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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Welll......I finally saw the doc again.
Yey!
She checked me over, asked questions, and showed me my MRI pictures. I'd never seen my MRI before, so it was quite nifty.
Apparently symptom wise I'm in the same condition as I was when I met with her a month ago. Joy.
I was cleared to return to the pool...yey! I can swim again! With the instruction that I have to modify my swimming to avoid primarily fly, possibly breaststroke, and flip turns and starts as long as I'm still getting pain from them. I guess I'm also supposed to not push too hard in any case. She said that when I reported feeling pain/numbness from those activities it was pretty classic for this type of injury, and that they should be avoided since they aggravate it.
Well, at least I've got my specific instructions now. That's good.
She also referred me to a spine specialist. I'm supposed to get an appointment to see if I'm a candidate for injections in my back! Freaky....but if it helps this go away then I guess I'll deal with it.
Unfortunately due to finals and the holiday break coming up, the earliest I should be able to get in there is probably January. I'm also supposed to follow up with the doc again after I see the specialist just to check things over.
I feel a sense of relief that I've finally gotten this sort of sorted out. I think that's good....
Welll......I finally saw the doc again.
Yey!
She checked me over, asked questions, and showed me my MRI pictures. I'd never seen my MRI before, so it was quite nifty.
Apparently symptom wise I'm in the same condition as I was when I met with her a month ago. Joy.
I was cleared to return to the pool...yey! I can swim again! With the instruction that I have to modify my swimming to avoid primarily fly, possibly breaststroke, and flip turns and starts as long as I'm still getting pain from them. I guess I'm also supposed to not push too hard in any case. She said that when I reported feeling pain/numbness from those activities it was pretty classic for this type of injury, and that they should be avoided since they aggravate it.
Well, at least I've got my specific instructions now. That's good.
She also referred me to a spine specialist. I'm supposed to get an appointment to see if I'm a candidate for injections in my back! Freaky....but if it helps this go away then I guess I'll deal with it.
Unfortunately due to finals and the holiday break coming up, the earliest I should be able to get in there is probably January. I'm also supposed to follow up with the doc again after I see the specialist just to check things over.
I feel a sense of relief that I've finally gotten this sort of sorted out. I think that's good....
