Is That Really Me?

Today, I saw a picture of myself (it was taken today), and I did a double take, is that really me?  Am I really that small?  Loosing 63 lbs is a big deal, a very big deal.  Even now, after being at my goal weight (ish) for over a year I still have this picture in my head of the old me.  I think it takes a long time to adjust to the new image you have.  I was used to seeing this fat girl staring back at me in the mirror and that image has been in my head for so long its hard to see the "real" me.  The me who weighs 135lbs, the me who can run for 70 minutes non-stop, the me who isn't out of breath anymore, the me who fits into a size 8 pants went from a size 6 TKD uniform to a size 3 (and there's lots of room).  Its a big change!!!

Almonte Taekwon-Do Students at the tournament

Today was the Capital Cup Friendship tournament, I attended today both as a judge and as a competitor, something I haven't done since 2007.  When I last competed in a tournament I was over 200 lbs and a very bad case of plantar fascitis!  Today I was a different person!

All the black belt team pattern competitors

I completed in two divisions, Team Patterns with Paige and Jason and individual patterns.  Now this team we essentially put together Saturday afternoon, Paige and I figured out which pattern we'd do, where the breaks were, and positioning.  We then called Jason up and pretty much told him we were doing a team pattern (at Mr. Marin's request ... school owner) at Sunday's tournament.  We met up early, before the start of the tournament, practiced a few times, but then we were all sent to judge at assorted rings.  The end results from today?  Almonte Taekwon-Do did very well!  I am very proud of all the students and all the students I teach on a regular basis, its a good measure of how I'm doing as an instructor when my students attend tournaments, conduct themselves with honour, and do their best in the ring.

Me & Paige with our medals -- Jason had left by the time I was free to take a picture

In team patterns, we just killed it!  Paige, Jason and I won the gold medal!!!  However in individual patterns I didn't do so well, I made a mistake and ended up with a bronze medal.