Yesterday was Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK and instead of having a nice relaxing day off, or doing some gardening, I decided I would enter my first novice strongman competition.
The event was held over two days, with women competing on Sunday, and men on the Monday. Men's novice weight classes were under 95kg and over 95kg. I put myself in the under 95kg and am glad that I did!
Arrived for weigh-in at 08:30, after a 90 minute drive from home. My girlfriend and kids came along to support me. Weighed in OK at just a shade under 95kg (had to strip off to make it though).
Then had some promotional photos taken by the onsite photographer, which was a bit weird, but they ended up looking pretty cool.
There was alot of sitting around while the other competitors weighed in, but it was a nice sunny morning so alot of us relaxed outside in the sun.
After a rules meeting, the events started at around 10:15. First event was a press medley: 70kg axle and 80kg log - both for a single rep before moving onto a 40kg 9 inch dumbell for AMRAP. Time limit was 70 seconds. The weights didn't bother me so much going into this comp as getting 70 & 80kg above my head isn't an issue, but I have never done so with an axle bar or a log.
Luckily I was able to double overhand clean the axle and press it without difficulty, and after watching a couple of technique videos on the log press was able to do that too, although it was a little awkward. Have never used a 40kg 9 inch dumbell either, but managed to get 5 reps, think it would have been 6 as 1 was disallowed as I didn't wait for the "down" command after lockout. Ended up placing roughly middle of the pack after this event.
Next up (after a long wait) was a bus pull, where we had to pull an old fashioned London double decker bus. We had no rope to use, so had to bear crawl it. Again, like all the events of the day, I had never done a truck / bus pull, but it was OK once I got it moving and I think I came in with the 4th slowest time at 28 seconds, there were alot of 25 seconds and I think even some 24 second times, but I was just glad to have been able to move it and complete it!
Next event was a static hold with a competition kettlebell. Weight was only 12kg but they were super strict on the rules and what was / wasn't acceptable. Bombed out at 54 or 55 seconds which again pit me roughly middle of the pack.
Next up was a yoke / duck walk medley. 220kg yoke into 100kg duck walk. The yoke was by far the hardest event of the day for me. Never used one before and it just felt very unstable. Managed to just about complete the distance required for the yoke - after dropping it twice (third drop would have seen me out of the event). The duck walk by comparison was easy but I ran out of time (60 seconds limit to complete) about a foot from the line. I think I was third from last in this event as a couple of others didn't complete it, but most of the others that did, did it in pretty quick times.
Final event was natural stone loading. Don't remember the exact weights, but as per Atlas stones it went in descending height on platforms / ascending weight. Managed to do them all in 30 seconds, which again wasn't the fastest, but I was just glad to be able to complete the event.
By this point the time was around 17:30 so I ducked out with my family for the drive home. Will have to check results when they are posted, but obviously knew I wasn't top 3, but wouldn't have been dead last either, I expect third or fourth from last perhaps.
It was a good day, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, but as with most of these things, there was alot of waiting around between events, but that was to be expected with the amount of competitors in both categories.
I ache alot more than I expected today, so this will be a day off and then back to training tomorrow.