"PRs and WRs" or "What the crew is up to!?!"

It was a big weekend for J$ and Shawn.

J$ was at the IPA Nationals in York, Pa. Sunday and set IPA world records for the benchpress (390 pounds) and the deadlift (665 pounds). He competed in the 220 pound master men's class. I haven't spoken to him yet so I do not have any more details.

Shawn was at Mike Wolfe's benchpress meet Saturday in Celina, Oh. Shawn went 600-660-680 for a heyooge PR. He said the 660 was "tough" then he pulled the shirt (like Elvis) "way down" and got the 680. He took first place and Best Lifter and got some nice prizes. There were several other superheavies in his class. Jason Fry from Westside Barbell put on a benching exhibition doing 500 for several reps! Shawn said it was a fun meet and a nice way to end the year. He said his only disappointment was that the video arcade that was located in the same place the meet was held at had no Pac-Man, Frogger or Space Invaders. Considering that his previous best was a 600 for several years, he has made tremendous progress in 2009.

Update!
I just got off the phone with J$ as I was typing this. He says he took token lifts in the squat. In the benchpress he opened with 355 and got it. It was a little lighter than he planned on but the weights felt heavy in the warmups so he played it conservatively. 380, which would have broken the old record, was a miss because his foot slipped. On his last attempt he took and got 390 "easily". In the deadlift, he had his aim set on Don Mills' 13 year old record. He opened with 525, then took 605. He finished with 665 eclipsing Mills' mark. J$ said that the last pull was the easiest one of them all. According to Mark Challiet, IPA president, the 665 may be the heaviest deadlift EVER done by a 60 year old man. J$ says he has bigger things in store for 2010; pushing the deadlift record higher still among them. He said he learned some things at the meet that helped him out too and it was a very positive experience. The Mole went with him to help and was his "ace in the hole", according to J$.

So congratulations all around to Shawn and J$. What a fantastic weekend! Now back to work.

You're only as strong as your strongest friends,
Ed T.