Player ready... Fight

         I find there is both a sense of excitement mixed with apprehension when it comes to the Tiger Challenge.  Excitement for the competition, to show off where I'm at, and to see my fellow classmates demonstrate their skills.  Apprehension for some of the same reasons.  I know that the only person that I should truly be in competition with is myself.  However, being judged and put on a microscope isn't my favourite thing either.  Trying to keep it in perspective of what it is the challenge is about, but there is still that fear.

        I've been working hard at my forms, trying to improve the areas I know I've been struggling with.  Polishing them up so they look all shiny for the competition.  Having said that, I don't know what I look like when performing, because I tend to focus on feel.  Problem with that is that things might feel good, but may not look good.

        Board breaking is something else that always causes me a little bit of anxiety.  I have no doubt in my mind that I can break a board.  That is not my hang-up.  What I struggle with is creating the flow from one board to the next.  It is in the transitions I find where things go awry, and that's when a board won't break.  I am aiming for a 4 board break again.  Mainly because I want to challenge myself.

Numbers:

Km's- 1155 km's ran/walked/hiked

AOK's- 405

PU/SU's- 17,264

DMH- 238

Monk Spade- 238

Sparring- 323 mins

        On a lighter note, my wife and I have booked our flights to Halifax in October for our 5 year anniversary.  Been doing well at making time for each other a couple times a month.  We're pretty excited for this trip.  She was born in Halifax, so she'll be my tour guide.  I've never been to the Easy coast, so looking forward to creating some lovely memories with her while getting to visit someplace new.