So since at least two people on this board are interested in my adventures in joining my University's team I thought I'd create a thread (much like ande's swimming blog) to detail all of it. Yeah.
Since the season doesn't actually start regular practice for another week and a half, this is mainly an intro post - and I'll update it with what happens when I go meet the other girls on the team and such! Stay tuned! It'll be better than any general hospital or passions!
Today I actually swam for the first time (since my freshman swim test last year) in the University pool. It was huge. And cold. Over the summer I got used to swimming in health club pools with water hovering around 80-85. Not exactly the most comfortable water at times, but at least nice and warm. The Ratner pool here is...freezing by those standards. I'm guessing the water temp is 75 at the warmest. Gives new meaning to the term "warm up".
I was really nervous when I first got in - the girls and guys returning members were having informal practices and I was sort of afraid they'd notice me. Although, I don't think they did. Or maybe they did and I just didn't hear what they said about me. Haha.
I also swam a 600 for the first time in a long time. I mostly stuck to 400s and below in my summer workouts (yeah, I know, I'm a little bit of a wimp). Unfortunately, that couldn't last. The coach suggested when I met her that I get in the water and swim 6-800 straight every day this week as part of my workout. It kind of hurt. Actually, it was one of the odder experiences of my life. For the first 200 or so my chest was tight from my asthma and I was freaking out about the distance (I was also really cold). Then all of a sudden I started to get really into it and just kept on going. I probably could have done 1000 if I wanted to.
The workout was cut short - only about 2300yds - because I promised my friends I'd come home and cook dinner for them tonight. And that's where I leave it tonight.
Background: For those who didn't see my posts on the board throughout the year, I'm a soph. in college who has been going through the prepartion to join my school's team. I attend the University of Chicago (a div 3 school) and was a competitive swimmer for seven years before high school. Burnout put me out of the water for almost 5 years, however, and I'm only recently getting back into it.
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Morning practice today:
Woke up at the normal time. Back felt okay...obviously still in pain, but not nearly as bad as it had been the day before. Had my coffee...but didn't eat. Was feeling queasy...I was still tasting my dinner from last night at the dining hall. Ugh. Dining hall food is horrid..
I was kind of freaked out when I was waiting in the lobby for the other girls who I usually drive. None of them came down..... which made me wonder. The guy's morning practice was only for distance swimmers, and I was freaking out thinking that maybe the girl's were doing the same. All the time I was driving to practice I was thinking "Man...if I woke up at quarter to 6 and don't even have to swim today I'm not going to be happy..."
That wasn't the case though...everyone else was there. Today was actually our "intro to your equipment day". I was issued part of my varsity gear. (Basically everything I use in the pool - we still haven't been issued our official suits, caps, shorts, sweats, or warmups...)
It was certainly an interesting workout. Pretty much low intensity. I managed to be rather okay for an hour and a half of practice...although I forgot to take my inhaler this morning! So I was having some...uh...minor...breathing problems. I have to make sure I remember that...
This morning's workout:
Warmup:
300 swim alternating 25 free / 25 non free
300 swim w/ snorkel (my first time ever using a snorkel...*not* exactly the smoothest transition I've ever experienced)
150 pull w/ paddles (this was supposed to be a 300 pull, but my back doesn't like the pulling, so I had to cut it short)
200 kick w/ fins
Main:
8 x (4 x 25 w/ snorkel on the :30, 1 x 100 w/ snorkel on the 2:00)
6 x (2 x 25 underwater dolphin w/ fins on the :30; 2 x 25 fast kick w/ fins on the :30; 1 x 50 6 side-kick, 3 stroke free drill w/ fins on the 1:00)
At about halfway through the second set, I had to stop doing the underwater dolphin and switch to doing above water free.
I was having breathing problems due to my not remember my inhaler, but mainly the dolphin kick is horrid on my back. I don't know why I can kick for long stretches of free before getting into pain...and why after like 150 dolphin kick I'm just hurting so bad...I don't know what the logic is behind this injury.
There was another set after the second one...it was a 10 x 25 pull w/ paddles set. I tried to kick it (because pull hurts the back) but it just didn't work. I realised that I had hit the limit for the morning and told my coach. She let me cool down and hop out.
It's kind of frustrating hitting a wall during practice. I don't mind having activities (fly, ***, long pull, flip turns...) that are impossible or hard to do...because I can just train around them. But hitting a point where *anything* causes pain is just extremely frustrating.
Cool down:
1 x 200 swim
Total this morning: 3,950 yds
This afternoon I have practice again and then a poster making party for the guy's soccer match on Friday....stay tuned!
Morning practice today:
Woke up at the normal time. Back felt okay...obviously still in pain, but not nearly as bad as it had been the day before. Had my coffee...but didn't eat. Was feeling queasy...I was still tasting my dinner from last night at the dining hall. Ugh. Dining hall food is horrid..
I was kind of freaked out when I was waiting in the lobby for the other girls who I usually drive. None of them came down..... which made me wonder. The guy's morning practice was only for distance swimmers, and I was freaking out thinking that maybe the girl's were doing the same. All the time I was driving to practice I was thinking "Man...if I woke up at quarter to 6 and don't even have to swim today I'm not going to be happy..."
That wasn't the case though...everyone else was there. Today was actually our "intro to your equipment day". I was issued part of my varsity gear. (Basically everything I use in the pool - we still haven't been issued our official suits, caps, shorts, sweats, or warmups...)
It was certainly an interesting workout. Pretty much low intensity. I managed to be rather okay for an hour and a half of practice...although I forgot to take my inhaler this morning! So I was having some...uh...minor...breathing problems. I have to make sure I remember that...
This morning's workout:
Warmup:
300 swim alternating 25 free / 25 non free
300 swim w/ snorkel (my first time ever using a snorkel...*not* exactly the smoothest transition I've ever experienced)
150 pull w/ paddles (this was supposed to be a 300 pull, but my back doesn't like the pulling, so I had to cut it short)
200 kick w/ fins
Main:
8 x (4 x 25 w/ snorkel on the :30, 1 x 100 w/ snorkel on the 2:00)
6 x (2 x 25 underwater dolphin w/ fins on the :30; 2 x 25 fast kick w/ fins on the :30; 1 x 50 6 side-kick, 3 stroke free drill w/ fins on the 1:00)
At about halfway through the second set, I had to stop doing the underwater dolphin and switch to doing above water free.
I was having breathing problems due to my not remember my inhaler, but mainly the dolphin kick is horrid on my back. I don't know why I can kick for long stretches of free before getting into pain...and why after like 150 dolphin kick I'm just hurting so bad...I don't know what the logic is behind this injury.
There was another set after the second one...it was a 10 x 25 pull w/ paddles set. I tried to kick it (because pull hurts the back) but it just didn't work. I realised that I had hit the limit for the morning and told my coach. She let me cool down and hop out.
It's kind of frustrating hitting a wall during practice. I don't mind having activities (fly, ***, long pull, flip turns...) that are impossible or hard to do...because I can just train around them. But hitting a point where *anything* causes pain is just extremely frustrating.
Cool down:
1 x 200 swim
Total this morning: 3,950 yds
This afternoon I have practice again and then a poster making party for the guy's soccer match on Friday....stay tuned!
