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.
Former Member
If you were wondering LBJ, the H in "hmlee" stands for Hilary...buuut I'll take Harold all the same!
Another day out of the water for me. I'm finally feeling better, but I've been suckered into going to the "Aims of Education" speech my University gives every year to the freshman.
It will be an interesting speech, but it leaves me no time to get to the pool, which is sad.
Former Member
Yeah, it's not a very common thing. At my University and at a few other Universities in the country freshman have to take a PE and a swim test during orientation.
Our swim test consists of 100yds (or 4 laps in the way the pool is configured). There is no time or stroke limit. You could float the test if you wanted to and they would pass you.
Leonard Jansen:
OK, I've always wondered if race walkers have hip issues. It looks like the way your race might be hard on your hips. I'd appreciate your input on this if you have the time.
Former Member
If you don't pass the test initially you're required to join a swim class, at which point you *could* take the test over again, or just stick it out through the class.
As for the PE test, you can get anywhere from 0-3 quarters of PE requirement. I got stuck with 3 because I tripped on a shoelace during one of the tests, fell, and was presumed to be having some sort of asthma attack.
...And even doing varsity swimming doesn't erase that requirement.
Former Member
Originally posted by hmlee
I'm also really hoping to be accepeted by the girls on the team - it will make it so much easier if I have support from them as well as from the other people in my life.
When I first moved into the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs (1981) to train with the other racewalkers who lived there, I was worried about the same thing. Doubley so because I knew I was probably the least naturally talented, slowest person and one of the oldest. However, I discovered that I had two things that the others didn't and eased the way:
1) I had no fear of distance and could do really long, steady workouts (3-6 hours). No one else had ever really trained much in this range and I was asked constantly to "pull" some of the better walkers (including a number of Olympic team members) through some pretty nasty distances.
2) I didn't/don't drink (alcohol) and I had a car. This made me the ideal person to go out with for socializing since people knew that they could get a bit loose (nice after a 5 hour walk in the heat) and get home alive. I also think that it helped that I was in a committed monogamous relationship with my girlfriend (now wife) even though she was in Pennsylvania - no competition from me with the ladies we happened to meet (A.K.A. the ideal wing man).
Please STOP the negative thoughts/doubts. Go to practice as if you really BELIEVE that you belong there and everyone else will soon believe that you belong there as well.
A story to emphasize the last point: Before the 1988 Olympics, I coached a number of athletes, some of whom made the team. We had a training group that met on Saturday mornings for some pretty frightening workouts. A guy named Harold, who was 67 years old and had had triple bypass surgery, showed up from Nebraska and wanted to train with the group. Putting it mildly, Harold was nowhere near the ability of the group. BUT... Harold trained harder than I thought was humanly possible. He was the first person there and the last to leave and in between he'd literally leave blood on the track if that is what was required. (His wife, Dorothy, used to come to practice, sit in a chair by the track, knitting or reading mystery novels and yell at Harold - Harold was hard of hearing - that he really COULD do better than he was. I'm still not sure if she was trying to kill him to collect the insurance money.) One of the other athletes, who eventually made a total of 4 Olympic teams, once said that if he could train as hard as Harold, he'd win the Olympics. Later, when Harold placed 6th in his age group in the World Master's championships 20km, we had a bigger celebration than when 3 of the other guys made the Olympic team. We all loved and respected and admired Harold, but not because of the times he achieved, but because of this unbelievable attitude and work ethic.
I'm not sure what the "h" stands for in "hmlee", but I dub thee "Harold". Go get 'em, Harold.
-LBJ
Former Member
Geek -
So as not to hijack this thread. I replied via private mail.
-LBJ
Former Member
Congratulations! You will be fine - if anything, you need to stop the self-doubt because it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think you can do it, you can! Believe yourself doing well...imagine yourself doing well...and you will. No one expects you to jump in and be the next Janet Evans right away. If you work hard (which it sounds like you're doing), and you give it your best - you're going to improve, and you're going to do great. Really. Trust me.
As someone who had a painfully hard time fitting in, in college and even sometimes these days - what you THINK people are saying about you or thinking about you doesn't matter. A) They're most likely NOT thinking anything about you, at all - we're all so focused on our own issues; and B) They don't even know you yet, so give them time to form a friendship with you. You seem like a lovely person, and they will realize this as well!
Hang in there, give yourself a break, and act like you have confidence, even when you feel a little scared. Act like a collegiate swimmer, practice like a collegiate swimmer, give it your all like a collegiate swimmer...and you'll BE an excellent collegiate swimmer!
Hey Hilary/Harold!
I'll second the others' advice, and I just want to add one more thing: have fun with it! Sometimes when I'm swimming and feeling bummed b/c my workout times are slower than I want them to be (and believe me, my fastest times are going to be slower than those of a lot of ppl here), I stop using my watch and just decide to experience the water, experience the swim, think about the technique advice my coach gave me, notice things--like the bubbles under the surface, the way the morning sun reflects off the water.... And enjoy the fact that I can do this very cool thing called swimming. Swimming is where I release myself from stress, and if I let the workout get me too stressed, it cuts into my energy. Even if you're trying to make a team, the bottom line is that you LOVE swimming in and of itself. Let yourself be fed by that. Ultimately, that's where it all is. (Often, if I let go of the watch and worrying or thinking I'm not that good, I actually start swimming better!)
Good luck with everything!
Former Member
Well tonight was a pasta party for new and old swimmers to kind of meet up and everything. It was mostly fun, but I felt a little out of place. As a soph. and a new swimmer I kind of fall into the awkward category of not being new to the school, but being new to the team.
That's kind of weird.
Several of the returning swimmers were very nice to me - although I myself wasn't as talkative as usual because I'm sick and have a scratchy throat.
I also met some of the freshman swimmers - they, for the most part, are nice people as well. And there are some that either have no swimming experience, or that have minimal experience. Perhaps I won't be the slowest on the team, afterall.
Unfortunately, two or three of the returning girls did kind of give me a questioning attitude. Guess I'll just have to show them I'm serious when I get into the water.
I'm finally starting to feel better, so hopefully I'll be able to get in the pool tomorrow. There's a meeting for the team on monday and then we swim together afterwards....so...we'll see how that goes!
For now it seems like I'm going to relax in my room (alone - because my roommate ditched me..grr) and then head to some frat parties tonight. Woot!
Former Member
originally posted by hmlee
For now it seems like I'm going to relax in my room (alone - because my roommate ditched me..grr) and then head to some frat parties tonight. Woot!
How that brings back such fruitful and lovely memories.of college life!....things like crawling on all fours out into the center of the courtyard and grabbing fistfuls of grass with all my strength to keep myself from falling off of the earth!!....Good times!!....LOL!!
Glad to hear your feeling better BTW
Newmastersswimmer
