Sometimes you go to fencing competitions.  Other times, you just survive them.

My first mistake was not going to sleep the night before the event.  We had to leave at 5:15 AM to get to Purdue on time, so I just decided to stay up through the night.  Novice mistake, and I feel like an idiot for doing it.

As a result, by the time we got there I was already dead tired.

I completely fumbled through the pool round, doing well worse than I should have and winning a few of my bouts by sheer luck.  I ended up 3-2.  One guy completely outclassed me, but I had absolutely no reason to lose my other bout.

So, I was seeded way worse than I should have.  I won my first direct elimination bout easily, but because of my shitty seeding I ended up fencing the best guy in the competition in the second round.  My body decided to (finally) wake up and I gave him a good match, but in the end I lost 15-10.  Way better than I expected to do against him, but I should have lasted at least two more rounds.

I ended up finishing 13th out of 30, when I probably should have ended up between 3rd and 8th.

But, there's another tournament next weekend, so I will be able to avenge my poor showing.