Liking the pain...

Yes you read correctly, I'm in pain and I'm loving it! Yesterday and the day before I went to heavy combat training and while I only did slow work, some of it got pretty intense. And I didn't break! Huzzah! Well, today I'm definitely suffering from all that training, old familiar aches are back and my knuckles are bloody. Not the greatest look for a corporate type but at least my clients will treat me with caution for a few days :)

And despite feeling like I've been through the spin cycle a few times, I'm actually enjoying the feeling of exhaustion. Isn't the human mind bizarre? I can't stand to go on a treadmill for more than 15 minutes and yet I swung a sword around for over an hour with no complaint.

So looks like the next step is to crawl back into my armour. Might give it a few days though, I think I need a nap...

Bechtold (the uncharacteristically masochistic)

Getting back on the horse

Guten Tag!

Yesterday I actually managed to wave a sword around and not feel like the Grim Reaper's icy

claws were drawing near. Huzzah!

Okay so I was using a boffer sword and wasn't carrying a shield but that still counts, right? Many thanks to M'lord Edmund for joining me in boffery shenanigans and forgiving me for a couple of nasty face shots and even a groin shot. Oh, and for not begrudging me for the occasional dramatic samurai-style disembowelment shot when I managed to pierce his defenses :)

Now I just need to get back into full-swing with the training, I'm even considering a diet (shock, horror disbelief!). Though how that will reconcile with my attempts at period cooking remains to be seen. So many recipes, so many kilograms of sugar...

Finally, some inspiration has returned! I knew I was on the right track when I started throwing mimed sword blows around the office. Oh work colleagues, what do you think of me?

Until next time,

Bechtold (the pleased)

So very tired...

Guten Tag!

Today I feel like a very old man... My joints are aching, my eyes are blurry and I just want to crawl under a blanket in my rocking chair and go to sleep.

Amazing to think that four years ago I could do 100 push ups and not break a sweat and nowadays picking up a sword makes me want to have a lie down. Damn treacherous body, use it while you can young whippersnappers!

So from that rant I guess you can tell my training is taking it out of me :) Basically I've just picked up my swords and worked through some slow work drills and I'm completely stuffed! I swear it was never this difficult in the olden days (I'm sounding like a grizzled 19th century prospector here, cursing out the young 'uns and complaining about my aches and pains!).

But I shall continue! For if nothing else, I am stubborn, and I am relying on that bullheadedness to get me through this. Wish me luck!

Bechtold (the temporarily geriatric)

First training session

Guten Tag!

So last night I turned up to my first training session back from injury. It was a College of St Basil training session and since I was working I showed up in my wingtips and suit! Let me tell you, business attire is not conducive to good fighting!

Anyway being a College training session I ended up teaching rather than training but it was good to realise that I do actually know a few things and not every iota of skill has fled me in my down time. It was fantastic to see a new Florentine fighter eager to learn and we even managed to get two college members into armour (they had just enough armour using every piece of equipment I had brought along!).

It was scary to see such natural talent in the college fighters, I'm really going to have to pick up my training or my comeback is going to be embarrassing. Time to start the pell work again me-thinks.

Oh dear, this is going to be more difficult than I imagined...

Bechtold (the not quite as confident as yesterday!)

Celebrating Lady Cinara

Guten Tag!

While I'm thinking about the flurry of activity that was the last few weeks in Aneala I wanted to take the opportunity to show off my fiancees achievements in the SCA. I've been amazed to see Lady Cinara take off in the SCA in the last couple of months and vastly eclipse my achievements!

In just a few short months she has:

• Received her award of arms.
• Become apprenticed to his excellency, Master Kilic.
• Earned a place in the Guild of the Silver Rondel.
• Been invited into a household.
• Made an incredibly intricate hat and dress combo (photos to follow shortly).

And that's just off the top of my head. So Huzzah to Lady Cinara Baraceco!

Oh, and here's a cute picture of us, just because I can. Thanks to Sir Andre for the very impressive photography skills!

Bechtold (the proud)

The long hard road back from being broken...

Guten Tag!

Well it has been a whirlwind few weeks in Aneala with the royal visit, devestiture of Lachlahn and Jane and investiture of their excellencies, Kilic and Branwen as Baron and Baroness of Aneala. And I'm exhausted:)

Saturday was extremely interesting being the first time I've cooked for more than about 8 people. We had around 140 people to cater for and some massive courts to go through during the day. It was a great experience and the kitchen team was awesome so I'll definitely have to do the kitchen thing again. Of course it was a little disappointing to miss pretty much all of the court happenings but there's always a next time! It's incredible to see how many people in the SCA will step up when there's a problem and I want to personally thank Lord Heath and Lord Laveoulus for their assistance when I entered "panic mode" a few times during the night. It was also fitting that Master Blacktower was elevated to the Order of the Pelican that night, as his leadership in the kitchen was truly the glue that held that feast together. Some people are just incredible!

Sunday was a bit melancholy for me though, as his Majesty King Gabriel took the field in a tourney. I am now convinced that one of the worst tortures on earth is to be a heavy who has to watch from the sidelines while such a great combatant takes the field. It was truly inspiring to see the level of martial skill possessed by the king and I was very proud of the brave Anealan's who acquitted themselves well against this paragon of martial talent.

So now I'm full of inspiration to push my broken body back into heavy but it's going to be a long road ahead. Even slow work is killing me at the moment but where there is a will there's a way. At least that's what I'm telling myself! I'm therefore using this blog to declare my intentions to rejoin the ranks of the fighting fit and will spend the next few weeks cataloging my trials and tribulations as I go once again into the fray.

Here goes nothing...

Bechtold (the aching)