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
Went in for afternoon practice today. We watched a body positioning video for about an hour, after which we practiced correct body position and streamlines on deck.
Ow.
I haven't used some of those muscles for a while.
The other girls hopped in the water for a 400 yd swim and some more body position work. I headed over to the athletic training room.
I was checked out by one of the trainers who basically confirmed what I have as piriformis syndrome with a lower back strain to boot. Basically told everything the student care center told me. Lovely.
I get to go into the training room everyday this week to get stretched out and have a heat pad thrown on my back for a while. I'm not exactly sure how putting myself in positions that cause intense pain is intended to cure this injury...but I trust that the trainers know what they're doing.
At least I know I definitely have an injury!
The trainers are there to help student athletes overcome injuries and get back into shape . . . worth much more than the health service center in my experience. So devote yourself to the regimen recommended for you by the trainers, show up, and do your best to get past this hurdle.
my 2 cents
I'm feeling kind of depressed right now...
We had morning practice at 6:20. I woke up on time and overcame the "I'm tired how about I just go back to sleep" feeling...forced myself to drink some coffee and eat and go out to practice.
Got to practice okay and was feeling not so bad. My back was so-so and I told this to my coach when she asked. We started the warmup and my back was pretty much feeling the same. Then we did a pull set. For the first 400 of the set I was feeling pretty good. My back seemed to loosen...it was okay. Then at about 500 of the set my back just tightened up. I slowed down. I felt myself having to use my shoulders more to pull myself...I was barely rotating at all. It was like I was swimming through cement.
I stopped at the wall and my coach came over and asked how I was doing. I told her that the last part of the pull had made my back ache so I was resting fo the last 200. She told me that she wanted me to cool down and hop out for the morning. I did so...but feel so bad about doing it.
If it was up to me I would have kept swimming...even if it meant my back hurt more today. I don't like working less than the other girls!
I'm afraid of becomming the injured girl on the team. I try not to talk about it a lot to my teammates...but when its really hurting or when I have to rest during a set or get out early (like today) I feel a need to explain it when they wonder what I'm doing....
But all the same...I don't want them to think I'm complaining about it.
I have to visit the training room this afternoon. My coach wanted me to go before practice this afternoon, but I have a packed schedule of class + homework + lunch. Technically if I skipped out on the homework for my second class I could go up to the training room...but I think my classes come first. So I'm planning on going during the afternoon practice and maybe getting in the water if I have time.
I'm just trying as hard as I can right now...but it feels like it's not good enough.
I'm so depressed......
Today's abbreviated workout:
Warmup:
300 choice
Warmup Set:
6 x 25 drill (6 side kick, 3 free pulls) on the :35
6 x 50 drill (6 side kick, 3 back pulls) on the 1:10
6 x 75 step down 1-3, 4-6 on the 1:40
6 x 100 IM (I had to alternate free/back) on the 2:10
100 easy swim.
Main:
6 x 200 Pull (alternate 50 long & strong, 25 sprint) on the 4:10
(I finished about 600 of the pull set before being told to cool down and get out...)
Cool down:
300 easy swim.
Total this morning: 2800yds
I'm in Chicago! Snow is part of the city...hahaha.
I won't really have to deal with it, though, because I have a car this year. So I'm the one who gets to shuttle the poor girls without transportation to morning practice in the winter!
Oh today was an interesting morning.
I woke up...pain was pretty bad and I was exceedingly groggy from the muscle relaxers I took the night before. Given that I decided to take the day off of practice.
So I e-mail my coach and I climb back into bed.
5 minutes later...I think..."Oh ****, there are two freshman downstairs waiting for me to drive them to practice."
Next thought: "I'm so comfy...they can just grab a ride with the guy's"
Next thought: "Oh no. The guys don't have practice until 7am. Ours is at 6:20. Oh no."
Then: "Well...they can walk...it's not cold outside..."
And then: "But even if they left right now they'd be at least half an hour late to practice...20 minutes if they ran. And then they'll get in trouble and it'll be my fault!"
So....guess what I do. I get out of bed, get partially dressed, go downstairs and I drive the freshman to morning practice. I then come back and go to sleep.
I think that should nominate me for nicest swimmer on the face of the earth...or at least in my dorm.
Nothing else going on really...I see the trainer again today for my back. Our first meet is in two weeks. It is currently unknown what I will swim or if I will swim...we'll see!
Went to the training room before dinner tonight. It was not a good experience.
The guy who did my stretching yesterday wasn't there today. So I had to talk with the head trainer. She was kind of a ***.
I told her my story and explained that I wasn't sure what the other trainer had wanted me to do.
She told me that she was too busy - that she had volleyball and football athletes to tape up (there were like maybe 5 people there max) and it just wasn't a good time.
She then said that if I wanted rehab I have to come in during 10:30-12 or 1:30-3. I have a class during those times every single day.
So she said I could come in during 4:30-6:30 if I wanted but that I'd have to do everything myself.
What's the point of comming into the training room if I'm just stretching myself? I can do that at home.
I definitely got the vibe from her that because I was a swimmer I just wasn't important.
Ugh.
She was part of the reason I initally didn't want to go into the training room. I've heard other bad stories about her from some of the other swimmers....
It really isn't fair. The swimmers are just as much athletes as any of the other sports. We probably even train for more hours per week than most of those other sports - double practices! And yet we still get treated crummily....
This afternoon's practice was awesome! I was really sore and hurty from the morning practice...and it probably didn't help my situation to have had two 1.5 hour classes during the day. Sitting is bad. Ow.
Went into practice and found out we were watching a backstroke drill video for an hour, and then doing some light warmup followed by a few drills...we also got to leave early! Yes!
Oh...and I don't have afternoon practice on Friday - even better!
This afternoon's quick practice:
45 Minute backstroke drill video
Warmup:
400m choice
Several backstroke drills (everything from side kicking to the "L" drill)
5 x 100m focus on technique swim free or back on the 2:15
That's it!
Total: 900m ....ooooh yeah
After the practice a few of us went over to one of the returner's apartments to make posters for the men's soccer team. The University has a program called support teams. Basically, because this university isn't exactly...sports inclined...each varsity team has another team called their "support team". The support teams show up at all the meets/games of the other team and cheer and wear maroon (school colors) and make posters and all that stuff.
Our support team this year is the Men's Soccer team (ironic because our coach is married to the men's soccer coach...but it's a random selection every year). They have a really important game this friday vs Rochester that we're all required to attend...so this evening was poster making for the game.
We made some funny ones...I'm rather proud...a few of the ones we made:
"I like men. I like soccer. Go men's soccer!"
"Kick some balls!"
"U of C Scores More" (in small letters: "On the MCATs, LSATs, and GREs...")
Fun times.
Now I have a craving for really bad chinese food....and I have do to an Econ problem set...*groan*
Morning practice today:
Woke up at the normal time. Back felt okay...obviously still in pain, but not nearly as bad as it had been the day before. Had my coffee...but didn't eat. Was feeling queasy...I was still tasting my dinner from last night at the dining hall. Ugh. Dining hall food is horrid..
I was kind of freaked out when I was waiting in the lobby for the other girls who I usually drive. None of them came down..... which made me wonder. The guy's morning practice was only for distance swimmers, and I was freaking out thinking that maybe the girl's were doing the same. All the time I was driving to practice I was thinking "Man...if I woke up at quarter to 6 and don't even have to swim today I'm not going to be happy..."
That wasn't the case though...everyone else was there. Today was actually our "intro to your equipment day". I was issued part of my varsity gear. (Basically everything I use in the pool - we still haven't been issued our official suits, caps, shorts, sweats, or warmups...)
It was certainly an interesting workout. Pretty much low intensity. I managed to be rather okay for an hour and a half of practice...although I forgot to take my inhaler this morning! So I was having some...uh...minor...breathing problems. I have to make sure I remember that...
This morning's workout:
Warmup:
300 swim alternating 25 free / 25 non free
300 swim w/ snorkel (my first time ever using a snorkel...*not* exactly the smoothest transition I've ever experienced)
150 pull w/ paddles (this was supposed to be a 300 pull, but my back doesn't like the pulling, so I had to cut it short)
200 kick w/ fins
Main:
8 x (4 x 25 w/ snorkel on the :30, 1 x 100 w/ snorkel on the 2:00)
6 x (2 x 25 underwater dolphin w/ fins on the :30; 2 x 25 fast kick w/ fins on the :30; 1 x 50 6 side-kick, 3 stroke free drill w/ fins on the 1:00)
At about halfway through the second set, I had to stop doing the underwater dolphin and switch to doing above water free.
I was having breathing problems due to my not remember my inhaler, but mainly the dolphin kick is horrid on my back. I don't know why I can kick for long stretches of free before getting into pain...and why after like 150 dolphin kick I'm just hurting so bad...I don't know what the logic is behind this injury.
There was another set after the second one...it was a 10 x 25 pull w/ paddles set. I tried to kick it (because pull hurts the back) but it just didn't work. I realised that I had hit the limit for the morning and told my coach. She let me cool down and hop out.
It's kind of frustrating hitting a wall during practice. I don't mind having activities (fly, ***, long pull, flip turns...) that are impossible or hard to do...because I can just train around them. But hitting a point where *anything* causes pain is just extremely frustrating.
Cool down:
1 x 200 swim
Total this morning: 3,950 yds
This afternoon I have practice again and then a poster making party for the guy's soccer match on Friday....stay tuned!
