Time for the Over do wrap up to the Teams trip down to Bend Oregon for the Oregon Crossfit Winter Games.
When we last left our surly mob they had just completed the 3 minute Max Ground to overhead workout. Adrenaline was still high and our crew was eager to hear the announcements of both WODs 4 and 5. All competitors were eager for that fact… Until the workouts were actually announced.
“WOD 4 is simple, you will complete as many Hand release Burpees terminating with a jump onto a plate as you can in two minutes…”
Sounds Simple Enough
“On the completion of your 2 minutes you will have one minute to rest before you begin WOD 5…”
Fuck
“WOD 5 will begin with 25 Thrusters at 135/95, you will then Row 500 Meters, followed by another 25 Back Squats at 135/95, finishing out with a 1000 meter Run…”
Double Fuck
Well as far as fun workouts this was definitely at the bottom of the list. But fuck it our crew came to Bang, Game.
The girls would go first and Roo would be competing in the Final Heat. The Burpee WOD was interesting to watch most took the route of caution and stayed slow, steady and consistent through the 2 minute work period.
Then Shit would get real…
Roo represented and did things the way we do, fast short and explosive sets. She was second off the bar onto the rower behind 2011 7th Place Crossfit Games competitor Cheryl Brost. She’d get off the row and go to work on her unbroken sets of squats. She would chase two other girls out the door and come in forth in her heat locking in 3rd place heading into the finals.
The Boys were ready to light off some fireworks of their own. In my mind Young James was a dark horse to watch in this workout but early in his thrusters you could see fatigues from his clean and presses set in and would slow down the tempo of his workout over all. As he crossed the finish line his spot in the finals was in question.
Looking to use this workout to move up the leader board Hollywood Ryan Andrews would take a more conservative pace to the work. Ryan would break up all his sets and actually change out of his lifts at one point during the workout setting up a neck and neck sprint to the finish line in the 1000 meter run to finish ahead of the mid back standings in the final Heat of the workout.
Where were the fireworks you ask? Well were Ryan took a planned consitant pace to the workout Skylar Pond decided to light off the fireworks with his fuckin Boom Stick.
If your not familiar with our Mild Manner Doc… Well actually he’s not mild Mannered. He’s kinda the exact opposite of Bruce Banner. But just like Bruce Banner you dont want to get him riled up. No he does not turn into the Hulk. Sky is far, far sinister and unpredictable then the simpleton Hulk.
When Sky hits his Redline he Unleashes his inner Green Goblin, and the faces that he makes are so horrify that you cant help but laugh. This is the guy after all that has to wear a mouth guard because of all the random bleeding that occurs from his mouth during workout.
Skylar was in the same heat as behemoth Oregon power House Nick Branting. I had seen Nick destroy the strength portions of the Taranis Winter challenge back in November. So Skylar had his hands full.
Sky took the same approach Roo did quick slashing set. Like a pitbull injected with nitrous oxide, Sky started to do what we refer to as “Ponding It.” Reckless abandon, and to our surprise he stayed neck and neck with his top competition in the heat. Sky would get off the rower behind the I believe to be the 10 foot tall(more like 6’5 I think) Branting. With a near psychotic look on his face Sky would drop his bar almost at the same time and chase him out the door. But in the real world 6’5 legs can cover a lot more distances then Skylar’s legs that weigh in at… Well I’m not sure cause Skylar walks around like George Washington killen for fun keeping his height and age to himself. Either way his stride would not match that of Brantings, Skylar might have called out “Fuck Yo legs Charlie Murphy!” to the wind(he didnt really, but it would have been awesome if he did) as Nick pulled away. What Sky would do though is take a second palce finish in his heat and a top time finish for that workout.
But more Importantly to the Man the Myth himself, for the first time during the day… He Beat Roo.
People didn’t look as anxious for the announcement of the top ten competing in WOD 6 as they did before the announcement of WODs 4 and 5.
That was until it was actually announced.
The first surprise was that our boy James was still sitting in 9th place going into it and was newly invigorated for the finals upon hearing his name called.
The second surprise was the workout itself, it actually was one to get up for.
“You will start with 10 Deadlift 275/185, you will then carry a half full keg 115/75 from your platform to the other end of the competiton floor and complete 30 Kettlebell swing, then carry the Keg back, 10 more Deadlift, another keg carry and 30 more swing to sprint to the finish. There is a 15 burpee penalty for setting down the Keg”
Game
Roo was right on the Heals of second place and ready to go. She would pound out her first 10 deadlifts and sprint her keg across the floor. Thirty swing in the bank then back down towards the other side. Roo was ahead of her second place competition. And then for the first time that day started to truly show the fatigue of the six workouts. She broke up her set of deadlifts, this was not typical Roo. But like a true Valkyrie Roo would thunder back. And have a swing for swing photo finish with second place and top ten NorthWest Regional athlete Andrea Roozen. Andrea would get the call off time a half second before Roo but I couldnt be any prouder of her. This was Roo’s first true multi event single day competition and against top competitors she would take a place on the podium in 3rd. Im very excited for her this season.
Next up would be the boys. And Ryan was looking for a top finish in the final workout and as always Sky had his BoomStick.
But from the call of go it seemed like it was gonna be Ryan’s show. He smashed out his Deadlifts and was right behind current mens leader and multiple time games athlete Jerome Perryman. They would go neck and neck with Ryan grabbing his keg at the same time and racing back across the floor. Sky would get to the bar after them. And then it happened out of nowhere the Green Goblin was back, Jerome was first off his bar heading back across the floor and who was there behind him? Skylar Pond, if you think Honey Badger doesn’t give a fuck you havent met Skylar Pond. I’ve seen him passout on the bar mid Fran and do Fight Gone Bad the day after surgery. He was ready to try and steal the show. With the same daemonic look on his face he had during WOD 5 Sky started attacking his swings. And while he wouldnt catch Jerome(he finished 6 swings behind) he would take second in the final workout ahead of the rest of the field. In the end the point shake up Sky would cause didnt help his case and he’d take 7th place with Ryan finishing just off the podium in the final points total in 4th.
But where was James in all off this? He did the workout right? Well as a matter a fact he did.
IN FACT James gets a special story…
Before the workout we were all talking strategy for the WOD. How to carry the Keg was the main topic. We pretty much had it figured out. But true to James form he had a bright idea, “I was in a frat guys, I know how to carry a keg, I got this…”
Before I finish this story I want to say James is all you can ask for in a athlete. He works as hard if not harder then anyone and always does what he’s told for his training. Eat a pound of yogurt every morning, check, restrict yourself before competition, no problem. James is all heart.
But this is a story worth telling.
3,2, 1… Go
As everyone comes off their bar and begins their keg carry there is a missing face. Wheres James? Everyone is already on the swings. Wheres James? He is waddling down the floor exactly the way you’d imagine a drunk frat boy carrying a keg. By the top handles straddled between his legs. If I thought james clean and Press was inefficient I was wrong this was comically painful to watch. I’m pretty sure you can hear me on the camera turning to Roo and saying…
“What… The Fuck… Is James doing?”
And you think he’d learn his lesson after the first carry. Well he didn’t, the kids a glutton for punishment. Not only did he return the keg the same way he brought it down, but after his deadlifts he PICKED IT UP THE SAME WAY FOR A THIRD TIME!
His grip finally went on that carry and james got to do some burpees. The hilarity of it all aside James showed some real grit not giving in and continuing to move the whole time. I was pretty proud of him being in the top ten of his first major competition. But seriously, “I was in a frat guys, I know how to carry a keg, I got this…”
The finals was a perfect end to the competition and I couldn’t have been and prouder of our boys and their sister valkyrie. You guys make the Old Country Team and all of the I/C supporters Proud.
And Speaking of all of our supporters I received a very interesting questions the other day.
“Is it ok for anyone to Rock I/C colors?”
This is absolutely 100% ok, and infact encouraged. I guess I never made it know that the proceeds for our shirts, hoodys and shorts go to support the Club and more importantly the Competition team. Entrys fees aren’t cheap and traveling and lodging adds up. So sporting Club gear doesn’t only show you support Old Country it actually helps support our Competition Team. We finally got around to getting a link to the I/C Store on the side bar on the right and we’re always taking orders.
Next up the Comp Team has a two event weekend coming up before we dig in for this years Reebok Crossfit Open. GAME
Posted by: Z
Old Country Strong: Life and Lifting 