Sorry for being so delayed in getting results to you. I am busy getting ready for the next set of tournaments coming up. My schedule is the following:
Wed-Fri fence at Penn State (just practice)
Saturday leave for San Francisco
Tuesday leave for Seoul, Korea
As you can see, the next week or so is kind of crazy and I am trying to prepare.
In Tucson I took 7th. Not my best result but I have many thoughts about it. It's a good thing that the tournament doesn't count for much.
I have much to talk about in the next blog.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Just a few short notes
I am leaving for Tucson on Friday for the next national fencing event. The Division I women's foil event is on Saturday morning-I am not sure who came up with the 7-8am registration and 8:30am start time.
There will be much to report on Sunday when I get home.
A group of friends from the political campaign and Stanford are helping me put together a fundraiser in Palo Alto at the end of May. For now the info is as follows:
What: BBQ Fundraiser for Olympian and 2008 Olympic Hopeful Iris Zimmermann
When: May 25th afternoon (exact time TBD)
Where: Palo Alto (exact location TBD)
Entry: $20 donation
More information as it comes in.
And last but not least....
BLADES OF GLORY
Sounds like it should be a title for a cheesy fencing movie. Instead, it's the title of the new Will Ferrell flick that I saw this evening. (Going to the movies is part of the "relax before the tournament" plan).
There were a couple of funny scenes but the most hilarious part is how much I felt like I could relate to the premise of this silly movie. I laughed out loud when I realized this movie was about two top skaters coming back to the sport with different mindsets after a three year hiatus. Kind of makes me feel my story has been written before...
If you want to read more about the movie click here.
There will be much to report on Sunday when I get home.
A group of friends from the political campaign and Stanford are helping me put together a fundraiser in Palo Alto at the end of May. For now the info is as follows:
What: BBQ Fundraiser for Olympian and 2008 Olympic Hopeful Iris Zimmermann
When: May 25th afternoon (exact time TBD)
Where: Palo Alto (exact location TBD)
Entry: $20 donation
More information as it comes in.
And last but not least....
BLADES OF GLORY
Sounds like it should be a title for a cheesy fencing movie. Instead, it's the title of the new Will Ferrell flick that I saw this evening. (Going to the movies is part of the "relax before the tournament" plan).
There were a couple of funny scenes but the most hilarious part is how much I felt like I could relate to the premise of this silly movie. I laughed out loud when I realized this movie was about two top skaters coming back to the sport with different mindsets after a three year hiatus. Kind of makes me feel my story has been written before...
If you want to read more about the movie click here.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Recently published articles
Prepare for preparation to prepare
After twenty years of fencing I definitely know how to prepare for a competition, but....
I have to admit that the concept of tapering or "reduced training during the time frame directly preceding an athletic event" has always alluded me. I am not sure if I know how to reduce the amount of workload-I love to train and workout.
Many studies have been done on how much time an athlete should spend working out and physically preparing for a competition. Most of the studies that are done are sports specific or more specific to endurance competitions.
Take for example a marathon runner-since the Boston marathon was just completed. (By the way, what's with the female astronaut running for four hours along with the marathon? Let's talk about overachieving.) A lot about the marathon isn't a mystery-you know exactly how much time it takes to win, you know the track, you know what you feel like when you run long distances, you know how fast and how far you need to run each day leading up to the competition. I bet other long endurance races are similar in that there aren't a ton of mysteries about the race and therefore you can plan your training regimen right up until race day.
However, for sports like fencing where there are a lot of unpredictable factors during competition. The known entities for the fencer are the start time and the weapon they fence, but beyond that there aren't too many certainties about length of competition, who you are going to compete against, and what type of conditions exist at the fencing venue. The most important factor that takes a lot of time and experience for a fencer to figure out is how much should I, personally, train up until the tournament? The Japanese team does footwork in the hallways of the hotel before a world cup and one of my teammates does next to nothing a week before competition. They both do reasonably similar.
From my own twenty years of experience, the week before a competition isn't crucial for learning new things, let alone doing footwork in the hallway of a hotel. To me these types of things are like cramming for a test, it doesn't do anything but make you more nervous. For me, the week before a competition is crucial for mental preparation-of course you can't stop working out altogether, but your mind is the most important factor. If you don't feel like you have the right state of mind going into the competition it may be hard to pull yourself into a positive "in the zone" state once you are in the competition. (Although I have done that in the past as well.)
Again, it's not always easy to gauge exactly what you need before the competition to create a sense of readiness and sometimes you have to just rely on feeling. When I was younger I used to get so stressed out that I would often break down in tears at practice prior to the competition. Before I won cadet world championships at the age of 14, I spent one night after practice crying and sitting by my locker with my teammate Suzie Paxton. And although I don't remember this, Nat told me that I would often take Pepto Bismol before each competition-I must have blocked out that memory.
First of all I am too old to break down in tears anymore and there are better ways to handle mentally preparing for a competition besides breaking down. After working with a sports psychologist for the past few months and experiencing fencing as a "new me", I have come up with a few ways to put myself in a positive state of mind. It's important for me to feel happy and ready for the upcoming challenge. In other words, the more I look forward to being there, the better prepared I feel. This is not an easy concept for me since I was always filled with such dread before each competition-what if I don't win, what if I don't perform or do the right things, what if, what if.
The thing about veteran athletes is that they don't believe in the what if's and the second guessing. They just believe in themselves and aren't afraid to face competition and any of the uncertainties that come with it. Casey once told me something along the lines of, "At competition all the work is done and all that is left is to let yourself enjoy the experience."
So, here is to enjoying the experience and taking some time to rest/relax and blog.
An aside:
By now I am sure that everyone has been inundated by stories about the senseless acts that happened at Virginia Tech yesterday morning. I would like to send out my condolences to the students, staff, family, and friends of the students of the University who had to experience this tragedy.
I have to admit that the concept of tapering or "reduced training during the time frame directly preceding an athletic event" has always alluded me. I am not sure if I know how to reduce the amount of workload-I love to train and workout.
Many studies have been done on how much time an athlete should spend working out and physically preparing for a competition. Most of the studies that are done are sports specific or more specific to endurance competitions.
Take for example a marathon runner-since the Boston marathon was just completed. (By the way, what's with the female astronaut running for four hours along with the marathon? Let's talk about overachieving.) A lot about the marathon isn't a mystery-you know exactly how much time it takes to win, you know the track, you know what you feel like when you run long distances, you know how fast and how far you need to run each day leading up to the competition. I bet other long endurance races are similar in that there aren't a ton of mysteries about the race and therefore you can plan your training regimen right up until race day.
However, for sports like fencing where there are a lot of unpredictable factors during competition. The known entities for the fencer are the start time and the weapon they fence, but beyond that there aren't too many certainties about length of competition, who you are going to compete against, and what type of conditions exist at the fencing venue. The most important factor that takes a lot of time and experience for a fencer to figure out is how much should I, personally, train up until the tournament? The Japanese team does footwork in the hallways of the hotel before a world cup and one of my teammates does next to nothing a week before competition. They both do reasonably similar.
From my own twenty years of experience, the week before a competition isn't crucial for learning new things, let alone doing footwork in the hallway of a hotel. To me these types of things are like cramming for a test, it doesn't do anything but make you more nervous. For me, the week before a competition is crucial for mental preparation-of course you can't stop working out altogether, but your mind is the most important factor. If you don't feel like you have the right state of mind going into the competition it may be hard to pull yourself into a positive "in the zone" state once you are in the competition. (Although I have done that in the past as well.)
Again, it's not always easy to gauge exactly what you need before the competition to create a sense of readiness and sometimes you have to just rely on feeling. When I was younger I used to get so stressed out that I would often break down in tears at practice prior to the competition. Before I won cadet world championships at the age of 14, I spent one night after practice crying and sitting by my locker with my teammate Suzie Paxton. And although I don't remember this, Nat told me that I would often take Pepto Bismol before each competition-I must have blocked out that memory.
First of all I am too old to break down in tears anymore and there are better ways to handle mentally preparing for a competition besides breaking down. After working with a sports psychologist for the past few months and experiencing fencing as a "new me", I have come up with a few ways to put myself in a positive state of mind. It's important for me to feel happy and ready for the upcoming challenge. In other words, the more I look forward to being there, the better prepared I feel. This is not an easy concept for me since I was always filled with such dread before each competition-what if I don't win, what if I don't perform or do the right things, what if, what if.
The thing about veteran athletes is that they don't believe in the what if's and the second guessing. They just believe in themselves and aren't afraid to face competition and any of the uncertainties that come with it. Casey once told me something along the lines of, "At competition all the work is done and all that is left is to let yourself enjoy the experience."
So, here is to enjoying the experience and taking some time to rest/relax and blog.
An aside:
By now I am sure that everyone has been inundated by stories about the senseless acts that happened at Virginia Tech yesterday morning. I would like to send out my condolences to the students, staff, family, and friends of the students of the University who had to experience this tragedy.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
the downside
There aren't many downsides to training for the Olympics but I am definitely in the middle of a downside this weekend-or more appropriately April 16th, tax day.
Unfortunately, the life of an elite athlete in a sport that doesn't involve a ball being thrown around is not a lucrative one. The USOC grants are wonderful until tax day because taxes aren't taken out of the grant until the day you pay taxes and the amount that you are given do not cover the costs of the taxes you have to pay. It's quite the catch-22. The upside, the USFA just provided a results grant to the women's foil team for about $1,000, but I can't cash in because the fencing assocation is having cash flow problems. Hmmm....
This money complaint is fast becoming my new favorite country song, I just need a truck and a dog. Someone recently wrote a check to me through GRAAF, but it turns out the guy who writes the checks at the non-profit has been "out" for about a month. I don't know where he is but I can't even leave him a message on his machine anymore because it's full.
Shall I go on? How about, I feel as though while I am training for the Olympics I feel extremely pressured by all the money I owe for medical bills, taxes, and other bills. I think April 16th is a rough day for everyone but just know that it isn't any easier for an Olympian. I can't tell you how many bills I have stacking up in the corner for medical expenses from x-rays to the cast that was on my hand a few months ago. The US Fencing Association was supposed to pick up the tab for that but their insurance company told me I have a $500 deductible-which means they are only responsible for $200 of the total bill. Great, thanks.
I am not really looking for sympathy so much as a solution. Hopefully I will come through with something before I mail those thick tax return envelopes on Monday.
Good luck to everyone else this tax season.
Unfortunately, the life of an elite athlete in a sport that doesn't involve a ball being thrown around is not a lucrative one. The USOC grants are wonderful until tax day because taxes aren't taken out of the grant until the day you pay taxes and the amount that you are given do not cover the costs of the taxes you have to pay. It's quite the catch-22. The upside, the USFA just provided a results grant to the women's foil team for about $1,000, but I can't cash in because the fencing assocation is having cash flow problems. Hmmm....
This money complaint is fast becoming my new favorite country song, I just need a truck and a dog. Someone recently wrote a check to me through GRAAF, but it turns out the guy who writes the checks at the non-profit has been "out" for about a month. I don't know where he is but I can't even leave him a message on his machine anymore because it's full.
Shall I go on? How about, I feel as though while I am training for the Olympics I feel extremely pressured by all the money I owe for medical bills, taxes, and other bills. I think April 16th is a rough day for everyone but just know that it isn't any easier for an Olympian. I can't tell you how many bills I have stacking up in the corner for medical expenses from x-rays to the cast that was on my hand a few months ago. The US Fencing Association was supposed to pick up the tab for that but their insurance company told me I have a $500 deductible-which means they are only responsible for $200 of the total bill. Great, thanks.
I am not really looking for sympathy so much as a solution. Hopefully I will come through with something before I mail those thick tax return envelopes on Monday.
Good luck to everyone else this tax season.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Relax?
Today I went to the doctor for my annual physical. I believe I passed with flying colors. She asked me several questions about my health, do I smoke, do I drink, etc. Of course I said no and then she came to the question, do you do physical exercise on a regular basis? She then paused, looked at me, and we both laughed out loud. I guess that's a yes, she said.
And that wasn't even the funniest part of the whole exam (you can find laughter in anything, especially when you're wearing a hospital gown). The doc sat me at the end of the table and then proceeded to do the reflex test. You know the test, the one where they take a triangular rubber thing attached to the end of a stick and they hit various places to produce a reflex. I haven't failed at many things in my life but this is one instance where I never produce a reflex.
I don't think she has ever done this test on me so she was puzzled when she didn't get a reaction. She tried the other knee, then my elbow, then my wrist, and then furrowed her brow.
The doc: Relax, Iris.
Me: I am relaxed (I'm sort of nervous and shouting-yeah right I'm relaxed).
The doc: Um, well, we should talk.
Me: (Nervously-of course I am nervous, I am in a hospital gown) About what?
Doc: So, what do you do for fun?
Me: I don't know. (Should I have a good answer for this?)
Doc: You don't know? Do you do something other than fencing that is just something you do for you know, F-U-N?
Me: Fencing is the fun?
Doc: You know what relaxation is? Don't you?
Me: Sure I know what it is. I started playing piano a few months ago, but I was starting to get frustrated that I couldn't practice more often to play the songs more fluidly. It was stressful. Oh yeah, and when I was living in California I used to do bollywood dancing for fun. Yeah, they fitted me for an outfit the first day and when I couldn't get the steps after a few weeks, I quit. It was stressful.
Now that the conversation is written out I understand why my doctor responded with pure and deep laughter. I mean, the laughter just came from her toes to her stomach and out her mouth as a loud raucous laugh. This laughter wasn't really about picturing me doing bollywood dancing, but this laughter was about my inability to feel relaxed.
This got me thinking. The reality is that I wake up each day with the Olympics on my mind and questions for myself-am I doing enough? Will I win the next competition? If I do more of x will this help me become the best fencer? Did I get enough sleep? Should I eat more, should I eat less? You should hear these crazy conversations and questions I ask myself each day all for the sake of being the best I can be as a fencer.
At some point I accepted these questions because this is my life and didn't see it as stress but just part of an everyday routine. However, sometimes without realizing, the questioning and the drive to excel can become overwhelming. I really think there is something to be said about rejuvenating the mind, body, and soul through doing things just for the sake of doing things.
This isn't to say that I am stressed out, but I think it's important to acknowledge that rest can sometimes do more good than getting back on that treadmill for an hour. Sometimes the mind just needs a day off. Which I ended up doing today thanks to the doctor. I called up some friends and just hung out, talked about nothing in particular, and enjoyed a nice tall glass of milk and chocolate cake (it's on the diet...not really...but it was so good and felt relaxing).
In the long term relaxation plan I'm thinking about taking up pottery, painting, or some form of artwork when the season is over because I know that I am hands down the worst artist out there. Maybe knowing that I will never be good at it may be an effective way to find something that I won't try and overachieve at. If you ever met an Olympian, you will know that they never want to lose at anything so finding something to just do for the sake of doing is a little difficult.
So, that being said about me, what have you done to relax today? This week? This month? (Don't make me ask this year.) If nothing else you can try my doctor's prescription, just take a deep breath. Take as needed.
And that wasn't even the funniest part of the whole exam (you can find laughter in anything, especially when you're wearing a hospital gown). The doc sat me at the end of the table and then proceeded to do the reflex test. You know the test, the one where they take a triangular rubber thing attached to the end of a stick and they hit various places to produce a reflex. I haven't failed at many things in my life but this is one instance where I never produce a reflex.
I don't think she has ever done this test on me so she was puzzled when she didn't get a reaction. She tried the other knee, then my elbow, then my wrist, and then furrowed her brow.
The doc: Relax, Iris.
Me: I am relaxed (I'm sort of nervous and shouting-yeah right I'm relaxed).
The doc: Um, well, we should talk.
Me: (Nervously-of course I am nervous, I am in a hospital gown) About what?
Doc: So, what do you do for fun?
Me: I don't know. (Should I have a good answer for this?)
Doc: You don't know? Do you do something other than fencing that is just something you do for you know, F-U-N?
Me: Fencing is the fun?
Doc: You know what relaxation is? Don't you?
Me: Sure I know what it is. I started playing piano a few months ago, but I was starting to get frustrated that I couldn't practice more often to play the songs more fluidly. It was stressful. Oh yeah, and when I was living in California I used to do bollywood dancing for fun. Yeah, they fitted me for an outfit the first day and when I couldn't get the steps after a few weeks, I quit. It was stressful.
Now that the conversation is written out I understand why my doctor responded with pure and deep laughter. I mean, the laughter just came from her toes to her stomach and out her mouth as a loud raucous laugh. This laughter wasn't really about picturing me doing bollywood dancing, but this laughter was about my inability to feel relaxed.
This got me thinking. The reality is that I wake up each day with the Olympics on my mind and questions for myself-am I doing enough? Will I win the next competition? If I do more of x will this help me become the best fencer? Did I get enough sleep? Should I eat more, should I eat less? You should hear these crazy conversations and questions I ask myself each day all for the sake of being the best I can be as a fencer.
At some point I accepted these questions because this is my life and didn't see it as stress but just part of an everyday routine. However, sometimes without realizing, the questioning and the drive to excel can become overwhelming. I really think there is something to be said about rejuvenating the mind, body, and soul through doing things just for the sake of doing things.
This isn't to say that I am stressed out, but I think it's important to acknowledge that rest can sometimes do more good than getting back on that treadmill for an hour. Sometimes the mind just needs a day off. Which I ended up doing today thanks to the doctor. I called up some friends and just hung out, talked about nothing in particular, and enjoyed a nice tall glass of milk and chocolate cake (it's on the diet...not really...but it was so good and felt relaxing).
In the long term relaxation plan I'm thinking about taking up pottery, painting, or some form of artwork when the season is over because I know that I am hands down the worst artist out there. Maybe knowing that I will never be good at it may be an effective way to find something that I won't try and overachieve at. If you ever met an Olympian, you will know that they never want to lose at anything so finding something to just do for the sake of doing is a little difficult.
So, that being said about me, what have you done to relax today? This week? This month? (Don't make me ask this year.) If nothing else you can try my doctor's prescription, just take a deep breath. Take as needed.
Monday, April 09, 2007
New Arrival
Hanna Thompson, ranked second in the country and a teammate on the USA women's foil team, is moving to Rochester this week. She used to fence at RFC before she went to Ohio State for college. The funniest part of it all is that she started fencing, in part, because of me. Her older sister, Emmy, started fencing because we were classmates and heard that was something I did. Then, her younger twin sisters, Hanna and Metta, started fencing. And now look at her, training for the Olympic Games.
She and I will be training together for the Olympics with coach Nat. I am looking forward to having a training partner that is focused on the same things that I am focused on. It's nice for those days where motivation is a little lacking.
Welcome to Rochester, Hanna!
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter everyone! It's a fine Sunday morning at State College, PA with two inches of snow on the ground. I'm hoping for a quick turn around of the weather so I can make the 4 hour drive back to Rochester without an issue.
Quick story about the weekend. On Friday afternoon I drove down to Penn State to fence and visit with some of my friends. The fencing has been great and seeing my good friends after so long has been good for the soul. But there is one moment in particular on Friday that made me realize how far I've come with my fencing.
Friday's practice was a practice like any other. There was fencing, there was fun, there was learning, etc. Then, at the end of practice four of the guys decided that I needed a little challenge, a team of four of them would fence against team Iris Zimmermann. Yup, four against one and I am not sure at the moment they asked that I believed that I could actually make it to twenty touches.
The first fencer got up to fence me, I beat him 5-3.
The second fencer got up to fence me, I beat him 5-2 and the score is now team Iris 10 and the four man team 5.
The third fencer got up to fence me, I score only 1 to his 2 points but then time ran out. The score was now 11-6.
Then the final fencer, the anchor of their team, starts to fence me. And for some reason something clicked and I scored 9 points to make the win 20-7.
I couldn't believe it. When I walked off the strip I was in awe-how did I beat four guys at the end of practice? Granted-the guys that I fenced were not in their best shape and haven't been training like I have, but still. You would think that they would at least make it to 10.
Needless to say, I had my own Billie Jean King moment and loved every minute of it. Take that, boys.
Quick story about the weekend. On Friday afternoon I drove down to Penn State to fence and visit with some of my friends. The fencing has been great and seeing my good friends after so long has been good for the soul. But there is one moment in particular on Friday that made me realize how far I've come with my fencing.
Friday's practice was a practice like any other. There was fencing, there was fun, there was learning, etc. Then, at the end of practice four of the guys decided that I needed a little challenge, a team of four of them would fence against team Iris Zimmermann. Yup, four against one and I am not sure at the moment they asked that I believed that I could actually make it to twenty touches.
The first fencer got up to fence me, I beat him 5-3.
The second fencer got up to fence me, I beat him 5-2 and the score is now team Iris 10 and the four man team 5.
The third fencer got up to fence me, I score only 1 to his 2 points but then time ran out. The score was now 11-6.
Then the final fencer, the anchor of their team, starts to fence me. And for some reason something clicked and I scored 9 points to make the win 20-7.
I couldn't believe it. When I walked off the strip I was in awe-how did I beat four guys at the end of practice? Granted-the guys that I fenced were not in their best shape and haven't been training like I have, but still. You would think that they would at least make it to 10.
Needless to say, I had my own Billie Jean King moment and loved every minute of it. Take that, boys.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Just kidding
The thing about Rochester is-although the life here is pretty predictable, the weather is not. No sooner did I title my last blog entry "Springtime", that a cold front hit with snow flurries hit the east coast. I even tried to disguise my entry by making the title French, but the snow gods of Rochester decided that I needed an instant replay of winter.
But despite the weather, I am still in great spirits. When I see the snow on my car and as my car slips on the wet pavement, I think of the sun and how glorious it will be when it finally comes out.
Enough about the weather and more about fencing because after all, isn't fencing what this is all about?
Okay, a short but amusing fencing story by Iris Zimmermann.
Once upon a time Iris was 16 years old (not that long ago so no one should be stretching the imagination too much-oh wait, does ten years ago qualify as a short time?). I used to train so much and work so hard that one of my teammates, Ann, decided to get me a No Fear t-shirt. Don't you remember those popular t-shirts with sport related phrases and quotes?
The No Fear shirt I was given, was grey and on the back was the following:
"I'm YOUNGER, FASTER, STRONGER and I practice while you sleep."
I used to wear this shirt with pride because the woman who gave it to me was someone I truly admired. Ann has made three Olympic teams from Barcelona, to Atlanta, and finally Sydney. While she was training for these games she managed to find time to 1. graduate from Columbia and 2. graduate from the University of Rochester Medical School. Yeah, they should make a t-shirt for her too.
"I am an Olympian, Ivy League graduate, and doctor. Come talk to me when you pick your jaw off the floor."
Well, the t-shirt was awesome and I wore it all the time. It inspired me and scared some of my opponents. In fact, the team at the Rochester Fencing Club would on some occasions recite the t-shirt to me. Why? Because it was true. I would practice until the cows came home. I was younger, I was faster, and I was always stronger.
Fast forward three knee surgeries, a degree from Stanford, and two years of retirement and trying to make the Beijing Olympic team later....
The t-shirt went missing for several years while I was in California but a month ago I found it once again. What do you think? A wonderful omen, a reminder of the past, what?
At first I thought to myself, what do I do with the line "younger" since I'm one of the oldest on the USA team and at the RFC? Seriously? Can I walk around with this t-shirt? I mean, some of the kids at the fencing club don't even know what a No Fear t-shirt is let alone the fact that some of them were born in the same year I wore it.
Then I thought, I am still the same person that wore this thing ten years ago, and I am still a great fencer. So what if there needs to be asterisks by each claim on the back?
I'm
Younger*
Faster**
Sronger***
and I practice while you sleep****
*Although this no longer applies, 26 isn't that old!
**Three knee surgeries may have slowed me down a bit but it was actually a good thing for my fencing tactics.
***Now I have strength of mind as well as strength of body.
****Haven't you ever heard of, "practice smarter, not harder"? It's my new mantra.
The t-shirt is back and so am I, perhaps a more thoughtful and wiser version. I'm glad I found the thing because most of all it reminds me of the great times I had training with some very incredible people.
But despite the weather, I am still in great spirits. When I see the snow on my car and as my car slips on the wet pavement, I think of the sun and how glorious it will be when it finally comes out.
Enough about the weather and more about fencing because after all, isn't fencing what this is all about?
Okay, a short but amusing fencing story by Iris Zimmermann.
Once upon a time Iris was 16 years old (not that long ago so no one should be stretching the imagination too much-oh wait, does ten years ago qualify as a short time?). I used to train so much and work so hard that one of my teammates, Ann, decided to get me a No Fear t-shirt. Don't you remember those popular t-shirts with sport related phrases and quotes?
The No Fear shirt I was given, was grey and on the back was the following:
"I'm YOUNGER, FASTER, STRONGER and I practice while you sleep."
I used to wear this shirt with pride because the woman who gave it to me was someone I truly admired. Ann has made three Olympic teams from Barcelona, to Atlanta, and finally Sydney. While she was training for these games she managed to find time to 1. graduate from Columbia and 2. graduate from the University of Rochester Medical School. Yeah, they should make a t-shirt for her too.
"I am an Olympian, Ivy League graduate, and doctor. Come talk to me when you pick your jaw off the floor."
Well, the t-shirt was awesome and I wore it all the time. It inspired me and scared some of my opponents. In fact, the team at the Rochester Fencing Club would on some occasions recite the t-shirt to me. Why? Because it was true. I would practice until the cows came home. I was younger, I was faster, and I was always stronger.
Fast forward three knee surgeries, a degree from Stanford, and two years of retirement and trying to make the Beijing Olympic team later....
The t-shirt went missing for several years while I was in California but a month ago I found it once again. What do you think? A wonderful omen, a reminder of the past, what?
At first I thought to myself, what do I do with the line "younger" since I'm one of the oldest on the USA team and at the RFC? Seriously? Can I walk around with this t-shirt? I mean, some of the kids at the fencing club don't even know what a No Fear t-shirt is let alone the fact that some of them were born in the same year I wore it.
Then I thought, I am still the same person that wore this thing ten years ago, and I am still a great fencer. So what if there needs to be asterisks by each claim on the back?
I'm
Younger*
Faster**
Sronger***
and I practice while you sleep****
*Although this no longer applies, 26 isn't that old!
**Three knee surgeries may have slowed me down a bit but it was actually a good thing for my fencing tactics.
***Now I have strength of mind as well as strength of body.
****Haven't you ever heard of, "practice smarter, not harder"? It's my new mantra.
The t-shirt is back and so am I, perhaps a more thoughtful and wiser version. I'm glad I found the thing because most of all it reminds me of the great times I had training with some very incredible people.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Printemps
What is it about the springtime, the warm weather, the sunny days, that bring such clarity of mind? The longer days also help to brighten up my mood because I don't feel like I need to roll up all the day's activities within the hours of 9-3pm.
I had a great practice tonight so I'm all smiles. This was my first practice back from the European tour and it went really well because I could tell that my fencing had jumped many levels in the last month. One of my teammates even complimented me on some new tactics and skills I learned.
For the first time I really felt in control of my fencing and didn't feel at any moment that I didn't have an answer for something my opponent was doing. Most of all my emotions were completely in check, and all my focus was on the task at hand-fencing each touch and fencing each bout. For the first time I was able to let things go around me and just focus. This is a big deal for someone that is so observant about the world around her. I woudl always worry about what this person is thinking of me, what is going on around me but at practice today, I was focused on me and my opponent, that was it.
Casey FitzRandolph, my speedskating mentor extraordinaire, would always tell me-do your best each and everyday whatever that may be. Ask yourself, "what is the best that Iris can be TODAY?" And today the statement finally sunk in.
As I sat in the locker room facing a sign where I wrote Casey's words, I felt like I was finally there. After months of struggling through changing my fencing style, trying to rid myself of past problems, breaking my finger (let us not forget that), and everything else I went through, I felt like I finally lived his words. Something has clicked inside me and I feel like I have truly become this new fencer. I'm no longer the old, no longer stuck in the past but I'm a hybrid-the past, present, and the hopeful future. I am finally letting myself be the best that I can be without second guessing myself.
It's hard to look back and admit to myself that, even at the start of the season, I wasn't ready for the challenge. Maybe physically but mentally I wasn't there yet, and still had to step into my new role on the team and my new role in the international world of fencing. But I do have to say that I feel renewed with more perspective and strength than I ever had. The best part is that there is more to come and more exciting things waiting to happen.
I am looking forward to getting more training in this month but I am most excited about my attitude. These past few days I have gotten up in the morning and just smiled at the thought that I would head to the gym or the fencing gym to work on the next few steps towards something great. My happiness has really come along and I am enjoying myself rather than worrying about what other people say or think and despite any of my doubts or negativity.
I had so much energy left over after practice that I just went to the gym and worked out for another hour just because I was feeling so great about practice. It may seem like a crazy thought but the gym has always been a fun place for me-my own place of zen. I guess in some ways it's better to think of the gym that way since I spend so much time there.
The lesson for today-Working on and maintaining a positive attitude can sometimes do more for progress than chipping away at the skill itself. I don't mean a positive attitude of just telling yourself that things are good, but actually feeling it mind, body, and soul-inside and out. Law of attraction. If I am positive that something is going to happen and if I am positive in general-I will draw more things that are positive in my direction. If I wake up each morning thankful that I have the time and skill to make the Olympic team-what can come from it but good?
I'm so happy that it's springtime-renewal, rebirth, and joy.
(Small disclaimer here. There is much work still to be done and not each day will feel as wonderful as today. The ups and downs are just the nature of things but at least I feel stronger to deal with them mentally and emotionally. Also, big steps were made last month and I wanted to acknowledge the hard work paying off.)
I had a great practice tonight so I'm all smiles. This was my first practice back from the European tour and it went really well because I could tell that my fencing had jumped many levels in the last month. One of my teammates even complimented me on some new tactics and skills I learned.
For the first time I really felt in control of my fencing and didn't feel at any moment that I didn't have an answer for something my opponent was doing. Most of all my emotions were completely in check, and all my focus was on the task at hand-fencing each touch and fencing each bout. For the first time I was able to let things go around me and just focus. This is a big deal for someone that is so observant about the world around her. I woudl always worry about what this person is thinking of me, what is going on around me but at practice today, I was focused on me and my opponent, that was it.
Casey FitzRandolph, my speedskating mentor extraordinaire, would always tell me-do your best each and everyday whatever that may be. Ask yourself, "what is the best that Iris can be TODAY?" And today the statement finally sunk in.
As I sat in the locker room facing a sign where I wrote Casey's words, I felt like I was finally there. After months of struggling through changing my fencing style, trying to rid myself of past problems, breaking my finger (let us not forget that), and everything else I went through, I felt like I finally lived his words. Something has clicked inside me and I feel like I have truly become this new fencer. I'm no longer the old, no longer stuck in the past but I'm a hybrid-the past, present, and the hopeful future. I am finally letting myself be the best that I can be without second guessing myself.
It's hard to look back and admit to myself that, even at the start of the season, I wasn't ready for the challenge. Maybe physically but mentally I wasn't there yet, and still had to step into my new role on the team and my new role in the international world of fencing. But I do have to say that I feel renewed with more perspective and strength than I ever had. The best part is that there is more to come and more exciting things waiting to happen.
I am looking forward to getting more training in this month but I am most excited about my attitude. These past few days I have gotten up in the morning and just smiled at the thought that I would head to the gym or the fencing gym to work on the next few steps towards something great. My happiness has really come along and I am enjoying myself rather than worrying about what other people say or think and despite any of my doubts or negativity.
I had so much energy left over after practice that I just went to the gym and worked out for another hour just because I was feeling so great about practice. It may seem like a crazy thought but the gym has always been a fun place for me-my own place of zen. I guess in some ways it's better to think of the gym that way since I spend so much time there.
The lesson for today-Working on and maintaining a positive attitude can sometimes do more for progress than chipping away at the skill itself. I don't mean a positive attitude of just telling yourself that things are good, but actually feeling it mind, body, and soul-inside and out. Law of attraction. If I am positive that something is going to happen and if I am positive in general-I will draw more things that are positive in my direction. If I wake up each morning thankful that I have the time and skill to make the Olympic team-what can come from it but good?
I'm so happy that it's springtime-renewal, rebirth, and joy.
(Small disclaimer here. There is much work still to be done and not each day will feel as wonderful as today. The ups and downs are just the nature of things but at least I feel stronger to deal with them mentally and emotionally. Also, big steps were made last month and I wanted to acknowledge the hard work paying off.)
Sunday, April 01, 2007
a conversation on the plane
A slight digression from the norm.
Everyone who knows me and knows this blog understands that I have a passion for discussing politics. I don't know, maybe it's from my father who always felt it necessary to listen to Rush Limbaugh because he was the opposition. I guess you always need to know what the other side is saying. I am just not sure how he puts up with all that crap? Apologies to anyone who is a Limbaugh fan.
Well, the reason I brought this up was because I was struck by a conversation I had with a German citizen on the plane from Madrid to Munich. For some reason we got to talking (I never really like meeting people on the plane, I much rather sleep) and he pulled out all the stops on what he hated about Americans.
Conversation went something like this:
German Guy: What were you doing in Spain? Were you on vacation?
Me: Actually, I was visiting a friend.
GG: Do you speak Spanish? Some Americans don't speak any languages and some of them speak some Spanish but overall, Americans try hard not to speak any languages.
Me: Yeah I guess so. I speak some languages and yes, I understand and can speak Spanish.
GG: Oh really? What languages do you speak?
Me: I can understand German, my father is German...
GG: You should really speak German, it's the most spoken language in the EU.
Me: (The obligatory) Oh really? That's interesting. I should probably speak German. (WHY IS HE TALKING TO ME? I'M TRAPPED IN THE STUPID MIDDLE SEAT AND I HAVEN'T SLEPT.)
GG: Your Dad is from Germany? Why is he living in the states, I bet he doesn't speak German anymore? Did you know that 40 percent of Americans claim German ancestry?
Me: (I'm not sure how many can claim Chinese and German heritage) Well, my parents moved to the states in the 1960's and at the time they felt that America had a lot of opportunities for their children. And, my father does still speak German and in fact he has a very thick accent so it's almost like he's speaking German when he's speaking English. (Desperately trying to get a laugh out of this guy.)
GG: Spain is probably the only place you have ever visited, right?
Me: (Now I am getting pissed but the reality is that there is another hour to the flight and I AM IN THE MIDDLE SEAT!) Well actually I've been to over 22 different countries...
GG: Probably like every other American, with a backpack and a Eur rail pass.
Me: Actually, I have been traveling to Europe and other countries since I was 14 years old. I am an Olympic fencer and I am currently training for the 2008 Games.
So, one would hope that after that he would shut up but he continued on his "well, you're American and you must be loud, obnoxious, rude, and think you own everything, and your shit doesn't stink, etc". Let's just say that it was a long flight from Madrid to Munich.
But the crazy thing is that I am less angry at this guy making assumptions about me than I am at the reasons he is going nuts about the states. The truth is that we as a nation have a bad rep right now and it isn't just this German guy. Everywhere I go I feel as though I have to apologize for carrying an American passport. On top of all that I find out more about the war in Iraq and the situation overseas on BBC and other European networks than I do at home.
I know this is a touchy subject but I think it's an important one to at least discuss. There has always been some hostility towards Americans while traveling but never have I experienced anything at this level of animosity. This is an important thing to consider since we may be doing some irreparable damage to our image. While we are busy fighting an enemy that hates us, we are simultaneously turning others against us.
Sorry for the digression but I couldn't resist my own two cents. It's my blog and I can get slightly political if I want to. ;)
Everyone who knows me and knows this blog understands that I have a passion for discussing politics. I don't know, maybe it's from my father who always felt it necessary to listen to Rush Limbaugh because he was the opposition. I guess you always need to know what the other side is saying. I am just not sure how he puts up with all that crap? Apologies to anyone who is a Limbaugh fan.
Well, the reason I brought this up was because I was struck by a conversation I had with a German citizen on the plane from Madrid to Munich. For some reason we got to talking (I never really like meeting people on the plane, I much rather sleep) and he pulled out all the stops on what he hated about Americans.
Conversation went something like this:
German Guy: What were you doing in Spain? Were you on vacation?
Me: Actually, I was visiting a friend.
GG: Do you speak Spanish? Some Americans don't speak any languages and some of them speak some Spanish but overall, Americans try hard not to speak any languages.
Me: Yeah I guess so. I speak some languages and yes, I understand and can speak Spanish.
GG: Oh really? What languages do you speak?
Me: I can understand German, my father is German...
GG: You should really speak German, it's the most spoken language in the EU.
Me: (The obligatory) Oh really? That's interesting. I should probably speak German. (WHY IS HE TALKING TO ME? I'M TRAPPED IN THE STUPID MIDDLE SEAT AND I HAVEN'T SLEPT.)
GG: Your Dad is from Germany? Why is he living in the states, I bet he doesn't speak German anymore? Did you know that 40 percent of Americans claim German ancestry?
Me: (I'm not sure how many can claim Chinese and German heritage) Well, my parents moved to the states in the 1960's and at the time they felt that America had a lot of opportunities for their children. And, my father does still speak German and in fact he has a very thick accent so it's almost like he's speaking German when he's speaking English. (Desperately trying to get a laugh out of this guy.)
GG: Spain is probably the only place you have ever visited, right?
Me: (Now I am getting pissed but the reality is that there is another hour to the flight and I AM IN THE MIDDLE SEAT!) Well actually I've been to over 22 different countries...
GG: Probably like every other American, with a backpack and a Eur rail pass.
Me: Actually, I have been traveling to Europe and other countries since I was 14 years old. I am an Olympic fencer and I am currently training for the 2008 Games.
So, one would hope that after that he would shut up but he continued on his "well, you're American and you must be loud, obnoxious, rude, and think you own everything, and your shit doesn't stink, etc". Let's just say that it was a long flight from Madrid to Munich.
But the crazy thing is that I am less angry at this guy making assumptions about me than I am at the reasons he is going nuts about the states. The truth is that we as a nation have a bad rep right now and it isn't just this German guy. Everywhere I go I feel as though I have to apologize for carrying an American passport. On top of all that I find out more about the war in Iraq and the situation overseas on BBC and other European networks than I do at home.
I know this is a touchy subject but I think it's an important one to at least discuss. There has always been some hostility towards Americans while traveling but never have I experienced anything at this level of animosity. This is an important thing to consider since we may be doing some irreparable damage to our image. While we are busy fighting an enemy that hates us, we are simultaneously turning others against us.
Sorry for the digression but I couldn't resist my own two cents. It's my blog and I can get slightly political if I want to. ;)
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Home sweet home
When I left Rochester about a month ago to make my journey through Europe, the ground was still frozen and covered over with snow and my car was still an ashy shade of gray from all the salt on the strees and highways.
Thus to my surprise, the sun was still out at 6:30pm when I touched down at the Rochester "International" airport. The sun is a rare sight in March, especially in a city that is infamous for ice storms in the early spring months. I was also suprised that I didn't need my large winter coat when I stepped onto the tarmack; spring is definitely in the air.
A lot has happened in my time away and unfortunately I didn't chronicle all of it as I was going through most of Eastern and some parts of Western Europe. Mostly it was a matter of time and internet constraints, but it was also that I wanted to be more present in the experience.
It will take me the next several weeks of downtime to untangle and write about my time in Europe and what it has done for my fencing and my life in general. But before I go on with the things I have learned, I think it's important that I explain something that I have been thinking about for a while.
About a month ago I received some feedback about this blog. This person shall remain nameless. As you all know I have been trying my best to raise money for my fencing and seeking sponsorship. A friend of mine looked at this blog and told me point blank, if you want people to fund you then you have to either keep the current blog secret or start a new one where your voice is more confident and less unsure. He thought I always sounded like the underdog in my entries.
I have to admit that I was truly taken aback and agreed. Yes of course, if I want sponsorship then it would be best to tell people how sure I am that I will win an Olympic medal. (An aside, yes, I am sure that I have what it takes to medal, but as to what happens at the Olympics one can only guess.) My catch phrase would be, "once a champion, always and forever a champion". In some ways that is true but at the moment taking top-64 at each tournament isn't making me feel much like a superstar.
Because of his comment, I just blogged some very superficial things and didn't reveal what I was really thinking. This went on for several weeks and then came Spain, and it was there that I had a revelation. (Leave it up to long lunches in the plaza mayor with wine and good company to make revelations possible.)
It was there in the plaza in Salamanca over crouquettes and ensalada that I thought about what I've been through and in what ways it defined me. I realized that it was through all these trials, struggles, and adversity that I would truly find out how strong I am and could be. Sometimes my words are too true for some but in order to accomplish the great things I am striving for, I have to be able to objectively evaluate both the good AND the bad.
The truth is that even the greatest men and women in history are revealed to have some of the greatest insecurities. Their accomplishments despite their problems are the very reasons why they are revered. Let's take Helen Keller for example-I am sure there were times where she cursed her life and felt angry or upset. But without admitting at least once that she had been dealt a rough hand, she wasn't able to pursue the other direction and move forward. It is a crazy example but we cannot accept the true greatness within her without realizing her struggle.
The purpose of this blog is a daily journal of my thoughts that are very real to the process. If I don't write these thoughts then I am not being true to the purpose. I think it's part of my job to show that this journey that I have chosen includes self-doubt, hardship, self-evaluation and re-evaluation, deep thought, etc. But I would think the audience would realize the truth about this journey; every step of the way is filled with hope and unwaivering faith in myself, my team, and the people who care for me.
Maybe when I was younger I did win everything, but it was never from a place of understanding but rather a place of ignorance and fear. Most often I won out of desperation because my former coach would react severely if I did otherwise. In the end I hardly remembered the good times and the wins because in those moments I felt a relief that I didn't let my coach down.
But now my fencing world is much different because I feel a sense of strength and freedom that I never felt before. This is all because what I am building now is a firm foundation to place the good parts of my past, the ones I remember, with the joys of practicing my sport, and from there will come the success I always dreamed of. I have deep faith in what I am building and I would hope that the people who read this blog would understand that.
All that being said, I think I will continue to chronicle this journey as I see it with all it's blemishes along with it's great moments. The reality is that there isn't one without the other and if the audience will bear it, I will tell you the important details of what it is like to be Iris Zimmermann on the road to Beijing.
Thus to my surprise, the sun was still out at 6:30pm when I touched down at the Rochester "International" airport. The sun is a rare sight in March, especially in a city that is infamous for ice storms in the early spring months. I was also suprised that I didn't need my large winter coat when I stepped onto the tarmack; spring is definitely in the air.
A lot has happened in my time away and unfortunately I didn't chronicle all of it as I was going through most of Eastern and some parts of Western Europe. Mostly it was a matter of time and internet constraints, but it was also that I wanted to be more present in the experience.
It will take me the next several weeks of downtime to untangle and write about my time in Europe and what it has done for my fencing and my life in general. But before I go on with the things I have learned, I think it's important that I explain something that I have been thinking about for a while.
About a month ago I received some feedback about this blog. This person shall remain nameless. As you all know I have been trying my best to raise money for my fencing and seeking sponsorship. A friend of mine looked at this blog and told me point blank, if you want people to fund you then you have to either keep the current blog secret or start a new one where your voice is more confident and less unsure. He thought I always sounded like the underdog in my entries.
I have to admit that I was truly taken aback and agreed. Yes of course, if I want sponsorship then it would be best to tell people how sure I am that I will win an Olympic medal. (An aside, yes, I am sure that I have what it takes to medal, but as to what happens at the Olympics one can only guess.) My catch phrase would be, "once a champion, always and forever a champion". In some ways that is true but at the moment taking top-64 at each tournament isn't making me feel much like a superstar.
Because of his comment, I just blogged some very superficial things and didn't reveal what I was really thinking. This went on for several weeks and then came Spain, and it was there that I had a revelation. (Leave it up to long lunches in the plaza mayor with wine and good company to make revelations possible.)
It was there in the plaza in Salamanca over crouquettes and ensalada that I thought about what I've been through and in what ways it defined me. I realized that it was through all these trials, struggles, and adversity that I would truly find out how strong I am and could be. Sometimes my words are too true for some but in order to accomplish the great things I am striving for, I have to be able to objectively evaluate both the good AND the bad.
The truth is that even the greatest men and women in history are revealed to have some of the greatest insecurities. Their accomplishments despite their problems are the very reasons why they are revered. Let's take Helen Keller for example-I am sure there were times where she cursed her life and felt angry or upset. But without admitting at least once that she had been dealt a rough hand, she wasn't able to pursue the other direction and move forward. It is a crazy example but we cannot accept the true greatness within her without realizing her struggle.
The purpose of this blog is a daily journal of my thoughts that are very real to the process. If I don't write these thoughts then I am not being true to the purpose. I think it's part of my job to show that this journey that I have chosen includes self-doubt, hardship, self-evaluation and re-evaluation, deep thought, etc. But I would think the audience would realize the truth about this journey; every step of the way is filled with hope and unwaivering faith in myself, my team, and the people who care for me.
Maybe when I was younger I did win everything, but it was never from a place of understanding but rather a place of ignorance and fear. Most often I won out of desperation because my former coach would react severely if I did otherwise. In the end I hardly remembered the good times and the wins because in those moments I felt a relief that I didn't let my coach down.
But now my fencing world is much different because I feel a sense of strength and freedom that I never felt before. This is all because what I am building now is a firm foundation to place the good parts of my past, the ones I remember, with the joys of practicing my sport, and from there will come the success I always dreamed of. I have deep faith in what I am building and I would hope that the people who read this blog would understand that.
All that being said, I think I will continue to chronicle this journey as I see it with all it's blemishes along with it's great moments. The reality is that there isn't one without the other and if the audience will bear it, I will tell you the important details of what it is like to be Iris Zimmermann on the road to Beijing.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Last but not least
My friend in NYC asked me where I was the other day and after that I realized I wasn't doing a great job of updating the blog and letting people know where I am.
Well, I am currently in Marseille, France and I am awaiting a 9pm flight to Madrid. I finished the last world cup for this month just yesterday and now I am going to spend one week in Spain with a friend of mine before heading back to the states on Friday.
The competition in Marseille went well and I feel as thought I've made a lot of progress. My game is coming along slowly but I know that things will start to roll soon. It's nice to have one month off to train before heading to another batch of world cups. I think my mentor and fellow Olympian Casey says it best (this was an email that he sent to me before the last competition).
"....anybody that's a world class athlete knows that once things start heading in the right direction it doesn't take very long to make big jumps. One or two minor things improved, the confidence and relaxation that comes with it....all of a sudden you're rolling."
The team event was actually pretty amazing. We beat Japan and France to take fourth place. US women's foil hasn't taken a result this high since 2001 when we won the bronze medal at the world championships. I can't believe how fast our group has gelled to become a powerhouse. We are definitely determined and on our way to qualifying a USA team to Beijing.
As for me I am ready for a well deserved nap and break. These three tournaments have taken a lot of energy and I'm excited for some r&r with a good friend of mine from college. She's currently playing basketball in Salamanca and I am excited to hang out with her and not think about fencing for a few days.
I hope that Spring is in the air in the USA because it's definitely gorgeous here in Marseille. :)
Well, I am currently in Marseille, France and I am awaiting a 9pm flight to Madrid. I finished the last world cup for this month just yesterday and now I am going to spend one week in Spain with a friend of mine before heading back to the states on Friday.
The competition in Marseille went well and I feel as thought I've made a lot of progress. My game is coming along slowly but I know that things will start to roll soon. It's nice to have one month off to train before heading to another batch of world cups. I think my mentor and fellow Olympian Casey says it best (this was an email that he sent to me before the last competition).
"....anybody that's a world class athlete knows that once things start heading in the right direction it doesn't take very long to make big jumps. One or two minor things improved, the confidence and relaxation that comes with it....all of a sudden you're rolling."
The team event was actually pretty amazing. We beat Japan and France to take fourth place. US women's foil hasn't taken a result this high since 2001 when we won the bronze medal at the world championships. I can't believe how fast our group has gelled to become a powerhouse. We are definitely determined and on our way to qualifying a USA team to Beijing.
As for me I am ready for a well deserved nap and break. These three tournaments have taken a lot of energy and I'm excited for some r&r with a good friend of mine from college. She's currently playing basketball in Salamanca and I am excited to hang out with her and not think about fencing for a few days.
I hope that Spring is in the air in the USA because it's definitely gorgeous here in Marseille. :)
Monday, March 19, 2007
change comes slowly
I know that a lot of you are looking forward to hearing about the progress that I am making on the Olympic campaign.
The truth is that things are going slowly and progress is made in steps (as they should be). It's kind of like the presidential race. Things are sort of about fundraising, getting your name out there, trial and error because the big race comes months before the election. Things will begin to pick up but it's best not to spin your wheels too much before the big push. And in my case the big push is the Olympics.
These past four world cups have been a lot about self-discovery and finding my own groove again. I think everyone, including myself, wanted me to jump into things and win everything right away. I have learned that first of all, that isn't realistic and secondly, there are some things I have had to work through to come this far.
This is not to say that I am not doing well or working towards my goals. The reality is that I have been steadily climbing up the world ranking ladder and making some very key changes in my mental and physical game. I have become much stronger in both areas since this adventure started.
The bottomline is that I am truly happy at this moment with my progress. I am really thankful for this opportunity and consider it successful in learning more about myself and my reactions to stressful situations. I think we don't truly know who we are unless we test ourself and it is what we do with this information and the change we can produce that is a true measure of our inner strength. It's sometimes hard to describe to people what is going on internally and to reassure everyone that I am right on track.
I have learned a lot of the lessons in the past few weeks and I want to share some of them with you.
1. You must have unwaivering faith in yourself. There will always be onlookers, backseat drivers, and nay sayers but if you become your best advocate you are more powerful than the negative energy thrown your way.
2. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and get rid of the people who doubt you or try to sabbotage you. The trick is figuring out who these people are but if you have number one down then you should be able to make a strong decision.
3. You are your most powerful ally and most powerful enemy. If you constantly fight yourself then you cannot progress.
4. Working from a space of happiness and positive energy is much more effective than driving yourself through negative feedback. Your physical and mental self reacts differently to
"You have to practice more because you can't do anything right."
than it does to
"You should work on this specific thing because it will make you even better, stronger, and faster than you already are."
If you work from the positive you can only make your progress more positive.
It's amazing how many times I try to force myself to get better through fear or negative self talk and in the end the progress has no real foundation.
5. Trust the decisions that you make for yourself. Everyone works differently and it is inevitable that everyone has varying opinions of what you should do. If you trust your decision then it becomes the "right" decision.
6. If you want to succeed at life you have to see failure as a temporary state of being and success as a permanent state. How can you possibly win if you cannot see yourself as a winner?
7. Dwelling on positive factors of life and turning bad situations into positive situations will help to attract more positive energy your way. In the beginning I would focus on the things I didn't have and what wasn't going right for me but once I turned my thinking around and started dwelling on all of my strong and positive attributes it increased my fencing ability ten fold. Once you believe in yourself and become your own best advocate, there won't be a limit to what you are capable of doing.
Alright, seven things. I think they all have some of the same themes but I think you get the point.
Hopefully I will learn more this weekend in France for the next blog.
I leave Budapest tomorrow morning for a world cup and team event in Marseille. From Marseille I am going to Spain. I am actually taking a few days to visit a friend in Salamanca before going back home on the 30th.
The truth is that things are going slowly and progress is made in steps (as they should be). It's kind of like the presidential race. Things are sort of about fundraising, getting your name out there, trial and error because the big race comes months before the election. Things will begin to pick up but it's best not to spin your wheels too much before the big push. And in my case the big push is the Olympics.
These past four world cups have been a lot about self-discovery and finding my own groove again. I think everyone, including myself, wanted me to jump into things and win everything right away. I have learned that first of all, that isn't realistic and secondly, there are some things I have had to work through to come this far.
This is not to say that I am not doing well or working towards my goals. The reality is that I have been steadily climbing up the world ranking ladder and making some very key changes in my mental and physical game. I have become much stronger in both areas since this adventure started.
The bottomline is that I am truly happy at this moment with my progress. I am really thankful for this opportunity and consider it successful in learning more about myself and my reactions to stressful situations. I think we don't truly know who we are unless we test ourself and it is what we do with this information and the change we can produce that is a true measure of our inner strength. It's sometimes hard to describe to people what is going on internally and to reassure everyone that I am right on track.
I have learned a lot of the lessons in the past few weeks and I want to share some of them with you.
1. You must have unwaivering faith in yourself. There will always be onlookers, backseat drivers, and nay sayers but if you become your best advocate you are more powerful than the negative energy thrown your way.
2. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and get rid of the people who doubt you or try to sabbotage you. The trick is figuring out who these people are but if you have number one down then you should be able to make a strong decision.
3. You are your most powerful ally and most powerful enemy. If you constantly fight yourself then you cannot progress.
4. Working from a space of happiness and positive energy is much more effective than driving yourself through negative feedback. Your physical and mental self reacts differently to
"You have to practice more because you can't do anything right."
than it does to
"You should work on this specific thing because it will make you even better, stronger, and faster than you already are."
If you work from the positive you can only make your progress more positive.
It's amazing how many times I try to force myself to get better through fear or negative self talk and in the end the progress has no real foundation.
5. Trust the decisions that you make for yourself. Everyone works differently and it is inevitable that everyone has varying opinions of what you should do. If you trust your decision then it becomes the "right" decision.
6. If you want to succeed at life you have to see failure as a temporary state of being and success as a permanent state. How can you possibly win if you cannot see yourself as a winner?
7. Dwelling on positive factors of life and turning bad situations into positive situations will help to attract more positive energy your way. In the beginning I would focus on the things I didn't have and what wasn't going right for me but once I turned my thinking around and started dwelling on all of my strong and positive attributes it increased my fencing ability ten fold. Once you believe in yourself and become your own best advocate, there won't be a limit to what you are capable of doing.
Alright, seven things. I think they all have some of the same themes but I think you get the point.
Hopefully I will learn more this weekend in France for the next blog.
I leave Budapest tomorrow morning for a world cup and team event in Marseille. From Marseille I am going to Spain. I am actually taking a few days to visit a friend in Salamanca before going back home on the 30th.
Budapest and some photos
Yes folks, I am in Hungary. I'm staying in an apartment in Budapest for a few days before we leave for France.
A photo of the apartment below. Hanna and I are sitting on one of the couches in the living room.
Yeah, that's what we look like after two weeks of traveling and fencing in Europe. Don't laugh.
Emily took some photos of us on our European tour and I wanted to share some with you.
Here's one of Hanna and I with two German fencers. Anja, on the right is currently one of the top ranked fencers in the world.
The next photo is of me on the train from St. Petersburg to Moscow.
And last but not least is a photo of me standing in front of our family store in Germany. Just kidding. Zimmermann is a popular German name, kind of like Smith in the States, and there are a chain of stores named Zimmermann. I am not really sure what the store is or what they sell, but it's pretty neat.
I hope you enjoyed the photos. I promise that my blog will be less superficial soon. I have just been a little busy fencing, packing, and shlepping my fencing bag around Eastern Europe.
A photo of the apartment below. Hanna and I are sitting on one of the couches in the living room.
Yeah, that's what we look like after two weeks of traveling and fencing in Europe. Don't laugh.
Emily took some photos of us on our European tour and I wanted to share some with you.
Here's one of Hanna and I with two German fencers. Anja, on the right is currently one of the top ranked fencers in the world.
The next photo is of me on the train from St. Petersburg to Moscow.
And last but not least is a photo of me standing in front of our family store in Germany. Just kidding. Zimmermann is a popular German name, kind of like Smith in the States, and there are a chain of stores named Zimmermann. I am not really sure what the store is or what they sell, but it's pretty neat.
I hope you enjoyed the photos. I promise that my blog will be less superficial soon. I have just been a little busy fencing, packing, and shlepping my fencing bag around Eastern Europe.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Moscow-Frankfurt-Budapest, oh my!
I'm currently in Frankfurt on my way to another world cup in Budapest, Hungary. This month has been a crazy one in terms of travel. I always wonder if people in other sports have to shlep as much stuff from one country to the next? Horseback riding perhaps? I wonder how much they charge for the extra steed?
I had a great time this past week staying with my former host family. The best part was that I picked up some more Russian along the way. This morning when I rang my parents I answered "Da" instead of "yes" purely on instinct-I guess that's progress? My host Mom in Russia told me last night that she was impressed with my ability to communicate in different languages and some of the more tough ones including Russian and Chinese.
I just told her that I enjoyed learning about people's lives and being able to communicate with them and that's why I make such an effort to speak different languages. It turns out that people are pretty much the same around the world and want a lot of the same things-too many times we allow some cultural differences to get in the way of the opportunity for friendships. This time in Russia, I felt more proficient in the language because I was less concerned about correct grammer and more concerned about listening to what they had to say.
Okay, enough about communicating. Now is the time for fencing action. A trainer is actually meeting up with the USA fencing team in Budapest. It's nice timing since I think I need a tune up-maybe some stretches, maybe a massage. :)
I fence tomorrow and Saturday in Budapest. I am pretty sure that it's hard to come by internet access there so I won't be able to post anything until Monday after the competition. It's probably for the best since I seem to work better when I'm solely focused on the fencing part. I am staying in Budapest for three days and then traveling to Marseille, France for another world cup (the last of the three this month) on Thursday, the 22nd.
I miss home but I'm always reminded at how lucky I am to be able to travel around the world like I do. There isn't much time for sightseeing but there is always time to communicate.
On to Hungary!
I had a great time this past week staying with my former host family. The best part was that I picked up some more Russian along the way. This morning when I rang my parents I answered "Da" instead of "yes" purely on instinct-I guess that's progress? My host Mom in Russia told me last night that she was impressed with my ability to communicate in different languages and some of the more tough ones including Russian and Chinese.
I just told her that I enjoyed learning about people's lives and being able to communicate with them and that's why I make such an effort to speak different languages. It turns out that people are pretty much the same around the world and want a lot of the same things-too many times we allow some cultural differences to get in the way of the opportunity for friendships. This time in Russia, I felt more proficient in the language because I was less concerned about correct grammer and more concerned about listening to what they had to say.
Okay, enough about communicating. Now is the time for fencing action. A trainer is actually meeting up with the USA fencing team in Budapest. It's nice timing since I think I need a tune up-maybe some stretches, maybe a massage. :)
I fence tomorrow and Saturday in Budapest. I am pretty sure that it's hard to come by internet access there so I won't be able to post anything until Monday after the competition. It's probably for the best since I seem to work better when I'm solely focused on the fencing part. I am staying in Budapest for three days and then traveling to Marseille, France for another world cup (the last of the three this month) on Thursday, the 22nd.
I miss home but I'm always reminded at how lucky I am to be able to travel around the world like I do. There isn't much time for sightseeing but there is always time to communicate.
On to Hungary!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Russia
It's such a trip to be back in Russia after a year hiatus. It's especially cool to be hanging out and living with the same host family that I stayed with in 2005. I seem to be getting some of the language back but perhaps that's just reading into the low expectations and high compliments of my friends.
As per usual I don't have a lot of time to be on the internet. It costs a few more rubles than I am willing to pay and I still have more sightseeing to do before tomorrow.
I know I still have to talk about the St. Petersburg competition but since I'm under a time crunch I am going to keep it short. Individually I did well, even though my final result didn't indicate that. The girl that I lost to in the top-64 is someone that has always been a bit difficult for me to beat. That being said, I don't think I will have the same problem the next time around.
The team event on the third day of competition went really well. The girls all worked together very well and we ended up 6th. We almost beat Russia, the current team world champions, and lost to them by one point in overtime. I fenced really well and showed myself and my coach the progress that I have been longing to see these past few months.
All is good here in Russia. Lenin is still where he is, Red Sqaure is still where it is, and the internet cafe I used to go to is still where it is.
Until tomorrow! :)
As per usual I don't have a lot of time to be on the internet. It costs a few more rubles than I am willing to pay and I still have more sightseeing to do before tomorrow.
I know I still have to talk about the St. Petersburg competition but since I'm under a time crunch I am going to keep it short. Individually I did well, even though my final result didn't indicate that. The girl that I lost to in the top-64 is someone that has always been a bit difficult for me to beat. That being said, I don't think I will have the same problem the next time around.
The team event on the third day of competition went really well. The girls all worked together very well and we ended up 6th. We almost beat Russia, the current team world champions, and lost to them by one point in overtime. I fenced really well and showed myself and my coach the progress that I have been longing to see these past few months.
All is good here in Russia. Lenin is still where he is, Red Sqaure is still where it is, and the internet cafe I used to go to is still where it is.
Until tomorrow! :)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Moskva!
I'm back in blogging business! After a long hiatus from the internet I have found a wireless spot in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Below is a photo of me and my friend Beto jumping on the sidewalk at the Kremlin in Moscow two years ago while we were studying there.
I never thought I would return to the land of Stalin and borscht, but today I'm taking the train from St. Petersburg to spend a week in Moscow before heading to Budapest, Hungary on Friday.
The competition in St. Pete went well and I will blog about it when I get to another wireless spot in Moscow. Right now I have to pack up and go!
The European adventure continues.
Below is a photo of me and my friend Beto jumping on the sidewalk at the Kremlin in Moscow two years ago while we were studying there.
I never thought I would return to the land of Stalin and borscht, but today I'm taking the train from St. Petersburg to spend a week in Moscow before heading to Budapest, Hungary on Friday.
The competition in St. Pete went well and I will blog about it when I get to another wireless spot in Moscow. Right now I have to pack up and go!
The European adventure continues.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Leaving on a jet plane
Just a short note to say that I'm packing up for my upcoming three week tour of Europe. My Mom thought I was leaving on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. And when I reminded her of that fact she said, "I'm not ready". I thought that was so cute-it makes me feel loved!
Unlike my Mom, I am ready to go out there and compete-get to work after my short break. I've done a lot of great work with Nat and my sports psychologist in the last week-it's amazing what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.
Which brings me to the next three weeks. I am hoping that I get some time in Moscow to relive some of the fun times that I had there. Irishka comes back to life!
First stop-St. Petersburg.
Unlike my Mom, I am ready to go out there and compete-get to work after my short break. I've done a lot of great work with Nat and my sports psychologist in the last week-it's amazing what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.
Which brings me to the next three weeks. I am hoping that I get some time in Moscow to relive some of the fun times that I had there. Irishka comes back to life!
First stop-St. Petersburg.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
A sneak peak
The above photo is the jpeg of the homepage that is in the works for my website. It's kind of trippy to even think that I'm going to have my very own website.
www.iriszimmermann.com is definitely in the works. There is an under construction page on the site for now until the rest of the pages are built. Unfortunately, I just realized that "coming soon" was written "comming soon" on the page in bold red print. Uh oh. Not exactly flawless but at least there is something up for the moment. The rest will be great and hopefully without typos since I have someone helping me with the text.
I will make sure to let everyone know when the website is functional. Patience is more than a virtue.
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