alpinisto's blog

I had been bothered by my knock-knees for quite some time since they were noticed in 2010 when I participated in the half-marathon at Gay Games in Cologne, but in the first years after their discovery they didn't cause me much trouble. I was able to race as I had been used to - but after recuperating from a stroke I had in 2013 I no longer was able to run as fast as I had done before. Which made me change into wrestling, which I still do as a way to keep my body at least somewhat fit.

I am still doing my regular training runs in my local wood, but a couple of years ago I noticed that my speed was slowly going down. Not much at a start, but the recent six months I was slowing more than I liked, and at the same time I noticed that my knock-knees had got more pronounced. So it now also was spilling over to all other activities I had with my legs, like walking and wrestling.

Naturally I went to my doctor to have it checked out, and without hesitation he sent me on to an orthopaedist, who suggested that I should get an osteotomie to prevent further decay of my knees. But then referred me to a specialist in my local hospital to assure that this would be the right treatment. Yet according to the specialist, after having me X-rayed, my knees were already too worn after forty years with mountain climbing and long-distance running next to a job as a postman, the only solution for me would be that I would have both my knees replaced with a prosthesis, which I was not happy with, for I didn't like the thought of someone cutting in my valuable legs, which had served me well for more than fifty years.

The specialist surgeon offered that I could have the surgery done this September, but this was exactly in the time I had planned for my annual journey to United States, and since long air travels and surgeries are not really compatible the surgery could easily be postponed to October. I had by then already planned a wrestling match in the U.S., so it seemed clear to me that this match would become my last wrestling match for a while.

I had never been in Florida before, but for sixteen months I had had a good chat with Grizzlymike from Central Florida, and that I now was flying to Florida to meet this guy was a good example that it is good to have a good chat before finally meeting up, so to know what to expect. Especially when planning so far ahead as such distances are needing. After the long flight from Europe I met up in Orlando airport, where Grizzlymike and his husband Bigbulk T were waiting to pick me up. Ready to take me home where I was to stay the night, as it now was past midnight (plus 6 hours' jetlag), so we went straight to bed.

I have to admit that I was close to cancelling the whole travel because I had planned and booked the travel long time before my knock-knees had deteriorated and reduced me to a shadow of what I once was. But the many months I had been chatting with Grizzlymike had put a spark in me, so I really was looking forward to meet this guy in person. Though - as I had been told when I had been wrestling in Berlin in July - even though I did not have the strength in my legs which I had been used to, I at least had some power in my upper body. So I would have to see if this was enough to match Grizzlymike and Bigbulk T.

Grizzlymike and Bigbulk T were excellent hosts, for not only they offered me a place to sleep for the night, but the next morning they also took me on a tour of the area they lived in. But I had come here to wrestle, as I could figure that they both were the perfect match for me, both being slightly heavier than me. Which is what I like, for with the heavier guys I can't do much wrong, even with the limited experience I have. The worst that could happen would be that I maybe could learn something.

I had told them in advance that my legs were not as dangerous a weapon as I liked - but still I wanted to find out how much they could serve me. So it came a bit of a surprise to me that even with my knock-knees and a surgery lurking in the future I was still able to do more scissors than I had expected. Even though this just invited my opponents to return the favour! During our previous chat we had talked about that I could be a guiney pig for some camels and crabs, but this partly was forgotten during the match. Towards the end of the match Grizzlymike tried to put me in a leg split, what we also had been talking about. But this didn't really work, maybe his legs were too shorts for that or my own legs were more flexible than I had expected.

After the first match with Grizzlymike Bigbulk T was ready to take over. He was maybe 40 pounds heavier than Grizzlymike, and apparently he had no problem wrestling this lightweight (compared to him) European. We rolled around for some time, sheading a lot of sweat, and it appeared that he had fun wrestling me. Certainly I also had fun wrestling him, but it was clear to me who would draw the long straw. But the way I see it, wrestling is not so much about winning or losing, but to make sure that both the contenders are having some good fun. And for this we were pretty successful!

Towards the end of this long day they surprised me with a gigantic home-made lasagne, which would be enough for the whole week. And it tasted excellent with a glass of red wine.

Next morning they brought me back to the airport where I was to catch a flight to Newark, so I could continue my annual visit to the U.S. It had been great to add these two days to my usual visit here, and I certainly hoped that I could wrestle them again some other time after the surgery. Except for this future match I have no wrestling plans for the nearest future, as I first have to see what the result will be after the surgeries. So I can only say that it will be a looong winter.