Full Throttle - Days 167 and 168

This weekend was the Tactical Strength Challenge!!! It went great, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We started out with deadlifts, and the first weight I attempted was 325 pounds, which I pulled with no problems. The second weight I attempted was 365 pounds, which again I pulled with relatively no problems (355 pounds is the most I had ever pulled before). I felt good enough to attempt to pull 405 pounds, but I was unable to lift this weight. Although I was a little disappointed, I still was very excited with my effort in the deadlift, and I am pleased with the 365 pound pull. After completing the dealift portion of the TSC, we then did pullups. I was unable to do a pullup, but I have never in my life done a full pullup. My goal for the next TSC is to be able to do multiple pullups. After the pullups we did the kettlebell snatch portion, and the goal in this portion of the competition is to complete as many kettlebell snatches as possible in 5 minutes. I competed in the Novice Division, so I used a 16kg kettlebell for this, and I was able to successfully complete 106 snatches. My goal was to complete 100 snatches, so I am very pleased with 106. Today my shoulders and arms are quite sore from pushing myself, but the soreness almost feels like a badge of honor for competing so hard.
I am already looking forward to the next Tactical Strength Challenge in March/April 2010 and setting goals for then. I would like to deadlift 500 pounds, do multiple pullups and complete 100 snatches with a 24kg kettlebell. So, I will take it easy on the weights this week to give my body and muscles some time to rest a little and then I will start training to achieve my goals.
I am so thankful to BJ and Kori at Full Throttle Athletics for their training, encouragement, teaching, and belief in me. I truly am a different person now than I was 6 months ago... not just physically but mentally as well. My thought process about things I can accomplish is so different now from just a few months ago. As I watched other participants competing in the TSC this weekend I began thinking about the change in my attitude and mentality during this time period. Six months ago I never would have believed I would be competing in anything like this, and now I am not only competing but already looking forward to competing again. I am so excited about this change I am experiencing, and I look forward to even more change.