If you don't know how Masters athletes qualify for Masters World's Strongest Man I'll try to explain it to you.
In July the promoter comes up with three events and posts them online. This year it was:
Husafell Stone: max weight for 50 feet, you choose the weight
Overhead Press: max weight, normal bar, from the rack, you choose the weight
Deadlift: max set of 3 reps, no straps, suits allowed, you choose the weight
And you have a solid 6 weeks to complete the lifts, get them on video PROPERLY, and upload them to their website as an entry. They tally up the totals and you basically compete in an online contest and the top 15-20 or so qualify for World's Strongest Man Masters. A few guys that entered were already qualified, several guys were Top 10 from last year (automatic qualifications), a couple guys were actually in a lighter weight class and went with the open class, etc...
It came down to the last 3 days to send in our entries and I headed out to the gym on a Friday night. I had looked at the numbers and if I increased my Husafell Stone number to something in the 140/308 range it would put me in a very comfortable spot to qualify..around top 15. I got to the gym and fumbled my first run with 308 lbs. I just had no gas in the tank. I set it all back up and I went again, completing the 50 feet (and then some) and then just crashed! It was everything that I had inside to get that but I knew that I needed it and if I could just squeak it out I could qualify for WSM-M! So I did it!
I got home, edited the video, uploaded it, and I moved up to about 15th or even better! I woke up Saturday and I was in 18th spot and a little nervous. I spent all day Saturday massaging my hamstrings, stretching and icing my back, and eating. My wife was in France and I had the kids at home and I went to bed pretty nervous Saturday night. Sure enough I woke up Sunday morning and I was about 23rd place so I began letting the anger set in.
I knew that if I went to the gym and pulled 6 kg (13 lbs or so) more than my first basic entry of 575 lbs x 3 on my deadlift that it would move me up several spaces back into contention. It would suck, it would hurt, I would be very sore, it would risk injury right now, but it would get the job done. Just before I headed out to the gym I got a message from the promoter saying not to worry, I would make the cut and get invited. A weight just fell off of my shoulders as I could actually pull back a little that weekend and recover for the big push into WSM!
When I got to the gym and it came time to deadlift, I almost put the 6 KG on the bar and pulled it. Almost. I ended up pulling a safe single and moving on.
And you guessed it, by Monday morning athletes around The World on that list had seen the numbers and went back to the gym and did what it took to move up while I slept. I woke up Monday and was so far down the list it wasn't even funny. Not even close. I had played everything too safe and came up a mile short. I did not get invited to Masters World's Strongest Man.
I can, however, rest knowing that I did give it everything that I had. I'm weak and I'm exhausted but I could not have given anything more on my Husafell Stone Carry. My deadlift would have probably ended up in failure or injury and my overhead press was a PR anyway. I really can't ask for anything more than giving EVERYTHING that I had on the given days and walking away.
So I'm making a plan.
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