It’s been a difficult year with comps being cancelled and postponed. Training has been on and off. Strength had decreased and at times my motivation and drive had failed me.
It has honestly taken me a while to get the time to write this up and post it – but here we are (finally!!)
I pulled a truck!!
Back in August I got to tick off a strongwoman bucket list item – I pulled a truck! Thats right, me harnessed to a 9.5 tonne truck and I pulled it, not once, not twice but three times!! It was such good fun!
A huge thank you to Emma at Oak Strength for putting on an amazing day!
The following week was my first comp back since the pandemic closed everything down. It was also the first time I stepped up to the opens weight category. There were a few reasons for this – Despite not getting a podium at a novice comp I looked at the weights and although 2 events were nominated weights the third and final event was specified and I personally felt that the novice weight yoke was not challenging enough for me and it would be more of a challenge to get the opens weight yoke. Because to me that is what strongwoman is all about – trophies would be great but I got into this sport to challenge myself – trophies and medals if they are won will be won off hard work and rising to a challenge and not glory hunting.
Anyway – before this turns into a rant – I will go onto the comp…
Oak Strength’s Pull, Push, Move Comp
Silver Dollar Deadlift 1RM – Last time I attempted this I got a PB of 140kg. So I nominated 130kg, 140kg and then 150kg which would be a PB.
I got a good lift on all three attempts – I maybe was a bit conservative here – I could have started on the 140 and pushed to maybe 160 on the final lift – but I was happy with the PB and knew i needed to save some energy for the yoke later in the day!
Log Press 3RM – I nominated 35kg, 38kg and 45kg.
I got good lifts on the first two attempts. The final lift of 45kg was just a little too much for me, I cleaned it – just – and my bicep is still feeling that difficult clean over a month later!!
Yoke, 25m 190kg – Doing more than 3 steps would be a huge PB for me.
I gave this event every last bit of me – I physically could not have done even a millimetre more! I managed 5.5m a massive PB and I am super proud of myself – next time I’ll be getting at least 10m!!
I got last place in the opens but I beat myself – I challenged myself – I came away proud and happy with my performance.
So strongwoman was back! I had entered another comp – Caerphilly’s Strongest Man & Woman which is on 10th October.
Yet I keep saying strongwoman WAS back.
Well as I mentioned earlier I have a bit of a bicep/tendon issue and I have since sprained my ankle so I have had to drop out of the comp on the 10th October – I am hugely disappointed but I have to practise what I preach to my PT clients and listen to my body! I probably wont make another comp in 2021 – but watch out 2022 because I’ll be injury free and ready to push myself into that opens category and keep challenging myself!!
So strongwoman was back briefly – then injuries have sidelined me – but it will be a brief sidelining and strongwoman will be back as soon as I am ready!
In the meantime – it gives me the time to pop up blogs here!!
Talking of other blogs – I did complete a charity challenge on 25th September which I will write up and post up here next week!
Stay Strong folks!!
Helen
#iamfletcherfitness
We Are Strong.