All gas no brakes

[lroy]

That's a good point. On my walkthrough, I picked out a spot on the ground I wanted to be at, but neglected to burn in what I should be seeing through the port. I was focused on moving through the position rather than hitting both targets cleanly. I'll incorporate that next time, for sure.

 

Again, you're right on the poppers. I knew there was a delay, but it does seem to be at least a full second before activation. I know I can hit a short transition, open <10 yard target and be back before it falls. It would've cut a lot of time off that stage.

 

I'll pay special attention to these things in my visualization next time. Thanks.

[lroy]

Shot a 4 classifier match. Had two 91s. Should put me at M when they get run next week.

 

With 4 weeks to the state match, I'm going to just focus on staying in control.

[lroy]

Took time to visit family. Came back feeling good and saw I made M class.

 

Not sure the timeframe is good or bad, but I feel pretty confident going into my first state match.

 

The plan going forward is just to focus on what I can control. My gear, my plan, my execution. Sounds simple, I guess, but it's all I can really do. Other people are going to shoot their own match, so I need to just concentrate on mine.

[TheChewycookie]

Congrats and good luck

Edited September 8, 2021 by TheChewycookie

[UpYoursPal]

Man, you went from C class to M with non-traditional open gun in like six months.  I'd say that's pretty good.

[lroy]

  

9/25/21

 

For anyone reading this, please play this song in another tab before continuing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag1o3koTLWM

Saturday morning I was all ready to shoot my first major, the Georgia State match. A comedy of errors ensued.

 

The day before my allergies were insane. Coughing up phlegm constantly and sneezing so I grabbed some stuff from the store to take to the match. Wake up early Saturday, pop a few Sudafed and bring some cough syrup to the match just in case.

 

Uh, what I didn't realize was that Sudafed is basically meth and I took wayyyy too much. As the match starts, i'm super anxious and twitching like crazy. I was still coughing so I took a sip of cough syrup. Guess I was nervous or something, I didn't realize by the second stage I drank the entire thing.

 

I'm trying to keep my s#!t together and do the best I can. I get ready for the third stage and my optic comes off halfway through it. A screw backed out and I have no replacement.

 

I was going to just pack it in and head out, but was persuaded to just stay and shoot since I paid and was already there.

 

So I shot my biggest match yet, while accidentally drugging myself with no sights on the gun.

 

It went about as well as you'd expect. I put in all this work to make M just to bomb out.

 

Honestly it's pretty embarrassing and considered not posting, but it happened and I need to be accountable.

 

Everything went so badly, I'm still trying to make sense of everything. It sucks pretty bad, but I did it to myself.

https://practiscore.com/results/new/f75572b0-84b6-448e-83ab-486c4dd18921?q_individual=mmShooter_3613527

 

 

[waktasz]

Not a lot of people win their first major. It sucks all that happened to you but at least you got it out of the way. 

[lroy]

Yeah I suppose haha. There was no f*#king way I was winning anything regardless. The heat in open was ridiculous. Christian and KC wrecked everyone.

 

I did manage 77% on one stage somehow. I guess I'll take any win I can get so I don't drive myself off a cliff.

[UpYoursPal]

F

[TheChewycookie]

The cool thing is that you made it through a major match practically intoxicated, and you now have that major match pressure with the top heat there to kinda demonstrate what can happen at the upper level.

[lroy]

  

19 hours ago, TheChewycookie said:

The cool thing is that you made it through a major match practically intoxicated, and you now have that major match pressure with the top heat there to kinda demonstrate what can happen at the upper level.

Lol. I suppose that's one way to look at it. Making lemonade out of extremely potent lemons.

-------------
 

Have been dryfiring a lot without the dot. I'm thinking of shooting limited so I won't have such a massive handicap anymore. I do think using dot has helped me progress a lot faster than I otherwise would have.

I recently got a spot for nationals. I was pretty excited initially, but now I'm not really sure. Is it even worth going to? I guess the experience would be good, and what am I even doing this for, if not to compete against the best? At the same time, I know I probably won't place well and if I do badly it's going to compound with the state match and f*#k with my head.

Today's my last day to withdraw. Not really sure what I should do.

Edited September 30, 2021 by lroy

[waktasz]

I think you need to temper your expectations. You've been doing this for a year and were still C class 4 months ago. 
If you could walk into nationals and smoke everyone what would that say about our sport in general? 
If you decide to go, set reasonable and achievable goals that don't depend on other people. Stuff like "Finish top 10 in my class" you don't really control. Things like "see my sights on every shot" you do. 

[IHAVEGAS]

On 9/27/2021 at 5:52 AM, lroy said:

The day before my allergies were insane.

 

Hopefully you will have better luck than I, allergy causes and symptoms are all over the map. 

 

For what it is worth I have never enjoyed shooting a match during allergy season. You can't think like normal, you can't see like normal, and you can't move like normal, it is frustrating on stage 1 and the more stages you shoot below your ability the more frustrating it gets. You might find a better solution for your circumstances, I just gave up on going to major matches during ragweed season. 

[Boomstick303]

2 hours ago, lroy said:

I recently got a spot for nationals. I was pretty excited initially, but now I'm not really sure. Is it even worth going to?

 

No need to guess. It will be good experience if you intend to shoot the sport for a decent amount of time every Level 2 and above match you attend you learn valuable lessons.  I have every Level 2 and above I attended. Valuable lessons that prevent the same errors in future matches. You learned a highly valuable lesson in you need to figure out your allergy issues before attending another major. Have a plan instead of flying by the seat of your pants which did not end well. Also you learned something about your equipment. Something I think is better to learn at a level 2 versus your optic falling off at nationals. 

 

I practice and push at locals. Shoot 95% of my ability at Level 2 and above. 95% is repeatable and consistent. I do not go into Level 2 and above matches having expectations. I cannot control who shows up and how they shoot. I can only control how I perform over the entirety of the match. From discussions with other at the top shooters this seems like a pretty common formula with the exception of they can asses during the match when they have to push to place. I’m no where near the top and will learn this skill as I start moving up the leader board. 

 

I would not be hard on your self. Your journey to Master has been quick. As quick as it’s been it would be good to remember at Level 2 and above matches will have shooters in attendance that have been shooting for years and have learned a lot of those lessons, and have a solid program in place that helps the be successful at every major they attend.  If you do not attend majors how will you ever design your own program? 

 

Good luck at nationals. 

[UpYoursPal]

I bet that you could do well in Limited once you re-acclimate to irons.  Of course, that's easier said than done.

[scroadkill]

lroy .. I saw you shooting last weekend at ga state.. I think we were one squad behind you. pretty painful watching that optic flop around.  Steven Lee had a solid match for M. Wally Burbage too. Catch those guys in Limited if you can.

[lroy]

 

19 hours ago, waktasz said:

I think you need to temper your expectations. You've been doing this for a year and were still C class 4 months ago. 
If you could walk into nationals and smoke everyone what would that say about our sport in general? 
If you decide to go, set reasonable and achievable goals that don't depend on other people. Stuff like "Finish top 10 in my class" you don't really control. Things like "see my sights on every shot" you do. 

 

You're absolutely right. My actions are really the only thing I have control over. My goals need to be based around myself, not others. Good points.

 

18 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

Hopefully you will have better luck than I, allergy causes and symptoms are all over the map. 

 

For what it is worth I have never enjoyed shooting a match during allergy season. You can't think like normal, you can't see like normal, and you can't move like normal, it is frustrating on stage 1 and the more stages you shoot below your ability the more frustrating it gets. You might find a better solution for your circumstances, I just gave up on going to major matches during ragweed season. 

 

Thanks man. Yeah it's rough. I'll have to try different methods to get things under control. Hopefully it works out.

 

17 hours ago, Boomstick303 said:

 

No need to guess. It will be good experience if you intend to shoot the sport for a decent amount of time every Level 2 and above match you attend you learn valuable lessons.  I have every Level 2 and above I attended. Valuable lessons that prevent the same errors in future matches. You learned a highly valuable lesson in you need to figure out your allergy issues before attending another major. Have a plan instead of flying by the seat of your pants which did not end well. Also you learned something about your equipment. Something I think is better to learn at a level 2 versus your optic falling off at nationals. 

 

I practice and push at locals. Shoot 95% of my ability at Level 2 and above. 95% is repeatable and consistent. I do not go into Level 2 and above matches having expectations. I cannot control who shows up and how they shoot. I can only control how I perform over the entirety of the match. From discussions with other at the top shooters this seems like a pretty common formula with the exception of they can asses during the match when they have to push to place. I’m no where near the top and will learn this skill as I start moving up the leader board. 

 

I would not be hard on your self. Your journey to Master has been quick. As quick as it’s been it would be good to remember at Level 2 and above matches will have shooters in attendance that have been shooting for years and have learned a lot of those lessons, and have a solid program in place that helps the be successful at every major they attend.  If you do not attend majors how will you ever design your own program? 

 

Good luck at nationals. 

 

This one kind of clinched the decision for me. How am I going to learn if I don't put myself in uncomfortable situations? I picked up a whole lot of what not to f*#kin do from the disaster at state, which is valuable to not repeat. You're also right about using my experience from nationals will be good to inform practice going forward. Thanks man.

 

14 hours ago, UpYoursPal said:

I bet that you could do well in Limited once you re-acclimate to irons.  Of course, that's easier said than done.

 

Hopefully. Gong to practice the next few weeks with irons. It doesn't seem too different until you get to 15+ yards, but we'll see.

 

9 hours ago, scroadkill said:

lroy .. I saw you shooting last weekend at ga state.. I think we were one squad behind you. pretty painful watching that optic flop around.  Steven Lee had a solid match for M. Wally Burbage too. Catch those guys in Limited if you can.

haha yeah it was rough. Steven Lee did great. When he saw what a clusterfuk my day was he offered to call the MD and let me shoot his limited gun in open. I was so frustrated I declined the offer, but really nice guy. I had 11 mikes after saying no. In hindsight, I probably should have taken him up on that. Lol

[Boomstick303]

@lroy something you need to also look into is a backup  gun.  Either direction you go in Limited or choose to stay in Carry Optics, you need a quality back up gun.  It looks like this has been painfully pointed out at the state match you attended.  You should budget for this gun if you are going to be traveling to major matches.  Nothing like paying hundreds to thousands of dollars to attend a match and have you primary gun go down with no backup.