So after my embarrassing performance at the Michigan tournament (I go squashed, and could do nothing about it), I hit the mats the very next day and was determined to not have that happen again, or at least, not so badly. I worked hard on getting the underhook from bottom 1/2 guard and keeping from being flattened out. Fast forward a couple weeks and it's time for the Ascension tournament.
This is kind of the unofficial start to tournament season in Ontario. Omar Salvosa runs a great event. Like most tournaments in Ontario, it started a bit late, but ran fairly smoothly once it got going. I think the highlight for me was the amazing rendition of O Canada to open up the tournament. It was something else! I wonder if anyone has video / audio of it. I'd like to see/hear it again sometime.
The girls divisions here were a decent size, and by decent size I mean the existed. In Heavy (163+) we had myself, and Sam Curtis. Jane Poulin ended up joining us after medium heavy turned up empty. A problem I have since remedied by un-fattening myself. Of course, Jane is usually in middle, so It seems medium heavy is quite sparse after all. But that's a problem for another day.
So Jane and Sam fought first, with Jane coming out ahead.
Now, a 3 person division, in the OJA tournaments has a kind of strange setup. the first two people fight. then the loser fights the fresh person, and the winner of that fights the winner of the first. Sometimes, if the loser of the first fight wins that second fight, they just get silver, they don't get a second change at gold. It's a very strange system, but it kind of works. I'm a firm believer in having round robin for a division of 3. I think it's the most fair and will produce the most accurate winner. But, I don't run tournaments, so It's not up to me.
Ok, back to the event. I then fought Sam, and won by arm bar, It was a good match to follow up the atrocity that was Michigan. I even used what I had worked on since then! I love it when I can actually use the stuff I drill. Next up was me Vs Jane. She is so tough and feisty! We had a great match, and I ended up pulling off an arm bar late in the match. I've gotta give major props to Jane for coming up to Heavy weight and fighting my fat ass. I was really heavy back in January!! I think without my big weight advantage, the match would have been even closer!!
I was feeling pretty good, but decided not to do the absolute. I'm really not sure why. I think I was tired, my conditioning wasn't to good, having still been on the comeback trail. My confidence wasn't to high either. I didn't want to ruin my good day by being smashed by people smaller then me. What a horrible attitude. I've since remedied this attitude. there is nothing wrong with losing to smaller people, It's all experience on the road to becoming a better fighter.
One other good thing that came from this event was it began my serious effort into getting back into shape. After seeing some pictures of myself from this fight, and how gigantic my butt looked... man, it wasn't pretty! No more pizza and ice cream 4 or 5 days a week for me haha. I wish I could find those pics to link to here, just for motivation, but I think I un-tagged myself so I wouldn't be embarrassed.
The end.
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