When I mentioned the other day that I was expecting to meet some good folks at last weekends Highland Games, I didn’t give these people enough credit. I had an absolute blast. The only way it could have been better would have been with Bigg there, but the day was a roaring success. I competed with another woman, Erin, who’s been at this for about a year after a successful rowing career in college. She actually came right up to me and struck up conversation as I was registering and I just wouldn’t have made it through the day without her allowing me to be her shadow. She was beyond helpful, even as she was focusing on her own lifts and I can’t say thank you enough to her.

I was so fortunate to learn all day under some amazing Pro’s and other amatuers and even got some excellent cues from a World Champion thrower and coach. It exceeded all expectations. I did okay in some events and I’m really looking forward to training them some more. I was able to pick up a quick Caber Toss lesson after the day was done and I absolutely loved it. A friend was able to grab a quick pic right after I picked it up for the first time and right before I had to bail out of it, handy.

It was a such a great day. One for the books. The crowd was so engaged and these boys really know how to play to them. Heh. There were times I forgot I was a competitor and was in just as much awe as everyone else at their display of strength, power, and athleticism. A very special treat was having Clay, one of our attendees from the recent Starting Strength seminar, and his wife show up to watch and he even stuck around  for the after throwing beer (which really was one of the best parts of the day.) A heartfelt thank  you to everyone who gave advice, cues, and Sarge for the contest (and the beer.)

I was also right in that Bigg was indeed ready to kick some Gibraltar ass. He placed fourth in Saturday’s truck pull putting him in  great position to do well on Sunday. He moved himself up to second place and as he was going head to head with Big Z on the Keg event, his right biceps tendon blew.

The way points were set and events remaining, he was all but guaranteed to be on the podium at the end of the day. Frackin’ biceps (yuh, I’ve been cussing about it already. I’ll spare you that.) The good news? We know how to rehab biceps and come back even stronger. The bad news? We’ll have to wait one more year for the World Loglift Championships as Zydrunas has already given him an invite for 2013.

So, no Vegas for Nationals and no Lithuania (this year) for Log lift. If we can set a rehab path and put it into action within the next couple of days, I may try to talk him into Texas at the end of September for a Highlander event sponsored by Rip and put on by our friend Gant. Last year was a lot of fun and the events look even better this year. But Bigg’s on a plane right now and I haven’t brought it up yet, so SHUSH about it.