Stumbling off the field after the running event concluded, I knew that I had emptied the tank. We ran HOT! My legs were heavy. My hamstrings were fairly tight. The burps started kicking in. Uh-Oh… This might not be good.
From about 10yds away, I heard a familiar voice say mockingly, “Hey Harley, did you know endurance athletes consume over 100g of carbs per hour? You should probably go eat some sugar!”
My athlete and friend Chris was walking by with a smirk across his face. He jumped on the opportunity to give me a dose of my own messaging, and I loved every second of it.
The Desert City Classic was my first time stepping onto the competition floor since 2024. Previously, my excitement for competition had dwindled after two lackluster performances that year. My coaching career had been gradually ticking up year after year. Recovery time and practices became glaring limitations in being able to sustain a high volume training load. Combined, these variables made it easy to justify stepping away from competing. It makes sense why I didn’t want to do it anymore at that time.
Two years later, and after just one workout, I was fired up.
We took 5th place in a running workout with a tight spread of just a few seconds behind 3rd and 4th, and in my mind there was nothing on paper that should be a limitation moving forward into the rest of the weekend. I was ready to go!
Regardless of how high I may have been feeling, CJ still had some looming nerves about the second workout. Leading into the weekend she couldn’t help but fixate on the deadlift and burpee relay workout. It was short, fast, and fairly heavy. In the past this combination had posed issues for her, so she had one more hurdle to overcome on day one.
I took the first leg of the relay which was a bit more volume at a slightly lighter load. She took the second leg of the event. Although the second leg was indeed heavier, it was substantially less volume. As the race unfolded and she went unbroken on the deadlift bar, my energy continued to build. We ended up 3rd place in that workout.
Seeing CJ rise to the occasion within the workout that she was the most nervous about reassured me that we had what it takes to compete. She is a gamer who is willing to exceed her own perceived limitations for the team. This moment was pivotal in building momentum leading into day two.
It was also the first of several moments throughout the weekend when I watched someone work through uncertainty and discover what they could do.
CJ and I were not the only ones competing this weekend. I was fortunate to simultaneously support three of my athletes, each navigating a different version of that experience.
Fernie Flores hired me after the Desert City Classic in 2025. He had competed in the Rx Division and left the competition feeling flat. This past year we rebuilt him into a whole new athlete. This year Fernie qualified into the Elite Division for the first time. A notable moment was his performance in the Deadlift, Bench Press, Row workout. In training, he reached near failure on the bench press. We reworked the strategy on a call before the competition, resulting in a huge improvement on gameday. He was able to shave off over a minute at the event. His progress over this past year is a testament to our coaching process. We collaborated to define his priorities and designed thoughtful progressions to improve the qualities he needed to compete at the elite level.
Selene Gonzalez qualified into the elite division with a 9th place finish in the qualifier. She has had such a pivotal year in her development as an athlete. Feeling good coming into the event, I am sure she was hungry to showcase that progress. Unfortunately, with constantly varied fitness the deal of the cards is not always in her favor. Regardless of what comes out of the hopper, she shows up with a great attitude and is ready to work. Selene is the epitome of resilience when the odds are stacked against her. She navigated a few heavy workouts and left no doubt in her effort, event after event. She ended the weekend with a top 10 finish in the final workout, and is eager to get back to training.
Sierra Peltcher came into the competition as a back fill in the 35-39 division. Our main priority was defining success for each workout and going in ready to learn what it takes to compete at that level. The programming was at the edge of her ability level, but she rose to the occasion and faced the challenge head on. By day three, her body was beat up leaving a sense of uncertainty in her ability to find success in the upcoming tests. After a thorough warm-up and some discussions around perspective it was time to go out on the floor. One of the final pieces of advice I gave her was to take a moment and look around. Smile at your friends and have fun! She was able to perform a 25’ unbroken handstand walk in the final workout, and shared in quite a few smirks and smiles along the way.
Many of the moments that made me proud weren’t directly correlated with placements on the leaderboard. They were moments when athletes recognized the work they had put in, experienced something that made a lasting impression, and found a reason to leave with their chins held high. CJ going unbroken on the deadlift bar she had been worried about. Fernie executing a strategy we had worked through together. Selene continuing to show up ready to work. Sierra finding room to smile while doing something that had felt uncertain. There are inevitably ups and downs within the competitive experience, but it is crucial to focus on the present and let go of the outcome.
These athletes are unique individuals. Some might say polar opposites in certain regards. Where one thrived, another might have struggled, and vice versa. My role was to help each of them navigate their respective challenges while also navigating my own competition.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to do it alone. We had two other members of The Pack on-site; Chris and Marley. They played a pivotal role in supporting us all throughout the weekend. This team dynamic across the group, coaches and athletes alike, was nothing short of a success.
Competition is necessary to elevate your process. By stepping onto the competition floor, you surround yourself with people who want more for themselves and will demand the most out of you in that domain. Lining up shoulder to shoulder with your peers can be a scary experience. You are putting yourself out there in front of people you don’t know, and you may or may not rise to the occasion. The raw and borderline animalistic nature of the arena forces growth. You will feel things that are impossible to recreate in training. Competition inherently raises the standard of your execution. You will observe what the best in the field can do and if you are prepared and willing, you can also show them what you are capable of, too. The experience is priceless and it will change you.
This weekend left me feeling so proud. My athletes were able to push themselves, see new heights of their potential, and share these moments with one another. Shared experiences will inevitably create lasting bonds that will weather many more trials and tribulations beyond this weekend. As for The Peski Pair, CJ and I went on to win the competition overall. Obviously, that is a highlight as well, but it was just the icing on the cake. This story is not about the outcome; it is about the pursuit.
We are a pack of athletes who are more than just a group of individuals. We share common values and ideals. We pick each other up and dust each other off, and will continue to grow together through the pursuit of competition.
“The Sky Is Always Bigger Than The Clouds.”
Gelong Thubten
