Hi Everyone! We flew all the way around the world today! From as far east in Asia as you can get to Los Angeles the long way. So if you don’t count the Pacific Ocean (no big deal right???) We flew all the way around  I am putting in the pictures for this blog so it looks a little more like what we had in mind. I will have a new blog up today, so don’t spoil your dinner on this one

Thank you for reading!!!

jw

Dolby LC/24kg/70

Buckley J/24kg/38, S/24kg/76+76

Now that we got that out of the way we can move on to the important stuff

Jason and I were nervous. How could we not be? We had been looking to this comp for so long that we had forgotten what it was like to not be stressed about it. Now it was here and we were in a locker room with all of these lifters (over 100 competitors) and we knew that every one of them was going to beat us down. Then there was a command given and everyone formed two lines. An official came and grabbed Jason and I and brought us to the front. We were begging her not to put us ahead of everyone there. The two Americans, we thought, would be treated with resentment. We lucked out and the whole line started moving before we got to the front so we were able to blend in…a little.

They played the national anthem (the same exact version that was in Rocky 4! Super intense!!!) and raised the flag. My heart was in my throat. Then they honored the lifters with mini children ballroom dancing and large retired military men feats of strength. It was pretty cool.

There were no clocks or counters. It was a bring your own situation so Jason and I were nervous from the get. We realized that our environment would be different than what we were expecting. We just didn’t know how much.

(By the way, super cute Russian girl judges? Really? Not distracting, totally awesome, totally Chu-Hi)

The kids were first. They wanted pictures with us. Then it was the older lifters. Then some girls  then the champion lifters. We must have taken 100 pictures. We were worried about them hating us because we were on TV and in the paper and they could out lift us on any day but they did not. They welcomed us. We also noticed that they all seemed to like and support each other. (Except for one guy, but there always seems to be one of those guys).  I was trying to warm up for my set and they kept asking me for pictures. It was cool. That was the moment I realized I was probably not going to get good numbers. Crazy environment, can’t warm up, and maximum distractions? This could be the most awesome kind of excuse in the world.

Funny thing is, I did well. Well for me that is. The jerk is my worst lift. I still have trouble with rest and the lockout. But 3½ min and 38 reps is a pr for me (I know it is terrible). I was hoping for 40 but I’ll take 38. So no excuses on that set...

read the whole entry at http://orangekettlebellclub.net/2011/02/28/competition/