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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You make some good points swimlong..
You're right about the venting, I was just in a very bad mood at the end of practice. I've just been so frustrated lately because my progression with this injury seems to be of the two step forward, one step back variety. I know I'm getting healthier...it's just not as fast as I'd like.
So when I'm then accused of being a slacker (even if it's not said so directly) I get a little bit angry. Believe me, if I could wave a magic wand and heal this injury I would. I want to swim. I want to practice. Yes, it's true I may not like the hardest sets we do.....but I still do them. And part of the reason I don't like some of our sets is because they cause me pain. I think it's one of the worst feelings ever when you put a lot of effort into something and then get the feeling that someone else thinks you're not trying hard enough.
Right now I'm a little bit afraid.
There are two issues on my mind...one is the meet this weekend, the other is the winter training trip for the team.
I'm worried that the coach won't swim me in the meet this weekend.
I feel so useless when I'm at a meet and not swimming...and I'd really like to swim. At the same time, I know it's not really my decision. I know I could talk to her about it, but I'm really afraid to do so..I'm not sure why.
The other issue that's been dominating my mind is the winter training trip. During our winter break the team takes a trip to some location (this year it happens to be florida) for a week and trains like insanely hard.
Now I'd been wanting to go...if nothing else for the bonding experience with my teammates, and also to improve myself.
So over e-mails between the coach and I I've learned that she and the assistant coach are debating whether or not I should go. Because I'm not healthy, they are concerned I would not be able to keep up with the intensity of the training that occurs on the training trip (given that it is "soooo" (direct quote from my coach) much harder than what we normally do).
I mean, if this injury progresses as it is supposed to, I should be absolutely healed by mid november at the latest.
The training trip is the first week of december.
So I guess for me the question is...if I am healed by mid november...is it smart to go on a trip that is of insane training difficulty? Am I putting myself at risk for a reoccurance of my injury?
If I'm still not healed by the time the training trip occurs, or if I'm almost but not quite ready...then I think it's obvious that I should take the 3 week winter break and do regular-light swimming to make sure I'm completely healthy for the last part of the season.
I'm all angsty over this...because I really want to have that bonding experience with my teammates, but I'm afraid I won't be able to take the training intensity...and I just don't know.
Anyone have any advice for me at all?
You make some good points swimlong..
You're right about the venting, I was just in a very bad mood at the end of practice. I've just been so frustrated lately because my progression with this injury seems to be of the two step forward, one step back variety. I know I'm getting healthier...it's just not as fast as I'd like.
So when I'm then accused of being a slacker (even if it's not said so directly) I get a little bit angry. Believe me, if I could wave a magic wand and heal this injury I would. I want to swim. I want to practice. Yes, it's true I may not like the hardest sets we do.....but I still do them. And part of the reason I don't like some of our sets is because they cause me pain. I think it's one of the worst feelings ever when you put a lot of effort into something and then get the feeling that someone else thinks you're not trying hard enough.
Right now I'm a little bit afraid.
There are two issues on my mind...one is the meet this weekend, the other is the winter training trip for the team.
I'm worried that the coach won't swim me in the meet this weekend.
I feel so useless when I'm at a meet and not swimming...and I'd really like to swim. At the same time, I know it's not really my decision. I know I could talk to her about it, but I'm really afraid to do so..I'm not sure why.
The other issue that's been dominating my mind is the winter training trip. During our winter break the team takes a trip to some location (this year it happens to be florida) for a week and trains like insanely hard.
Now I'd been wanting to go...if nothing else for the bonding experience with my teammates, and also to improve myself.
So over e-mails between the coach and I I've learned that she and the assistant coach are debating whether or not I should go. Because I'm not healthy, they are concerned I would not be able to keep up with the intensity of the training that occurs on the training trip (given that it is "soooo" (direct quote from my coach) much harder than what we normally do).
I mean, if this injury progresses as it is supposed to, I should be absolutely healed by mid november at the latest.
The training trip is the first week of december.
So I guess for me the question is...if I am healed by mid november...is it smart to go on a trip that is of insane training difficulty? Am I putting myself at risk for a reoccurance of my injury?
If I'm still not healed by the time the training trip occurs, or if I'm almost but not quite ready...then I think it's obvious that I should take the 3 week winter break and do regular-light swimming to make sure I'm completely healthy for the last part of the season.
I'm all angsty over this...because I really want to have that bonding experience with my teammates, but I'm afraid I won't be able to take the training intensity...and I just don't know.
Anyone have any advice for me at all?
