So I was feeling very good going into the show..I feel I was right to go ahead and take all the rest that I took and I don't really feel as though I made any mistakes concerning training.? The flight over was good and our hotel was nice except that it was like 80 degrees and muggy in the hotel rooms at all times.? If you're a big dude at all you know how terrible that can be.? I got in and rested up for a bit and got ready to get started.

First event - Chain Drag and 2keg load - In the testing of this event it was very light so I knew it would be a sprint.? I cannot even begin to explain how nervous I was before starting..even throwing up a couple times because of nervousness.? I got started on the chain drag and was a little behind but started to make up time on the keg load..unfortunately on my 2nd keg I tossed it really hard knocking the other one over!? So I had to run around and upright that keg so that cost me some very valuable time.? I took last place in this event because of the slip up.

2nd event - Truck pull - This was really odd because the 2nd event was like 4 hours later.? Anywho..I felt like this was a good pull for me for the most part except my start was way off.? Truck pull is one of my worst events so I was pretty happy with my performance but overall I placed quite low.

3rd event - Barrel deadlift - This event wasn't until the next afternoon..this kind of set-up is really hard to get used to I'm going to be honest.? I felt extremely good going into this event although more nervous than even the first event (I think because of the poor placing on the first 2 events).? I started pulling and was doing good and then everything went to crap and I bombed out on like 3 or 4 barrels...very disappointed in my pull.

So the first 3 events were out of the way and I was feeling pretty bad about my performance thus far.? As I had finished up dinner I was heading out of the eating room and I must've been looking pretty mopey because Svend Karlsen came up to me and said "Hey Marshall what the hell's going on with? you out there?"? I explained to him all the stuff that had happened and he said "Calm the f*ck down..being that nervous can destroy your nervous system..you need to treat this show like any other..go outside and go swimming and have a glass of wine or two..hang out with your friends and get relaxed up for tomorrow!"? So I did exactly that!!

4th event - fingal fingers - I actually thought this would be my worst event since I have only done fingers once before and I have never trained them.? But Svend's advice must've worked because I went out there and finished all the fingers!!!!!!!? I wasn't as fast as Shaw and Z but I was so stoked I pop and locked it and did a little robot dance to celebrate!!!

5th event - Keg Toss - In testing this event I couldn't get the last 2 22kg kegs over, but they bumped up the last 2 kegs to 24kg so I felt I had a good throw here and got all but the last 2...again going into this a little more relaxed seems to have really helped.

6th event - Stones - I'm never not confident in my stone loading abilities so I felt good about this..plus at this point I knew I wouldn't be in the finals so it was all about just doing good for me.? I had a very good run with a little slip on the last stone because of the sand (the event was on a beach) but other than that it was solid.

All in all I had a good time..I'm a little disappointed in not making the finals..especially my first 3 events...but Kaz and everyone told me that the first year is the absolute hardest and that nerves often get the best of the athletes and this could be seen in all the guys who were there for the first time...even guys like Murumets! I was very happy to stick around for the finals and watch and try and help out some of the guys there. I don't think I would change much in my training..except that maybe I should stop trying to get my endurance so high and work more on stuff in a sprinting fashion (if that makes sense?).? I learned an incredible amount, especially after talking to Kaz about training!? And I saw that no matter what the show and who the athletes are there can always be suprises and guys can have either the performance of a lifetime or bomb out.? Congrats to all the guys who made the finals..especially all the Americans. Big thanks to all those who supported me and believed in me, especially my wife and family. Now back to training and getting ready for the Super Series in November!?