed in at a solid 128.5 pounds and damn lean. I had gained a few more pounds of LBM in the last few weeks. But had gotten leaner. I was the smallest of all the competitors. Yup, I was the lightest. But I was able to hold my own. My tire flip was the best. It was solid, the tire didn’t roll awkwardly, and I went for the entire 100ft in 47-seconds in a solid straight line. Oh, and I can sunburn! Whoa. HUGE revelation. Especially when the only other time I’ve ever burned was back when I was 17 and had fallen asleep under the sun for like 4-hours. I got a wee red on the legs.
The chick that won here will be in Portland for the contest on the 28th. We’ll see what’ll happen there. Especially when that contest is more strength oriented. She’s a great competitor and I can’t wait to compete with her again. I’ll certainly be better prepared.
Which reminds me I have to go workout. Ciao. 
