This is for my coach, John Mc Evoy.
In Aug of 2012, I hired John as my coach for the year. I had never had a coach before and was curious where I could go as an athlete if I had more direction.
I had placed 2nd at the '12 Games, but knew I needed to up my training as I suspected that in the '13 Games weights would be heavier, movements bigger and more technical, and hey, I wasn't going to be 'the baby' in my age group any more!!
Right off, John had to set up a training plan that would bring me back from a surgery I had in Sept. I had a tumor removed in my arm that thankfully didn't affect my motor skills, only resulted in some nerve damage, which affected the grip in my right hand. He took that into account and planned my training accordingly, bringing back a substantial amount of grip strength.
I'm not one to need constant feedback from someone else, but I have to admit that having a remote coach had its challenges for me. I had to learn that I would likely not hear anything about my updates or videos unless I did something super well, or super sketchy, with the latter being most of when I got feedback. I had to learn not to let it bother me when I would see he sent me an email. :(
I did get down to his gym, Craic, once a month for 1:1 training with him, which was always awesome. Those nuggets of info and on-the-spot cuing were invaluable. They'd carry me through for a couple weeks, then I should have just gotten down to Craic again! In hindsight, that would have been the one thing I would have changed...a few added 1:1 training sessions with him.
While I missed being able to workout within the class structure more often, I grew to enjoy my quieter training time. After a short time of being on John's programming, I could follow the clarity of the 'why' behind it, which enabled me to have a more meaningful focus on the training itself. It was really a way for me to keep going hard despite not having any real benchmarks to compare myself too. Once in a while John would have me repeat particular training days and those were GREAT because I could measure my progress or see exactly where I needed to put more effort. True measurability is not just a term, it's a training tool!
One huge thing John had me doing was heavier lifting than I would have chosen to do on my own. He really pushed me in this area....I mean, 185# deadlifts in a WOD for this 57 year old was not something I would have thought I could do! This is where it was great for me to feel so accountable to someone else. I certainly didn't want to disappoint him! I knew that his programming was leading to me being more confident no matter what the Games WODs were, and it worked.
By the time I got to the Games in July of '13, my goal was a Top 10 finish at the very least. Podium is always the top goal, of course, but a two-tiered option works too. :) I felt really strong and really ready. My breath was good, my strength was solid, and the only piece that I felt may have been missing was my running. That was on me though. I did what John programmed for me with the running, but as with any athlete, only I really knew that I should have put more time into runs.
ANYway, I felt ready.
I never want to know where I stand during a competition, and the Games are no different. Well, because they brought us into the last WOD in order of placement, I knew I was heading into the last WOD in 4th place. It was an awesome WOD with awesome movements.
DUs, 3 rope climbs, FS axle bars, farmer's carry, DB snatches....all at different stations around the track.
Rope climbs had 'gotten' me in the '12 Games, so all year I had practiced them when I was tired...deficit training climbs...so I'd be ready. I got my first one and then half way up the second, my grip comPLETEly failed. When I had to hang on the rope long enough to reposition my feet, I had no grip strength left. I tried for the remaining time...15ish minutes or something!...to get those last two, but just couldn't. I was most disappointed that I couldn't complete the WOD because the movements would have been really fun and different. I knew I couldn't do a damn thing about that stupid grip at that point, but I did all that I could.
I felt really happy that my previous placements kept me in the Top 10 just the same, and I finish 8th overall.
I'm very confident I wouldn't have made it that far had I not had John coaching me all year. My grip was what failed me in the end, not my training year. It was a training experience that I grew to enjoy. Having all my workouts planned for me made the year both challenging and smooth and I wouldn't trade any of it.
Thank you, John, for keeping my individual needs in the forefront of your programming for me. It's actually something I find I can refer to these four months later and still get a lot out of, even if only once in a while!
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