Monday After The Disaster At Hamlin Park

Why Alan has a suspicious look on his face in this photo, I have no idea.  But he was keeping an eye on Rich who was sparring with Franco.

Last week, I had a mind to wash out the water bottles.  I don't know if Barry washes them or if the attendants wash them out regularly.  I did wash one out after I caught Igor putting his mouth on one to get a drink of water.  The man had the straw of the bottle in his mouth.  "Don't do that!  Do you want to catch something, Igor?  Now I have to wash it," I snapped.  I took it to the women's washroom to clean it.

Rich was ready for all Monday night as he sparred with different guys.  The first up was Franco.

Then Rich got in with Nate.

Rich was really taking it to to Owen, however. 

Alan stepped into the ring to referee while Rich was in with Nate and Owen.  Owen caught some hard punches.  Alan and Colonel were both telling Rich to take it easy. 

Rich's confidence is going up more and more when it comes to being in the ring. 

Matt had talked about sparring tonight, but he backed out of it.  But he has been working with several of the guys on pads out in the hallway when he's at the gym.

I saw Charlene while I was out Sunday afternoon.  She was in the drug store to buy gauze and tape to wrap her hands.  "Can the gauze be reused?" she asked me.  "No, it's cut off of boxers' hands after fights," I answered.  Charlene does have hand wraps, I believe, but maybe she thinks the gauze is better.  Some people don't like using hand wraps, and would rather have their hands in gauze and tape.  She didn't come in the gym on Monday. 

Brandy was out running when I saw her while I was coming home from work earlier on Monday.  She's going to participate in a marathon coming up soon.  "I would love to come back to boxing, but my mom and family were giving me a lot of shit about being in the sport.  You know how that is," she told me.  Yep.  I can hear my late mother grumbling, asking, "Hillari, could you find something else better to do?"

Colonel is the guy wearing the hoodie in this shot, as he watches Nate and Rich spar.  I worry about Colonel.  He told me that each time he goes to the doctor, they seem to find something else wrong.  I know the feeling, but we all have to get checked out regularly to stay on top of things.  I wonder from time to time if perhaps my younger sister would have lived longer if she had gone to the doctor regularly (like I still attempt to do, even though not having health insurance makes that difficult to arrange).  Colonel still does his workouts -- both jiu jitsu and boxing -- but he has be careful. 

Renee works the uppercut bag in this shot.  "I was sorely tempted to stay home and watch the Bears vs. Lions game, but I decided to come in," she said.

Amy uses a medicine ball in this picture. 

Marcus takes time from his workout to watch some of the sparring action.

I told Alan how disappointed I was in my showing at the Hamlin Park show last Thursday.  "I was really mad," I said.  "I know.  But it happens.  Everybody doesn't fight the same way each time they get into the ring," Alan said.    The best solution for feeling depressed about a loss is to get back in the ring and do some sparring.  I sparred with Sarah even though I was stiff from the fight with Edith and from standing all afternoon on my feet at church.