Recently, I volunteered at the Heavy Events at the Highland Games of Durham at Uxbridge’s Elgin Park.
This really raised my pulse. As “fun” as retrieving a 56lb weight or standing up a 20 foot caber (telephone pole!) can be, I wanted to try my hand at throwing.
Rick Blair, one of our great Uxbridge gym members, told me about a Heavy Events school (the only of its kind…more on that later) in Fergus. It would cost me some money, but I’d learn the events from Warren Trask and Kevin Fast — legends in Highland Games and strongman circles.
I was sold. And it was well worth it. In my first competition, I finished 8th, and qualified to throw as an amateur on Sunday at Fergus. What a ride! And, it’s just getting started.
Obviously in a week, you can’t perfect technique in 7 unique events. After the first day, Warren Trask, who placed second in the World Championships in Scotland this year, and a veteran of over 800 Highland Games asked me what I thought about yesterday – I said, “I learned a lot, but I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Hopefully you can learn, as I did, from his response: “That’s why some of us live a long time.”
Are you still learning? I hope so. This fall, you may just have an opportunity to learn the Heavy Events right here in Uxbridge…so stay tuned.
