... if you are not going to beat anybody?
I pretty much want to go. I am close to NQTs in a few events (I know I can swim some events even if I don't make time). But looking at past results, swimming the QT typically puts you in the lower 1/4. Looking at the schedule, I'd end up swimming the slow heats of one event, 2 if I make time, a day.
Is the overall experience worth the cost of the trip?
(I did lurk in all last year's Nationals threads, but I'd like to hear it all again. :) )
I really hate SCY and had been planning to skip Mesa for hundreds of reasons,but the meet is just so much fun I changed my mind and decided I had to go.(Now if I could just get over this :censor: cold so I could actually train for it.)
I am staying an extra day after nats for touristic stuff...would appreciate any suggestions you throw our way!Let me know what interests you and how much time you have ...
cultural
historic
hiking
nature
casinos
chowing down
...
... and I'll do my best. Hopefully some of the other Arizonans on the forum can chime in.
I really hate SCY and had been planning to skip Mesa for hundreds of reasons,but the meet is just so much fun I changed my mind and decided I had to go.(Now if I could just get over this :censor: cold so I could actually train for it.)
:applaud::applaud::applaud: Hey King Frog (Bull Frog?), I'm glad you decided to go! I'll look forward to seeing you out there! Are you and your wife making a vacation out of it? Bruce is coming out with me! :bliss:
I am staying an extra day after nats for touristic stuff...would appreciate any suggestions you throw our way!
Last time I was there I visited Taliesin West. Pretty much a must-see for Frank Lloyd Wright fans!
www.franklloydwright.org/.../Tours.html
Let me know what interests you and how much time you have ...
cultural
historic
hiking
nature
casinos
chowing down
...
... and I'll do my best. Hopefully some of the other Arizonans on the forum can chime in.
Cultural, historic, nature. I'd love to do hiking, but I'll have my parents with me too and they can only handle so much... Thanks! Looking forward to it.
Hopefully, there will be lodging left when I make the decision.
There are always hotels here, it is just a matter of how close you want to be to the pool. If you decide to go and can't find something, shoot me a PM. Since I live here, I may be able to help.
As for going or not, I went the last time it was here in Arizona but had a rather bad experience and skipped my last event. Really put a bad taste in my mouth and turned me off from all meets until last year I finally did one. I'll be out of town when it is going on this year, competing in a running race across the country.
I am staying an extra day after nats for touristic stuff...would appreciate any suggestions you throw our way!
Chris, call..email...or Facebook me and let me know what you are looking for? One thing that I haven't done but hear great things about is the Musical Instrument Museum: http://www.themim.org/
Hiking Camelback Mountain if you have anything left in your legs: phoenix.gov/.../hikecmlb.html
Or a day trip to Sedona??
Hopefully, there will be lodging left when I make the decision.The greater Phoenix area is built around tourism and by that time of April many of the snowbirds will be gone. There will be loads of lodging. Even if you head up into north Scottsdale or downtown Phoenix, you're 20-30 minutes from the pool outside of rush hour.
To me, swimming is an individual sport first and foremost. Some of the races against other swimmers are great, and when you have enough teammates to do relays and/or compete for a team banner, that makes it more fun. But in the end, it is just you against the clock.
I've never come to Nationals with my goal to beat someone (other than desire to be faster than my fiancee's 200 backstroke) or to finish in a certain position, though that National Champion title would be nice. To me, Nationals has always been about a time on the clock.
So Jimbo, and any other wafflers, my advice to you is that if you want to set a goal for yourself, why not make it Nationals? Train for it, taper for it, shave, maybe buy a nice suit... and who knows, you may surprise yourself!
