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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We're #2!!! We're #2!!!
Sum up of the past week: Lots of practice. Some back pain. Lots of therapy.
Friday afternoon, and all of today we had our Maroon invitational. There were 8 schools total, and it was a pretty kickass meet.
I don't know where we got the energy we had....we swam so well Friday, and on today too. It was amazing. One of my teammates managed to drop 10 seconds on her 500, and (get this) 49 seconds on her mile. Another girl dropped 20 seconds on her 100 back time.
I think the benefit of training trip finally kicked in, and we were able to just pull out a lot of good performances. The end of the meet was phenomonal because the difference between second and third places came down to the 400 free relay. We were leading by 9 going into the event (it had two heats) and we just had to hold the other school off enough to pull it out. In the end we won 2nd place by only 5 points! It was so exciting....I'm nearly hoarse from all the cheering I did during these two days.
I didn't swim, again, but I still felt part of the team today which was good...
Today was also the last home meet for our team captain. She's only a 3rd year, but she's graduating early, so this was the last time she would be swimming a meet at our pool. It was pretty cool....I was tasked with buying her flowers during the lunch break today and everything.
We only have two more meets before our conference meet, the UAAs. Next week we'll be at Illinois Weslyan, and the week after we'll be at Depauw. I think both are dual meets, but I could be wrong.
Here were the results for the women's team today:
1. Olivet
2. U OF C!!!
3. Loras
4. IIT
5. Carthage College
6. Benedictine
7. College of Dupage
The men's team also finished second behind Olivet, but they had 8 teams as they were also swimming against Principia.
We're #2!!! We're #2!!!
Sum up of the past week: Lots of practice. Some back pain. Lots of therapy.
Friday afternoon, and all of today we had our Maroon invitational. There were 8 schools total, and it was a pretty kickass meet.
I don't know where we got the energy we had....we swam so well Friday, and on today too. It was amazing. One of my teammates managed to drop 10 seconds on her 500, and (get this) 49 seconds on her mile. Another girl dropped 20 seconds on her 100 back time.
I think the benefit of training trip finally kicked in, and we were able to just pull out a lot of good performances. The end of the meet was phenomonal because the difference between second and third places came down to the 400 free relay. We were leading by 9 going into the event (it had two heats) and we just had to hold the other school off enough to pull it out. In the end we won 2nd place by only 5 points! It was so exciting....I'm nearly hoarse from all the cheering I did during these two days.
I didn't swim, again, but I still felt part of the team today which was good...
Today was also the last home meet for our team captain. She's only a 3rd year, but she's graduating early, so this was the last time she would be swimming a meet at our pool. It was pretty cool....I was tasked with buying her flowers during the lunch break today and everything.
We only have two more meets before our conference meet, the UAAs. Next week we'll be at Illinois Weslyan, and the week after we'll be at Depauw. I think both are dual meets, but I could be wrong.
Here were the results for the women's team today:
1. Olivet
2. U OF C!!!
3. Loras
4. IIT
5. Carthage College
6. Benedictine
7. College of Dupage
The men's team also finished second behind Olivet, but they had 8 teams as they were also swimming against Principia.
