2014 Regional Recap

Regionals: where you show up and let your training speak for itself, and when it’s over there’s a score board that’s left to reflect how you did. This is the take away that everyone remembers. You leave knowing you had done all you could, if there was a weakness exposed, you leave ready to attack it, ready to prepare for next year. So the next time you meet the competition floor, you can leave and say “there was nothing I would have changed.” There would be no excuses.

I want and expect like everyone, a fair playing field and a reflection of my sacrifice, training, preparation, and work to be displayed at the highest level of competition. It’s what I/we train all year long for.

2014 Central East Regional: I came with high expectations and plans for a lot more training to come once qualifying for The Games. I put in the work, had the right mindset, and felt more prepared than ever before.

When the weekend ended here is what could be seen by all:

Event 1 - 3rd Place - 275#

Event 2 - 5th Place - 215ft

Event 3 - 13th Place - 8:54

Event 4 - 7th Place - 10:58

Event 5 - 18th Place - 4:14

Event 6 - 28th Place - 22:03

Event 7 - 9th Place - 2:06

Overall - 9th Place

The peoples Reaction : "I’m sorry man that sucks, I know you’re not thrilled about the outcome, it’s a tough region, but you did awesome and we are so proud of you!"

The Hard Part and the truth: I was happy with my performance, the way I prepared, and how I went out and performed in each event. My scores are not at all a representation of my preparation and overall fitness. They do not show the story of the work put in, but instead looks like my expectations were too high. It is hard to respond to the above statement because there is nothing I would do differently.

What I know: I pride myself in my movement, my efficiency and the way I prepare. I do not cheat movements. I show up prepared with a plan and have fun.

WOD 1: went just as planned

WOD 2: was just the same

WOD 3: was going to be a tough one for me. Went according to plan.

WOD 4: was my baby, the one I believed I could win. Instead I was met with a moment where wod 4 was at the hand of someone’s interpretation of the rules. Frozen, needing answers, the competition floors are the last place you want to be and not have answers. I know I work my standards, and preach the importance above all else to my athletes. That fact that someone could say I was doing a movement wrong, incorrect, short, assisted, fill that end of sentence with whatever word you like, left me beside myself. I walk off the floor with a sour taste in my mouth, realizing a moment I thought I would experience was gone. We look at the numbers and people still say, but 7th is really good. And it may be for some, but not when I know it could have been a 1^st. Those points, my mind and confidence in the judging had all been weakened.

WOD 5 : went as planned; a lot of people were faster at that then I was.

WOD 6 : an event that I knew would end on the rower, as it always had in practice. It was just going to come down to how long I was on it. For me, a game of pacing and who could push at the end, but instead it felt a lot more like WOD 4. A 28th has everyone asking, "what happened?”

I want to say, “Nothing, everyone beat me because they were in better shape.” I can live with that answer, that answer would give me something to work towards, something to change, that is competition. But that’s not the truth. What I am left with is an answer that is out of my control. Some live by the motto, it’s just me against myself, or control the controllable and don’t worry about anything else. The unfortunate part, my real answer sounds like an excuse, and I hate excuses.

Wod 7: followed plan, but could have gamed much differently. My time was better than in practice but, “Holy Cow” everyone else was fast

My Truth: The season ends and I have no feeling of reward. I can’t say that I messed up, or everyone was just so much better. The Central East has always been a nasty one to compete with, but one that I love to be a part of. Every year we all bring our “A” game. We all put in the work from season to season, we share the pain and the love for the sport, and we stay on the floor until the last one finishes. I ponder what’s next? I need my doubts to settle. I love what I do and this is my livelihood. I know my future holds high level competition, one that I feel I can compete at for a long time to come. For now, I want the questions and wonders about “what if’s ” when it comes to things out of my control to be gone, I know the day will come.