Limits are Self Imposed

I have been getting a lot of good natured ribbing about purposefully low-balling how I would do in each of the different wods at the competition over the weekend.    I certainly deserve the ribbing and I dont blame them because what I told people what i was aiming for and what I did were dramatically different.   I have been thinking alot about why that was.  Why was I able to perform significantly better in the competition than I did in practice?  What was different?   The adrenalin of the competition is something that if harnessed properly makes a huge difference.  In Norcal I let the adrenalin take over and went out of the gate on two events way too fast and I paid for it in spades.  In the Helen like wod I was sucking wind and got slower and slower.  In the Chipper I completely blew up and had to dig super deep just to not stop.  Both of those really put a hurting on me where as this weekend I started out at a pace that put me behind but allowed me to finish faster and stronger.  In fact when I finished I wasnt even lying on the ground completely wrecked.   The ladder wod was similar as well.   Just staying within myself and using the first bunch of lifts to get loose and try to remain smooth.  What I did learn was that when I met my goal I took the foot off the accelerator.  I had surpassed the weight I thought I could possibly do so I lost the edge necessary.  Tells me that my model is capable of more if I get my brain focused.   A very important lesson.