Miami in October...
No one told me it was going to be so freaking hot!!!! Anyway....
I have returned from what could possibly be one of the biggest disappointments of my life. Let's start at the beginning:
Thursday- I had to fly down there in the middle of Tropical Storm Tammy. Yay. The turbulence was horrendous, and the flight was delayed about 45 minutes. I finally got into bed at my hotel around 1:30 AM, with a 7AM check-in looming around the corner.
Friday- I fenced about as well as expected in Div. III epee. I won 1 bout in my pool and lost anoth 5-4. Ok. No big deal. Lost my first DE 15-13. Bummer, but still not really worried about it. I had never fenced a NAC in epee before, so I had no expectations. I had a good time, and got to fence some new people. (And the girl who won it was from NC, so yay!)
Saturday- Div. III women's saber. I was pumped. I was ready. I had a great attitude going into it. Didn't care if I brought home a medal or not, but I was fencing well, and was hoping to make the top 16. I made plans to meet with another fencer for some warm-ups, and found out once I got there that she was the #1 seed. No worries. She was a really great girl and paid me a huge compliment when she said something about being "glad to have someone at her tempo to warm up with." That made me feel really good, and I couldn't wait to get started with the day.
The pool- In the first bout of my saber pool, the other girl was chasing me down, and all of a sudden, I was flat on my back. Somehow, I got tripped up and the next thing I knew, I was looking up at about 4 people standing over me. They kept asking if I was ok, and all I could think was, "You're a saber fencer, shake it off and finish this!" So I tried. I went 2-3 in the pool. I was so dazed and out of it, that I was on my last bout before I really felt anything. My hip (which apparently I had landed on when I fell), was starting to throb, and my back didn't feel great either. I couldn't change direction quickly without serious pain. Not good. I went to the trainer, iced it down, and just kept thinking, "It's alright, you'll just have to take the back door in."
When it was time for the DE I could barely move. I just kept telling myself that I could get past it, that it would go away.......until I tried to change direction and fell again, crashing the very same hip into the strip again. Again, everyone was around me asking if I was alright, and if I needed my ten minute injury time out. It was so surreal. It was almost like I was floating above the room, watching the unbelievable scene below me. I finished the bout right away, but only scored a couple more points. I think I lost it 15-8.
Today- I'm pretty beat up. My hip and one side of my butt are a really nasty purple color, and I'm incredibly sore. Will I survive? Of course, but I haven't been this dissappointed about a fencing tournament in a long time. I hate blaming the whole thing on injury. I watch my teammates bounce back from stuff like that every day. Then, someone reminded me....I'm not 16 anymore. >:(
My warm-up partner, on the other hand, made the top 8. I was so excited for her, and maybe next time I can be on that podium with her.
Other than the dissappointment, it was a great trip. I met a ton of new people, had some great touches, and got to see the screwless epee tips close up......among other things.
I've got to take a few days off, but I'm going to make up for this whole experience in Atlanta.
I have returned from what could possibly be one of the biggest disappointments of my life. Let's start at the beginning:
Thursday- I had to fly down there in the middle of Tropical Storm Tammy. Yay. The turbulence was horrendous, and the flight was delayed about 45 minutes. I finally got into bed at my hotel around 1:30 AM, with a 7AM check-in looming around the corner.
Friday- I fenced about as well as expected in Div. III epee. I won 1 bout in my pool and lost anoth 5-4. Ok. No big deal. Lost my first DE 15-13. Bummer, but still not really worried about it. I had never fenced a NAC in epee before, so I had no expectations. I had a good time, and got to fence some new people. (And the girl who won it was from NC, so yay!)
Saturday- Div. III women's saber. I was pumped. I was ready. I had a great attitude going into it. Didn't care if I brought home a medal or not, but I was fencing well, and was hoping to make the top 16. I made plans to meet with another fencer for some warm-ups, and found out once I got there that she was the #1 seed. No worries. She was a really great girl and paid me a huge compliment when she said something about being "glad to have someone at her tempo to warm up with." That made me feel really good, and I couldn't wait to get started with the day.
The pool- In the first bout of my saber pool, the other girl was chasing me down, and all of a sudden, I was flat on my back. Somehow, I got tripped up and the next thing I knew, I was looking up at about 4 people standing over me. They kept asking if I was ok, and all I could think was, "You're a saber fencer, shake it off and finish this!" So I tried. I went 2-3 in the pool. I was so dazed and out of it, that I was on my last bout before I really felt anything. My hip (which apparently I had landed on when I fell), was starting to throb, and my back didn't feel great either. I couldn't change direction quickly without serious pain. Not good. I went to the trainer, iced it down, and just kept thinking, "It's alright, you'll just have to take the back door in."
When it was time for the DE I could barely move. I just kept telling myself that I could get past it, that it would go away.......until I tried to change direction and fell again, crashing the very same hip into the strip again. Again, everyone was around me asking if I was alright, and if I needed my ten minute injury time out. It was so surreal. It was almost like I was floating above the room, watching the unbelievable scene below me. I finished the bout right away, but only scored a couple more points. I think I lost it 15-8.
Today- I'm pretty beat up. My hip and one side of my butt are a really nasty purple color, and I'm incredibly sore. Will I survive? Of course, but I haven't been this dissappointed about a fencing tournament in a long time. I hate blaming the whole thing on injury. I watch my teammates bounce back from stuff like that every day. Then, someone reminded me....I'm not 16 anymore. >:(
My warm-up partner, on the other hand, made the top 8. I was so excited for her, and maybe next time I can be on that podium with her.
Other than the dissappointment, it was a great trip. I met a ton of new people, had some great touches, and got to see the screwless epee tips close up......among other things.
I've got to take a few days off, but I'm going to make up for this whole experience in Atlanta.
posted by Karen @ 14:27
1 Comments:
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