2016 USS Nationals

The atmosphere was that of a giant block party just waiting for the kegs to be rolled out. On one end, there was a large stage, complete with speakers, a sound system, & a big screen tv that hung overhead. At the opposite end sat several sets of aluminum bleachers with various strongman implements, & the athlete warm-up area just steps away. And between the two, on the cobblestone street, there were four logs & four deadlift bars set on rubber mats, loaded, and ready to go...all accompanied by a judge, loaders, & a timer. The entire area was marked of by metal barricades, lined with chairs & coolers of fans & competitors alike, & shaded by a second story canopy. 

I stood among a group of women clad in white competition tshirts just inside the barriers on 4th Street Live, patiently, but nervously waiting for our name to be called for the first event, the log clean & press. As there appeared to be a bit of confusion on the order of the athletes, I approached the judge to verify who was up next. From my left, I hear the words “athletes ready”, from my judge I hear, “oh, you ARE up next, are you ready?”.  After standing around for longer than my old body allows, I replied “yes” & grabbed the log as I heard the word “go”. Some athletes may be put off by being rushed into an event, but if you think about it, all of the nerves from anticipating the start are non-existent. Not to mention, my coach graciously prepares me for such situations, pretty much every time we are in the gym, by asking & saying “go” in the same breath. I often wondered why she even asks...now I know. I managed five solid reps before I heard the fifteen second countdown. Since the placement of the log was slightly downhill & I was taking an extra step forward on the clean, I knew I needed all of the final ten seconds to complete one last rep. I took a big deep breath, grabbed the log, cleaned it, stepped forward, then back, half jerk/strict pressed it overhead, & heard the down command as time was called. I verified with my judge that number six did count & weaved my way through the crowd to where my gear was stashed & my long distance training partner, Joan, & her husband awaited...still trying to catch my breath. Event #1 for United States Strongman Nationals was in the books. 

For the second event, the deadlift bars were stripped of the men’s weight & reloaded with the women’s weight, each plate placed outside of a set of steel wheels that placed the bar around 12” off the ground. For deadlift enthusiasts, who religiously do RDL’s, this placement was money, but for those of us who have close to zero technique & use more back than leg, this height is halfway between a slow, typically not pretty to watch, slightly rounded back pick from the floor & the ever-popular, load up as much weight as humanly possible,16" rack pull. Although deadlift suits were allowed in this competition, and worn by quite a few competitors, I opted to leave that miserable piece of equipment at home. While others struggled to get them on in the Kentucky heat & humidity, I finished off my breakfast & conserved valuable energy. Along with a handful of other competitors, I was sent down to the fourth bar & waited my turn with my trusty leather belt & straps. As I approached the bar to strap in, the judge asked my name & as she verified that I was, indeed, the next competitor, I hear “athletes ready”. The brief conversation with my judge came to an abrupt end as I threw my straps around the bar, just in time to hear the word “go”. I rushed through my set up, drove straight through my quads to lockout, and felt as if my upper back was ripped apart from all angles. This was of no fault to the judge or the quick start, as I mentioned previously, my deadlift is no technical masterpiece. By the next rep, I began to settle into a rhythm, knocking out nine more reps. With ten seconds remaining, fueled by the encouragement of our esteemed USS President, Willie Wessels, I made one final attempt for rep #11, but with a trembling posterior chain, I failed to even pull the slack out of the bar & I released my straps as time was called. As I unbuckled my belt & stepped off the rubber mat, I was pleased with my ten reps, but wondered if it would hold up against my class chalked full of strong deadlifters. 

Following the first two events, as I downed a protein shake & Gatorade, volunteers furiously ran around 4th Street Live switching out logs & deadlift bars for conan's wheels & fingers, each set up being meticulously tested to ensure the safety of the athletes. Now, before I go any further, let me tackle the topic of the scoring. Yes, just like everyone else at the venue, I was glued to my iPhone like a little kid playing Candy Crush, waiting for the live scoring to be updated. Some scores did go up, but none in my weight class, so much like everyone else, I set my phone down & began to prepare for the next two events. Although I did want to know where I stood going into event 3 & 4, as I look back, it was probably better that I didn't. Not having the scores or standings took away any “gaming” that might normally occur during a competition. Instead, every athlete had to go 100% on every single event...kind of a novel idea if you ask me. By the time event 3 was over, the link to the live scoring had been removed. However, if you had Google sheets, the program being used for the scoring, downloaded onto your phone, & were signed in with your username & password, the shared file would automatically be saved. Thus, if any updates did occur, I was able to view them throughout the competition. For the record, most scores were not put in until the competition was over. Although it may have appeared as though USS officials & judges were simply unprepared to use the scoring program, the truth was, as I was later told, the person(s) that were to score the competition had, in fact, been a no-show...leaving the staff to fend for itself. This unforeseen situation caused John Albrecht, USS Vice President, to step out as a competitor & into the role of official scorekeeper, a behind the scenes, very unappreciated job. Without a doubt, there were a few hiccups along the way, but when the dust settled, John did an amazing job & put in countless hours to get every last number correct for 300 plus athletes...and, in my opinion, is deserving of much more than the seamlessly unending requests for the final scores to be posted. Scoring for a small event is no easy task, and if you have never experienced it, I challenge you to step up to the plate at your next local comp & spend the day staring at a computer screen, typing in numbers in hopes that the formulas used to create the score sheet actually work. 

Event #3 for the women took us all back down to the end of the street next to the stage where four Fingal's Fingers laid resting on tires. This was the single event that I had zero experience with, and while training for the comp, purchased a fence post with almost identical dimensions in order to get a feel for the movement. I don't think anyone likes to tackle an unknown event in any competition, let alone at Nationals, so I made do with what I could find. Each finger was loaded with a set of chains to add weight, something you can not do with a fence post. The weight alone forced me, & many other women, to use a continental clean, pulling it just above my belt, then to my shoulders, and finally push pressing it to a locked out position. My primary mistake with my first two flips was trying to clean & press the monstrous pole in one motion. By rushing the shoulder to overhead movement, I caught myself leaning back versus pushing into the finger & wasting valuable time attempting to gain proper position. By the third flip, I had finally learned from my mistakes, but time dwindled down before I could attempt number four. My goal was to finish all five flips, but with zero experience on this particular event, I walked away knowing I did my best. One thing I will add is some valuable advise I got from my coach: once in position, let foot speed, not hand speed, be the determining factor of your flip...move your feet faster like you are running at the finger & your hands will follow. A simple idea that makes a big difference. 

As my energy was starting to die out in the Kentucky heat, I put in a request for Smashburger prior to the fourth event. My long distance training partner’s husband, Will, made the run down the street for me, and basically saved my life before the Conan’s Wheel attempted to take everything I had left & bury me underneath 4th Street. The Conan’s Wheel and I have a long history, as it made an appearance in my first ever competition in 2013. It is not an event you see very often because not many people have the implement hanging out in their backyard. But lucky for me, I train with the 2x World’s Strongest Woman who happens to have one just off of the ½ mile long driveway leading to her house. My experience was never in question for this event, but did I have the mindset that was needed to push through the pain & hold on long enough? On this day, the answer was yes. My coach told me before my final training session that I was going to have to complete four laps, and that was the number stuck in my head from the moment I approached the wheel. I watched most of my competitors complete the event & knew 3 ¼ laps would be enough to take first & 3 ½ would solidify the event win. As I approached the 3 ½ lap mark, I was quickly reminded by a little voice in my head that four was the correct number. It was simple motivation by fear of having to tell my coach I came up short of our goal that pushed me to continue moving, & with my hamstrings beginning to quiver, took an additional three to four steps beyond the four lap mark, before dropping the bar. The additional steps were simply my way of putting the exclamation mark on the challenge that was presented to me. 

Riding the high from event #4, loading four stones to complete the competition seemed like a pretty easy task. The heavyweight masters women were the final female competitors at the end of a line of well over 100 women, quite literally a longer line than I have stood in for any theme park amusement ride, or festival beer vendor. As the line inched along, the highly entertaining masters women remained seated on various implements & stacks of mats & plates, as the younger competitors anxiously remained in a single file line. We laughed & joked our way through the next hour or so, until low & behold the line had dwindled down & we were the only female competitors remaining. I was one of the last few women to approach the platform & found there to be more tacky than any one person would need in a lifetime, and it was everywhere. Strands of tacky were flying through the air, the platforms & spotters were covered, and even the mats on the ground had their fair share. The first two stones went up without a hitch. Due to its odd shape, I took a bit more time lapping the third stone to be sure I had an even grip & didn't drop it. Loading it was a fairly smooth process, and I turned to go the final twenty-ish feet for the 230lb stone. I took way too long to get myself set for something, in my mind, posed a much bigger challenge. Yes, it was heavy, but adrenaline alone lifted this stone to the platform & before I knew it, the 2016 USS Nationals had come to a close. 

Ashley K. Smith

2nd place Heavyweight Masters

Team Jill Mills & USS Texas State Rep

*Although I may have been the one competeing on this day, my second place finish was due to the unending support & guidance of my coach & great friend, Jill Mills. She worked many overtime hours to keep me on the right track both physically & mentally...& I am proud to say that WE placed second at the 2016 USS Nationals. 

PSA: Shoppers

This is a public service announcement for the consumers who stand in endless lines for cheap crap, that no one really needs, or even wants; only to unwrap these items on (insert your chosen holiday) morning, have their eight year old inform them it is cheap crap, and then be forced to join the mass of disgruntled individuals in the endless return lines. <deep breath> Before you "complain to corporate", consider the following:

1. CEO's of retail chains make final, end of the year, last ditch efforts to cut the budget...typically, a quick fix to their bottom line numbers.  Corporate budget cuts will be reflected in retail stores via payroll hours, among other things. Thus, there will be less employees to stand behind a register to return your unwanted items.

2. Manufacturers create products specifically for the holidays.  If you bought something super cheap on black friday, it was more than likely a one-time, limited quantity, never to be seen again, item.  In the retail world, these are called "one-time buys".

3.  Retail associates do not control the inventory supply of one-time buys, or any other products.  If your child, husband, grandma, or house pet broke the item on Christmas morning, it is highly unlikely you will find a replacement.  Thus, save your kind "why don't you have this" for a letter/e-mail to the manufacturer of the product, not the retail associate.

4.  Ever heard the phrase "save your receipt"?  Here is why.  If you do not have a receipt, the POS systems (aka the register) will only credit you for the lowest selling price of the item within the last "so many" days.  Retail associates do not magically "know" the price you originally paid.  Over the holidays, items, especially technology/electronics, are marked down numerous times, and typically cashiers are not permitted to make "guesstaments".

5.  When returning an item, such as a tablet or computer, restore it.  Restore it?  Yes, take the time to look through the instructions, and restore the item to its original default settings...aka the way it was when you opened the box.  This is the only way to delete all of your personal information.  Or leave all of your accounts (ie e-mail, Amazon, iTunes) open for anyone to access...it's up to you.

6.  Tell the truth, keep it simple, get through line quicker.  Endless return lines are only prolonged by ridiculously, non-creative explanations as to how an item was broken, or why it doesn't work.  It takes very little common sense to figure out how a screen got cracked, that you were unable to figure out how to properly connect a router, or the "missing" parts of furniture were actually assembled incorrectly.

7.  Finally, if you feel the need to "call corporate" because you are not "100% satisfied", refused to understand the fairly wide-spread policies and practices of retail chains, or were unable to read the fine print on the back or bottom of your receipt...think about this:  dealing with your complaint is a robotic, non-personal, trail of paperwork that takes one or more retail employees away from providing proper customer service to others.  But if you feel that it is necessary to prove your point, or teach someone a lesson...the retail employee will be more than happy to assist you.

You're welcome :)

Sickness & Strongman

Usually, when I return home from a competition, my body is beat down from the events, heavy weight, and the mental preparation that binds it all together.  This time, however, I have to give credit to a 24-48hr bug that single handedly destroyed every part of my body.  I have fought through many competitive events in my life when I was not 100%...you simply block it out, fight through, and worry about the consequences later.  And with two events to go on saturday, that was my game plan.

Hope for the Holidays 8 was my first United States Strongman competition.  It was also chalked full of record breakers...i.e. if you want your name highlighted in the USS record book, this was the place to be.  Each contestant was able to pick one of two deadlift variations, as well as a clean and press with the log or axle.  (Format: three attempts at the chosen lift to achieve a max, each attempt was one minute in length, failing to complete a lift within the minute allowed = you're done).  The final three events included a short farmers, five tire flips, and an incline log press...the latter being my favorite.

I was more or less tagging along with Jill on this trip, who had been invited to be a celebrity judge at the competition.  Record breaking is not necessarily something that drives me, but a weekend of competition surrounded by top notch athletes in strength sports, well, that does.  It was also a once in a lifetime chance to get to hang out with Willie Wessels, Mike Johnston, and Jill to hear legendary stories, as well as plans for the future of US Strongman. And if you must know, the future looks bright!  This group is, without question, bound by passion, hard work, and love for strongman.

After a short flight to St. Louis, tracking down my luggage, a shooting at the hotel, and an evening at Hooters, I woke up saturday morning with a game plan in mind, and ready to compete.  I opened my axle clean and press at 150lbs, something easy to get on the board. My next attempt at 170 felt solid, even though my overhead lock out was not quite as smooth.  180lbs would have been a PR for me, but my jerk failed twice, the subsequent clean failed, and I called it a day.

Next up was the deadlift.  I did a few warm-up pulls under 300lbs, squeezed into Jill's old squat suit, had Jill pick my opening pull (since I have never pulled conventional in gear, it was a shot in the dark), and easily completed my opener at 325lbs.  My second attempt was somewhere in the 360-70 range, which, thanks to the gear, flew off the floor.  So, with my final attempt, I jumped to 405#.  This is a number I have been chasing for quite some time, and regardless of the gear, I wanted know what 400lbs felt like in my hands.  It felt awesome!

With the max lifts done, I retreated to my space on the gym floor to kick back, throw down a protein bar, and relax before the farmers carry.  I found that I wasn't that hungry, but choked down a few bites before heading to the back gym to check out the tires we were up against in event #5.  The tire weights were not an issue, but a slick floor would turn the driving force behind the flip into a straight deadlift.  No big deal really.

As I geared up for the farmers carry, Jill mentioned that there was an extra pizza from the pizza truck, if I wanted something to eat.  Knowing that I needed some fuel, I agreed, and she brought it over.  Now, I am a pizza hound...but the smell of this thing completely disgusted me.  Less than an hour ago, as I was talking to the strongman doc, I was thinking how good his pizza looked...kinda weird.  Oh well, no time to think, I was up for the farmers...a light, seven second run across the gym.

I was fairly pleased with my run, and already contemplating how I could have made it faster, when this feeling of complete physical exhaustion hit me like a brick wall.  Before I even had time to think, I broke out into a sweat, was light-headed, and nauseous.  I grabbed a bottled water and sat down.  In a matter of minutes, I went from game planning the next event, to wondering if I was going to be able to complete it.  The extent of my mental conversation...it's only five flips, suck it up and do it.  By this time, I was having trouble putting together or conveying a complete thought...my mind was scrambled, I did not have a clue what was going on, but I finished the flips none the less.

The event I was most looking forward to was remaining, the incline log.  I approached the log with the same mindset as the tire...just get through it.  I vaguely remember warning my spotter, Jill, that I felt like crap, and beware of flying vomit.  I grabbed the log, pressed it twice, put it down, dropped to one knee...and wasn't quite sure if I was going to be able to walk away.  One of the last things I remember is Jill telling me to go lay down, stumbling to the other end of the gym, and curling up under some piece of clothing.  Both the contest, and I, were done.

The next twelve hours I have very little recollection of except adding layers of clothing when freezing, and shedding those layers when burning hot...and worrying.  Although my communication skills were left to simple yes and no responses, my mind was running non-stop.  From what the hell is going on...to how am I gonna make a flight the next morning.  But guess what, I had the World's Strongest Woman (and a nurse) looking after me the entire night...there was really no need to worry.

Thanks again Jill!

The Question

What is it like having the 2x World's Strongest Woman (WSW) and world record holding powerlifter, Jill Mills, as your coach?  A question I hear fairly frequently, but honestly, don't think I have ever answered...outside of simply saying "awesome".  So, here ya go...

First things first, your ego must comprehend the fact that there is, and will forever be, only one Jill Mills.  It doesn't matter what you think you can do, how much you think you work, or how good you think you are.  She has, and will, do more, work harder, and be better.  Once you have grasped this concept, as well as understand that her way is better than about 99% of what you think you already know...then, and only then, you just might be able to undertake the task of learning from a legend.  (And for the record, from my own personal experience, letting go of the useless crap that is tucked away in long term memory is no easy task.)

With that being said, there is one more small requirement.  Passion.  The all encompassing word for truly loving your sport...from the hard work you put in, to what you give back (emphasis on giving back).  Jill has a unique passion for her sports, which has resulted in enormous amounts of valuable knowledge.  You may never posses the same passion, or even understand it....but you sure as hell have to appreciate it in someone else.

Two years ago, when I first contacted Jill via e-mail regarding training, her response was almost immediate.  I was scared shitless.  It was one of those moments when you want to travel back in time, slap yourself, and say, "what were you thinking?".  That fear was followed by a multitude of questions, self-doubt if you will.  What was she going to think of a fat, out of shape, recovering alcoholic, has-been athlete?  The answer to that: nothing.  The only judgement came in the form of critiquing my horrible lifting techniques, and the possibility of what could be...not what once was.

From a lifting perspective, I have made some incredible gains.  From an unweighted bar squat, yes, just the bar, to 250lbs.  My all-back 315lb deadlift jumped to 360lbs when I learned to incorporate my posterior chain.  In my first strongman competition, in March '13, the 400lb yoke almost killed me, now, I am working to get quicker with 500lbs.  Hell, I have even grown into a squat suit that Jill let me borrow for a competition in California last year.  I am still trying to decide if fitting into that miserable suit is a good thing though.  However, I can not simply write a blog on numbers.  Her coaching and programing success can be seen in athletes everywhere.

I was only seven months into my sobriety when I started training, still struggling to discover who I really was, and my place in life.  Through lifting alone, I built confidence and began to believe in myself...but my understanding of feelings and emotions was progressing much like a game of Chutes and Ladders (Google it).  Call it luck, coincidence, or meant to be, but
in finding the right lifting coach, I also found a role model for the person I desired to be.

She knew when to encourage, when to guide, and when to let me stand on my own, fail, and learn.  I have tested her coaching skills, her patience, and her tolerance level more times than I even care to count.  But she did not quit, nor throw me out the door...although I am sure the thought has crossed her mind...more than once.  She truly wanted me to succeed, not just in the gym, but in life itself.  There has not been one single day that I have left the gym, if I can physically walk out of the gym, without some new insight...to make me think, and to help me grow.  Every trip to the gym, or barn, or park, or where ever the workout may take me, is a unique opportunity.  You can take these moments for granted, or you can, as Jill likes to say, "embrace it".

Although the 2x World's Strongest Woman may be a living highlight reel of feats of strength, she is first and foremost a wife, a mother, a self-made woman, and a wonderful human being.  In other words, she is a whole lot more than what you see in any thirty second youtube video.  The visible strength is undeniable, but the unseen, internal strength is even more impressive.  Being able to train with and learn from Jill is a privilege...one that I will continue to embrace for years to come.

Strongman 101

The ever popular "steps to success" and "you can do it" articles and blogs have recently cast their shadow in the world of strength sports.  Many being written by so-called, or should I say, self-proclaimed athletes, who are no more athletes than I am a world famous chef.  Everyone, including myself, critiques the uneducated CrossFit coaches that pop up, but the "created by social media"...dare I use the word again...athlete, with their two cent opinions, are being embraced and praised.

So, I figure with one year and four months, and upward of a dozen comps experience, I have just about reached the level of all-knowing veteran. Yes, I am being sarcastic.  But even with my minimal experience, I know the life of a strength athlete is a lot tougher than the picture being painted.  On that note, here is my "life is tough, suck it up" version of a list for Strongman.

1.  Just Commit.
If you want to compete, pay the entry fee, and get to work.  A year and a half ago, I signed up for my first comp with zero knowledge or background in strongman, and did so simply because it looked like fun.  I had just enough time to get some basic "how to" on the different events, and run a yoke...twice.  It has been one tremendous journey since that day, so I say this in the nicest way possible...nut up or shut up.  Fear of failure, or the "it's too heavy syndrome" is just your ego telling you that you do not want to look like an ass in front of a large group of people.  Fellow competitors will have a lot more respect for you if you join them in battle rather than kicking back on the sideline, and/or talking a big game.

2.  Implements & Events Vary.
No matter how much you practice, or how good you become within the comforts of your training space, it is rare to find an exact replica of your equipment at a contest.  Do not be surprised when the yoke is wider, a stone is lop-sided, the axle bar has a fresh coat of paint, etc., etc.  The inconsistencies in the equipment are just as common as a change in the events on the day of the contest.  That is strongman.  Shit happens.  Learn to adapt.  Save yourself, and your fellow competitors, from the on-slaught of excuses that are building in your head by preparing for anything and everything...obviously, within the limits of the equipment that will be provided at the competition.
As far as equipment goes, you need to locate the closest Home Depot, lumber yard, and car salvage facility.  That is it.  If you can find a cheap welder, that is an added bonus!  Almost everything you need to train for strongman can be pieced together in one way or another at a very low cost.  It does not require the mind of an engineer, just a little creativity.  If, by chance, you have money at your disposal, I will be happy to recommend the best equipment manufacturers...as well as a place to store it within walking distance of my house.

3.  Gear.
Knee sleeves, wrist wraps, tacky, and about a million other items are wonderful to have, but are they absolutely necessary...no.  (And yes, I include tacky as optional.  Take the advise of my coach:  Learn to lift stones without it...it will make you better in the long run.)  As with any other sport, these additional items are not cheap.  My personal recommendation is to invest in a good belt, knee sleeves, and several roles of athletic tape to get started.  With competition experience, you will learn what else you might need, or want to invest in.  Truck pulls do not require rock climbing shoes, stone loading does not require stone sleeves, overhead pressing does not require ten ply elbow sleeves...stick with the basics until you have an understanding of the movements of the sport.  With the money you save, you will be able to enter more contests, or travel to a larger one.

4.  Comfort Food.
There are no grass fed, free range, gluten free, non-grain, veggie filled, pop-tarts.  But you will see a lot of them at a competition.  If you haven't noticed by now, strongmen and women eat...a lot.  There are no specific dietary boundaries.  Everything under the sun is free game.  There is no one standing around waiting to ask about your Paleo to cheat meal percentages.  If you choose to consume Big Red Zero and Chunky Chips Ahoy, then so be it.  You eat to fuel your body for a day of competition or training...whatever works, works.

5.  Patience.
You may possess incredible raw strength.  You may be technically proficient.  You may be a great competitor.  You may have the greatest training crew or coach on the face of the planet.  Problem is...can you put all the pieces together for a single sixty second event?  How about five events?  And then what about a two day competition?  Most people are not born with every single factor associated with being a successful competitive athlete.  It takes time, and a whole lot of practice, to develop the physical and mental strength to become more than a weekend warrior.  Most will not achieve over night success, so be patient with your training.  Learn and practice the basic elements of an event, from the actual lifting technique, to transitions, to foot speed.  In other words, check your ego, unload the implement, and do it right, with light weight.  This process will be very beneficial in the long term.

6.  Love or Hate.
If you love strongman, you will know it by the completion of the first event in your first competition, or possibly the first day lifting a stone or carrying a yoke.  It is definitely not a sport for everyone.  Some will fail to find the challenge in it, while focusing on their short-comings.  Some can't handle getting beat up day in and day out.  And others are looking for a pay day, that of which strongman will unlikely provide.  If you love it, you will find any way to train, make room in your training schedule for torturous event days, research every available article and video in order to get better, and possibly employ the help of a coach.  Then, you will spend more time trying to perfect techniques, and alternative ways to train for events for which you do not have proper equipment, than you ever spent studying for high school algebra.  If you hate it, you will turn the overpriced stone you purchased into a yard ornament, and settle for a return to the local globo gym.

7.  Learn.
You live.  You learn.  You fail.  You learn some more.  Not every contest will be your best.  Even if you do come out on top, there will be, in the back of your mind, something you could have done better.  If not, you need to re-read the point I made about checking your ego.  There will always be that one event where you had a specific rep count planned, but you failed to hit it, or a specific time frame in which to finish, but didn't make it.  These are the things that make you better, and push you beyond what you thought was possible.  Embrace the learning curve of failures and mistakes.
Finally, learning the technical aspects of this sport may require a coach of some sort.  If your thinking about hiring one for programming, nutrition, or specific event training...DO YOUR RESEARCH. Hiring someone based on a well-known name, number of contest wins, or the fact that they are strongman certified by a self-proclaimed elite fitness company, does not mean they are capable of educating a tree stump.  Behind the walls of a Google search engine and social media is more info than you truly need to make a well educated decision. Use it.  It is not every day that you find a multi-time world champion, proven programer, and technically proficient instructor, right in your backyard.  But if you do the research, there is no telling what you may find.

Reno/Tahoe

Following a delayed connection in San Diego, I finally reached the once grand city of Reno, Nevada...up to this point, a place I had only heard about in stories.  I loaded up my bags on a hotel shuttle, along with my coach, and a well-known 120lb powerlifter out of Cali, sat back and enjoyed the fifteen minute ride to Circus Circus.

Let me start by saying this...based on the hotel name alone, I expected the worst.  If you have ever been to the one in Vegas, it is pretty damn nasty, and full of screaming kids.  The one in Reno is quite the opposite, except for the kids occupying the game area on the weekends.  I may not recommend Reno as a vacation hotspot, but if you are there, Circus Circus is definitely a highlight.  (I will be waiting on my commission check for that plug.)

Friday morning more than 200 athletes were scheduled to weigh in from 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm.  I made my way downstairs around 9am, knowing there would be a crowd of men and women in the midst of last minute weight cuts.  From the top of the stairs, there were several groups standing around talking, with a line of mostly women woven through the center.  About half way down the stairs, I discovered an additional four to five rows of athletes, seated, facing an empty folding table...most looking completely miserable spitting in cups and wearing more layers than a southerner in a snow storm.

I was greeted with an invitation to the back of the line, as I hugged a fellow competitor from the northwest.  I am sure my face said it all, but glad my thoughts (I am not standing in a fuckin line!) did not come out of my mouth. I spoke to several other strongwomen that I had not seen in a while, then headed back up the stairs to enjoy a big breakfast, leaving behind an enormous crowd of starving athletes, and a two to two and a half hour wait.

Yes, the line to spend two seconds on a digital scale had reached a waiting period that exceeded my tolerance level by about two hours and twenty-seven minutes.  And yes, my breakfast at a cafe inside the casino was delicious.  My coach and I spent about an hour or so after breakfast wandering around the three connected casinos.  I dropped twenty bucks on the upcoming NE Husker game...they were +7 and covered with a five point loss.  My all-time favorite penny slot machine, Texas Tea, stole another twenty, and then paid out $54 on the bonus game.  With an extra fifty in my pocket, that was the end of my gambling for the weekend.

One last check on the line to weigh-in, still 2+ hours, and we were off to rent a car to drive up to Tahoe.  The hike down to the rental company allowed me to see enough of Reno to realize that it has not changed or been updated since the early 70's.  And currently, not a place I would venture out in after dark.  Enterprise hooked us up with a fat red convertible for the day.  A quick stop at the hotel to pick up the most recently named America's Strongest Woman, who had survived the weigh-in, and we were off to Tahoe.

A forty-five minute drive southwest, lined with enormous pine trees and out of season ski slopes, landed us in the town of King's Beach, and on the north side of Lake Tahoe.  Although the roads of this small town were under construction, the waterfront area was very serene.  The ice cold lake was not ideal for your water sports enthusiast, but the backdrop of mountains, one even snow-capped, was a sight-seers dream come true...in the most literal sense.  We snapped a few pictures, loaded up, and headed east to a town appropriately named Incline Village.  The town sits more than six thousand feet above sea level on enormous cliffs, and apparently is known as the tax escape for California's wealthy.

Lakeshore Drive took us through a residential area with scenic views of Crystal Bay.
As we turned back toward the highway, we stumbled on a small shopping strip that included an even smaller restaurant.  However, the five table-top deck out front, nestled under the pine trees, was a huge selling point...that and we were hungry.  Kicking back with a table full of food and good friends in this quiet little town...I could not have asked for a more relaxing and enjoyable day.

The final leg of our afternoon getaway was a windy, and slightly chilly drive on a mountainous road back to Reno.  Once back in the valley, I hit up the 5pm weigh-in...with no wait.  I walked right in, got on the scale, picked up my competitor ID, had my number tattooed on my arm in sharpie, and got a gift bag packed full of four random sample supplements.  The always entertaining, aka filled with dumb questions, rules meeting finished off the day.  All that was left was sleep, and two days of competition.

Nationals: Events

Nine months of strongman preparation all boils down to one weekend.  Past wins, PR's, and personal achievements no longer matter.  If you can't execute in these six events, you go home feeling like you have been run over by a bus, and start the process all over.  For me, it will be three months of strictly training powerlifting (squat, bench, and deadlift), with occasional strongman events thrown in for good measure.  The return to event training will coincide with my first contest of 2015.

I went into this year's competition with much higher expectations of myself, after spending most of 2014 gaining strength in my basic lifts, and working on various event fundamentals.  But as it turns out, I made several small mistakes that dropped me to the back of the pack early.  On the very first event, the press medley, I attempted the light, 125lb, keg clean and press on a slight downhill.  I successfully wasted precious time by throwing myself backward three times...finishing the lift on the third attempt, and leaving myself very little time to get reps on the mini-circus dumbell.  I was able to lock out two reps, but my judge did not allow the second one at the buzzer.  However, one rep still gets points, and keeps you in the game.

Event #2 was a 500lb yoke for sixty feet.  This is one event I had drilled myself with in training, and had no doubt that I could post a solid time.  Well, that did not happen.  I struggled out of the gate, and did not get my shit together until close to the half way point.  My struggle to control the yoke took its toll, and my fatigued body decided dropping the yoke prior to the finish line was a good idea.  Just for the record...it's not.  I finished the event with a less than stellar time, which more than tripled the time of my practice runs.  In the coming year, I will continue to increase the weight and my speed on this event, so I do not repeat this performance.  However, as a side note, at Nationals last year, I made it about eight feet with the same weight...so, I consider sixty feet quite an improvement.

Event #3 was a nightmare-ish carry medley.  Many women were looking forward to this event...I was part of the minority.  My hands pay a hefty price with any carry event, so they are definitely not on my top ten list.  With a sixty foot keg carry at a reduced 150lbs, a forty foot farmers that was no where near the planned 200lbs per hand, and twenty feet of a 225lb duckwalk, I crossed the finish line by bunny hopping the duck walk implement over the line.  Nightmare over.  I am planing to practice heavy kettlebell swings for next season, and launch that damn duck walk implement versus having to walk with it.  Trust me, if it was legal, I would absolutely do it.

The final event of day one was the car deadlift...and a big fat zero on my score sheet.  If I had to pick one event to zero, it would not have been this one.  Dumbell, yes...deadlift, no. I don't use straps often, but for this event, it was a given.  However, I failed to strap my left hand in tight, and paid the price for it.  After such a long day of events, my legs felt solid, but with each attempt, my left strap would slide, and I no longer had a grip on the bar.  At the time, I was pretty pissed off with myself; but deep down, I knew it was a simple mistake that could be fixed.  But I won't lie...it was not easy going to bed that night knowing my goal of a top five finish was officially over...not that it wasn't prior to this event, but a zero pretty much solidified it.

The twelve hour, four event, competition day had drained almost everything out of my body...mentally, physically, and emotionally; but just as it ended, day two began.  As the two-event final day kicked off, I knew climbing out of a hole was not possible against the best of the best at Nationals.  What I did not know, is that the first event would be my best of the weekend.  The sixty foot, 1150lb wheelbarrow pick-up and push was a bit of an untested event...I mean, how many people have 500lb steel wheelbarrows laying around?  I knew the keys would be getting off the starting line quickly, controlling the implement, and not letting go.  Grip was not an issue, I could have held on for a trip around the block.  I guess spending a few dollars on the Iron Mind expand your hand bands after cracking my thumb was worth every penny.  My initial pick up of the weight was a bit slow, but once in motion, I had no control problems, and finished in just over fourteen seconds.

The final event of the competition was throwing, or rather "placing" three kegs of increasing weight over a bar.  The weight of the kegs was dropped by 25lbs a piece to 100, 125, and 150, but the bar was raised to 54".  I was given a nice little tip before the event to turn the handles to the side, allowing for a quicker pick-up.  It definitely saved me a few valuable seconds.  The first two kegs went over in about ten seconds, but the final keg and I battled it out for an additional twenty seconds.  Those little mistakes cost me yet again.

The long two day event to crown America's Strongest was over.  I ended my weekend with two pretty solid performances, going out on a much higher note than the previous day.  My final ranking was fifteen out of twenty-six middle-weights.  There is always so much to think about after a competition like this...but honestly, I am just happy to be able to be among those twenty-six strongwomen.  It was an incredible group of competitors this year.  There are not many times where you can find over fifty women in competition with each other, sharing a small competition space, sharing pain, sharing laughs, that have just one single thing in common...but that is strongman...or, should I say, strongwoman.