Archery…

I have a dilemma.

I normally (a bit strong but..) shoot on friday nights. Tomorrow night is the first night of the local postal portsmouth league.

I will come under pressure to score my round and submit it.

I am not ready for this. I am barely coping with shooting at the straw thing, let alone the pressure of scoring for something that matters.

But I need to shoot, but I don’t want to face the request/demand. I need to practice, to overcome my flaws but I don’t have the time/space I would like to devote or need to devote come to that.

I’m thinking of giving it a miss, but it’s all I have, I can’t afford to, I’ve already cancelled on the only competition I’ve entered. Why am I so hopeless?

Shot indoors again tonight.

Third full Portsmouth.

First time scored in 12 months.

478!

I ache. My lower back, my left shoulder. both upper arms – and a headache to boot!

I was finding it increasing difficult to get a consistent draw or if I did, remain at full draw length.

Towards the end of the evening I was aiming over, predicting/estimating/guessing the amount I would forward loose.

I am tired of this.

It happened before I stopped shooting.

It’s happening now.

It’s not a strength thing. You’d never know it to look at me, but in the last 12 months I have been down the gym on a fairly regular basis, with emphasis – after consultation with one of the gym staff, on upper back muscle groups.

I can happily draw the 39# (weighed at an archery shop using and Easton scale). I just don’t hold it when I get the string back to my face.

I’m going to get some cheaper limbs (unless some kind person has some good quality ones I can borrow…no i thought not..) and use them to work on drawing and holding. Oh yes…and some *more* arrows…

So…I just need to find some cheap – preferably 2nd hand 28-32# medium limbs.

*sigh* it’s not easy being imperfect.

I’m not going to let this beat me again, I will persevere. Wish me luck!

Well, having not touched this blog in a year-ish, about the same amount of time since I last shot.

In the last couple of  weeks I have shot 3 times, and now, I have entered a competition…on 9 Nov. I will be shooting a Portsmouth at the Green Dragon Bowmen 500. Between then and now, I may have the opportunity to shoot 6 or 7 practice rounds/sessions.

I don’t have huge expectations, but I will have fun. There will be a few old (and odd) friends there, it’ll be a chance to catch up, shoot badly and giggle at myself.

This week I will mostly be shooting X7′s … very pretty ones….