New Year...New Goals

I think I'm still processing how well I swam last weekend at Rutgers. I learned more from this meet and think that I will be taking a look at how much I really need to actually train in the pool in order to swim fast at meets.

I haven't really "trained" since SCY Nationals in May. In July I developed shoulder pain and decided to just focus on other things than swimming hoping that it would just go away on it's own. Four months later it was still bothering me and it was diagnosed as tendonitis about three weeks ago.

Two weeks ago I went to Michigan and swam in a meet there (SCY) and went the following times:
200 back- 2:44
100 breast- 1:29
100 back- 1:11

This weekend, heading up to Rutgers, the only thing I really had was more cross-training. I haven't swum too much in the last two weeks, maybe twice a week. We went to the pool on Friday evening to swim and it was honestly the first time since Savageman in September that I felt like a swimmer. I cruised through the water. Inspired by all of my friends who were using this meet as their shave/taper meet, I decided what the heck, I'd shave too. I've been tapering since May!

Saturday
The meet didn't start until 2 pm. I decided to skip my long run and just put as much energy into my races as I could with no excuses in my way. We got to the pool, got in about 1600 meters of warming up, a few pace 50s, but nothing too hard because I didn't want to make my shoulder hurt.

100 Breast- I didn't feel like I really deserved to put on my fastskin (the regular swimsuit style one) so I did this race in my cute practice suit. From the start it really felt great...and I'm NOT a breaststroker. I was somewhat keeping up with the girls in my heat who were entered with low 1:30s. I finished and was wiped, but elated to see 1:32.51 on the board. Ok this is good....

50 Back- I almost skipped this one since it was so close to the 100 BR and I really didn't feel warmed down. I hadn't practiced a backstroke start yet so I decided to just use this one as a pace 50 and to get in a start before the 200. Good thing I did. This swim both showed me that I had no idea where either wall was and humbled me because it was hard! I went 37.18.

200 Back- I changed suits for this one. I felt so relaxed behind the blocks and had a small idea that something incredible was about to happen. It was either going to be really good or really bad and I felt in control of that outcome. I decided that if I went 3:00, that I was just going to smile and be happy. But I just felt so good. So relaxed, but giddy nervous at the same time. I was in a heat with people entered with 2:55 and above. I was glad to not be in the fast heat. I got out ahead of my heat and swam an incredible race, even paced and in control. It felt smooth and relaxed the whole way. When I touched the wall, I knew it was good. I smiled, laughed and really wondered what I had done to swim so fast. I finally looked up to see my time and laughed even more. I think everyone on the pool deck at that moment thought it was a lifetime best, and believe me, it felt like one! I was not only 2 seconds faster than I swam it in SCY two weeks ago, but only 4 seconds slower than my lifetime masters best. Final time- 2:42.17
(39.39, 41.22, 41.80, 39.76)
(1:20.61, 1:21.56)


Sunday (MY BIRTHDAY)!!!

Sunday's warm up was hilarious. No one was in the end lane so Mollie (aka Jollie) and I (aka Mulie) decided to hop in joined a few minutes later by Muppet. Little did we know that another woman had it in her head that lane 1 was the "lane for older people" and it turned into quite the debacle. I still got in a great 1500 meters and really focused on my backstroke turns and finish. I knew that I was still a little off on some of my turns the day before in the 200 so I wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for the 100.

100 back- I was in the second to fast heat and in lane 1. I really didn't want to get last in the heat and really wanted to break 1:20 which I knew was possible since that's what I took the 200 out in the day before. I swam a strong first 50 and the picked it up and just gave it everything I had for the second 50. I finished in 1:15.48, slightly faster than I went at Albatross, but still 4 seconds off my masters best. I was thrilled with the result and actually thought that since I was in an end lane, I'd take advantage of the ladder being right there, but knew I'd never hear the end of it if I did. I rolled out of the pool like a beached whale and of course Andy Ellis was right there to witness the whole thing. It's a great feeling to know you left it all in the pool.
1:15.48 (37.37, 38.11)

Best of all was getting to WATCH Mollie (SwimmieAvsFan) swim in the next heat. We're always in the same heat of the backstroke events, so this weekend was really awesome to see her race! She kicked serious butt finishing in a HUGE PR of 1:09.03!!!! YOU GO GIRL!

100 IM- Yeah, right! I kind of knew I shouldn't do this race since it was SO close to the 100 back, and got to the point in the free length where my shoulder just hurt. I backed off and got some ice after the race. 1:20.51.

What did I learn?
1. I am NOT as out of shape as I think. I could never swim a 2:42 in the 200 back if I were really out of shape.

2. Maybe I don't need to train 20,000 yards/week in order to be fast.

3. Cross training is good...more spinning, running, weights, yoga!

4. I've got great friends.

5. 2009 is going to ROCK!

6. I like the recordbreaker fastskin better than the one with legs. Going to get a new one soon!

7. Dream BIG!

What a weekend. Thanks to everyone for all of the birthday wishes and singing at the pizza place.

From a b-day card from my parents:

"The days and years rush by and yet within them there is a sprinkling of joy and simple times that remind us of what is truly important: to live is a gift, and every ordinary moment is filled with beauty when seen through the eyes of the heart."

Sometimes it is not the "PR" that brings the most joy, but the feeling of "I gave it my all" regardless of the result. Even though I did not swim as fast as I did at this meet last year, I felt the same sense of accomplishment and knew that I did the best that I could at that moment.