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, and the injury was kind of achey and I was feeling some numbness initially, which worried me a little bit. I don't think that reverse belly flop yesterday was the best thing for it.
Went to practice anyway (because, you know, I'm a trooper!) and managed to last mostly through it. Started initially with swimming with very light kicking, and then as the numbness increased progressed to swimming with no kicking, and then pulling with a buoy.
When I was out, I did my stretches and ab work multiple times....I like the fact that I'm now able to hang around practice and work even when I hit the limit swimming. After I was done I had a brief conversation with my coach....which made me a little embarassed. She asked if I was getting into the training room daily, and I replied almost daily...but that on certain days (like yesterday) I'm unable to because of my class and practice schedule. She told me that rehab should pretty much be my #1 priority (after academics) and that if it meant comming late to practice to get it done I should do that.
Well geez.....wish I had known that one before! I've wanted to go every day, but I hadn't thought that she'd be okay with me being late to practice. Now that I know that I have the okay to go do rehab, I feel better...but I'm still a bit embarassed that I had to have that conversation with her....ergh.....
Today's workout:
Warmup:
300 swim
300 swim 25 free, 50 stroke
300 pull w/ paddles + snorkel
Main:
18 x 25 on the :30 alternate 1 build, 2 sprint
Series set:
2 x the following:
8 x 25 on the :30 focus on technique
4 x 50 on the 1:00 strong
2 x 100 on the 2:00 fast
1 x 200 on the 4:00 crazy fast
1 x 100 easy
Cool down:
1 x 200 easy
Total: 3350 yds
The main set was stroke, and initially I started with backstroke (no buoy, minimal kicking). Eventually my leg was going numb so I decided to switch it up to free pulling with a buoy to avert that. It worked for a while, but then it just quit again.
Tomorrow I see the sports medicine doctor! Yeeeeey! Maybe he'll know just exactly what is going on...
Morning practice today.
Woke up, and the injury was kind of achey and I was feeling some numbness initially, which worried me a little bit. I don't think that reverse belly flop yesterday was the best thing for it.
Went to practice anyway (because, you know, I'm a trooper!) and managed to last mostly through it. Started initially with swimming with very light kicking, and then as the numbness increased progressed to swimming with no kicking, and then pulling with a buoy.
When I was out, I did my stretches and ab work multiple times....I like the fact that I'm now able to hang around practice and work even when I hit the limit swimming. After I was done I had a brief conversation with my coach....which made me a little embarassed. She asked if I was getting into the training room daily, and I replied almost daily...but that on certain days (like yesterday) I'm unable to because of my class and practice schedule. She told me that rehab should pretty much be my #1 priority (after academics) and that if it meant comming late to practice to get it done I should do that.
Well geez.....wish I had known that one before! I've wanted to go every day, but I hadn't thought that she'd be okay with me being late to practice. Now that I know that I have the okay to go do rehab, I feel better...but I'm still a bit embarassed that I had to have that conversation with her....ergh.....
Today's workout:
Warmup:
300 swim
300 swim 25 free, 50 stroke
300 pull w/ paddles + snorkel
Main:
18 x 25 on the :30 alternate 1 build, 2 sprint
Series set:
2 x the following:
8 x 25 on the :30 focus on technique
4 x 50 on the 1:00 strong
2 x 100 on the 2:00 fast
1 x 200 on the 4:00 crazy fast
1 x 100 easy
Cool down:
1 x 200 easy
Total: 3350 yds
The main set was stroke, and initially I started with backstroke (no buoy, minimal kicking). Eventually my leg was going numb so I decided to switch it up to free pulling with a buoy to avert that. It worked for a while, but then it just quit again.
Tomorrow I see the sports medicine doctor! Yeeeeey! Maybe he'll know just exactly what is going on...
