08/12/2022
Ok so here we go. Almost one week post fight and I think I finally have the words to describe my Build a Fighter experience. It’s a long one, so bare with me. 🫣🤣
Unfortunately it wasn’t a win in the ring, but none the less it was a win for ME. This experience has been one I never could have prepared for. It has taught me resilience and respect. I’ve felt emotions I didn’t know were possible and realised that this is a much more emotional sort than I ever would have anticipated. But I’m proud just for getting in the ring. That is a win in itself. It’s not an easy task to do.
Stuck too inside my head in the first round, it was a clear loss. However once I realised I was in a fight and not sparring (just coz it wasn’t already blatantly obvious right? 🤷♀️🤦♀️🤣) I came out stronger and stronger as the match progressed, and THAT is what I’m proud of. That I didn’t give up. That I didn’t say to myself, well she’s won this what’s the point. She’s stronger than me. She’s better than me. You know all the negative self talk that creeps inside your head at times like this. Especially when you are pushing your body to its limits, your brain just wants to save you, so what better way than making you give up right?
Well not today brain!
I had trained and sacrificed way too much to do that.
When I started at Gen’Dai Thaiboxing at the beginning of the year, it was a very stressful and emotional time in my life. But from the second I stepped into Louis’s gym I was instantly made to feel part of the family.
I was going to 1 class a week, sometimes 2. I remember saying how I’d love to consistently go 2 maybe even 3 times a week but I just didn’t see how I could fit it in on top of work and kids. It felt like a wish that just wasn’t possible. After watching team mates and now friends/family Julia and Allan, fight in the first B2F, I decided then that I wanted to fight also and let’s just say when I decide I want something, I will always find a way. 😜 So knew I needed to find a way to get there at least 4 times a week so I could prove to Louis I could do it. (There’s a whole other story surrounding this which maybe I’ll save for another day lol) So I restructured my routine, put some things in place and got there. Then, when I was put forward, I was told I needed to now train 5-6 times a week with PT’s and do my own thing on top of that! It took support from my amazing partner Andrew, sacrifices and support from my kids, support from my employees and friends, but I did it, plus some!
So moral of the story is, that I wasn’t about to lay down and give up, when everyone else had done so much to help me get there and I had worked so hard.
Louis, and all the amazing people that go to Gen’dai reignited a spark in me that I thought I’d lost and I will be forever grateful. Louis is an amazing coach and mentor and has no one else’s interests other than yours. He’s inclusive, extremely knowledgeable and makes you feel like you can do anything - skies the limit. And he’s absolutely right. You just gotta put a little faith in yourself.
So that’s that. Practice is over. Time to get real. You’ll see me in the ring again multiple times next year and I won’t messing about this time! Bring on 2023!! 🥊💪
If you’ve taken the time to read this to the end, I thank you. If you’re interested, here’s the link to watch the fight for yourself if you missed it on the night as the live stream was quite glitchy.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR1bZ6hFlIRlq50RecMTXdq_hUAkciYevintsHXplOXf_3FTtmgwojYCVZw&v=XcKfILzcerA&feature=youtu.be&mibextid=Zxz2cZ
Thankyou to everyone who showed their support no matter how small.
And also a huge Thankyou to Kat Cowan for jumping in the ring with me. You’re a champ. Much respect 🙏
