June 30, 2014  Long Time 

It took me the entire month of June to create this post!

Just after the Bull Run meet (August of 2012) I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Within a month I had my right kidney removed.

Two days before the surgery my mother passed away . It was a bad month to say the least. I miss her a lot.

Shirley Ann Beuch
April 30, 1924-Sept. 16, 2012

After that my general health and well being started to spiral down, like water going down a drain.

My thyroid levels dropped very low. My pottasium levels followed suit. My uric acid went off the scale. 

Went to Devan Doans wedding in Green Bay, Wisconsin (Oct, 2012) and had my first gout flare up, due to high uric acid levels. Lucky me. Found out that the best remedy for gout pain was Advil.

I went to a nephrologist (kidney specialist) who informed me that advil (ibuprofin) was one of the worst things to which you could subject your remaining kidney. He was also concerned about my blood pressure and added another presciption to the one I was already taking. This caused acute edema in my legs and feet.
I have since stopped seeing him. My personal physician, Dr. Demetrius Maoury took me off this med and readjusted the dosage of the med I was already taking. The edema went away but I now suffer neuralgia (nerve pain) in my feet and lower legs from the neuropothy (nerve damage). Its like Rosanna Anna Danna used to say "If it isn't one thing then it is another)

Dr Maoury has corrected all my difficiancies with prescirption drugs which I offset and augment with numerous supplements. My weight is the last major problem I have to address. Last January in Dr. Demetrius" office I weighed in at 328lbs. This morning I weigh 305lbs but my waist has decreased to the point where I can now tie my shoes without blacking out.

On April 2, 2014 I was furloughed from my job after nine years at Parsons Brinckerhoff. I honestly believe that at 64 years old in this economic environment with the salary demand I would require, I am now unemployable, so after much discussion with Pat I decided to retire.

I now do what I want when I want (substitute Pat wants  for I want and it is closer to reality). I go to the gym approximately 4 days a week before breakfast and have rached a level of 45 minutes of cardio before strength training.  I decided to try some physical therapy on my shoulder(s), before my corporate health insurance runs its course in August of this year(one of the benefits of being furloughed). I have had ten sessions so far with eight to go. I can now slowly raise my hand over my head. I can reach the car door to close it while seated inside the car. I can pet the cat on the floor while seated in the kitchen chair. I can sleep for hours on my side without my arm and hand going to sleep to where the pain becomes too intense.

Here is how the lifting has gone since that first meet in Manassas.
I took off until the first week of January 2013.My old friend Hutch convincrd me to do USAPL Bench nationals (August 2013) because the 2014 IPF Worlds would be in England. He thought that a lot of the old gang could qualify if we all worked together to find a weight class for everyone.

Sid Zullinger, Pat and I took a trip to the fire house in Chinchilla PA to get a qualifying meet in for me. It turned out to be a banner day for me. I bench pressed a new american record.

405 lbs

I dead lifted another new american record.

555 lbs

Pat said it was the best meet she had ever attended.

So I qualifed for nationals.

Pat and I drove to Atlanta for nationals. I was using a walker and not lookuing or feeling very good.
I lifted raw and took gold in the SHW raw 60 to 64 division setting a new national meet record of 385.

Next stop was North Umberland England and the IPF Masters World Bench Press Championships. Having lifted raw at nationals I was fourth in line for the nomination to Masters Worlds. However the 1st reserve injured his back and the second reserve dropped two weight classes on his doctors orders so I was offered the second opening at SHW 60 to 69 at the end of January 2014. I had stopped training after Atlanta in order to address my health issues so I was not training at that tme and had not trained for six months. This gave me only eight weeks to train for the Worlds. I was feeling much better than I had in ATLANTA but could only manage 363. There were only 3 lifters in the division so I was locked in for a bronze medal with any lift I made. I went for silver with my last attempt (408lbs) but it was too heavy. I needed more training time to go that high.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXncgkFLxdA Sorry I could not get this  video to upload here so you have to click on the link to view.

John Shifflett held a none sanctioned bench meet in Manassas last May. I benched 365lbs. Just trying to keep my hand in until I can train seriously again.

                            

The PT place turned me loose last Thursday so I am back to Gym training. My Cardio is at 20 minutes on the treadmill and 45 minutes on the eliptical. I do this Monday, Wednesday, and Friday before strength training. On Tues and Thursday I will be doing the exercises I learned in PT rehab. Perhaps I will do some cardio before hand as well. I have to pace myself or my total energy level will put me back in the easy chair again.

2012 first annual 100% Raw Bull Run Bench Press Competition

Manassas Va. August 18, 2012

First bench press meet in Manassas since 2004.

Let me preface this by repeating what I tell people all the time, "I usually compete locally only for records because there are ordinarily no competitors in my age and weight class"  The reason

for that is because most people my age and weight are dead. However, The ones who aren't are usually world class.

While warming up, Sid asked me if I new the old bald guy working triceps on the universal. I looked and said, "Yes, but I can't pull the name out of my old and foggy memory bank." So I went over to the guy and said " I know you but can't remember your name". He said "Ron, it is me George Flikas" Of course it was, I did not place him because I only see him at IPF World Championships. He is a Canadian National Champion. I lifted against him in Bratislava @ 242 and in Orlando @ 275.

I said what are you doing here!? He told me that he had decided to visit Wash.DC on a vacation and thought he would get a meet in while here. He is 70 now and in the 275 so he would not officially be competing against me. We decided it would be a great time to show "the kids"  what the "old guys" could do. And of course we had an heads up bench off with each other.

The flight was 16 lifters

George was 12th and I was 13th

Sid Zullinger and two Super heavy weights were the only lifters opening heavier then we were.

George opened with 375-good lift

I opened with 385-good lift

George went to 402- good lift

I went to 407-good lift

George went to 407-missed

I went to 420-missed

I took a fourth for record and repeated 420-new national 308 record.

One of the supers lifted more than me and only Sid, I and the Supers lifted more than George. It was a great show and a great day.

USAPL Push Pull Nationals

Sid
Push Pull Raw Open National Champion 275,s
benched 418
pulled 601 - nervous system shook like the Va earth quake but Sid was strong and held it for 2 white lights. Now that he knows he can do it the weight will start up again.






Sid's hardwork and aquired experience are really paying off. His gains and his meet plans have shown a great deal of growth. He now has two national championship titles to his credit. Raw Bench @242 open in the Charlottesville 2010 USAPL Bench Nationals and Raw Push Pull @275 open in the Zion Crossroads 2011 USAPL Push Pull Nationals. Good work Sid.



Ron
Deadlift Raw Open National Champion UNL
Deadlift Raw 60 to 64 National Champion UNL
Push Pull Raw Open National Champion UNL
Push Pull Raw 60 to 64 National Champion UNL

benched 402
pulled 551










The 402 bench press upped my previous Powerlifting Watch all fed Masters 60 to 69 raw World Record by 6 lbs. I finished both a 407 lb bench and a 564 lb dead, but they were so bad the refs ran out of cards to throw.

Raw Nationals 2011 Scranton Pennsylvania

396.8 lbs bench press

New USAPL American Record @ SHW 60 to 64 year division

551 lb deadlift New USAPL American Record @SHW 60 to 64 division. The dead lift pushed the total over my ol record so the Total 1372.3 is also a new USAPL American Record @ SHW 60 to 64 division.

Virginia Open 2-26-2011

BOMB SQUAD

attempts
496
501
501

Touched with all three. Rookie mistake on first, had the straps on my singlet down and had to re-adjust my shirt and belt under the gun. My focus was blown but I still took it to the transition.
Second one flew off my chest but stalled at lock out

Third one went a little low but I still got if off my chest, however Jim Pope told me my feet were dancing like mad. I couldn't lock out. The only problem I could see was that the competition bench is a little taller than the one at the gym. When I clenched my butt cheeks my feet came off the floor to where they barely touched and I lost any arch I had and my ability to drive with my legs. I am pretty sure this made the difference in not being able to lock out. I still have until December to make this lift and be the first American over 60 to bench press over 500. Greg Chrun will turn 60 then and probably go over 550. I will have to try the short blocks if my weight stays where it is.

The 25th Virginia State Powerlifting Championships @ Zions Cross Roads Va.

September 11, 2010



This meet was dedicated to the memory of Will Morris. We started out with the Pledge of allegiance, in rememberence of 9/11/2001.



Had about 65 lifters. John Shifflett ran two platforms and had plenty of help. The meet started a little late but ended way earlier than any state meet I have particioated in before. Even after the extra hour for drug testing my wife was really pleased that it was only 3:00pm.



Because there were no previous records at RAW 60 to 64 ( M3b) SHW, all of my lifts would be American record attempts. This would require national refs in the chairs when I lifted. John has always seen to it that he had the correct referees for setting national records. My goal was to go 9 for 9 and set the records high.



I opened in the squat with 408. This is what I finished with is St. Louis 2 years ago. I went to 424 for my second attempt. This is what I finished with in Charlottesville last year. I finished up with 451 a 27 pound PR. All three lifts were good






I opened in the bench with 362. This is an easy weight for me, but because I had been training with a shirt the last 8 months for bench nationals my raw bench has slipped a little. After making the lift I went up to 369 and then 380. The 385 is 5 pounds off my previous PR but I missed 385 in the gym the past two weeks. All three lifts were good.


6 for 6 all white lights goin into the deadlift.

I opened with 501. I then went to 518 where I finshed in Charlottesville last year. I finished with an easy 530.



9 for 9, 27 white lights with a 1360 total. A great day, next time I shoot to break 1400.

2010 Bench Press Nationals - Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Charlottesville Double Tree hotel is only a 90 minute easy and scenic drive from my home in Manassas. Pat and I and my neighbor Sid Zullinger who is one of my lifting partners left Manassas about 6:30pm Friday nigtht. We stopped at Popeyes with the two for one coupon and picked up 22 pieces of chicken. YUM! We arrived at the Hotel and where greeted by John Shifflett right at the front door. There were old friends scattered about like decorations on Christmas. It was just like we left home but came home at the same time just in time for a Holiday.

This meet had a whole different feel and flavor for me than past nationals. As I said it was like being home with family. I had friends every where and workout partners lifting in every session.

Leigh haines and Paulett Calhoun lifted in the first session. Leigh had successful lifts on her first and third attemps taking a silver in the open and a gold in the masters. Paulette was successful on her first and second attemps and took the gold in the masters.

Demetrius Maoury, a long time friend and bench press lifting partner was in the second session. He brought a brand new shirt, right out of the plastic bag, to the meet. I think that this is always a mistake and have expressed this opinion in the past. D has a better wilks score than I do, so tends to do what he thinks is best for him. On his first lift he touched right about at his belly button but pushed it back up to lockout and three red lights. I recommended that he raise the weigth and pull the shirt up into his arm pits. We both know that to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is not sane. He went out for his second lift and touched legal but couldn't lock it out. We tightened it up a little for his third but he was out of gas. I know Demetrius was disappointed but with the Super Katana their is a very narrow range between touching and locking out. I also suffered later from this parameter.

Sunday morning was Sid"s turn on the platform. Once we established that he was 27 not 57 and that he was lifting raw we were ready to go. I updated Miguel Ruien with the changes because his lifter was the competition. It was a battle from the beginning but Sid took the lead and kept it. By the end of the flight we were all out of attempt cards from the changes but Sid proudly walked away as the 242 Raw Open National Champion.

Ron Beuch, Sid Zullinger, John Shifflett

It was my turn. After a strong warm up I went out with my World Record opener. I brought the bar down and just as I touched my wrists rolled forward. I let the spotters take it without trying to press it up. My second attemp was my best shot. It touched good, went up strong but my right arm would not lock out. Friends watching on streaming thought the lift was good because it was that close. But I knew it was not locked out. My third attempt was pretty much like the second only slower and the right arm not locking out was more obvious. Bomb Squad!











It was interesting the things people said to me before my third lift trying to get me motivated. This kind of stuff does not work with me. I am 100% all the time during a competition. If I miss a lift it is because I was not prepared or have not trained hard enough for the meet, not because I gave less than 100%. However, I did really appreciate all the help and encouragement. My friend Kevin Hutchison asked Pat if it would help if he slapped my face hard, Pat correctly informed him that this would not be a good idea.


Kevin Hutchison holding a sign that says "I have always beat Ron at a bench contest" this has been true for seven years. My only redemption is that he has never beat me in a full power meet.

Even though I did not accomplish my goal, this meet was one of the most enjoyable I have been to. It is to the credit of the Va powerlifting community and John Shifflett that this is so. I don't think I will have another shot at that record though, because Super Heavy Weight is just so physically uncomfortable that I have already lost 7 pounds. I may just get down to 275's by the State meet.



Demetrius Maoury, Leigh Haines, Sid Zullinger, Ron Beuch