Slippers

Training has been gradually getting more and more tense. Less hard, true, but more focused on things that we'd find opponents using: takedowns, leg grabs, one-armed drop throws. It's very worrying, to tell you the truth - I find it a lot easier to deal when I'm focusing on my own techniques - not theirs - plus I've got this perpetual sweater on me throughout training to lose weight.

Yes, you heard right. I'm on a diet. No carbs at night, lots of running in the evenings, aerobic exercises. I lost 3 kg in 2 hours the last competition, but those two hours were spent running with four layers of clothing (one of which being a garbage bag cut out Flintstone style). And I'm not allowed ice cream. Or cream buns. Or donuts. (Okay yeah I did eat one UFO, but that doesn't count because it was in the afternoon right right right?!)

As I received the parental release forms at the end of training today Sensei looked up and frowned. "This is your first Nationals, isn't it?"

"Yeah ..."

"Right. There are two things you have to remember bringing. Very important."

"Uhhuh ..." I leaned forward. Have to admit I was thinking of painkillers and romance novels and protein shakes here, but that's beside the point.

"Two things, ya," Sensei said, counting them off on the digits of his hand, "1: Shoes. 2: Slippers."

I blinked. "Slippers."

"Yes."

"Uhr ... why ... again?"

"Oh, for the contest arena. Then you can get on and off the mat easily, without troubling yourself with shoes. We all wear them."

And for a brief instance I had a flash of a huge stadium, glaring downlights, and lots and lots of black belters by the sidelines.

Gulp.