MGM Ironman

[Chuck Anderson]

Last year at the Pro-Am I completely ruptured my Achilles Tendon. After surgery and a host of other issues it took awhile to get back and running. I actually shot and did okay in a couple matches while still wearing the walking cast. Did okay in a Steel Challenge match (except for Outer Limits...stupid Outer Limits), GSSF match, and the week after it came off managed to come in third in an NRA TPC match, whooping all our SWAT guys even though I couldn't move faster than a slow shuffle. I set three goals for myself after surgery. I wanted to shoot the USPSA Nationals which I did. I sucked but I shot it. I wanted to shoot the Ft. Benning match in 2009, which I bailed on at the last minute because I wasn't quite ready to run on broken terrain. The final was the big one. The doc said it would take about a year to rehab the ankle. The MGM Ironman just happened to be one year from when I ruptured the tendon. I figured if I could go shoot the Ironman, I must be back. But I decided to push it a bit further. I figured if shooting the Ironman was a good show for the ankle, shooting it in Trooper would be even better. So one year after sitting in a Tulsa hospital I found myself wandering around Parma with a 100 pound pack and another 35 pounds of long guns in cases in each hand. WTF was I thinking.

After figuring out a way to either open up a new hole to let blood out of my body, new muscle to strain, or new location to otherwise vandalize on my body on every stage I actually finished the match. Unfortunately for me I also learned that the IOR Pitbull with huge non locking target turrets and an Eberlestock pack do not make a good combination. It was the last day before I figured out why I couldn't hit any of the rifle targets. Every time I shoved the rifle in the pack and pulled it out the dials were spinning and changing my sight. I went through almost every bit of my 730 rounds of rifle that I brought.

My pistol shooting was okay. The Shotgun though was what really shined. I swiped Robbie Wright's (Forum Dealer) personal Saiga and dumped a few hundred rounds through it the week before the match. That gun was freaking awesome. Unfortunately, after all was said and done I was positive Iain Harrison (who I was squadded with) flat whooped my butt. I was telling him I figured he had me by no less than 300 seconds when Jason Lange walked up and congratulated me on my win. I still have no idea how it happened, but I actually managed to pull it off. From crippled and laid up in bed to winning the Ironman in Trooper a year later.

On top of that I managed to squeak into the FN 3 Gun Nation shootoff. I even made it to the finals. Of course Dave Neth walked away from that bout with a $5000.00 check but I proved to myself that I'm back. That's all I was hoping for from this match.

[GentlemanJim]

Way to go Chuck

It could be that you need to change your screen name to Gladiator

Jim

[goat68]

Wow! I must have been too worried on not timing out or if I had enough ammo in my mags to spin the double spinner to not know you just were a year out from a blown achillies! I must say though, your kentucky windage is pretty good to hold 2 targets right and low on an uphill target at 300 yd with the wind blowing 20 mph from the left while laying on a roof top to hit that flash target! Our main comment was that you sure like to pull the trigger. Great shooting with you this weekend and that's a great accomplishment not only to finish the Ironman but to win it in Trooper.

[Will_M]

That's awesome! I guess you can say you're back!