Life in Ukraine – Page 4

In case you missed this storyline, I’ll give you some background. Emma and I met the local weight training coach this summer when we were living in the Lyceum dorms with his star trainee, Sasha. An invitation to come to his training hall and get back in shape somehow evolved into me agreeing to train 6 hours a week for my eventual triumph at Ukraine’s national arm-wrestling championships.

Well, today was my first experience at an arm-wrestling meet, and despite some logistical hiccups I have to say it was a success:

Goal #1: Do not get an arm torn off your shoulder. My arms don’t even hurt. I guess all the training payed off.
Goal #2: “Show up” for at least one fight. I was hoping to at least make it hard on one person to beat me – maybe last 2 or 3 seconds. But I actually won a round! It was double-elimination left and right arm, so I expected to lose 4 rounds pretty straightforwardly. My right arm came through, though, on the first round.
Goal #3: Do not die in a twisted heap of rusting metal. (Goal added post-hoc) Our chartered marshrutka broke down last minute, so we threw a couple gym benches in the back of what I swear was a medic van stolen off the set of M*A*S*H, and piled 14 people in. This is not a country for those OCD about seat belts.

Tomorrow, back to school and then to the gym!

UPDATE (2 hours later): I’ve definitely come down with something so tomorrow’s plans are out.