Been a long time again.

 Norway dreams and lessons.

 

Well, where the hell have I been?   Been busy....I did a crazy combo this spring, ADing the Rio Grande Games, then opening an original piece of theater with Grotessco two weeks later....So, things got shuffled and prioritized as they needed to be to give my energy where it was needed.

Writing my little bloggy blog fell into hibernation.  For the 6~8 weeks before the show, the gym took a back seat as well.  I also know that I haven't been writing with any sort of consistency in....probably 8 years...hahahahaha.  This will unlikely be the start of anything consistent either.

So, a week and a half after the show closed, my adventure partner and I set off for another trip to Norway...Fefor Power week.  You know that for us, there is something special there.  Last year was a little hard, I was injured, there were weird issues with another thrower, and I just felt...off.  Like I really didn't belong there.  

But we hopped a plane again.  This time I told myself a few things....I would use this time to rest, to learn, and to reconnect with my journal practice. Frankly, I would go for me...not worry about what I was there to "do" or worse, "prove."

I cannot get into all the details...it's an experience...not a series of boxes to check and report to others...but I will say this....

I did write again,  I rested well and did morning yoga with a beautiful group of women, I went to the room and napped; sadly I missed an award ceremony one of these days...I was SOOOOOO sad about that, my adventure partner and I reconnected in a very important way....most importantly, I feel like I was more, me, than I had been here before.  

I also tried the Mountain Madness event, which was a hybrid strongman/highland event.  WOB and 5 Strongman events...things I had never done before.  Now WHY I did this, I really don't know, but something in my tiny brain said "try."  Sarah and the athletes over at Evolution Strength and Conditioning, were willing to help this old highland games broad out and go over some basics so I didn't hurt myself, so I didn't go in completely blind.

But even with a few Saturday classes, I was so far out of my depth.  My goal was to "get" two of the 5 strongman events. There were 2 events a day. So glad they were spread out like that.

To say that I was scared each morning as walked out to the arena every day is an understatement. A good scared, but scared.  The strongmen out there so damn helpful with tips and tricks and even equipment.  

So, I have some video of the events, but I wanted to share this one in particular.  It is a Viking deadlift at 485lbs.  This is one of the events that I absolutely KNEW I could not do.

I got it...I actually "got" all five events.

As cool as this video is...there is a lot of what really matters that is NOT in this video.  What you don't see?

My warm ups, where I could not move that bar with less weight.

All the women giving me tips on how to get my knees set.

My wraps failing and Tenaya giving me her figure 8 wraps to use.

Me bracing and my silly non strongman approved weight belt ripping off.

Ilennis TAPING ME INTO MY WEIGHT BELT!

When I set up, the shear terror and thrill I felt...the sudden knowledge that I had to zero in in the judge, because he was giving me cues.  I could literally see on his face that he thought I could do this. 

As soon as I would start a lift, I would then look straight ahead and who got himself in my line of sight? My adventure partner who always knows I can do more than I think I can.

After the one minute was up...I got stuck in one of the figure 8 wraps and one of the guys rushed over...thinking I was passing out.  He then had to unstick me from my belt.   

Christine, who slid some candy in my line of sight, cause I was shaking.

All of the ladies...all of the folks watching...urging me on.

And once I was done, once I was done cheering for the rest of the competitors, the conversation I had with the judge...I thanked him.  For helping me through it.  He looked me dead ass in the face and said, "You are so strong."

That's it.  

No qualifiers, no "for a's" attached to it.

You are so strong.

Me....me, who always says, "for a fat ass...for an old woman...for a....whatever."

Nope, just strong...from one of the strongest there has ever been.  

 

 

Now I know what you might be thinking...Mona, other people have said that to you.

Yes, and I don't listen to them because they like me or love me or because I pay them....

But all these women who are strong...some of the freaking strongest...seeing me....seeing strength.

Oh boy...there's the lesson this year.  Thank you all....and a huge thanks to Kikki and Egil for making this space that this weird old highland games broad can come and discover something new about herself...something true about herself.