2006 Short Course National Championships

All hail, Tall Paul!

Hey guys.......thanks for the notes.....thought I might clarify a few things. I didn't enter the 100 because I had a 5pm flight that night and couldn't chance missing it. Best option was to get the 100 swim in the first day off the front end of the 1000 and hopefully hang on enough to at least score a few points for our team. The only bad thing about doing that was i pretty much suck as a time trialist and live for the "race" so I wasn't happy with that time. By the way, I did let the swimmers in that heat know what I was doing as well as the starter so no one would chase the rabbit! As I wrote in another thread.....this was one of the best meets I've attended, great facility, fast swims, good party's, etc.! One last thing, of all the impressive swims the ones most people wouldn't notice we're by our own Sheri Hart. Her 52.1 100 free (and all her other races) 8 months after having her second child and 10 days after starting antibiotics for walking pneuomonia was mind blowing! Hard not to cheer for her....even if she did swim for USC :)

I think Paul was required by the rules to tell the officials so they could judge it correctly and make it official, but he didn't have to tell the swimmers. That was nice of him. But officials usually notify the field that a swimmer is going for a split time, though I don't think that's required. Paul, I think you made a strong case to be on those "A" relays in August.

Originally posted by Paul Smith By the way, I did let the swimmers in that heat know what I was doing as well as the starter so no one would chase the rabbit! That was very courteous of you. Myself, as a rookie, would have attempted to chase you down (to no avail of course!). Congrats on your swims. Very impressive stuff.

Originally posted by Paul Smith One last thing, of all the impressive swims the ones most people wouldn't notice we're by our own Sheri Hart. Her 52.1 100 free (and all her other races) 8 months after having her second child and 10 days after starting antibiotics for walking pneuomonia was mind blowing! Hard not to cheer for her....even if she did swim for USC :) Wow, I have had walking pneuomonia and sure did not recover in 10 days, that is fantastic!

Originally posted by dorothyrde Wow, I have had walking pneuomonia and sure did not recover in 10 days, that is fantastic! I think it must have actually been "swimming pneumonia." ;)

Susan van der Lippe had an amazing meet. See the "geezerJock" link for more of her good press. http://www.geezerjock.com (If you haven't signed up for their free website, this would be an easy time to do so). And how incredible is Dara Torres - less than a month after delivering her child, she swam (well) on several relays! There was a front page article in the Coral Springs newspaper on Sunday about her - great timing, since it was Mother's Day. I attended the Toyota-sponsored "Swim with Rowdy and Dara" event on Friday afternoon - some great stroke technique hints from Dara and Rowdy. I'd also second Paul Smith's congratulations to the volunteer organizers, officials, and staff at the Coral Springs facility - a really well-run meet. If only John Smith could tell an even heat from an odd heat, it would have been nearly perfect. And I finally got to thank Gary Hall (Sr) for his long-forgotten (by him), forever remembered (by me) encouragements when I was a gawky 13 year old. Now that I'm a gawky 46 year old, it was still a thrill to talk to him. He was at the meet promoting Gary Hall Jr's Race Club. He also tried to psych me up by giving me some secret super-oxygenating liquid that he was carrying in an unmarked clear container. The guy is an MD, and a 3-time Olympian, so I figured it would probably work. Unfortunately, I think I got the Brown Acid instead of the Owlsley Acid, because next thing I knew, there were lizards crawling on my arms, the sky turned yellow and the sun turned blue. I'm still flashing back 5 days later. Can anyone help talk me down?

i can, but it will cost ya... how flush are you?