No training this weekend

I'm sitting in the Qantas Club lounge in Sydney waiting for our plane to Port Macquarie. From there we drive to Camden Haven and then Judy does a gig with Ami Williamson tonight. So, no training this morning - which is kind of good and kind of scary because I realised that it's only 10 weeks until we leave - and 12 before the Games start...

And I will be having a bit of a break from training next week because I will be attending the AIJA international conference on non-adversarial justice which is being held in Melbourne. I'm giving a paper on Friday - got the worst spot possible in the program - in the last slot of the day on the last day...

I'm Not So Good at Losing

Last week I was beaten by a 13 year old... (7-5 in a tie break).

Tonight we won the doubles but I couldn't hold serve and lost my singles 6-4. I just couldn't crack my opponent. Really really really frustrating!!  I don't think  I played badly - she was a better player but that doesn't deal with my fragile tennis ego!!!!!

Still, I take what I did do well. I attacked her backhand pretty successfully and got a few drop shots going. Just wait until next week!

Judy and I are going to NSW on Saturday - Judy's got a gig at Camden Haven so no training on Saturday morning. Instead I get to warm up my entourage-of-one act. For any readers who don't know about Judy Small - check out  Judy's website. 

Judy is often surprised that I still like going to her gigs but I get quite a buzz out of them - she has great fans and I've had the privilege of meeting some extraordinary people because of her music and I've got to hear some tuly wonderful music.

Next  Thursday I hope to report victory... just got to keep training...

Dear Tim

I saw Tim the Physio and it would appear that I have pinched the cartilage in my right knee so I've been doing what I've been told and have rested it, taken anti-inflammatories, and iced it and it's still sore! Sorry Tim but I think I'll be coming back to see you on Friday with a sore knee!

But on a brighter note, I've been making a home movie about my assault on the Gay Games. I've got some very simple movie making software and I've been having some fun with it. Can't really write a script for it though cos I don't know how it's going to end.

And now as the weather gets colder, I just want to eat chocolate......

100 days to go...

Yep, that's right - we're now in the final countdown to Cologne - 100 days until the Opening Ceremony. I'e trained pretty hard this week and the tennis is definitely improving (albeit I was beaten by a 12 year old last night 6-5).

Still, when you consider that I had been for a walk with Ev and then had walked pretty much consistently from 8.00am-4.30pm touring 6of Melbourne's prisons (it's a long story) and then played tennis, I am not too unhappy.

I am really pleased that the volcano in Iceland appears to be settling down - the last time it erupted there were explosions for six months...

Still, I am sure that with sufficient notice we coudl find alternative ways to get into Europe - perhaps via Rome. Still it's good that it ppears that we won't need to worry about that.

I've been making a little home movie about my Gay Games experience and that's been actually very useful. I've now got some footage of me playing tennis and I can see how I hit the ball. Hmm, I don't really run all that much - more brisk walking to the ball rather heavily.

No training tomorrow - my right knee is very sore (and clicking ominously) and I'm going to rest it.

Gamesmanship

I played tennis at Melbourne Park in the Tennis World regular Thursday evening social competition. My usual tennis partner, Kate, wasn't able to play so I dragooned Rae in since we need more practice playing together. In retrospect, I wish I had realised that this was a team (of two) style comp and then Rae and I could have had weekly practice... but anyway... I digress.

I won my singles (6-3) and we were playing the doubles when Rae hit a lovely cross court volley - which ended up a bit close to the net player who took great umbrage. Apologies were offered since Rae had no intention to hit the ball at her but was angling for that part of the court behind her. So we had sullen looks as we went on to win the doubles (6-3). And the thing I noticed was that we started playing more softly - and you know, there isn't really a "nice" way to play tennis although you can play nastily - ie by cheating on line-calls or by over-hammering a much weaker player - and we were not doing any of that. But I'll be damned if I'll be put off playing a proper shot because the opponent is glaring at me or sulking because she couldn't hit a winner!

Then Rae was up to play singles. Just as she was starting the first game, a friend of her opponent wandered casually onto the court and started chatting - literally between first and second serves. This continues all throughout the first game which Rae lost. At the end of that game we both asked the friend not to talk during points - well you would have thought that we were the nastiest people on the planet. Her opponent went on to win the second game because Rae was well and truly put off. But to her credit she got the upper hand and won the next six games in a row to win the set.

The ant/spider bite continues to be a bit of a pain. The steroids have started to work and the inflammation is well down but the patch where I scratched it too hard is an open graze, sore and right on the spot where my tennis shoe hits the skin - ow.

I'm planning on starting to do some videoing now of our training - we're off to Europe in only a little over 13 weeks. That sort of sounds like a long time but is scarily imminent for me.

Reflections on Shepparton

Ok - so here are the things I've taken from Shep.

Winning is fun but it's ok to be beaten by a better player.
My backhand is stable - not a killer shot but ok under pressure
I can move around the court faster than I used to but I need to get quicker (which means getting thinner).
My cross court forehand in the doubles is a goooood shot.
I need to warm up better.
Tennis with friends is the best

The Big Prepartory Tournament

And so, we return from the Shepparton Lawn Tennis Club Easter tournament. I entered the D grade singles (lost 4-8 to one of the eventual semi-finalists); D Grade doubles (lost 4-8 to a pair including someone who played B grade singles); C grade doubles - 8-0 in the second round then lost 5-8 in the quarter finals.

The Ace Girls had won (at the last time I knew the score) the D grade singles - go Gina and the Plate singles (woo hoo Nadine).

Had a real blast playing with Denise. We make a pretty good team - a good match in temperament and a never say die attitude.

And it was great feeling like the work I'm doing on my fitness is finally  paying dividends. The only problem was the insect/spider bite on my left ankle that I got nearly three weeks ago - huge rash around my ankle, swelling and the kind of itch that makes you want to scratch your foot off! Two hours at the Epworth and now I have cortico-steroids to try.

It's only 14 weeks to go until we leave for Europe. So now we are in the final countdown. Time to get really serious...