WPO part 3 – More Thank You’s

As I get more into my competition day from November 11, in Orlando FL, I’m going to write a little bit off the cuff along with my meet write-up if that’s ok. I wrote my weight-cut part, then you’ll see at the end what steered my rutter toward this post.

I want to take the time to thank my Wife Ria for all of her help, not just last week but the weeks prior and for that matter the previous nearly 11 years.

She made sure that I had the most I needed but the least on my plate for the last 20 weeks. She was OK with me watching some movies every day for weeks in a row to keep me focused, but “distracted.”

We went out of town together, to court together; we ate together (the same foods), she walked with me daily, she prepped food for me each week. She encouraged me to eat more calories when she saw I needed to and had suggestions for the tiny nuances that go into prepping for meets with someone for ten years while knowing their tendencies.

Having someone like Ria support you in this manner is immeasurable. I know not everyone has this type of support system, so I count my blessings every day as she is perfect for me.

For me, and I mentioned this in my latest blog about SWIS here: it’s challenging to attack multiple tasks and give both my focus honestly. I guess some can do this; I have a hard time when I’m all in with something, and those close to me take the brunt of it, in all facets.

To be blunt: I don’t like what prepping for meets does to me anymore. I get so one-tracked minded that honestly, nothing else matters and I, in many cases I can’t be made to see any difference until I see it on my own.

When I first got into powerlifting in 1999, and all in 2002, there was nothing else I’d like instead daydream about or continuously have on my mind.

Not to be too nasty or graphic, but for example, instead of, say, dreaming of some crazy twisted fantasy, I would think of big weights on the bar and upcoming training sessions/ competitions. This was just as appealing to me as anything in my life.

I’d be on dates and having essential discussions with girlfriends, hear my phone ring (this was before text, granted) with Adam, Clint or Blue’s name on the caller ID and see ya, I got vital biz to tend. More often than not, it was something like “can you train tomorrow at 4:30 instead of 4? Yep. Stupid kid.

My point is, when Ria and I met in Jan of 2008, I told her the deal. I said, “this is what I do, this is what I’ll need help with, and this is who I am.” She said, “Ok, show me how/what to learn so I can help you.”

Wow. What an A-hole and what an A-gel, looking back.

Powerlifting is a pretty self-centered sport, it takes a lot of time (off your life – JK!), and I let this permit myself to be extra-selfish at times, but I’m doing my best to be better at this and make the changes necessary. I don’t think it’s terrific for relationships in general, but this is just my opinion with some of my experiences. I’m sure some do a lot better than I have, while others may have no issues whatsoever.

The first meet Ria came to was Senior Nationals 2008, in Omaha, Nebraska where I hit my first ever 2500 total with 2503 at 242.

What brought me to starting writing on this at this particular time was just the other day, me asking her about my re-feed after I made weight. I was talking about the Pizza I ate after my IV’s, and she said, “yeah, it was good, I was starving, I hardly ate all week, just like you as I didn’t want to eat in front of you.”

That is dedication above and beyond.  Thank you for all that you do, Ria. I love and appreciate you!