First 24 hours in Russia

First the bad:

The university "didn't know" they were supposed to meet me at the airport, took a taxi to my apartment. Went to the store with my friend, tripped and hit my knee hard on the stairs. Today I realized I don't have enough for tuition. Then the university told me legally I have to stay in the dorms (have paid 4 months rent already, university said nothing when I first told them I'd be in an apartment.) Tons of fees I was not informed of in advance.

Ahhhh, adventure. :)

Now for the good:

The weather is gorgeous. Cost of living is cheap. My roommates are all very sweet (one is a KB lifter as well). I made it here safely!

Seems like it will be an interesting 2 years!

Checking In

I finally received my visa. It is all becoming real now! I leave for New York early Thursday morning, compete on Saturday, then I fly to Russia on Sunday. What a weekend! I haven't been updating because training has been a little off lately, with scheduling, etc. But I thought I'd check in about the trip and also about my preparation for New York.

Training has been going well, cardio feels great and the 24 doesn't feel too heavy. But I've been fighting the elbows again. I have a feeling that this will be something I am dealing with for a long time... The frustrating thing is that it is both sides still, rather than just the left. Been dutifully treating with compression, rest (when possible), massage, Airrosti, flexbar, and some liniments/poultices from a friend.

To prepare for the slower pace/longer overhead times, I've been doing all of my lighter sets at competition pace for the last week. This is a tip I got from a friend and it seems to be working well. I've also been doing tricep extension work, different rehab exercises, etc.

So, we'll see what happens on Saturday! I am still adjusting to the new methodology, so I'm not really sure what to expect. I have full faith in my coach and I am going into this without too much stress or anxiety.

I have just two days left in Dallas - Tuesday I am busy all day, and Wednesday I will be trying to spend time with my mom before I leave. Somewhere in there I need to also finish packing and get good rest. Wish me luck! :)