Outlaw Open 2012

Just a couple of days after verbalizing the 2013 Goal to travel more, I was invited to 2012 The Outlaw Open...in Palm Springs, California! I have never been to Palm Springs...I got to be careful what I say :) Shortly after booking my ticket (making it official) I started telling my athletes about my opportunity and upcoming trip. After telling 2 of my clients, husband and wife, about the trip, and hearing them talk about how BEAUTIFUL the city was and the view flying in was dreamy, I was even more pumped about going. 

On Thursday Nov. 29th I boarded my flight (Thanks Rabah for dropping me off during traffic). I made a stop in Dallas then off to Palm Springs. Needless to say by the time I got to Dallas it was dark, which meant I was not going to be able to see the view landing in Palm Springs...bummer. I got on my flight in Dallas and landed in Palm Springs at 8:40pm (their time, 10:40pm our time...which means at least and hr past my bed time). Because I'm cheap, I didn't want to purchase airport food and all my shakes were in my checked bag (dumb move)...I was STARVING! Since I didn't have a car I called the hotel, they sent a shuttle. The hotel was ALOT nicer than I thought it was going to be. When I checked in the lady gave me a room overlooking the pool! SWEET!  I went up to my room, dropped off my bags, and ran to look at the view. The pool was AMAZING but it was dark so I didn't give the view much time. I grabbed my purse and went on a hunt for food (it was a hunt by that time). The lady at the counter said I would walk downtown and there were lots of food options. I was open to anything at that point...I was starving. As I walked towards downtown (in my red boots), I was noticing alot of things being closed...great. I finally made it the 3/4ths mile hike downtown. Apparently there was a festival going on. There were booths smiliar to the fair/farmers market style of people selling anything from food... jewelry..music...etc. This perked me up a little bit. Since I missed the view and I was starving I was "hangry"... so hungry you get angry. All the restaurants were white cloth napkin and fancy. All I wanted was something to go. I was about to give in to Starbucks coffee and protein powder when I saw Ruby's Diner. I remembered we ate at a Ruby's when I went to the Games in 2011 to watch and it was yummy! They had a To Go Order place so I walked right in. I ordered prob the biggest burger in my life on a gluten free bun with sweet potato fries...HEAVEN! I HUSTLED the walk back to my hotel, put PJs on and hopped into bed to perform the ultimate fat girl move...eating in bed while watching Lifetime (I dont' have cable at home and I really miss Lifetime, especially at Christmas time). I didn't have to be any where till 2:30pm the next day so I turned off ALL my alarms and crashed. I came a day before everyone so it was my first night in a hotel my myself and I survived!! 

The next morning I woke up, the sun was up which is very uncommon for the sun to beat me up in the morning. I went to the window and OMG AT THE VIEW!!! The picture below doesn't do it justice! It was AMAZING! I now understood what my athletes were talking about...then I was kicking myself for not getting up and walking to starbucks for breakfast! WOW! I couldn't believe that I had a hotel room with this view! OMG! I took a picture of it every morning...same view...different picture. I couldn't help it! 

At 11am-ish I met Jess in the hotel lobby (she flew in that morning). We put her bags in the room and went down to get our credentials at check in as well as to watch Ingrid compete in the American Open (an Olympic Lifting Meet that you had to qualify for that was also going on next door to the Outlaw Open). 

Ingrid did a FANTASTIC job as expected! It was great to watch her compete. I have never been to an Oly lifting meet so it was my first and I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of my powerlifting days and lifting on those platforms...which was almost as nerve wrecking as the actual lift!  She snatched ALOT as well as Clean and Jerked ALOT! 

That night we headed back to Ruby's for diner. It was awesome...like a family dinner. We even found someone to take us to a grocery story for food for the weekend...thanks Don! 

 While competing we made friends with the other fellow Texan ladies. Which means we had that much better of a time and laughed that much harder at everything, especially when we all realized MUST of us have dogs that we treat as kids/humans!

We also made friends with Ryan with Kill Cliff a GREAT recovery drink.

We even convinced Kat Anderson and Chelsea Lewis to get Double CC Tats! What a FANTASTIC group of ladies! 

Here is what the WODs looked like: 

-SATURDAY-

Workout #1

Olympic Weightlifting Total:

3 attempts to establish a 1RM Snatch
3 attempts to establish a 1RM Clean & Jerk

Data points:
1) Total – 50 points
2) Snatch – 50 points
3) Clean & Jerk – 50 points

This was ran somewhat similar to the the American Open that Ingrid competed in....only our platform wasn't so high...we didn't have to qualify and the format was more of a powerlifting meet so not so much LOL! Jess and I were in heat 2...along with Becca Voigt!! I opened with 130#, missed it the first try, got it on the 2nd then missed my 3rd attempt of 135#. I opened with 175# on the clean and jerk and nailed it. Next was 185# and I got it. Then I missed the Jerk of my clean and jerk at some weight around 195#. Everything was in kg so I stayed confused the whole time. Doubling the kg and adding a little big didn't always work in my favor, LOL! 

Workout #2

Part 1:

Agility test-
5 Over-the-Box Jumps 24″ with alternating Lateral Hurdle Jumps 20″ (between each box)
5-10-15-20m Shuttle Run
5 Over-the-Box Jumps 24″ with alternating Lateral Hurdle Jumps 20″ (between each box)
For time.

Part 2:

3 minutes Row for Meters

Notes: There will be a 2 minute cap for the agility test. The Row portion will start immediately at the end of the 2 minute cap.

Data points:
1) Agility Test – 50 points
2) Row for Meters – 50 points

This one wasn't that bad. I tried to keep up with Jess in the agility however I finished with a 39sec time...I think. Then it was on to the rower. I rowed 772m in 3mins....talk about BURN! 

Workout #3

Part 1a:

2 minutes to establish a Max-Height Vertical Leap

Part 2:

Men-
12-9-6 of:
Muscle-Ups
Front Squats @ 250#
For time.

Women-
9-7-5 of:
Muscle-Ups
Front Squats @ 160#
For time.

*8 minute time cap.

Part 1b:

2 minutes to establish a Max-Height Vertical Leap

Data points:
1) Total of Part 1a & 1b – 50 points
2) MU/FS – 150 points

This workout got changed last min...I"m not sure why. It turned into a medball toss instead of a vertical leap. I remember doing theses in Fittest Games last year and it just made me laugh. The ball we through was small and compact. Which made tossing it backwards overhead interesting. Oh well...I don't even remember how far I threw it...I want to say 24 and some change but I could be wrong. After that we moved on to the the next part...muscle ups. I did all of my 9 Muscle Ups without messing up, clean and front squatted the 170# for 9 with no problem, then back to the MUs. I got to #6 and battled with #7 for a few tries before they called time. I just wanted to get back on front squats because they were the easy part. It was awesome to hear that even the "big dawgs" thought that the weight was heavy when I didn't mind it. We didn't have to finish with a vertical leap so I was okay with that LOL! I was hungry and wanted to go to bed! 

That night we went to 2 different places. One place made us wait forever but reminding us that "we were next" so we left and went to the hotel restaurant and had just as bad of service. Its a good thing we were with good people (some we met there and then our normal crew) and were very chatty the whole time. After that it was off to bed so we could get up the next morning for day 2. 

-SUNDAY-

Workout #4

*This is one continuous effort broken into 15 minute cycles which begin with a 1 mile run for time.

15 minutes to:

Run 1 mile – for time.

With the remainder of the 15 minutes:
Establish a 5RM Deadlift

15 minutes to:

Run 1 mile – for time.

With the remainder of the 15 minutes:
1 attempt – ME UB Set of Pullups

Notes: Athletes will be allowed one “mulligan” of less than 15 reps.

15 minutes to:

Run 1 mile – for time.

With the remainder of the 15 minutes:
Establish a 1RM Bench Press.

Data points:
1) Mile 1 – 50 points
2) 5RM Deadlift – 50 Points
3) Mile 2 – 50 Points
4) ME Pullups – 50 Points
5) Mile 3 – 50 Points
6) 1RM Bench Press – 50 Points

I looked forward to this WOD because I knew I needed to make up points for my lack of MUs. Rudy originally had planned to have us run out the back bay door HOWEVER that was going to be a fire hazard so we ran down the hall and around this lawn area SIX TIMES! I told my judge, "you better be good at counting because I'm going to mess this up". I ran an my 1st mile in 6:09. I came back in caught my breath and opened with a 285# deadlift for 5reps. Rudy came over and asked me if I was done and I said yes, he told me to put 305 on the bar and try that. I picked it up 1x and that was all she wrote. I had a good laugh at it thought. It was out for the 2nd mile, 6:14 and back in for max pull ups. I got 27...however I prob should have hung in there for at least 30. I started to slip and so I let go. Alot of women slipped off the bar because the bars were new. Now I had crappy MUs and horrible Pull Ups, I had to run fast and bench press alot. I ran fast 6:32 and then benched 150. I missed at 160# (155# is my PR). I was happy with it. WOD1 was done for that day! 

Workout #5

100′ Wheelbarrow Down & Back
40 HSPU
100′ Wheelbarrow Down & Back
30 HSPU
100′ Wheelbarrow Down & Back
20 HSPU
100′ Wheelbarrow Down & Back

For time.

Notes: Wheelbarrow weight is TBD. HSPU are Regionals standard and Kipping is allowed.

Data points:
1) Wheelbarrow/HSPU – 100 points

This WOD was fun however I did think about the 90 HSPUs ALL weekend long. Was 90 HSPUs even possible in 12mins? We didn't get to see the wheelbarrows until we got there. These suckers were heavy and awkward. The girls weighed #270 (I think). They were long too. We had to run them down 50' around a kettlebell and back to make 100'. I'm surprised I didn't take anyone out. The principle of carrying it was very similar to the yolk so that was good because I'm decent at the yolk. You did 1 trip down, 40 HSPUs, 1 trip down, 30 HSPUs 1 trip down, 20 HSPUs...TIME! I did sets of 10 for the HSPUs for most of it. I think there were a few sets of 5 in there. It wasn't the kipping up that was hard it was the lowering my head down that hurt so bad. My neck is still crunchy! I called time at 9:03...but don't quote me on that, I know it was just a hot sec over 9mins. 

Workout #6

TBD – 150 points

After a LONG day the top 12 made it to the final  WOD. I placed 13th, so I got to demo the final WOD which made me glad I didn't have to do it that day. I wouldn't mind doing it, just not that day. However our beautiful Ingrid and Kat made it to the final WOD! 

We finished the comp and our last night in the beautiful city with pizza and drinks at a place called Matchbox. The crew was great because it included the Central athletes as well as a few others we met via twitter and at the competition. After dinner we were in bed because most of us had early flights back to ATX.

This competition was a FANTASTIC opportunity to see where I ranked amongst some BIG name games athletes. Not that I expected them to be mean but they were all SUPER nice and very friendly. Another beauty of my sport....

 Like always...I enjoyed competing alongside these amazing women I get to call friends/teammates. Until next time...