As I continue to blog, it will be clear that I am little private. So, when I wrote this blog I did not post it until I convinced myself nobody would read it (and I edited it..buzzed... haha)....
I was able to walk away from the asparagus contest with a victory, but I have been shaking my head and trying to figure out why things are not coming together the way they should. The contest took place at the Stockton Asparagus Festival and there were a ton of people. From the moment I arrived at the festival I felt like I was the hometown eater and a lot of people were in my corner. I was amazed at how many people told me they have been following my eating success since my first victory in Stockton three years ago. It is great to go to these events and only see happy people. It is not at all like work.
The competition in this contest was serious. The contest attracted eaters from New York, Tennessee, Illinois, Washington and Oregon. The asparagus were perfect!!! They tasted much better than the ones I made. I was able to finish my first pound ahead of every one, but I got into an awful habit of watching and reacting to Pat Bertoletti. Pat was eating with a beautiful rhythm, while I was eating in response to Pat. After every pound I would be ahead of Pat by several spears, but instead of continuing to eat at a fast pace I would slow down and wait for Pat to catch up and then I would race to finish the next pound… I could not stop focusing on Pat. I really wanted to just get into my own rhythm and worry about my own pace, but I couldn't.
Unfortunately these habits did not start with this contest. About a month ago I ate with the same lazy technique, in matzo ball contest. Even my training mentality for the past few months has been crappy. Instead of training to do my best, I have been training just enough to win. I don't know why my head is in the wrong place and I don't know what it will take to correct me. When I think back to last year, I cannot believe the amount of intensity and dedication I had. Other eaters have started to notice the decline in focus and they believe I am becoming complacent. I wish it were just complacency, that can be solved with a kick in the ass.
In the end of this contest, I was given credit for eating 8.9 lbs of fried asparagus (I think I only ate about 8.3 lbs., and Pat was close behind). People that are new to Competitive Eating will learn that sometimes the numbers do not exactly add up, but it is rare for the actual placing to get screwed up. Pat did great and he would have edged me out, if there weren't so many people pushing me to win in this contest. I don't know if the video shows it, but I could feel myself respond to the cheers from the audience. In case you are wondering, my piss stunk of something fierce.
All I can do now is look forward to my next contest and hope to break out of my funk.
Good Night,
Joey
Original Story:
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/892916.h....
I was able to walk away from the asparagus contest with a victory, but I have been shaking my head and trying to figure out why things are not coming together the way they should. The contest took place at the Stockton Asparagus Festival and there were a ton of people. From the moment I arrived at the festival I felt like I was the hometown eater and a lot of people were in my corner. I was amazed at how many people told me they have been following my eating success since my first victory in Stockton three years ago. It is great to go to these events and only see happy people. It is not at all like work.
The competition in this contest was serious. The contest attracted eaters from New York, Tennessee, Illinois, Washington and Oregon. The asparagus were perfect!!! They tasted much better than the ones I made. I was able to finish my first pound ahead of every one, but I got into an awful habit of watching and reacting to Pat Bertoletti. Pat was eating with a beautiful rhythm, while I was eating in response to Pat. After every pound I would be ahead of Pat by several spears, but instead of continuing to eat at a fast pace I would slow down and wait for Pat to catch up and then I would race to finish the next pound… I could not stop focusing on Pat. I really wanted to just get into my own rhythm and worry about my own pace, but I couldn't.
Unfortunately these habits did not start with this contest. About a month ago I ate with the same lazy technique, in matzo ball contest. Even my training mentality for the past few months has been crappy. Instead of training to do my best, I have been training just enough to win. I don't know why my head is in the wrong place and I don't know what it will take to correct me. When I think back to last year, I cannot believe the amount of intensity and dedication I had. Other eaters have started to notice the decline in focus and they believe I am becoming complacent. I wish it were just complacency, that can be solved with a kick in the ass.
In the end of this contest, I was given credit for eating 8.9 lbs of fried asparagus (I think I only ate about 8.3 lbs., and Pat was close behind). People that are new to Competitive Eating will learn that sometimes the numbers do not exactly add up, but it is rare for the actual placing to get screwed up. Pat did great and he would have edged me out, if there weren't so many people pushing me to win in this contest. I don't know if the video shows it, but I could feel myself respond to the cheers from the audience. In case you are wondering, my piss stunk of something fierce.
All I can do now is look forward to my next contest and hope to break out of my funk.
Good Night,
Joey
Original Story:
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/892916.h....
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