Life....it can be a beast at times. Goods, bads, ups, downs, happy, sad or even in our case - we both (me and Melissa) had the flu two weeks ago, the heat pump at our house went out two weeks ago, the power steering pump went out in our car, plus my daughter's car broke down yesterday, family stuff and I lost my job of 11 years to job force reduction just days ago. I got a severance package, a pat on the back and a "Please clean out your office Mr. Smith then you may leave. Thank you for your service" then they left to terminate another 130+ jobs....
I had a few lofty goals for this meet. Well a few for an old man that's been competing for almost 3 decades now. Yep, even after that many years I still have goals. Don't you?
Here is my top 10 list of goals for myself at this meet:
1. Squat 800 pound raw - I know there are tons of those these days but not that many at 43+ years of age
2. Total a Pro Open Elite Total at a weight class I have never done before in raw full power (I have 2)
3. Total a Pro Master Elite Total at a weight class I have never done before in raw full power (I have 1)
4. Compete in only my 4th raw full power meet in my career and first time doing so in almost 10 years
5. Break some raw IPA World Records
6. Not get injured anymore than I already am Lol
7. Have fun
8. Win
9. Remaining diverse - In the past 12 months I have competed - Full power multiply, Multiply bench only and now Full power raw
10. Prove to myself that I can still achieve these goals/have success at my age, being old and broken in a division of raw that I don't train for anymore
During our deload week I have really tried to remain busy. Since I am not working I have really been working my ass of at my Dads house. Staying busy helps me keep my mind focused on something else instead of just crying the entire time. Yes I am human. I just lost what pays the bills, puts food on the table and would have been paying for my daughters college soon. I know, suck it up, be a man, you will find something soon, it will get better....blah, blah, blah. Its always easy to say those things when its not happening to you....
I was able to get my weight back up for this meet so I could do the super heavy weight class. I usually walk around at 290-295 pounds, so I really had to work to move up another weight class. Luckily Melissa is the best damn woman on this planet. She takes such good care of me. She feed me like a bear that just came out of hibernation for several weeks and got me up to 314 pounds at weigh ins with a few pounds to spare! Melissa made the cut to the 132 weight class herself so we had to get her fed ASAP after weigh ins.
After our 5 hour drive and grazing on food for almost 2 hours, we went to our room and took a nap for the next several hours. We only had 4 Team Nebobarbell Teammates competing this weekend but we had over 30 people making the 5 hour drive to handle, help and support us!
Having almost our entire Team here supporting us means the world to me. I am very lucky and honored to be surrounded by such great folks. They are my family.
As always, we as a Team go eat dinner together at a local steakhouse nearby the night before a meet. This is always a great time to relax, talk shit, laugh, relax with family, eat hearty and enjoy some chill time before the storm comes tomorrow. After the meal me and Melissa headed back to our room to get to bed early so we can be rested for the big day.
In the morning, our entire Team meets up to eat breakfast together. I don't eat very much on meet mornings. Usually I eat some yogurt, fruit and some cereal. I cant take in greasy foods. I'm already nervous and my stomach is twisting so the added grease does not help so I avoid a heavy meal and greasy foods before a meet.
After breakfast we all headed to the meet area and got our stuff put down in the warm-up room. There was only 2 flights of squats (40 total lifters in the meet) so I started stretching and getting warmed up in between getting Melissa and Travis ready (Melissa and Travis were in the first flight and Me and Jon were in the second flight). I gave myself plenty of time to get warmed up and prepared so I would not be rushed.
All of my warm-ups felt great. Speed was good, all my sets felt light and I felt like everything was clicking the way it should be. I took 640 as my last warm-up set and then went and took a seat to get mentally prepared.
My first attempt of 720 pounds went well and moved fast - good lift. I called for 760 for my second. I got forward with the weight and just stalled out near the top - no good. I called for 760 again on my third. I'm not sure what happened - no good. I guess I just sucked today. No PR and no 800 pound squat today. I was not expecting to miss 760 at all. I got some serious weight to make up from that miss to give me a shot at a Pro open elite raw total @SHW. 1 for 3 on the squat....
For the bench I knew I had to make some ground up to rectify the 760 squat miss. My projection for bench was 425 for this meet. I know....but in years past I did not have a torn Labrum and Rotator on the same shoulder to deal with. 3 years ago 500 raw bench was nothing even on my worst day but these injuries have really hampered my raw bench (I know go get it fixed you idiot!) So my opener was very modest, 315! Good lift. My second attempt was 405. It went better than expected considering. Good lift! Now for my third attempt I knew I was going to need this 425 projection to keep myself on pace for the total I needed....
I'm not going to lie I was nervous about taking this lift. It was a roll of the dice bit I was willing to roll and see what would happen. The hand-off was great and the weight felt light. Even the decent was good but that where things start going awry. When I start to press upward from a paused position the pressure that puts on my bad shoulder is terrible. It scares me honestly. That's why i don't train heavy raw bench anymore. My bench shirt helps hide and protect my shoulder to a degree but when I'm not in my shirt I am really exposed.
I start to press upward and all I could feel was pain. The bar kept moving upward. The lift was ugly. Defiantly the most hideous raw bench press of my life. But....I locked it out and the lift was good! 3 for 3 on the bench. I am still in the running for the total I am trying to attain....
I went into the dead-lift as I did with the bench-press. I went conservative here too. I did this with both of these lifts to make sure I didn't do anything stupid to nullify my 800 pound squat, that unfortunately I did not get anyway....
So I opened with 500 pounds. Easy. Good lift. I knew I needed a 605 pull to get my Pro open elite total but I did not want to make a 105 pound jump to do so. I do better taking smaller jumps in the deadlift. I decided it would be best to take 550 on my second instead and just put everything on last pull and see how clutch I really am.
2nd attempt of 550 - easy! Good lift! I knew after I pulled this I was going to have to muster everything I had to pull that 605. I went to the back area by myself to get my thoughts and emotions together. I needed this lift to salvage my day. I did not get the 800 pound squat I wanted but I can still get 9 of my 10 goals coming into this meet accomplished with one more successful lift!
"Joey Smith, 605 pounds is on the bar!"
I needed this pull right here, right now. Truly, everything was on the line with this pull. And on my last lift of the day, on the lift I despise and loath the most. Tired, pissed off and in pain I pulled with every ounce of heart and soul I had....
Not today Life....
Lift is good!....
7 for 9 on attempts
Raw Full Power
Men's Open and Men's Master Divisions
720 - squat
425 - bench
605 - deadlift
1750 - total @ SHW
43 Years Old
1st Place Men's Open Raw Full Power
1st Place Men's Master Raw Full Power
Set 3 new IPA World Records
Achieved my Pro Elite Master Total
Achieved my Pro Elite Open Total
I now have 5 total Pro Elite Totals
No injuries
My Teammates absolutely killed it today and I am so proud of each of you. What a great Meet, meet location, judging, spotters, loaders, table crew, music, trophies and environment! Big Thanks to Bobby Betts, Taylor Arms and his crew for all they do and as always showing how a quality powerlifting meet is to be run.
I did not get the squat I wanted today but I did accomplish all my other goals I came for and had a great time. I could make a million excuses about what happened today but I won't. Life and things just happen and we must roll with the punches. I will rest up, recover and get ready for battle again later this year. I am now officially retired from raw competition. Time to get back to being a Gear Whore!
Thank you to my Team and my family. I am nothing without each of you! I love you all very much!
Also big shout out to all of the great lifting by a great group of lifters competing today from all over.
I love you Melissa Byrd. Without you I could not do any of this....