After a big breakfast we arrived at the contest site in Mercer County park. The Masters division competitors were hitting it hard when we got there and I saw a few familiar faces on the floor. Mike Ambrose and Mike Westerling were kicking some ass. After I checked in I weighed myself again and was up to 240. That is a weight I had been feeling my best at during training and I was happy to be back there. I had some friends (Mark and Corinne) come out to support me and they arrived just before we got started. Corinne agreed to video tape us for the day and that would be a big help. I drew the seventh starting position out of twenty four competitors and Glenn and Josh would be competing as heavies.
First up was a six keg loading medley. We typically know the events in advance of the contest and I had been practicing all of them for the last 8 weeks. The kegs are placed in groups of two, twenty feet away from a five foot tall loading platform. The object is to get them all loaded in the shortest amount of time possible. Out of the six strongmen ahead of me only one had successfully loaded all of the kegs in the allotted time. I felt good going in to this event and I was going to do my best to make a statement.
Willie the head judge told me to place my hands on the keg and wait for his go. I took my position and when he blew his whistle my day was underway. The first keg of 180 lbs felt light as air. I ripped it off the ground with one arm, cradled it and ran to the platform. I loaded it with ease. The second keg at 200lbs felt just as light. I ripped though the series knowing I was setting a very good pace. I never slowed on any of the kegs. The final keg of 290 lbs went up just as quickly as the others with just a slight extra push needed for the final load. I finished in 53 seconds about twenty seconds faster than the other competitor who had loaded all six. Now I just had to sit back and wait. And waiting it out in first place is much easier than knowing I have points to make up.
Only one other athlete completed the keg load and I bested his time as well, putting me in first for the event. I felt great after and had plenty of time to hydrate and get a granola bar in me. By now it was after 1pm and 90 degrees outside. The humidity was unbearable and everyone was working hard to stay cool. I iced myself down and warmed up for the log press which was the second event.
Glenn had told me to pace myself and not go for the win here. There were a few guys who are built for pressing and they could beat me any day of the week so it would be better to place high and save some energy for the other events. Tom Kauffman is a veteran competitor and he put up 8 reps with a 270 pound log cleaning and pressing each rep. Tom Mutaffis then hit 6 so that is what I set my sights on. I started slow and took 30 seconds to get my first three. The forth rep came easy as well and I picked up the pace. I had just a bit of trouble locking out the fifth but I got it. As I cleaned the sixth I lost control of my breathing. I did my best to pop it off my chest but I couldn't breath and this, combined with the heat made me lightheaded. Before I could complete the rep I dropped the log and would have to settle for five.
The judges took a few minutes to calibrate the points and shuffle the order of competitors. I was in first giving me the advantage of going last on the next event. This way I could judge how hard I had to work based on the other athletes' performances. No one was looking forward to our next task: The Death Medley. We had to pick up two 300lb farmers walk cylinders and carry them 50 feet. Next we had to perform 5 flips of an 875lb tire then drag a 500 lb chain fifty feet. I just tried to stay relaxed while I watched everyone else struggle with the event. Many guys couldn't finish the farmers walk or only got one or two flips on tire. Only Dave Beers had managed to get to the chain and give it an all out effort pulling it about 25 feet. It was finally my turn and I put my mind in the right place. Willie blew his whistle and I grabbed the bars and ran to the set down area. I made it forty feet before I dropped the implements. I reset, grabbed them and finished it up. I put some chalk on my hands and started flipping the tire. I purposely went slower and more methodical than I usually do. I got through my five flips and jogged to the chain. Glenn was yelling at me that I needed to hurry it up so I threw myself at the chain. The chain felt like 5,000lbs not 500. I strained and pulled until the time keeper gave me a five second warning. I made one last effort, pulled and fell back. Thirty six feet; enough for another win.
I was elated to know that I was beginning to rack up some serious points and separate myself from the field. Even better, my favorite two events were yet to come. I had gotten my heart rate down to about 100 beats per minute when they started the next event: a Hummer tire deadlift. An extra long bar that has more bend than a traditional bar is used and instead of standard weight plates Hummer tires on rims are loaded on the bar. This event is simple. Pick the bar up from the ground until your hips are fully locked under the body and you are standing completely straight up. The opening weight was 600lbs and you could choose to pass if you wished. I chose to start with the opener to get a feel for it. The weight went up smooth and easy. So did 650, 700, 750, and 800. Next thing I know, most of the field had dropped off or missed their lift and only two other competitors and I were going to attempt 830lbs. Six total tires were on the bar at this point and it looked very cool and intimidating. The first two athletes strapped their hands to the bar, pulled but failed to break the tires from the ground. The score keeper looked at me and indicated I was next. I turned to the crowd and yelled "You want to see this go up?". There was a resounding "Yes!".
I tightened my belt and strapped in to the bar. Josh broke some smelling salts and waived them under my nose. I lifted my head up and began to pull. The bar bent like crazy for a second or two, then the tires came free from the earth. I kept pulling until I was in locked out position, 830lbs held in my hands. I made eye contact with Willie the judge and he yelled "Down! Good Lift!" I set the weight back down and stepped away elated my third event win.
People began congratulating me at this point and I kept reminding them the contest wasn't over yet; the trademark of Strongman remained: The Atlas Stones. This is a centuries old Scottish tradition and is quite possibly the most exciting event to witness. A thousand years ago a man would prove his strength by lifting, carrying and loading the biggest stones that he could. Now athletes pick up and load stones made from concrete to platforms in the fastest time possible. The Northeast Beast featured one of the heaviest stone series for a lightweight contest ever starting at 300 and running 330, 360, 380, and 405. And they all had to be loaded on four foot high platforms. In comparison, the stones for the IFSA world championships run from 308-396 Lbs for their heaviest set and those athletes compete with unlimited body weight. Even though the stones were a formality for me, I wanted to finish on a high note. I went at them with a very steady pace trying to avoid mistakes. Dave Beers was the only lightweight to load all 5 and this told me they would be quite the challenge.
I put pine tar on my hands, took my position and started on the whistle. Before I knew it I was through 4 stones. I moved the the fifth stone, the 405 pound monster and gripped it and pulled hard. My knee was in a weird position and gave out so I immediately dropped it. I had only ten seconds left so without hesitation I reached down, pulled it to my lap, and tossed it to the platform. All five stones! I felt like a monster. The score keeper asked me if I wanted to take a run at the bonus stone and I said "yeah, set it up.".
The bonus stone was worth $50 if I loaded it, but more importantly the last person to put it up was Travis Ortmeyer; the best in the USA at loading stones. I stood over the stone and then jumped down on it. I pulled hard and under my breath I swore. Willie laughed at me and I couldn't help but laugh as well. The bonus stone was not going to budge that day.
Everyone congratulated me and I had a few beers with my new friends. I spoke with Dione (Willies wife and the president of the American Strongman Corporation our professional organization) and told her some details about myself and how I couldn't wait to compete at nationals. All in all, it was the best day of competition I ever had and one of the best days of my life. All the sacrifices for the last few years have been totally worth it and I can't wait to try and qualify for the World Championships.
Posted by Mike Gill at 2:58 PM