Bench Press Meet

Today was the second year I did the VT bench press meet. It's not sanctioned, but always nice to do a competition of any sort close to home and it doesn't get much closer than the VT War Memorial Gym (heck, it's like home, remember I have the locker and towel service there!). I've been working toward this since last year, but with a particular focus for several months. Last year I got all three lifts and maxed out at 120.

This year I opened at 120 and got that handily. I missed my second attempt, which was 130, because I pushed forward instead of back. But I bounced back and got 130 on my third attempt. I was happy and satisfied.

While the adrenaline of a meet helps, it's offset by the disruption in the normal routine and flow of a bench workout in the home gym. I like the fact that Jake and I have established a system in the gym with consistent warmups, liftoffs, processes - everything the same. He pushed that and now I'm glad. At a meet, there is so much chaos especially in the warmup area, that it's nice to have that plan nailed down and agreed upon.

My missed second attempt was the same kind of miss I had at the December meet. I'm wondering if I'm somehow getting extra arch in my back or extra coil that I'm not prepared for and it's throwing me off, causing me to push forward rather than back. Anyhow, it's something I need to consider.

On the drive over to the gym I was thinking about all I had done to prepare. I ate in a specific way this week. This morning I warmed up on the bike at home, had a shower, stretched out. I visualized how I wanted to feel. Had I done enough? Had I done it all right? Had I missed some crucial step? Then it occurred to me that success comes from the work done in the gym. Stop focusing on the externals, and focus on what *I* have been training to do! Then just do it. No excuses!



Oh, and my inspiration for next year? The senior citizen lady who benched 205!! YES, 205!! It was with a bench shirt, but still, dang impressive. So I figure I have room to improve :-)

Addendum: awarded top placing among women and $50!! Woo hoo!
Results
Photos
Video

Pullup PR, nutrition

Today I was stunned to blow away my old wide-grip pullup PR. I flew through 10, chin way up over the bar, got two more most of the way, and needed a nudge to get two more. So 14 total, but 10 legit. On the first one I knew I had it today, I felt light, felt good, and it was easy.

Which brings me to my next point on the importance of eating right for feeling good. I have been learning (I'm a slow learner) over the last nearly two years from Jake that the ideal way to eat is to have 6 or 7 small meals and snacks spread out every 2.5 or 3 hours throughout the day, with a mix of carbs, protein, and fats, that are appropriate to the activity level. When I have a competition or race coming up, Jake helps to set up my meals, entering them on them the SparkPeople web site and I just have to follow along. It NEVER ceases to amaze me that when I eat according to his plan, I feel great and can manage my appetite in a way that cravings are not much of an issue.

I have to plan and cook things ahead of time, then pack meals each day, but the meals are basic and simple, good and filling. The payoff is huge. I'm reading a book called "Racing Weight" by triathlete Matt Fitzgerald. He maintains that before you go to bed, you should know what you are eating the next day, where and when. Jake says the same thing and I'm beginning to really see the wisdom in that. We can't rely on body cues and the abundance of readily-available food to sync up and deliver the nutrition we need.

I believe one can truly train the appetite. When I eat a lot of sweets, I want more sweets. When I don't eat them, I don't really miss them.

Right now I am trying to shed some weight to make the 122 lb weight class for the bench press competition at VT on Saturday. Otherwise I'll be competing against women who are significantly bigger than me. I realize it's not that big of a deal either way, but in a weird way, I like the structured eating and reminder that my choices do impact my weight. These weeks rein me in a bit and give me a reason to cut out all the junk.

I'd been around 127/128 earlier in the year. Today I was just over 124. It should only take a few lower-carb days, and maybe a little sweating on Friday and it should work out. But the real benefit is the way I feel and knowing I'm eating only good stuff. I'm eating like an athlete :-)

Counting deficit disorder

I suffer from CDD. I know this because about half the time at the gym I am unsuccessful counting reps. I can't help it, the brain wanders and numbers get skipped or repeated. On Monday I was off by 10 on one set. Usually my margin of error is just plus or minus one or two.

I thought it was just the gym and my secret was safe with Jake. Nope.

Today at the pool, Jim asked me to count my strokes on a length of the pool. As soon as the words had formed, he issued a retraction and said, "I'LL count your strokes." My swim reports usually have some kind of caveat about being PRETTY sure about laps or times, but not absolutely confident in my reports.

An engineer who can't count.

Double-header weekend

This weekend was positively glorious - mild and sunny. I had just wrapped up a big conference and was feeling fabulous and ready for some adventures.

Saturday I set out for a longer run, gunning for about 13 miles at a conservative pace. My goal was to keep my heart rate lower than it usually is to prove to myself I could hold back. Anyway, the problem was I had a haircut scheduled for 9:00 and needed to meet Jake at the gym at 10:30 so to fit in the 13, I had to either start really early to leave time to get home and shower, or wait till 11ish and blow a bunch of the day I could spend with the kids. So I set out around 7:15 and planned a course that would go by the hair salon. Wouldn't you know, I arrived by 9:05, my normal 5 minutes late! I realized later how lucky I was that it did work out considering I didn't stop to figure out the distance/time/pace required. It turned out I did 12 miles pre-haircut, than did a long route back to the gym adding on another 4. There is something pretty empowering about running purposely to an authentic destination!!

Sunday was not quite so epic, but I did do a 25ish mile bike loop that included a stop at the Blacksburg Rec Center to hear some friends who were talking about sports nutrition type products. From there it was a quick bike ride home, flying down Harding as fast as I trusted myself to go given all the residual gravel from the winter.

I cleaned up the bike pretty good and put it back on the trainer where I rode tonight. The weather was enticing, but the schedule did not allow for a ride in the reasonable daylight. Plus I was too lazy to clean the bike up again. Sad, but true!!

Swimming nuances

Of all the triathlon sports, swimming has got to be the most nuanced of them all. That's part of what I enjoy about it. Today Coach Jim brought his camera and new laptop poolside (yikes!) and shot footage then analyzed it on-site. Video never fails to reveal a gap between what we think we are doing and what we are actually doing!

For one thing, I need to stop wasting energy to get my right hand so high. And Coach Jim reminded me again to minimize my kick. When I finally did, and he called it my "triathlon kick" it stuck! Now I'll always try to have the "triathlon kick"! Funny what little coaching tricks can motivate and help.

Other things:

• Flat hand entry, right one tends not to be flat
• Hands in first, high elbows (elbow first creates drag)
• Kick up, little kick, little bubbles, toes pointed, kick from hip, nice and long
• Picture swimming over a barrel along the chest, hands have to go out to the sides to go along the barrel top and bottom
• Keep a goggle in the water
• Small tube that the body slips through

And...don't show up at the pool at 6 am. Wait for the first wave to finish and plan to start at 6:30 or 6:40!!

But all in all, swimming continues to feel much more natural. Gone is the anxiety I used to have starting each session. And did I mention I cut about 5 seconds off my time for the 100 from October? Doesn't sound like much, but I'll take it!

left arm pretty good

right arm, what's up with THAT?