April 17, 2008 "Where is my Mind?"
Hey team, why not finally follow up the blue-ball of a post I left last time? You see the problem with writing on here is that it forces introspection, a lack of talent for which (like sports) I inherited from my dad's side of the family. From my mom I got the Italian and athleticism (grandpa being a professional boxer) and from my dad's side I got height and a tendency to close myself off. You can imagine the hilarity that ensues when the two sides square off against each other.
But I digress. The actual reason that I didn't end up updating is that I decided to actually take what I was thinking and turn it into my column on Swim Network (yes, I will update the link from Timed Finals in the immediate future). Anyway, if you want to take a peak at it, here you go:
Top 5 Tuesday: Is it Worth it?
In other news I've just absolutely nailed things from the culinary end this week. 2008 appears to be the year of the grilled vegetable, as my appetite for them continues to know no bounds. The culinary highlight of the week, however, was brown sugar-glazed baked salmon. This was accompanied by whole grain pasta complete with a olive oil and garlic sauce plus fresh tomatoes and basil. Dessert was a smoothie with vanilla yogurt, fresh blackberries and strawberries, a splash of milk and pinch of sugar plus ice. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Next up: Bobby Flay. I want the title Bobby! Iron Chef is mine!
April 13, 2008 "Random Meanderings"
Alright, so on the swimming front things have finally settled into a routine again after this week. Granted, that routine is us getting our butts kicked but at least I know what to expect. I had been struggling with a lot of changes to my strokes that were long overdue but finally they started to click at the end of the week and I ended very strongly. Yes, I do feel vaguely no, extremely pathetic analyzing my training as that was something I was always against. But I think I always did it, I just never admitted it to myself. Regardless, don't worry, I'm not completely consumed by swimming...yet. Although it came close in Colorado.
Anyway, on the whole life front things feel pretty good right now. I recently realized that I actually really do love writing, even on this stupid site. I don't know if I love it enough to pursue it more fully when swimming is over: through academia or other means, but I would certainly be sad if I stopped cold turkey. Maybe, oh maybe, I'll figure out one day what I want to be when I grow up.
Today I came down with a weird stomach thing and was relegated to the couch all day (thank God for Dexter Season 1) and got to thinking about some things. One was that I will inevitably look back on this portion of my life as "The Glory Days".
(Twenty Minutes Later)
Okay, got a little side-tracked there. I am going to pick up this thought later on. For now I need some rest.
April 3, 2008 "VICTOOOORRRYY!!!"
Hey team, just want to you all to know that I made it through our "training trip" of sorts in one piece. In fact, ha, the ironic part of this trip is that I not only leave broken down (expected) but with a sunburn (unexpected). That's right, it was a beautiful day in Colorado Springs today and we ended up playing the Texas Swimming Classic Game: Six Square. But actually, in our case, it was nine square as we recruited some friendly neighborhood triathletes to come play with us. It's really nothing more than a variation of the classic middle school (who are we kidding, elemtary school) game four square. But we're actually really good at it, which is either depressing or uh-not depressing?-depedning on who you are i.e. if you swim for Longhorn or not. Anyway, shirt off + being out of sun for four months = my lobster back.
Okay, also wanted to give you the heads up on results/psyche sheet:
http://www.recsports.osu.edu/aquatics_events.asp
Should be a fun one as we'll see what happens with me coming off altitude: they say you're supposed to get a short term benefit from it immediately. I'll be swimming a full schedule: 200 free/100 fly first day, 100 back/400 free second day and 200 back/100 free last day. Love racing so should enjoy it a bunch. Wish me luck!
March 30, 2008 "Tap the Rockies"
Hey team, just wanted to do a quick update/share a funny story with you all. Okay, first off, training has been great as the Texas Pro's are looking good in the pool right now. We've been training with Jack Roache, a former Longhorn Aquatics coach, and are really enjoying his program as he is a genius of a coach. In addition we've been able to do some hiking around Colorado Springs and (most importantly) eaten the hell out of all food in the dining hall.
Okay, but now for the story about the scariest moment of my life. I wake up in the middle of the night to someone stroking my inner thigh. I have never been so scared in my life and must admit to throwing a few explicatives out there as my heart rate jumped up to about 300bpm. Turns out it was a member of an anonymous team training here in the Springs, uh, "confused" as to what room was her's. She was huge and strong and I couldn't get her out of the room. She stole my chapstick but we finally got her out, although she continued to knock on our door. I couldn't sleep, it was terrifying. We have since talked to her and was both extremely cool and .embarrassed about it. But yes, that is the most exciting thing that has happened so far.
"The Nights and Days Blend Together in Colorado"
So I can't believe this, but I am writing you after a little over a day in Colorado Springs and it feels like I've been here for weeks. I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way, as I don't think that the Olympic Training Center is as boring as most others do, but just that I have lost all concept of time.
I always tell my coach back home in Montana that the altitude takes a little while to adjust to (Missoula is 3500 feet) but let me tell you how heart breaking it is having grown up in the Rockies and not being able to handle Colorado Springs' (6,000 feet) elevation. I don't feel tired except when swimming, but I honestly thought I was going to have to get out of the pool after doing a 1600m warm-up. The biggest problem is that half the team has been here for three more days than us fresh-fish, so we're doing their workouts and completely unprepared. Hoping that I'll be okay after one more day, so we'll see.
Anyway, more to come but for now I am going to have to pass out. More than a touch tired.
March 17, 2008 "Broken Promises: Part 112 of a Infinite Part Series"
The toughest part about writing on this site is that I am forced to confront the depths of my own personal hypocrisy. Whereas in real life I could simply smile to myself and exclaim "I never said that" when someone pointed out that I said I would update this site before my meet started, I now have to stare at those words just a paragraph below. Damn.
Okay, I will simply say that the meet was a pinch stressful. I felt absolutely horrific in the water and was searching desperately for some sort of quick fix all weekend. So, in that sense, I am extremely proud of how I raced. I have proven to myself that even when things aren't coming easy I can still be up there with anyone. I now truly do feel that on a good day I can beat anyone out there. In that sense, this was an important step.
Nonetheless, I needed to get away from swimming for a while and thus the lack of updates. As I write this I am still swept up in the magic that is my home town of Missoula, MT. I was there for the weekend and am taken aback by the people and places that make it home. It's funny, I remember once when I was in college I was staring out the window of the airplane coming into town like it was my first plane ride (a tradition I still continue) and being disappointed: the snow-capped peaks I remember rising out of nothing to overlook my city all of a sudden seemed nothing more than modest hills whose dead grass seemed to win out in a struggle with the few snow piles left. Now, however, I am actually impressed by how everything is even more beautiful than I remember. Everyone talks about how no one in New York City ever looks up, but I think the same can be said of those of us who grew up in the mountains. As a kid they were always there to comfort me but-like most things from my childhood-I am just now starting to realize how lucky I was to grow up how I did.
These next few months are going to be pretty crazy as I just want to end this journey I started since moving to Texas with a broken elbow and a chip on my shoulder (or when I started swimming pre-competitive at 3 years old depending on your perspective) at the one and only destination I find suitable.. I'm going to be selfish so my apologies in advance to many, but if you know me well enough I hope that you will see that this is the exception to the rule rather than the rule itself. Although we don't think about the word "support" very much when thanking those around us for it I do feel like I have an appreciation for the phrase unlike most. Your support is just that, something to help keep me up when wavering. So from the bottom of this naive 23 (soon to be 24) year old's heart I thank you for offering it.
March 4, 2008 "Untitled"
Hey team, just going to do a weekly update this time around as it's coming down to crunch time for me. I am very excited about the weekend and there is still a lot to do. The video crew for the Encore Meet on Sunday just got into town so we're going to be doing a lot of filming in the next couple days before our All American Invite starts on Thursday. The event order could not be worse for me as the backstrokes are right next to the 100 and 200 freestyle. I'm planning on using the front end of a 400 for a 200 time and the I'll swim the 100 free right after the 200 back, so no promises on that one. For Encore it will be the 50 and 100 back plus a little grudge match with Brendan Hansen (backstroker vs. breaststroker). More nervous about the latter than anything.
It's interesting how hard taper is sometimes. I think that swimming is an attractive sport to many of those who compete because it's in many ways based on the theory that you control your own destiny. So, in that sense, all you need is to work harder, go faster and focus all season long. But then taper comes around, and all of a sudden you're completely helpless as it is 100% out of your hands at that point. It's nice to just sit back and relax and just feel confident in your preparation and training, but I would be lying if I didn't say that in some ways I wish that I could have a little more control over it. Oh well, damn swimming-always trying to send me life lessons. Blast!
Okay, I'm sorry not to give you more profound words and substance but I never do so I only feel so bad. If I had set you up for failure this would be different. I'll try and do one more update before the meet though...can't guarantee it though.
Archives: May/June 2007, July/August 2007, September/October 2007, November/December 2007, January/February 2008, March/April 2008
