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All said and done


That is me and my coaches El and Roland after winning my most recent fight at Barbarian FC.  That smile is relief not just happiness of winning.  When I train, I like a schedule and things the way I am used to.  I know what works for me and I will repeat it.  I learn what doesn't work and I tweak it.  I've in essence had 3 cancelled fights this year and was going on 8 months of no fights.  I was starting to worry about ring rust.  So when our head coach Jeremy called with a fight, I took it.  On 19 days notice.  I also only 5 days with my coaches before I got on a plane to spend 10 days in Montana.  Prepping for my grandmothers memorial and burial. Surrounded by family and good food.  With no for sure training lined up.  The training I could find was about an hours drive from my grandpa.  And my grandpa doesn't believe in cooking at home.  And what he does do at home is anything but helpful towards cutting weight.  But I took the fight.  Knowing the battle wouldn't be in the cage, it would be every day leading up to it.  I also had to be strong for my grandfather.  I had seen him cracking over the last few months and knew how much he needed someone to be there for him.  Though I know I struggle in the last few days of a training cycle due to lack of sleep, lots of work and dieting all culminating in general stress about a fight.  I brought as much with me as I could but still made at least 15 trips to different grocery stores (for once I am not telling a fish story).  I spent at least 2-3 hours a day driving.  I never got to have some of my favorite items from Montana including Double Front Chicken, Fireside Pizza or pretty much anything my Auntie cooks.  Despite burning all my leave, it didn't feel like a vacation.  I am sure I annoyed everyone of my coaches.  I would email them what I had done.  Partly to keep myself accountable but also because about once a day I was sure I couldn't do it.  That I was going to break down and eat Lucky Charms or waffles.  I took an overnight flight home only to have my biggest and most important meeting of the month the day I got back.  When I'm dehydrated and not eating much.  Excellent planning again.  Then the woman that usually braids my hair wasn't available.  I know that doesn't seem like a big deal to you but as I said, I like everything the same.  So the big day and I have two different coaches.  Who have coached me together before but not for MMA and not in oh 11 months.  Just one more thing to throw off my routine.  But at the end of the day I got the W. It wasn't how I would have liked to have done it but the result was the same.  Eventually I settled in and owned the night.  There are so many things I learned this cycle but for me, a person who is stuck in my routines and schedule, its that I can pretty much throw it all out the window and still win.        

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