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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I feel rather guilty.
I've missed the last four practices.....
It's not that I really wanted to (okay so that first one was a nice break, but after that...). I actually was sick. Really sick. As in I was curled up on my couch in half-fetal position most of the day. I survived on ginger ale and saltine crackers - anything else would make me throw up (which I did with some frequency anyway).
It's possible I could have gone to practice. But I was worried. Not just that I wouldn't feel good or something. I mean the work I've been doing in practice is rather light, especially because the other girls are tapering and so their practices are short too (around 2600yds - means I do more like 2200 in the same time). It's just......well I wasn't sure if this thing was contagious or not. It behaved a lot like some form of flu/stomach flu, but it could also have just been a digestive weirdness for me.
Still, I didn't want to take the risk. I would have felt horrible if it was contagious and someone picked it from me this week and then was sick during our conference meet. That would be so bad - not only that, but my coach would probably kill me. Or strangle me with a lane line.
I don't know......did I make the right choice here? I feel so strange...like I let people down.
P.S. Stay tuned - this afternoon I'll be posting pics of our team shirt! Woot!
I feel rather guilty.
I've missed the last four practices.....
It's not that I really wanted to (okay so that first one was a nice break, but after that...). I actually was sick. Really sick. As in I was curled up on my couch in half-fetal position most of the day. I survived on ginger ale and saltine crackers - anything else would make me throw up (which I did with some frequency anyway).
It's possible I could have gone to practice. But I was worried. Not just that I wouldn't feel good or something. I mean the work I've been doing in practice is rather light, especially because the other girls are tapering and so their practices are short too (around 2600yds - means I do more like 2200 in the same time). It's just......well I wasn't sure if this thing was contagious or not. It behaved a lot like some form of flu/stomach flu, but it could also have just been a digestive weirdness for me.
Still, I didn't want to take the risk. I would have felt horrible if it was contagious and someone picked it from me this week and then was sick during our conference meet. That would be so bad - not only that, but my coach would probably kill me. Or strangle me with a lane line.
I don't know......did I make the right choice here? I feel so strange...like I let people down.
P.S. Stay tuned - this afternoon I'll be posting pics of our team shirt! Woot!
