The road to Canberra

Nationals is here.
It was barely a month ago that I was laying in the physio room getting treated, thinking that it was going to be impossible to get my body right for the competition. The injury just kept dragging on, doing more (rehab) was actually making things worse and I was continually told to take it easy, to rest.
All the doubt in my mind, the negative thoughts of "my body is not healing the way it used" and "I'm to old for this" weren't helping either.
The frustration of it all was getting me down and I was close to throwing the towel in, resigning to the facts and for the second consecutive year missing Nationals.

Its a difficult road trying to be an "athlete", trying to be the best that you can be. It feels almost like a constantly struggle, slowly pushing myself harder and harder each week. Aiming to be a little faster, a little stronger than the week before. The discipline it takes outside of training. Giving up social events to get enough rest, to do the adequate recovery, of ensuring the diet is sufficient in providing the correct amount of protein and energy.
Then in an instance, one small mistake, one over exertion, one clash of legs and next thing you know your struck down with injury again. That seems to be the roller coaster life of a Taekwondo athlete.

Focusing on the present its easy to forget the road that got me here. Looking back over the years now I can remember many instances of missing training and competitions through injury. The past 24 months has been the most turbulent but on the upside has reaped the most rewards.
I feel this is probably due to me putting more effort in, increasing my training load and along with the added exposure of a dangerous sport, I have become more susceptible to injury.

Of course along with the lows there has been plenty of highs. Such is the nature of life that nothing is permanent and given time no matter what your situation is, be it related to health, relationships or financial, it shall change. My yoga instructor would say be content in the moment. For me it seems things are slowly on the way back up after what seems like a fairly substantial down time.

I think the key to it all is not to loose sight of your goals. Be prepared to do what is necessary, take the set backs on the chin and know that if you persist long enough there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Far from having the best lead up to this competition I'm really quite excited just to be taking part and not having to watch from the stands like last year. That is going to be the real reward for me and any success I may have will just be an added bonus. I still have goals that I'm hoping to achieve such as maintaining ring control, keeping the pressure on and continuing to work on the techniques that score on the Electronic Daedo system.

With only a few days to go now, training has backed right off as physically there is little more that can be done. Ive had a number of light sessions over the past few days, just warming up and practicing a few kicking techniques then finishing with a long stretch / recovery.
On the other hand the mental preparation continues and will do right up until my first match. I have been doing little things like watching some fights of Carlo and some of the world championships. Along with visualizing myself competing, how I'm moving and the techniques I want to use and so forth as I think the power of the mind plays a great role in everything you do. The first step is to believe that you can!