The meet sight was a nice facility with everything a lifter might need. It was big, but because they stayed open for business it was crowded, especially with 56 total lifters. A whole lot of them were there for equipment check, too. I went ahead and got all of equipment checked. Gage did not weigh in until eight: 179.75. Sweet. Off to get donuts.
Started warming up and Gage looked great. Only then did I find out that they had split the first meet into two flights... and Gage was in the second flight. No mention was made and no flight info was posted. they had a video screen set up in the back, but unless you knew what was going on you had no idea what was going on. So, I am beside myself and worried about Gage, but we kept him warm throughout the first flight. this was tough because the first flight was taking FOREVER.
Squats
Opener: 314.5... three whites. looked easy. That was why I had no qualms about going...
Second: 352.5... missed. He lost his tightness right before he dropped and he could not recover.
Third: 352.5... three reds. Called him on depth. Looked good to me and the video makes it look good too. I really feel he was robbed.
Bench warm-ups went pretty well, just had to take into account the slow moving flights.
Bench
Opener: 264.5... three whites. State Record. Looked solid. I was shocked at how long the "press" calls were. Almost two full seconds.
Second; 292... missed. He gets on the bench and THEN the say American record so they have to scramble to get the right judges. took almost three minutes. Then the head judge gives the down signal but waits another measure before saying, "Start."
Third: 292... missed. Another damn snafu with the judges. A bit annoying.
At this point Gage has given up and his deadlift warm-ups were lethargic and it was taking forever because of the slowness of the first flight.
Deadlift
Opener: 402.5... three whites. Destroyed it. Had a little pep in his step after that.
Second: 434.7... three whites, but it did not look great. State Record Deadlift and Total.!!!
Third: 451.7... three whites. Looked better than the third. Meet PR!!!
Gage ended with the state records in the Bench, Deadlift and Total. He really looked good on his pulls, too.
Then Gage got popped to be drug tested. He had just peed before his deadlifts, so he had to drink a gallon and half of fluids and it took him and hour and a half to pee. Not surprising he was dehydrated from the weight cut.
We did not find out until a half hour before our meet that Logan and I would be in separate flights. I was already tired.
Logan weighed in at 194. I weighed in at 239.5 and I felt good. that soon ended.
Logan was only able to get his opener squat of 396, two benches ending with 264 and got his opener deadlift of 520. The deadlift was a state record. Whatever happened to him was inexplicable, but part of it had to do with the guy that he is. He went running with Gage on Thursday and Friday, then he helped load and get Gage ready on the other lifts, then had to run back and forth with me in a separate flight. It was a bad meet, but I was proud of him, proud of his selflessness and willingness to help.
I started warming up right before the first flight started. By the time they were through with second attempts, I had not even done 315. I had to rush to get warmed up. I did my last warm-up with 495 as the first attempts got under way. I was sweating and sucking wind because the first flight had FLOWN by. Luckily my opener was 110 pound higher than everybody else's.
Squat
Opener: 545.5... three reds. My problems with depth had begun. It felt low enough, it looked low enough on video, but apparently it was not low enough. they also called me for not "locking out" my left leg. I cannot hyperextend that leg because of the ACL surgery. I never claimed it because I never though it would be an issue.
Second: 545.5... three reds. Depth again. I was at a loss. this was a low as I could get. I was pissed but not despondent. If I bombed than I would be out of nationals. Christan told me that it was absolute bullshit, but you have to go with the judges. As a matter of fact, about 95% of the people who saw it though it was low enough.
third: 545.5... three whites. Holy shit. I was happy to get the lift in, but upset that i ended with such a low squat. that being said, it was the highest in the meet.
Bench
Warmups were tough because first flight flew by again.
Opener: 325... three whites. Easy.
Second: 352.5... three whites, flet a little heavy, but nothing to worry about.
Third: 369.5... missed. Just got out of the groove. Not a strength issue.
Deadlifts
As usual the first flight was just rolling. I got my last warmup about three lifters into the first attempts. Again, I was the last lifter.
Opener: 556... Killed it. Three whites.
Second: 606... A little heavy off the floor, but it went really well. I was still upset about the rest of the meet so I opted to go for a PR.
Third: 628... three whites. This was the toughest pull I have ever done and it seemed to take forever. I was worried at lockout because I had to really throw my shoulders back. i looked at the head judge and she is just looking at me. I pull back a fraction more and she finally gives me the down signal. I was sure she was gonna red light me. This was a great lift because the WHOLE crowd was in on it and all the lifters were yelling for me.
This was my highest ever pull, the first time I legitimately had the heaviest pull in a meet and the first time I have ever pulled over 600 twice in a meet. This is the fourtth of five meets where I have both pulled over 600 and had a deadlift heavier than my squat. It was also pulled on a stiff bar, the first 600+ pull that I have pulled that was not on a deadlift bar.
Then I got popped for a drug test. I of course had just peed before my second deadlift. Took me a gallon of water and an hour to pee. But, I did get to spend that time talking with David Ricks, one of the greatest powerlifters of all time. He was a judge at this meet. Just a real great guy. Also got to meet Steve Goggins who is 1) one of the greatest lifters of all time 2) shorter than I thought and 3) a real great guy.
For those not in the know, Goggins was the first man to squat 1100 lbs and has a 881 deadlift to his credit.
Anyway, it was a tiring meet but I got to meet some real nice people and pal around with a few lifters during the meet. I was not happy about the squat depth issue, but it was better to happen here then at nationals. Gonna have to learn from this and fix it.
Thanks to Christan, my dad, my brother, Ceci, Charles and Jacob for coming and rooting me on. Gotta get back in the gym and fix a few things, but I really have to re-evaluate my position as a soon-to-be-master lifter.
This was the most tiring day of lifting I have ever had I will not do another meet with two other people unless I am NOT lifting.
Next up, Killeen.
