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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Yeah, I'm being pretty vigliant about my stretches. I've notcied that if I don't do them as much as I should things just get so much worse. I always feel better after my rehab than not......
We had another meet today. It was a tri team meet in Monmouth, IL. We were competing against Monmouth College, and Rose Hulman. For the guys team it was actually a quad meet as Western Illinois (a d1 school!) was there also.
Monmouth is 3.5 hours away from Chicago.
3.5
3.5 hours.....in a bus.....each way. 3.5 hours sitting on my injury....sitting....in pain....as my ibuprofen wore off (I ran out this morning). Fun times.
Other than the injury related stuff the bus ride wasn't all that bad. Had lots of fun times with my teammates....we're a crazy bunch I tell you. We also watched Kingpin and Braveheart on the way down and back. Heheh. It was actually kind of ironic because one of the teams we were swimming against, Monmouth, is called "the fighting scots"..
Monmouth had just built a new pool. It's still really small...8 lanes / 25 yards, but it's a nice little pool with pretty adequate deck room. Originally I was going to video tape like I did last week, but we forgot the camera on the bus and couldn't do it. So I just chilled for the meet. Cheered on my teammates...ate pretzels and gatorade..yep.
As nervous as I normally get during meets (when I'm actually competing in them) I was still totally frustrated to not be swimming again. I *know* it's probably what's best for my health, and I *know* that even if I did swim my times would be abysmal even by the standards of someone who's been out of the sport for 5 years......but STILL....aaaaaah. I don't even know if I'll be swimming at the home meet this weekend. Fah.
It's really kind of sucky with the new state of my injury. Originally, I had a timeline that said 4-6 weeks. 4-6 weeks and I'd be better. I could deal with that. The pain was getting slowly better with the rehab, and I felt like I was making progress. Then all this numbness stuff started happening and now I feel totally set back. I honestly have no idea when it will go away (or at least be under control enough for me to not have to worry about it), or when it will be best for me to push my body hard as in competition.
I'm guessing these are all things I'll talk about with the Sports medicine specialist who I see on wednesday...but I just don't like being in this state of utter confusion.
When I met with the head trainer she actually suggested that if the injury does not get under control soon I might have to think of taking a break from swimming. I don't think she was suggesting I quit the team (at least I hope not!), probably more like take a week off if it gets really bad.....but....geez...I Just can't imagine going without a week of being in the water.
Humm......that's really all for tonight. I have swim lessons to teach tomorrow (or at least be the locker room attendant!), and I'm totally excited about the upcomming DST switch....yes for an extra hour of SLEEP!
Oh, by the way, we won the meet against both teams. We beat Rose Hulman AND Monmouth (yey!). I don't have the scores right now, but I know we did surprisingly well...won a lot of things we were not supposed to.
Yeah, I'm being pretty vigliant about my stretches. I've notcied that if I don't do them as much as I should things just get so much worse. I always feel better after my rehab than not......
We had another meet today. It was a tri team meet in Monmouth, IL. We were competing against Monmouth College, and Rose Hulman. For the guys team it was actually a quad meet as Western Illinois (a d1 school!) was there also.
Monmouth is 3.5 hours away from Chicago.
3.5
3.5 hours.....in a bus.....each way. 3.5 hours sitting on my injury....sitting....in pain....as my ibuprofen wore off (I ran out this morning). Fun times.
Other than the injury related stuff the bus ride wasn't all that bad. Had lots of fun times with my teammates....we're a crazy bunch I tell you. We also watched Kingpin and Braveheart on the way down and back. Heheh. It was actually kind of ironic because one of the teams we were swimming against, Monmouth, is called "the fighting scots"..
Monmouth had just built a new pool. It's still really small...8 lanes / 25 yards, but it's a nice little pool with pretty adequate deck room. Originally I was going to video tape like I did last week, but we forgot the camera on the bus and couldn't do it. So I just chilled for the meet. Cheered on my teammates...ate pretzels and gatorade..yep.
As nervous as I normally get during meets (when I'm actually competing in them) I was still totally frustrated to not be swimming again. I *know* it's probably what's best for my health, and I *know* that even if I did swim my times would be abysmal even by the standards of someone who's been out of the sport for 5 years......but STILL....aaaaaah. I don't even know if I'll be swimming at the home meet this weekend. Fah.
It's really kind of sucky with the new state of my injury. Originally, I had a timeline that said 4-6 weeks. 4-6 weeks and I'd be better. I could deal with that. The pain was getting slowly better with the rehab, and I felt like I was making progress. Then all this numbness stuff started happening and now I feel totally set back. I honestly have no idea when it will go away (or at least be under control enough for me to not have to worry about it), or when it will be best for me to push my body hard as in competition.
I'm guessing these are all things I'll talk about with the Sports medicine specialist who I see on wednesday...but I just don't like being in this state of utter confusion.
When I met with the head trainer she actually suggested that if the injury does not get under control soon I might have to think of taking a break from swimming. I don't think she was suggesting I quit the team (at least I hope not!), probably more like take a week off if it gets really bad.....but....geez...I Just can't imagine going without a week of being in the water.
Humm......that's really all for tonight. I have swim lessons to teach tomorrow (or at least be the locker room attendant!), and I'm totally excited about the upcomming DST switch....yes for an extra hour of SLEEP!
Oh, by the way, we won the meet against both teams. We beat Rose Hulman AND Monmouth (yey!). I don't have the scores right now, but I know we did surprisingly well...won a lot of things we were not supposed to.
