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.
Originally posted by hmlee
but I won't be swimming with them for 8 months. Kinda weird.
Don't you guys train in the spring? I think after the official season any workouts must be "optional," but most teams conitnue to train through the end of the school year.
END OF SEASON POST
Well... as the title says, this is my end of the season post. Today was the last practice. I've completed my first season of swimming with the u of c team, and although it didn't quite go as I hoped, I think I should still be proud.
I baked cookies for the other girls on the team last night, as well. I took them to morning practice this morning and set them out before they all got back into the locker room after practice. I had decorated each one with a girls name, plus a few extra that were "Swim Fast" and "Good Luck". There was a minor booboo in the cookies - there are 16 girls on the team total now, not including me makes it 15. Well.. I thought I had enough cookies to make all of their names, but my roommates ate a few cookies after I had baked them...so when I was decorating I wasn't able to write 1 girls name. I felt kinda bummed, but she did get a cookie, so I guess it's okay.
Today's workout was pretty good too. I've noticed that my back is healing again. While the yardage and intensity we've been doing haven't been too tough, I've still managed to do a lot more than I could a month or two ago. I was even able to do some sets with the other girls today! Normally I'd be doing my own seperate workout - since I can't really keep up or do the same intensity as they can. But today, my coach told me to jump in on their sets as I finished, and I pretty much held my own. Yey!
This is kind of a bittersweet day today. Of course, I'm happy to not have to get up at 5:30am 6 days a week anymore. And I'm happy to have 30 extra hours in my week. But..... well I didn't realize it before, but I'm really going to miss the other girls - and seeing them every morning. I've really bonded with a lot of them, and I actually do enjoy swimming with them in the morning. I'll see them sporadically throughout the year (other than the fact we go to the same school, and there are swimming events left), but I won't be swimming with them for 8 months. Kinda weird.
Since this is the end of the season.... what does it mean for my little swimming journal? Well, since regular practice is over, my regular updating is pretty much over too. However, I'm not going to let it just dissapear or anything. I'll update sporadically - posts about my continuing recovery, and swimming events through the next few months. So don't forget to check up every now and then. ;)
Workouts for the last 2 days:
Monday:
Warmup:
200 swim
200 drill
200 swim
200 stroke drill
200 build
Main:
4 x 200 (100 technique, 100 build)
1 x 400 (step down)
Cool down:
250 choice
Total: 2,450 yards
Tuesday:
Warmup:
1 x 750 straight swim
Main:
4 x 150 (25 fast, 25 slow, 25 medium x2)
5 x 100 (50 free, 25 stroke, 25 free)
6 x 50 (1-3 kick, 4-6 swim)
Cool down:
200 easy
Total: 2,450 yds
Nope. After the season we're basically on our own for training. We can come to the masters sessions (which my assistant coach coaches), which I'll probably do later, but other than that....nope. No off season training.
As of day two of the UAAs, the u of c is 7th. We're leading Brandeis by 3 points, but are about 100 points behind Cast Western.
Over the last couple of years, we've typically finished 8th. :/ Maybe we'll get 7th this year.
Other than the fact that the swimming programs at Emory, NYU are really really good - we suffer from small swim teams. It's hard to do well in a meet like this when you only have 15 swimmers.
(Side note: The boys team is currently 6th - leading Rochester by 70, and Brandeis by 110.)
WE BEAT BRANDEIS! YEEEEY!
Hehe. Yep, the U of C women's team ended up getting 7th, and the guy's team got 6th.
Considering all the people we've lost over the season (from 24 to 16 (15 competing)) I think it's pretty impressive that we still managed to improve over what the team did last year. I'm excited for next season, and I think we can really continue to improve! YEY!
If you train hard with the local Masters team, you'll be shocked at the progress you can make during the spring and summer. I'd encourage you, injury permitting, to give it a go!
Hmlee,
Keep up the positive attitude. It's not about the coach; it's about the swimming.
Short old guy story: I went to Lake Forest College and swam there 1979-83. (BTW, formerly in the same Conference as Univ of Chicago, before they got serious.) I wrote the head coach while I was still in high school and got a reply. Everything was looking good when I arrived as a freshman. Then, a Div I program hired away the head coach out from under us. I never got a chance to meet the man; he was gone. We swimmers were invited to a meeting with the AD, who basically told us that we would have a team that year, he just hadn't figured out who the coach would be. Things looked about as iffy as you could get.
Turns out they hired the coach of the Swim Club, John Leonard. I swam the next four years for him. Great guy, best coach I ever had. I think about him often and enjoy swapping the occasional email with him.
Things look bad now, but Univ of Chicago has months to figure it out. I can't see how they could drop all that coin on the gorgeous new facility you guys have, and then drop swimming. Keep your focus on what you can control and let the folks around you do their job.
Matt
