So, 03:10.
And... Time!

Time "Leaving" Kingdom Nightclub:
01:10
Arrival Home (Plus booting up computer, fixing snack, and getting fuzzy Dino slippers):
03:09

Mapquest cites the distance from the club to McMaster Hospital as approximately 14.72 Km via the highway.
My route was a little more scenic, having followed Fairview until it turns into Plains, crosses the big bridge, and then eventually merges into York blvd.

I'm not sure quite what is going on, but that run was definitely not as hard as I remember it being.
I was almost hoping that the Damien/Mouse car would catch up to me by the time I was passing the cemetaries, but I've been home for quite some time now, and odds are they still haven't left.

The Kingdom was actually pretty interesting despite (And quite possibly thanks to) it's brevity. In essence, it was most of the good parts mashed together before a semi-climactic (and hopfully, permanent) end.

So I managed to meet up with Jeff and Holly, and birthday wishes extended (Birthday shoutout #1)
Met up with Chanti and chilled for a bit.
Momentarily met up with Mouse.

Timing was perfect, and a pit was forming, so I dived straight in.
There I am, loving ever second... Big smile, trying to sing harmonies to the screamcore that's coming out of the speakers and being tossed around like a musclebound pinball with silly hair.

So out of nowhere, some guy comes flying at me with fists swinging. I duck and weave out of the first volley and start backing up. A bouncer comes up behind me and slings and arm around my neck and starts pulling my backwards. I figure everything is alright, the guy thought a fight was breaking out, so they're covering both guys... we're cool.

So as I'm moving with bouncerguy, this original puncher comes flying in again, only this time I'm being held in place by the bouncer. I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but I got clipped by one of his swings. 3 were deflected, but the fourth one got through. I almost got it, and it didn't quite hit hard enough to leave a mark, but I know it connected (Which is all that really matters).

So at this point, I'm trying to warn the bouncer that the dude is right behind him. I'm starting to wonder why they're taking so long to restrain him.
Eventually I realize... The other dude -is- a bouncer.

So now I'm pretty confused as to what's going on. Although I must admit, these guys definitely are thorough; 2 guys, punches, chokehold and a standing straightarm barre (Ura Kote Gyaku for all the Gen's out there. Loopfick, I'm looking at you) all at full force. Pretty serious stuff for dealing with a guy who isn't resisting.

The piece de resistance that even surprised me was when we got to the door. As I'm going through, still not struggling, with both of them hanging on, the original punching guy (who now has my arm) twists harder, winds up, and tries to smash it elbow first into the corner of the doorframe. Now, I'm not usually one to judge someone's job performance, but that's a little excessive.


Pausing for a moment, at this point, there are two people I would like to thank most heartily.
These being Taijiquan instructor James Rolfe, and Sensei Gordon Pfeffer.

I haven't talked to Sensei in almost 6 years, but I think I'm going to call him tomorrow. I realized as I was going over things on the way home that if I hadn't known how to relax into an arm lock like Sensei taught me, I would never be able to use my left arm again. If I had tried to fight the hold like instinct tells you (Rather than just relaxing the joint), there is no way I would have been able to escape the lock when I needed to. (The gist of the technique is to chill during the lock until the muscle stretches, just the same as if you were stretching before going running or something. That way, when it comes time to escape, you can use that little bit of extra flexibility to lever out of the lock.)

The second 'thank you' to Mr. Rolfe is for all that "Body listening" stuff he kept drilling while he was kicking my ass at Push Hands. That stuff really came in handy for giving me a split second of warning when the guy wound up for the smash.

If I hadn't trained with either one of these guys, my left elbow would be shattered right now.
I owe each of them big time.

So Chanti comes running out to help and stuff, and they tell her that I punched someone (which sounds kinda silly now that I think about it, because most of you guys know that I don't even make closed fists when I'm actually fighting) and that she can easily be thrown out as well. She offered to meet up with me a little later, and to put me up for the night, but waiting around for another 2 hours didn't seem like much fun (sorry Chanti)

So I figured I'd race the other Hamilton people home on foot.
Looks like I won.
Even so, that's a pretty pathetic half-marathon time...
I'll work on it.

All in all, it was a pretty interesting night.
I didn't seem nearly enough of most of the people I went to see (I didn't even see Chelsea at all),
but the run was some awesome training. I figure that I don't often feel the urge to go out and run to the next city over, so why not?

Besides, it's been almost a year since I've been able to claim that "I've been thrown out of classier places than this!"



Community Advisor Interview trials are tomorrow.
You can bet I'll be there sporting my Dinosaur slippers, some wicked five o'clock shadow and a "Hello, my name is: Surly" sticker on my chest.