It's time for Nationals

Our very own Team NP Brooke Smith killed it at her very first train to hunt competition on June 3rd in Gilchrist, Oregon. She will be competing amongst the best train to hunt athletes in the nation on July 8th and 9th in Grand Junction, CO.

This is no easy feat for anyone. It takes months of preparation, a strong body, a strong mind and a tremendous amount of willpower. We took a moment to chat with Brooke about where she started, how she got where she is and how she is preparing for the competition of a lifetime. Here is what Brooke had to say:

What inspired you to compete?
I heard of Train to Hunt last summer, and don't really know why it lit a spark inside of me. I had never competed in anything like this before. I am new to archery, so really I am a complete rookie in every aspect.

In the past, I have shown cattle and taken my rat rod to car shows, most anything that I have ever competed in I was judged. In a world where I think to many people are judged, I liked that I had control of the outcome. I was going to get out of Train to Hunt (TTH) what I put into it.  

There are no participation awards, if you work hard and want it bad enough then you will find your spot on the podium. This was also the case in the kid's division which I think is awesome! 

I thought if I can manage to pull this off, I can probably do anything!   

What is your fitness level now compared to when you first started?
I am probably the strongest that I have ever been in my life. I have always been an active person, but not by definition of fitness. I grew up and spent most of my life logging and ranching, so my workouts were changing pipes, bucking hay bales and piling brush.  

I have never been to a gym or been involved in CrossFit. My workouts were just what was involved in a day's work.  

How did you prepare?
October 2016 was when I truly decided that I was going to compete in TTH in 2017. My plan at that time was to train at home. I had a rough idea of what was going to be asked of me at the competition so I was going to use that information to train. I have a friend who competed last year and he gave me some tips on what he felt were important things to focus on.  
 
In November and December, I did a lot of running, leg work and shooting.  

Sometime in January, a friend added me to a Facebook group, the members were either training for TTH or trying to get into better shape for hunting season. I almost left the group because I was intimidated by what these guys were posting. I didn't understand what most of these exercises were, and it seemed like it was way over my head. I played along with the group and went ahead and introduced myself to everyone, explaining my goals and lack of experience in the fitness world.
 
Soon I had a message from Steven Dahn who had seen my post and suggested that I get in touch with Courtney Levesque who had not only competed in 2016 but also won Nationals. I knew who Courtney was through social media and I had watched several of her videos, she is a total badass. We connected and she offered me some great advice on how to prepare and what to expect.
 
It turned out that Steven and Courtney operate a business called Elevation Fitness Training (EFT), after several emails, and text messages I decided to do something I had never done and joined their fitness family.  With a full-time job and my own business, I don't have a lot of extra time. The program fit perfectly with my schedule being that I could work out at home with things that I have. The app clearly explained and demonstrated the exercises that I didn't know so I could do them properly.  

In February I took what for me was a big step and joined EFT. My only regret was not joining sooner. Not only have both Courtney and Steven competed in TTH they are both hunters and fitness instructors.  
 
My workouts from day one were based upon my goals. At the beginning, my workouts were focused on building strength and stamina. Burpee's and more burpees I still don't like them but I am a lot better at them. My workouts range from an hour to an hour and a half four days a week, with a lot of shooting in between and hiking. A lot of my workouts include shooting with an elevated heart rate and from different positions. For example, I may perform 15 get up's, run 400 yards then draw back at a kneeling position stand and shoot. I gathered up enough items that I could simulate the challenge course in my backyard.  

I spent a lot of time running 45 lbs in my pack (I am currently running with 60lbs). I wore holes in a couple of sandbags. At times when I needed to add weight, I put a bag of sugar or a kettlebell in my pack.
 
How are you training for Nationals?
Currently as I prepare for Nationals I am doing a lot of high-intensity workouts. There is going to be quite a big change in elevation in Colorado and I am trying to prepare for that as best I can. I am trying to get to some high elevations around home to workout, I have also invested in an elevation training mask to use to get used to the thinner air.    
 
With nationals, I don't know what to expect, which makes training challenging. There will be three events July 8-9th 2017 but we don't find out what they are until the morning of the 8th for that day and then the evening of the 8th we find out what we have to do on the 9th. So I will just continue to train as hard as I can and not let the unknown get in my head.

How many have you competed in?
Oregon 2017 was my first Train to Hunt, however, it won't be my last one, I am hooked.  My husband has also caught the bug and plans to compete next year.  

What was your favorite part of the competition?
The  comradery has to be at the top of my list. So many like-minded people together to support and cheer each other on. We all have a passion for the outdoors and a love for hunting. At one point someone's release failed during the event and someone else was there to loan him a release so that he could get through. We are all competing, but we are all there for one another. 

I heard stories of how Train to Hunt saved marriages and even lives. It is hard to explain what an amazing thing this is and how it impacts each person in its own special way.     

What was your least favorite part of the competition?
There was nothing about the competition that I didn't like, but one thing I learned at Oregon was that I need to work on my mental game. A couple of times I let things get into my head and it affected my shooting. This competition is just as much mental as physical and you need to be strong in both areas to succeed.  

What have you learned about hunting during this process?
I have learned a lot about myself during this process. Mostly that I can do anything and that 40 isn't too old to try new things. If you don't try you will never know if you can be successful. I have never been an overly confident person or outgoing. Maybe that is why I enjoy hunting so much, it is just you and the animal, no one judging you or pointing out faults. Train to Hunt has brought me out of my shell and I want to share that with everyone.     

How do you think this competition will impact your 2017 hunting season?
I look forward to hunting season this year. I am so much stronger than I was last hunting season. My stamina is much greater than it has ever been. I feel like a can do anything. I am a lot more confident in my shooting. I have only been shooting archery for a year, so last year I was still pretty insecure about it. Bring on September and the mountains, I am looking forward to it.

What advice would you give those who are interested in competing for the first time?
Do It!  I don't care what kind of shape that you are in or how much experience that you have shooting a bow, you need to do it. There was a woman at the Oregon TTH who picked up a bow for the very first time the day before the competition, she got frustrated a few times, but she never gave up and she finished the day with her head held high and a huge amount of respect from every single person who was there.  

If you are interested feel free to contact me, I would love to talk to you. The feeling that you get when you cross the finish line is like no other. The friends that you meet will be ones that you will have for a lifetime and I think it is safe to say that if you do it once you are going to do it a second time. It is empowering, motivating and for some a life changing experience.  

There are not a lot of women who compete in Train to Hunt and I would love to see that change next year. I think it would be awesome to have a large group of women show up and just do it!  You can compete in women's or co-ed team or as an individual.  

Don't be scared of the unknown or that you won't measure up. You just have to go and do it for yourself. Set a goal for you and only focus on you.    

Can you give a little recap of the course and the types of activities you completed? What did the competition consist of?
At Oregon TTH the day started out with a 20 target 3D shoot. We were grouped with the other people that we would be competing against the rest of the day. There were 100 pts possible from the shoot and for every point there would be time added to your run at the end of the day, so the better you shot the better your time would be. Rangefinders were allowed on some targets, but not others. Some of the tricky shots were two shots in 10 seconds, draw back and hold for 30 seconds and shooting from a kneeling position.  

Once the shoot was over then we broke into heats for the challenge course and mountain course. On average there were four people in each heat. We loaded our packs before the event started, for me and my class I had a 30 lbs sandbag in my pack and then I had a 30 lb bag to use for my challenges. Here is how the course played out:

100-foot tire drag
Run 600 yards
Shoot a target @ 30 yards

10-box overs with sandbag
Run 600 yards
Shoot a target @ 30 yards

10-get ups with sandbag
Run 600 yards
Shoot a target @ 30 yards

10-sandbag over the Shoulder
Run 600 yards
Shoot a target @ 30 yards

10-burpees

Put on weighted pack and run 1.2 miles with bow and shoot the two targets along the course. If at any point during the course a shot was missed you had to do burpees before you could continue on. My husband was waiting for me at the last target, and when I could see the finish line there were people cheering me on, yelling my name and telling me that I could do it. As I crossed the line strangers were there to take my pack off and take my bow, they handed me a cold bottle of water and congratulated me. I wanted to cry, I was a bundle of emotions, my best friends made it there to watch me, my family was there cheering me on, my trainers changed their schedule to stay and took turns running with me and giving me pep talks. My husband who put up with my workouts and scheduling things around them was right there by my side before, during and as I finished the race.  

As soon as I caught my breath, we spent the rest of the day cheering for everyone else who crossed the finish line, as they did for me. I showed up that morning only knowing a couple of people, and by the end of the day, I felt like I had a huge loving Train to Hunt family.  

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We are proud to have Brooke as part of our TeamNP family and wish her the best of luck at Nationals! Way to go, Brooke!