Laura et al,
I have a 4:40 PM flight back to NY on Sunday and am swimming in the women's 100 free ... any ideas if I am going to make it or should I try to change my flight now?
- Maria Drueckhammer
Maria,
Regardless of whether you will "make it" or not, I would strongly recommend you get that later flight if the 100 free is at all important to you. I have several reasons:
1) Why add the stress right before your last event? If you are thinking about your flight (traffic to the airport, security, la la, la la la la...) instead of your event, do you actually think you will swim well?
2) People who are under this kind of stress have a tendency to lash-out at others who they perceive are to blame for the circumstances they created themselves. "Why did that darn 85 yr old take so darn long to finish the 400?! Why did that darn meet director let the starters take so darn long between heats?! Why is the pool so darn far away from the freeway?!" Etc., etc. etc. I don't know if you are one of those people, but regardless, give yourself the luxury of being able to be kind.
3) Speaking for myself, I want to savor every minute of my Nationals experience when I make the trip. I want to be able to chit-chat with my buddies, old and new, after the last event, get my splits, pick up any awards I luck into, maybe even have a fun Sunday evening with others who are not leaving until Monday. Last year three of us had dinner at the top of the Space Needle on Sunday eve. The last thing I want is to have cut everything short to go charging off to the airport.
If you can stay until Monday morning, that is the "A" answer in my book. If not, at least take a mid-evening flight. The rest of your life will still be there when you get back. Give yourself the gift of being mentally at Nationals, and no place else, while Nationals are in progress.
Matt
Maria,
Regardless of whether you will "make it" or not, I would strongly recommend you get that later flight if the 100 free is at all important to you. I have several reasons:
1) Why add the stress right before your last event? If you are thinking about your flight (traffic to the airport, security, la la, la la la la...) instead of your event, do you actually think you will swim well?
2) People who are under this kind of stress have a tendency to lash-out at others who they perceive are to blame for the circumstances they created themselves. "Why did that darn 85 yr old take so darn long to finish the 400?! Why did that darn meet director let the starters take so darn long between heats?! Why is the pool so darn far away from the freeway?!" Etc., etc. etc. I don't know if you are one of those people, but regardless, give yourself the luxury of being able to be kind.
3) Speaking for myself, I want to savor every minute of my Nationals experience when I make the trip. I want to be able to chit-chat with my buddies, old and new, after the last event, get my splits, pick up any awards I luck into, maybe even have a fun Sunday evening with others who are not leaving until Monday. Last year three of us had dinner at the top of the Space Needle on Sunday eve. The last thing I want is to have cut everything short to go charging off to the airport.
If you can stay until Monday morning, that is the "A" answer in my book. If not, at least take a mid-evening flight. The rest of your life will still be there when you get back. Give yourself the gift of being mentally at Nationals, and no place else, while Nationals are in progress.
Matt
