So, I won. Umm... yeah.

The International Shotokan Karate Federation's national championship was this weekend. I competed in the collegiate division, as well as the open, individual division. I participated in two events: Kata and Sparring. Sparring is self explanatory. I was eliminated in my first round of individual sparring. But in the collegiate division, (which is restricted to college students,) I took second.

I was like "what?!"

But yeah, then there's Kata, which is basically routines of pre-arranged techniques... Youtube "Shotokan Kata" if you're curious. Or better yet, look up "Gankaku", (in fact, here, though this guy's a bit showboaty for my tastes...) because that's the kata I performed to win first place. Granted, it was only at the college level, but it was the nationals, so... See, I already feel like I'm bragging. I'm actually kind of astonished and confused. It hasn't sunk in yet, I guess. I'm just... dazed. I haven't placed in one of these tournaments since the junior division, and NEVER at the national level. I don't know what to say, really.

Oh, I wrecked my foot. In one of my early sparring matches I went to kick the guy, and he blocked it by quickly lifting his knee up. I jammed my big toe pretty good, and I've been limping around like an old man ever since. It's actually kind of ironic, since this kind of event gets you pumped up for training, and I can barely walk right now. My foot's all swollen and gross, and I can't really move my toe. It was all so worth it though, and if I could feel like this all the time, I'd probably break my toe every day.