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
I thought about that...it's just today I'm in serious pain. I don't know why it hurts today.
I took my muscle relaxer last night...and I've been taking my ibuprofen around the clock and icing it when I can. But it hurts so bad right now....I'm not even sure I could get my suit on right now...because of the bendingness...ow.
Sigh. I hate missing things. I'm not a slacker... :(
I recommend going and trying. It’ll give the coach a much better impression of you. In essence you haven’t proven yourself yet all you have done is offer up excuses. They are all true and viable but a coach might not see it that way. I don’t think you will further injure your back. Stretch lots and do what the doctor tells you. Maybe stay away from Fly and *** for now. Explain to the coach what exactly the injury is and that you will work as hard as you can and not miss a practice but that you might have to ease up a bit. She should be understanding of that. Stretch before and after practice, stretch when you have time in between sets. It’ll get easier. In another month or two that practice will seem like cake. Keeping track of intervals can be really hard. The 40s are usually pretty easy ... top, 40, 20, top ... While you are swimming think about when you should be coming in. I keep track of sets and intervals that way ... Okay, I left on the 20 so this is number 3, I’m going to have to leave on the top for the next one. 40s actually for me are one of the easiest intervals to keep track of.
Good luck!
Originally posted by hmlee
I thought about that...it's just today I'm in serious pain. I don't know why it hurts today.
I took my muscle relaxer last night...and I've been taking my ibuprofen around the clock and icing it when I can. But it hurts so bad right now....I'm not even sure I could get my suit on right now...because of the bendingness...ow.
Sigh. I hate missing things. I'm not a slacker... :(
If it is that bad show up to practice and ask your coach for some dryland training ... you might want to give her a heads up. I say still show up even if you don't swim.
Originally posted by hmlee
I crashed this afternoon because I was just so exhausted after practice. This getting up at 5:45 stuff 5 days a week is going to be killer until I get used to it.
I have to admit enjoying reading your updates. It makes me think back to college (I was not a swimmer). 5:45 am in college for me was an unimaginable time, anytime before 11 am was beyond belief.
Just remember, this is the most free time you'll have the rest of your life, hard to believe, huh? With two kids both of us parents working, 5:45 am is now a luxury for me.
Are you doing anything about your feet? I cut mine up pretty badly this summer and couldn't wear fins for a couple of weeks. I recommend getting a pair of the socks made to be worn with fins. It helps to cushion the rub points.
Hope your back feels better.
Don't feel bad about the math thing.
Yeah, I'm bringing some cotton socks to practice the next time I'm in the water. I also ordered some neoprene ones from Kiefer...should be here in a few days.
I'm really sore today. I have practice in the afternoon - at 3:30 - but I don't think I'm going to swim. Right now my plan is to go and speak with my coach to make sure she got my e-mail about my injury and then come back.
I feel kind of bad about not swimming today, but I'm just worried that if I push my back when it's really tight like it is today that I could do more damage than I realize.
If it already takes 4-6 weeks to heal on its own if I'm resting and taking it easier...how long would it take if I reinjured it by swimming hard when it was hurting?
I don't want to find out.
Hopefully my coach will understand.
Hehe. I know what you mean aquageek. Last year when I was scheduling my classes for this year (before I had confirmed I'd be swimming) I tried to get all my classes after 11:30. I've switched sections in most of them now that I'm swimming so that I have more free time in the afternoon...but still!
Woo for Saturday morning practice!
In the end, I decided not to swim yesterday. I still went to practice and briefly spoke with my coach about the state of my back. She was okay with me taking the day off. I've got to schedule an appointment with the athletic training room now (she's insisting on it) because even though I already know what's wrong the U has a policy whereby the training room has to be aware of any injury to an athlete. Ugh. Fun times.
Yesterday the pain in my back was pretty intense...but after some ice and more ibuprofen it leveled off and I was able to function again...and enjoy the festivities going on in my dorm room. (Beer Pong tournament). I really have to learn not to drink so much when I have morning practice the next day......
On to this morning!
I woke up at 7 to ice my back before heading over to practice at 8. We had a meeting about the swim lessons that we teach on sundays (starting tomorrow!) for the surrounding community.
We got in the water at about 8:30 and finished at 10:30. It wasn't a bad workout...but my back was tight all the way through it. I've pretty much discovered that no matter what I'm doing in the pool, I'm going to be in pain. It's just the level of pain changes based on the activity. I still can't do flip turns...*sigh*.
I've never actually been an injured athlete so this is new for me. Even when I was a club swimmer for seven years I never got injured. Sure, I had my sick days...but I was always back to my normal self within a week or so. The idea that I'm going to be not up to my best for at least 4-6 weeks just boggles my mind.
It's hard in practice too because I know that I can do sets faster and harder. I know I can make better intervals. But my body just won't let me do it. If I try I get excruciating pain....so yeah. Not an option.
Today I'm planning on relaxing and working a little bit (I work for the University doing computer tech support in my dorm...). I think I might go get a pastrami sandwich for lunch. Mmm....pastrami.
This mornings workout:
Warmup:
1200 choice. (I did 200 free, 200 back, 800 free kick)
Main:
4 x ( 4 x 50 on the 1:00)
1st 50 in each set: Build
2nd 50: Build
3rd 50: Sprint
4th 50: Recovery
200 easy kick
6 x ( 1 x 25 sprint kick on the :30, 1 x 50 easy (half drill/half recovery), 1 x 75 sprint kick on the 2:00)
100 easy swim
Series set:
1 x 500
1 x 400
1 x 300
1 x 200
1 x 100
:20 rest between each block.
Cool down:
200 choice
Total: About 4900yds
Of that I kicked 3100 yds today...I think I'm crazy.
The series set was defined as a swim....but I actually kicked the entire thing. I can't explain it, but the kicking felt really good on my back (as compared to everything else). I was still in pain, but kicking for some reason seemed to stretch my back and my thigh muscles and loosen me up a bit.
I actually felt okay after getting out of the pool. Still tight, but a lot better than when I got in.
Unfortunately, the pain has completely returned right now. Sigh.
Sunday: Swim lessons..
The guys and girls swim teams at my university teach swim lessons for an hour on Sundays. It's mainly a fundraising thing...the money we get from it goes to fund our training trip to florida/hawaii over winter break.
Today was the first day. We have a lot of little kids from the surrounding community come in...they're so cute! Unfortunately, not as many people as we had originally thought would show up...so I basically sat around on deck in my suit for an hour...not teaching or anything. Oh well.
My back is feeling a little better..but still really sore. I'm trying to get an appointment time in the training room at the insistance of my coach...but still nothing.
Tomorrow we start doubles practices! AAAH! Normally on M-W-F we'd have a dryland session in the morning and then a swim sesson in the afternoon. That's not too bad. Unfortunately, tomorrow, my coach wants us to swim both times. That's going to hurt so much......
I don't even know if I'll be swimming in the afternoon session though. I am going to try to go to the training room...and maybe see how my back is doing after morning practice.
Sigh. Injuries arn't fun at all. :(
It sounds like the coach understands you are injured, so don't be so hard on yourself. Get in and swim as much as possible, but don't push it if you're feeling pain. Hopefully the trainers will have some recommendations for you, too.
