| South Bend Oh, well. Day 1 went fine, though what with this and that the intensity of the first-day pool was equal to that of a second-day pool a year ago. I ruined someone's day by beating a higher seed in a DE to get into the next day.
Day 2, however, was the day I discovered that the nagging hip pain I've been having from time to time was no longer nagging, but shouting and throwing things, a full-blown injury. (The two massage therapists I saw at different moments said things like "rotator" and "micro-tear.") I had the WONderful experience of fencing one of those grim second-day pools while doing nothing but taking two steps back, putting line, and standing there.
I DID almost beat one of my distinguished opponents (she finished in the top 16) doing that, to her complete disgust.
The women's sabre was a GROUP A-8 ALL BY ITSELF!!!!!!!! Oh, my, God. I can't believe we've come this far. I remember when we got our first 8 A's EVER at the first Division I Nationals. Holy magurk.
Other notes: Lessee: I forgot how slow, disorganized, and goofy eating dinner can be at the Marriott, even though I think I've been there four times.
There was a prom one night in the venue and the kids looked adorable, with the scrungy fencers as unsettling contrast. One young couple drifted in to watch the fencing at one point and they seemed like a different species.
I had my shoes tested for explosives and was patted down in the South Bend airport, and was sent back from security to the ticket line in Philadelphia because I had forgotten my overnight kit had manicure tools in it.
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I never made a mistake in grammar but one in my life and as soon as I done it I seen it. -- Carl Sandburg |