6AM.  GET UP!  Ok, no going back to sleep.  Today’s the day.  It was a good night sleep, in bed by 9:30.  I’m a little nervous, thinking about my numbers and having a good talk with myself, even saying a prayer for a good, strong day!  Shower up, get my clothes together, high socks,singlet, tee shirt underneath, heat up my breakfast. 

Pack all of my drinks for the day, meals were ready the night before.  Take my morning supplements and hit the road.

8:20 Arrived in time for rules.  I’m alone.  I am NERVOUS!

The estimated start time was 10:15 for women.

The powercurls were first and depending on how long that event goes, will determine when we start . Well, that ended early, we were ready to go by 9:45 and my coach Barry Bostick was on his way for a 10:15 start!  I didn't want to stress him out because I was grateful that he was even coming with the fact that he would be back here Sunday for his own competition. So he coached me through text until he got here. 

I opened at 185.  My heart was POUNDING way worse than my first meet.  The lights were out and the spotlight was on.  Good lift.  I go to tell the announcer 210 and the judge taps my leg and says you were borderline get lower.  UGH, Ok. 

Next lift, good lift at 210 and go to the announcer and tell her my coach is not here yet, I’ve had 215, should I go for that or 220?  She said 220. I approached my next lift and looked at the awesome spotters and thought.  JUST SINK IT.  They will catch you if you fail. You have help.  Just do it.  Do not fail!  Hit your depth!  That felt better than the first two. It was a new PR and 20 pounds better than my last number.  I was super happy, but it was time to move on to bench!   My coach arrives and it’s time to warm up for the next round.

I have been practicing my bench with a 1.5 second pause for weeks.  I have 130 in the gym and until then was feeling pretty confident.   As I was warming up I decided to change my opener from 115 to 120.  The warm ups were ok, but something was off and I couldn’t figure it out.  They call my name.  I am anxious and although I get the lift, I knew as soon as it happened that I missed the press command!  You’re under pressure and have to remember everything and that one got away from me.  I’ll have to repeat the 120.  This plays on me mentally, because I really wanted to hit a new weight.  On my 2nd attempt I got the 120. Phew. Original plan was 120, 130, 135 for a possible PR.  It’s a meet and anything can happen.  I went right to 135 and it felt good, I was close but the spotters took the bar.  Shake it off.  You have to move on! I am really here to break my deadlift record.

The bar in the back is feeling super heavy on my warm ups.  My coach is wondering and watching as I have one arm bent on the lift.  I am starting to get discouraged.  I go up to a fellow lifter, who was in the flight before me and asked her how it felt out there.  I told her I had 300 really smoothly a week ago and today, 285 was feeling really tough.  I was going for 315.  She looked me in the eye and said, “Get out of your head and go out there and get all three lifts!”  Wow!  That was what I needed to hear! 

1^st attempt 285 was a good lift.  Originally, the next lift was to be 310, but since I wasn’t feeling it we went for 305, which I got.  But that would not have been very exciting since it was already my PR.  My coach puts me in for 315.  He’s powdering my legs up and telling me, don’t give up, just keep pulling, no matter what keep pulling!  I get out there, get in the zone and start the lift. I am fighting with every ounce of my being, legs shaking like crazy, the bar is still moving. I’m waiting to be called but it’s still moving, I get to LOCK OUT and the judge’s hand in the air goes down and it’s 3 white lights! I did it!  I couldn’t stop smiling.  What a feeling when you head to the back and your fellow lifters are hugging you and high fiving you, because they know better than anyone what it means!  I was SO glad that it ended with a good lift, a new PR and a World record in each lift! 

Time to go home!  Smiling all the way.  Beautiful new moon.  Gorgeous sky. Now it’s time to get back to work and strengthen my weaknesses!  There is always room for growth. I am my only competitor and I am my biggest competitor and I will work to break my records!

Kathi Sottosanti

Health and Wellness Coach