My strained muscle or whatever it is felt better this morning and I did some lifting at the health club, still staying with low weights where I could go through the entire range of motion slowly and fluidly for a couple of sets at high reps. I still couldn't reach my toes comfortably. I really don't know what exactly is injured; it could be a hip-joint problem, a strained hamstring, or even a variant of my sciatica.
It was a high-energy night at fencing, with all the competitive fencers gearing up for Summer Nationals. Dave was back--apparently he lost a toenail and had a virus, plus work heated up--and also Ben, Tate, big Michelle, Ella, Meng, and Jessi1. Tony decided to join the club, so we'll be seeing him more regularly. I fenced Ben, Michelle, Ella, Dave, and Jessi1, for the most part successfully avoiding aggravating my muscle strain or whatever it is, and I avoided Tony because I tend to react to his excitable style. Part way through the last bout, with Jessi1, however, my foot slipped a little and boy howdy it hurt. I stopped and shook hands with Jess, and decided not to take a lesson with Mark.
Mark asked me how the weekend went, and I gave him a quick precis. He asked me why I happened to get so sharp at this point. I said that I knew I was going to be away from fencing for two weeks, so this was my plan--to sharpen my game in order to peak at the end of June, treat the NZ trip as the down time in the training cycle, and then do another mini-cycle from mid-July to mid-September. I lost weight, lifted, did a lot of walking, and worked on incorporating new things into my game because July and August will be about consolidating, not learning new things. I also went to as many good tournaments as I could. I don't know if it will work, but it makes more sense to peak twice and rebuild from the first peak than to hope I can do it all between July and September.
It will be harder to do the training cycle when I get back because the rest of the club's fencers are for the most part on a Summer Nationals cycle and don't have to ramp things up until September. However, there are two Liberty Cups, a tournament at BCAF, and Keystone State Games, and I plan to go up to Medeo for some bouting on Wednesdays. Mark said, "Why don't you invite them here?" and I laughed and told him he and Ahren were always saying that. The fact is, most people don't want to travel, and they want me to come there for the same reasons Mark wants them to come here. But even if anyone at another club were to benefit from observing and fencing me, even if they learn how to counter my game, I will benefit more in the long run because I will have more competition. I have very little to lose. I know what my goals are and how to get there, I know what's important and what's not, I'm willing to put in the work, I show up and fence, and honest to god that is 90 percent of my success.
Ahren ordered two more pairs of the d'Artagnans I like in my size besides the pair he gave me at the Pomme, and I guess I'll buy both of them because I won't be able to find them again; adidas has discontinued that model, apparently.
06-30-2009 12:24 AM