Ardenwood Highland games

On Saturday I drove up to Fremont to compete/ have fun at a non sanctioned Highland games That Alan Hebert was nice enough to put together and invite us too.  I was a little worried leading up as I never really eat grains and for some dumb reason ate a box of cereal two days before the comp. I was extremely bloated and in discomfort but woke up Saturday morning and seemed to get it out of my system. HAHA, Made a later start to the day then planned. Picked up Tony in Salinas then hoped in my brothers car with Tony and my nephew. Good talk about conspiracy theories, comedy, radiation, throwing, lifting and farts just like 4 guys should have on an hour long drive. Got to the venue right right on time amazingly.

The venue is crazy, it is a Historic farm Estate where they still maintain it well how people should live...... Surrounded by all the busyness of the East Bay. If I happen to be in the area when a zombie Apocalypse breaks out this is where I would go. Just wish it was on a hill so it was more defensible.

Tony had to go throw with the Big boys which sucked as I didn't get to throw with him but I had to stay in the under 200 class AKA as your either under 5'8 or a teenager. Think there was about 7 of us? Good turn out

ANYWAY First Event. Light hammer

This is by far my least favorite event. I am atrocious at it. I am not sure why but I have been throwing a lot of hammer. My first throw was horrible about 54ft? 2nd was 57 then third was 61 or 63ft not great but a +3ft improvement. Think it was good for 3rd? I may be wrong.

2nd Event: Light weight for distance.

I also don't like this event,  I can't get the whole spinning thing down I never cast the weight right I always throw it from behind my back. My first ever game with no practice I got 31' when I was about 210lbs My best since was i think 28 or 29' Awful.  I do my attempt at spinning which is me taking big slow steps in some sort of circle and muscle the weight from behind my back over 30' then I think around 33' then 37'10" ! (might have been on the 2nd throw) Can't be mad when a throw is almost 10' further  then your last games. If I ever actually follow through and cast the damn weight right I got 40+ in me. Good enough for first place by 3" which was pretty cool.

3rd Event 16lb Open Stone throw

I like stones! I got about 29'7" at my last games which was a pr but just shy of 30' which seems like a nice milestone. I just Standing putt the stone as I Haven't been training any sort of glide but my standing throw form is much improved. My first two throws where I think 28'1" then 28'3" In the exact same damn hole in the sand as the first one, Hey at least I am consistent. Third throw was 30' right on the dot! Felt awesome! Mark got 30'2" for the event win.

Then we broke for lunch, except I ended up going on a mission to grab my food water and video camera and as soon as I got back I was told to carry a caber through the parade? When you are the shortest one of the group you are not doing much carrying though.

Then there was the farmers walk......  The crowd loved it, the implements where more torture then heavy but it was a fun time.

OK 4th event. Caber. I was feeling ran down probably from the farmers walk and starting to get a bit dehydrated. I had some old Pre workout stuff that had clumped up into a rock probably about 3-4 scoops worth which  I just ate and downed 2 liters of water. It didn't get me back in the swing for the caber though as I just stank it up.

5th event 16lb sheaf toss

Started at 14' tossed that easy went up to 16 got it on my 2nd attempt I think. Went up to 18' and was just under it. Only 2nd time ever doing sheaf, with some practice I think I would be good at it. At least I got my first two successful sheaf throws in.

6th event 56lb WOB My favorite event even if I am vertically challenged. This is when I started to feel better again and started trying to really amp myself up. I thought we where going to do 42lbs in the lightweights but that didn't happen I am fine with that but in hindsight we probably should have to be fair to everyone else. I went up tossed it over 9'  on the first attempt which was nice. others where struggling. Mark kept hitting the bar for whatever reason but got it on his third. Then my brother who never lifts or throws and weighs 150lbs got it on his third despite not even being close on his first two! We where the only 3 to advance. 10' my first attempt went straight up, plenty of height but not enough arch, 2nd hit the damn bar on the way down. third flew over! NICE 1FT PR. 11FT just wasn't there I was grazing the bar. It will go down next time as it also probably won't be the last event.  I think I ended up in 2nd overall in the 200lb class. It was a great day and makes me want to get out to some more highland games.  I really hope a 190lb class gets started out here but if not I think I could move my way out of the C class by the end of the season.