Monday, August 16, 2010

The proudest I've ever been!

The Left Coast Invitational has come and gone... and I really need to put my thoughts to writing!

When Ian aproached me about putting an event like this together for our athletes I new it would be a fun event that everyone would have a great time at. I really had now idea how much fun it would really end up being. For the past month and a half we have been looking forward to this weekend. With that said, most of you, if not all of you really didn't do anything outside of your normal training. There were some of you that changed your diet a little... Javier getting a bit more on the paleo side... and Karla getting 70's big (but that was really for her personal goals of getting stronger). Around Elysium we trained like we have been for the past of months (looking back, probably should have programmed more running?) and did what we normally do and that in it's self is very special!


I am glad that most of our athletes were placed in the back half of the heats making it easy for me to judge the first heats and break away to coach you all! It was a great experience to meet many different athletes and watch them work as hard as they could. Most of the people I had were good movers and I didn't have to take many reps away from any one (even when I did take away reps from them... I didn't have anyone get upset or argue with me.) My thinking was that the people that I judged were knowing that they were getting a "true experience" for what a CrossFit comp is like. I do know that I probably called back more reps then the other judges but I feel I gave enough slack without letting people "get away with stuff". It was over all a fun experience... but the closer we got to our heats I just wanted to watch all of our athletes go!

If I had to point to a few things that I/Leon did that had an impact on the outcome was our game planning and our mental prep for every athlete. For the deadlift we kew exactly how the event was going to work from the first weight to pull, the rest periods and the end goal. From the athletes I judged and saw... many of them seemed to warm up DURING the 10 time cap and waste the first half with sub PR lifts... we new what everyones PR's were starting and we told all of you the warm up before and pull your near max, current max or new max for the FIRST lift. We talked with every one individually about each workout and what for them to expect both easy points and hard points... turned out that telling Karla that "the run is going to be hot and uncomfortable, just expect it and know that you CAN deal with it and push through it." was something that really helped her on that one. Also when an athlete was having trouble with a lift we focused on giving technical coaching on how to move better and get the workout done faster... instead of just yelling "you can do it, you are doing good... keep it up." I took probably 30 pull ups away from a girl that couldn't get her chin over the bar... if her coach didn't keep on telling her to shake it off and keep doing good... and instead said, to use the donkey kick at the top of the move. I probably would have takin way less reps away.

As many of you learned this past weekend... the mental space you go to during competition is a little different from the place you go to during daily WOD's. As well, the way coaching that needs to happen changes as well. I am so glad that I was able to have the experience of coaching all of you in action.

I will go through the day and recall some of the bigger memories that are floating through my mind at the moment!

Javier thoughing on 315 (15lbs above pr) and pulling it like a warm up, for the first rep! Then going on to set several more records! Brian having full faith in me and just picking up what ever I told him to put on the bar and in the process setting a 70lb PR!!! That is unreal. Brandon pulling a new fat pr. Tiffany setting a new pr and winning the event... after NOT doing any strength for the past 2 weeks? Watching Leon coach Alessandra and Anthony into new prs! The whole gym watching Ben as he pulled 485 of the ground for the high score of the day and the crowd scream for him! (make sure to put that on the mirror Ben!) The most epic moment was Watching Karla pull a new 25lb pr... then with only 45 sec left, telling her to put 5 more on and just pick it up. With only 10-15 sec left she grabbed it and locked it out with only seconds to spare! Ask any strength coach and that kind of stuff should not happen, just insane! Taking top mens and womens spots for the event!!!



My greatest joy from this workout came from watching all of you move... and move well! All of you had great range of motion and made your judges job easy. Javier learned how to kip just last week and with that went and got a 10+ round score!!! Brian Showed us that you can enjoy a beer or 2 or 5 and still crush some metcon! The ladies rocked this workout! Having Tiffany, Alessandra and Danielle all next to each other was a sight to see! How about Karla not only winning the top spot for the ladies but also beating pretty much every male except Brian! And that is after her gaining 6-7lbs in the past month or so (on purpose)!!! Were I became the most proud was watching you all drop to the floor after "TIME" was called. The looks on your faces showed that you gave it everything you had! At the end of the wod knowing that you worked your best is what will give you the most joy and pride!



Event 3) "The eqaulizer"... what jerk thought that wod up?



Javier was the first to go and set a great time, getting many if not all the thrusters unbroken! Brandon powering through them and staying focused on the burpees. Tiffany... who couldn't use her left shoulder 8 months ago was pushing the barbell overhead with ease. This was an inspirational wod to watch, you all fought through it to the very end and I was so proud. Then it got crazy! The first to last heat had 2 elysium ladies and the final heat had 2 Elysium ladies!!!! Brian was sitting in first and others siiting high! What an epic ending to the day!!! This was a wrokout were game planning and coaching helped a ton! Every one had a game plan and an idea of what to expect going into this workout. Many other athletes went all out at the beginning thinking they were going to be able to fly right through.... those athletes quickly learned that was false. The workout was far worse then many expected. I judged to majority of the heats besides for the final two. Having been to regionals were they stacked the top athletes at the last workout all together... I knew this was going to be an insane 10-15 minutes. The energy in the building was electirc! Going into the final workout was amazing... did I mention that Karla and Stacie were TIED FOR FIRST! Both ladies had 6 points and were several point ahead of the nearest competitor! For the final heat Leon Coached Brian, Ben got Stacie and I coached Karla. I Talked with the athletes and told them they had a chance at the top spot, they had already proved it by earning the spot they were in and now it was time to go all out! Let me say this, Karla impressed many people in that last workout! She stuck to the game plan and gave it everything she had. Her crisp thrusters impressed several other athletes and judges, her steady pace and focus set her into the lead early in the wod! On the way back from the runs she would come back into the garage with a straight face that meant business, it wasn't the "this is horrible, this is hard, why am I doing this face" that I know we all make and that I know I have made in competitions before. It was nothing but focus and determination!!! Once back in the hanger she didn't stop moving. Once the last burpee was called she dropped to the floor with a look of total exhuast, there was no doubt that she gave it 100%. Then we were able to cheer Stacie on as she finished the workout second in the heat!


After the wod's were done and every one could relax. I couldn't help but have a grin on my face after what I had witnessed. Knowing where the points were at the beginning of the last workout gave us an idea of how well we might of done but there was always a chance that someone managed to get that last point they needed to edge someone out of placing. Part of me didn't care where the points fell becuase I knew you all had givin everything possible... but there was a side that wanted to hear we had sweeped the event! First we got the female results... the girl that took 3rd overall was the same girl that won the final wod... once I heard this I knew we had a good chance that we took top two! Then the names were called! Stace beal 2nd place, Karla Wagner 1st place female (officailly the best female at exercising)!!! Watching two of our athletes standing on the top of the podium was so amazing! I am hard pressed to think of another time when I ever felt so proud. I have seen how hard these ladies train on a weekly basis and for it to show and for them to be recognized for it was so great! Then the males were going to be called up!!! Third place was called, then it was announced that there was a tie for the second place spot... the called the names and it wasn't any of ours.... While I was a little sad that we didn't get it I was still so excited that our guys worked their asses off. Then it is announced "a tie breaker will occur, but before that... lets announce the 1st place male." Brian's name was called up and our gym just roared! While we had talked about how amazing it would be to sweep the contest... to acutally have it happen was so crazy!

The day was so much fun! From having so many of you represent and for so many coming out to watch and support! The entire day was filled with pride and inspiration! I know that there are some of you that are 100% happy with how you performed and there are some of you that wish some of the wods had ended up different.The main thing to remember is that it was an experience, on to learn from and remember for the next one!

Once again I must say I have never been more proud and I have had grin stuck to my face for the past 2 days! Great job everyone!

1 comment: