3^rd Dan gradings only happen twice a year. This one was in Egham (London). Off we set early Saturday morning, car full of black belts, all excited – well all but those grading Training was taken by Sensei Andy Sherry who proceeded to give us one of the hardest session in the last 10 years – only superseded by a sensei Brennan session 10 years ago where we all crawled out after the session and about 3 people threw-up. The kumite section had to be cut short due to the amount of sweat on the floor and the dangerous conditions – nothing like doing a kata (AGAIN) and breathing in carbon dioxide and water vapour (from.. well you can guess). 

The thought of grading after that would be madness but that's what happened. After 3 to 4 hours out popped Mark Leggett smiling like a mad man – before us now stood a 3rd Dan !!! Congratulations Mark, this was a very hard grading which makes this achievement very special.