#5 Indianapolis Open

Indianapolis, Indiana

My only opponent this tournament was the scale.  No one in my bracket and no one in open class.  I PR'd weighing in at a new low of 149.8.  Almost 3 lbs under the max.  Still have my eye set on making light weight, 141.6 lbs, in September. 

The tournament was on the smaller side. I did have a competitor contact me earlier in the week asking if I'd consider going down to the Adult bracket.  She also was a purple belt middle weight, alone in her bracket, looking for a match.  Adult bracket would mean under 30 years old.  I would be giving up about 20 years.  It didn't take me long to decline the request.  Although I'd love to get as many matches as possible, I don't feel fit enough to be competing in younger brackets yet.  Possibly my biggest goal is to not get hurt.  It's important to me to be healthy enough to be able to step on the mats again at the next tournament.  The speed and strength that comes with youth is more risk than I'm willing to take (for now).  I would prefer to have fights but not if it means taking on unnecessary risk.  It was a struggle admitting that to myself.   I want to test myself and have matches, but at the end of the day, I'm a casual competitor on a quest that makes it really important I stay healthy.   I find most people that sign up for these tournaments are way more fit and competitive than I currently am.  It makes sense - IBJJF is one of the most prestigious tournaments around, which also means it's one of the most intimidating.   So I'm not going to find a lot of people like me.  A non-athlete the majority of my life, a little over-weight, and not particularly skilled or strong.  That's OK.  Just like it's OK to not move down in age brackets so I can have a match.  Just like it's OK that my only challenge of the day was making weight.  It's OK to go home with 2 gold medals without actually fighting someone.   I signed up early hoping it would encourage others, and I stepped up willing to fight anyone in my bracket.  When no one else stepped up, I still showed up and am still proud of myself.

Restaurants I Visited:
Kung Fu Tea - Plainfield, IN
Taro slushie with crushed oreo cookies at the bottom.  It was a great sugar infusion, super tasty.  
Mochinut - Plainfield, IN
I'd never had a mochinut before.   I got the ube flavor and found it extremely filling.  Different.  I also had a Japanese cheese on a stick.  It's a mozzarella stick, battered in rice flour and covered in panko then deep fried.  Not amazing. I just found out one of these is coming to my town.
St Elmo's Steakhouse, Indianapolis
I got this recommendation before I left on the trip and made a much-needed reservation.   I was sold when I found out it was where Ron Swanson's bachelor party is held in Season 5 Episode 10 of Parks and Rec.  I had their one and only appetizer, shrimp cocktail.  It was super strong and great.  I then had the South African Lobster Tail.  Which was a little disappointing.   Not very flavorful.  Clearly you should be getting steak here, but I don't eat steak.  I finished with chocolate mousse cake which was wonderful.

Current goals

• Win a bracket

• Score a takedown
  

  Places I visited:
  I actually spent a lot of time in the suburbs primarily Avon, Indiana. I visited with longtime friends from high school and just enjoyed catching up. We did drive around a bit too. I saw the Indy 500 raceway at night, the Indiana War Memorial, Lucus Oil Stadium, and the Soldiers & Sailors Monument.
  
  Upcoming tournaments:
  July 1 Portland, OR
  July 15 Austin, TX
  Sept 1 Master Worlds, Las Vegas 

  <probably September/October for hysterectomy surgery>