NorCal Regional Done!

I participated in the NorCal Regional this past week on the affiliate team for my gym, CrossFit Cadence. Last year I qualified in the NorCal sectional and moved to compete in the SouthWest Regional (California, Arizona, and Hawaii). Norcal, a very competitive area, became its own region in the 2011 season. I didn't make the cut this year to compete in regionals individually. I do know I am better than my placing in the Open shows, but it is what it is. At first I was bummed, but I had a spot on the Cadence Affiliate Team, so I got over it quick. 3 men and 3 women formed the team, and we had 6 events throughout the weekend. Each day each athlete competed in one event.
My events were:
1. Thruster Ladder (Friday)
2. Deadlift/ Box Jump (Saturday)
3. "Amanda" (Sunday)
Thoughts/Results:
1. The thruster ladder was 1 squat thruster starting at 105#, going up in weight every thirty seconds. I did 105#, 115#, 125#, 130#, 135#, 140#, 145#, 150#, 155# (PR), failed on 160#. My score, combined with my teammate's, Matt Gaines, (235#) gave us 390#, good enough for 3rd place. I felt strong and in control in all my thrusters. My power cleans were never a concern, I failed 160# because that's just a ton of weight! 30 seconds goes by quick and the weight starts to get heavy fast. I was stoked to get 155# in the ladder, and I felt so tiny compared to some real heavy lifters out there. It was fun to surprise people in the stands! 155# would have been good enough to place 4th if I were competing individually.
2. 21-15-9 DeadLift (185#)/ Box Jump (24"). Not a great event, my team and I got 20th place. Box Jumps still prove to be one of the things I need to work on.
3. "Amanda" 9-7-5 Muscle Up/Squat Snatch @ 95#. Team Amanda meant that my partner, Matt Morales, had to do 9 muscle ups, I do 9 muscle ups, he does 9 squat snatches @ 135#, I do 9 squat snatches @ 95#, then we do 7's and 5's.
If you can complete Amanda, you are a BADASS! 
This was by far the coolest CrossFit experience I have ever been a part of. A ton of people from my gym came out to support Matt and I. Amanda is my favorite CrossFit work out. I feel like it is a very "advanced" work out because the movements are so technical and involve a lot of strength and skill. My goal was to finish the work out under the 20 min time cap. Matt and I took first in our heat (5th overall), with a time of 17:18, and the crowd went crazy. It was so cool, everyone seemed so into it, and the energy definitely kept me pumped up. I did my sets of 7 & 5 snatches unbroken which was almost as cool as the 21 muscle ups completed! A lot of the individual competitors couldn't get through the first round of muscle ups, so this is quite an accomplishment for myself.

The experience at regionals was great. It frustrates me a little to see the female competitors  that "beat me" in the open struggle with numerous work outs that play towards my strengths. It is great motivation to keep training hard! I wish the regional work outs were the open work outs, I feel like I would have placed much higher. I do believe I made a good name for myself, as these work outs showed I can do any work out/ movement thrown my way. 
The Cadence Team went out there to have fun, and we ended up finishing in 7th place! That's an incredible accomplishment, considering the number of affiliates in this competitive region. I don't plan to take much time off, I am stoked to get ready for next year. I have noticed huge improvements in my training recently. The past few months I have been following OPT, and I plan to continue it as I prepare for next year!

Here are a few pics from the weekend from Giselle, Angie , and Dato Dave