69, 75(f), 75(F or 5kgpr?...)
This is the biggest competition I’ve done to date. I had about 2 or 3 weeks’ notice to prepare for it but as I’m preparing for a competition in Cork in October anyway, it didn’t make too much difference to my training plan. It actually fell at the start of max week anyway, so it was just like a very public max session!
My preparation had gone well and in the week run up to the competition, I was physically and mentally in great form. I have a rigorous mental training regime in the run up to competitions which I think is almost more important than the physical training programme. When I’m on my own, I imagine doing all the lifts successfully and when I’m in anyone’s company at all, I don’t shut up about the competition, about how well I plan to do, about how good I feel, about how excited I am... basically I just think about the competition all the time and make sure it’s positive! (Yeah, I’m a bucket of laughs coming up to a competition!)
My coach’s taper plan went well and I was dying to lift heavy by the time the competition came up. I had a good night’s sleep the night before thanks to an early morning flight and camomile tea. I made sure I arrived early in the venue on competition day and had a good look out at the platform, visualising what good lifts wood look like from there. Weighed in at 61.6kg, pretty much what I was expecting. Unfortunately, I had a bad case of verbal diarrhoea; I was unable to have a thought without vocalising it but apart from that, I was managing my nerves well. (A well meaning “shut the f*** up Dee sorted that out!)
Warm up just seemed to click and I was really chomping at the bit. I made my first lift fairly easy and after a short celebration, I got angry and focused on getting my target snatch for the day: 60kg. I ran out on the platform, forgot to set up mentally and visualise a good lift and just heaved. It was too far out front and too slow from the start and I ended up on my ass. I decided to try a Tommy Hayden trick that has served me well in the past and add 1kg. I don’t know why it works and I don’t care. There was no way in hell I was missing that lift. I took a few seconds longer on the platform to visualise a successful lift, smiled and assured myself that I had the lift and that the physical act of snatching the bar was a mere formality. I pulled with all my might, kept it close and it hit a good path because it felt rather light. Wobbly right knee and scrunchy face aside; good lift! New national record and personal best by 4kg.
It seemed like a lifetime until my clean and jerks came around and I had to keep telling myself I was not tired. I pressed 65kg in the warm-up which made Wayne call for 69kg instead of 70kg. I got on the platform and just horsed the bar up with no consideration for technique or setup. It was rough as can be but good lift. I called 75kg for my second lift. I have a silly superstition, and I don’t know where it started, but I believe that I need to fail a new number once before I get it. I reckon my body is testing out the weight before it lets me commit to it but more likely is I’m just a mad coconut. Either way, I had two shots at the 75kg (which was target c&j of the day). For my first one, I gave it my all but felt my right arm pressing on the way up as it often does during a heavy lift. I’ve strained myself trying to hold on to this in the past so, discretion being the better part of valour, I chucked it. I felt pretty sure of it the second time and swaggered onto the platform, taking my time chalking my hands and visualising a good lift. I did everything I had practiced and it felt good. I really felt like I stuck it, I didn’t feel any kind of a press-out at all. I got my down signal and was feeling pretty chuffed but unfortunately, two of the three referees saw something they didn’t like. You can see the video below from two angles and decide yourself but I still haven’t had anyone who can tell me why it wasn’t a good lift. This would have been a new national record, new personal best by 5kg. Would have also given me a national record in total too so I’m a little disappointed and confused but overall, really very happy with my lifting and I had a great day and a lovely trip.
Anyway, there’s another competition in 6 weeks in Cork and now I have the 75kg under my belt once, it should be easier to do it again and hopefully a few kg more by then.
I want to thank Ed for his support and Wayne for coaching and the rest of the Irish team for some deadly craic and banter!
By the way, York is a lovely town and well worth a visit.
