Rushed

[JThompson]

Okay, we get to the match late and I run down to my range... I hadn't even drawn the gun in the safe area. I load ip a couple mags and they call my name. First stage is the class El Prez. My hearts still beating from the half mile job to get there and I'm as cold as can be, unless you count the sting in my eyes from sweat. I had a looooong mag change and knocked the safety on with my weak hand. The result was 5 down and a 6 something sec run.

Then the next stage, I hadn't let go of the bad run and missed my mag change completely and was even surprised when the thing went CLICK.

What I should have done was just tell them to put me last, but I didn't speak up. I will if that happens again.

JT

[Chris Keen]

Nothing wrong with saying "I'm not ready yet"

[JThompson]

Nothing wrong with saying "I'm not ready yet"

Live and learn Chris.

[HSMITH]

On the other hand, you learned a lot about how your mind reacts when things go poorly or get overly rushed. It IS going to happen again.

Example, steel match, one of two I shoot per year. Local area major match more or less to me. I am running late after violating more traffic laws than you can imagine, I get there just in the nick of time, get to the first stage which is literally a half mile away and I am wound up TIGHT. Quickly packing mags full, get to the line as the second shooter and dot is dead. Run to a safety area, put some new batteries in, pull slide back to make a couple draws and the slide locks up. I have to whack the back and then all seems well again. Not good. Run and grab some tools to get the gun pulled down, it is FILTHY, so filthy that the unburned powder is locking the gun in the slide rails. Wipe it out and pack it full of Slide Glide, rack it a couple times, make a couple draws and by this time the other shooters are all done and yelling for me. I run to the line, do some deep breathing as I LAMR, really bear down and stop everything but the spot I want to shoot from running through my head. I put up 5 solid runs less than a tenth apart. I finished the match well, even though I was completely wound up tight for the first 3 or 4 stages. I was able to do this because I have gotten 9 kinds of twisted up over things like that before and had the wheels come completely off, just like you did. I have blown matches completely before the first shot was fired. Learn from it, it IS going to happen again. You will have to get past it, quickly, to have any sort of consistency in your performance. Learning to clear your head is a huge part of being able to 'bring it' on match day even when things are going well.

[JThompson]

On the other hand, you learned a lot about how your mind reacts when things go poorly or get overly rushed. It IS going to happen again.

Example, steel match, one of two I shoot per year. Local area major match more or less to me. I am running late after violating more traffic laws than you can imagine, I get there just in the nick of time, get to the first stage which is literally a half mile away and I am wound up TIGHT. Quickly packing mags full, get to the line as the second shooter and dot is dead. Run to a safety area, put some new batteries in, pull slide back to make a couple draws and the slide locks up. I have to whack the back and then all seems well again. Not good. Run and grab some tools to get the gun pulled down, it is FILTHY, so filthy that the unburned powder is locking the gun in the slide rails. Wipe it out and pack it full of Slide Glide, rack it a couple times, make a couple draws and by this time the other shooters are all done and yelling for me. I run to the line, do some deep breathing as I LAMR, really bear down and stop everything but the spot I want to shoot from running through my head. I put up 5 solid runs less than a tenth apart. I finished the match well, even though I was completely wound up tight for the first 3 or 4 stages. I was able to do this because I have gotten 9 kinds of twisted up over things like that before and had the wheels come completely off, just like you did. I have blown matches completely before the first shot was fired. Learn from it, it IS going to happen again. You will have to get past it, quickly, to have any sort of consistency in your performance. Learning to clear your head is a huge part of being able to 'bring it' on match day even when things are going well.

I guess the good news is I got it back together for the third stage, but should have put it past after the bad one. As I get better, and the competitor in me comes out, I'm finding it harder to let go of a bad run. I laugh about it with the guys, but my mind keeps going over the replay. It killed me in stage two, but after that I managed to put it away and come back to the moment. I did shoot clean though even so... no mikes or no shoots, so I guess that's something.

"Clear the Mechanism"

JT

[TWHaz]

Saul Kirsch says it in his book and It is true in anything you do.

"WINNING IS A PREPARED FOR EVENT"