Off the Deck

If you’ve been following along this past fall/winter, I’m sure that you know by now that our team has slowly been splintering apart due to changes beyond our control.

Months of less pool time and coaching is catching up with us: many teamamtes recently have said that they are unmotivated for States, the biggest local meet of the year, held in our home pool even.

I struggled with State sign up too — part of my waffling over event selection included a “just forget the whole thing this year” phase, prompted in part by the lack of team-ish feelings. When I had a strong desire to change my events from “just swim through” to the ones I find most challenging and fun, I was kind of pleased with myself — I was getting into the spirit of things!

The recent relay snafu however, has made me realized that my attitude towards my current team situation has not really improved as much as I thought.

When I signed up, I didn’t list a team, assuming it didn’t matter as all the local workout groups or “teams” are really one team on the national registrar. And, sans head coach, were we even going to have relays?

But overall “team” standing are tracked at States as swimmers rack up individual and relay points. So what began as a statement of protest about the current state of affairs of our team has turned out to hurt my team further. What kind of swim evangelist am I if I don’t support swimming and my team any way I can?

I did try to change my status after my change of heart, but it didn’t go through — I am listed as “unattached” on the meet roster now. My apologies then to my teammates: I will think through my actions more carefully before I commit them to entry form from now on.

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Normally I’m pretty good about meet entry. I note the deadline in my calendar and then build in some rumination time about meet goals which naturally guides event selection. Then I go back to practice with an “upcoming event” focus. This system has worked well for me over the years, decades even.

But this week I’ve done something that I’ve never done before concerning meet sign up — I asked if I could change my events for States past deadline.

I am to blame for part of my lack of clear vision this season: I read the sheets, but not closely enough to note that the “real” deadline was much earlier than in past years. Instead, I wrote the “must be accompanied by a late fee” deadline in my calendar. So of course I felt out of sorts and rushed when I signed up — I didn’t have my usual rumination time; my focus was on getting the thing in a mailbox before pick up time.

Now that I feel better health-wise, I also realize that my thinking was not exactly the sharpest that day. What was I thinking? Half distance events and half sprint? I don’t like 50s except for when on relays. What can I say? Coughing vs sleeping addles my brain.

The other factor I’ve identified is sad and scary to admit: “unmotivated.” If you’ve been reading regularly, you know it’s been a rocky year for my team. I don’t feel super ready for any meet at the moment after scrambling around all fall and winter looking for pool time, space and coaching. Constantly changing my schedule to accomodate each new cut back has left me feeling really isolated and not a “team member.”

Which brings me to my final point. My first inclination was to suck it up and swim the goofy combo of events I originally signed up for — chalk the whole thing up to “it’s been that kind of year.” But this weekend I remembered that it’s supposed to be fun. And what would be lost in trying to change my events? Nothing. So I’ve dropped the 50s and swapped in the 500 free, 200 IM and 100 fly, as well as hopefully an improved approach to the meet…

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

When I went back to the pool Monday (the one I swim in on weekday afternoons) after a two-week layoff spent battling the current version of circulating seasonal crud, I was really disappointed to see that the facility was closing on March 21, not April 1 as originally announced.

Not only was I was hoping to at least finish the month out with one training schedule, but the whole pool closure “panic-anger” emotional wave came whoosing back. Unfortunately the anger part only escalated when I heard about the pool’s fate: a parking lot.

Isn’t this type of decision-making exactly why we are not making any progress towards solving one “targeted” problem in America? You know, the whole “we’re a fat nation” thing. The basic message in this case? Drive more, move your body less.

Absolutely, the Fitzsimmons facility isn’t gleamingly new and slicked out with the latest technology. But it’s still a place to get a great session in, whether your training to compete, swimming laps to stay fit, a triathlete working on that first leg of races, an aqua jogger getting a solid but gentle-joint workout or a senior taking an aqua-arthritis class. And let’s not forget about all the kids who learn to swim there either. The facility serves a community. Shouldn’t that be enough of a reason to keep it?

Closing one more pool means more overcrowding and stress upon surviving facilites — a situation I have come to dread over the past few years as the economy continues to tank. I already feel frustrated and squeezed out of decent practice time and space. And, I can’t help but wonder where all the seniors with limited incomes and ability to get around on their own will go for their afternoon swim once the facility closes for good.

I will also really miss Fitzsimmons’ home-y, low-key atmosphere: affordable ($3.50 per swim), populated with lifeguards who greet everyone by name (and are adept at maximizing pool space to ensure everyone gets in the best workout for their ability level), classic rock music playing in the background, clanking weights as people lift on the upper deck, even the holiday decorations in the glass front doors.

R.I.P. Fitzsimmons

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

Today was my first day back in the water after sitting out almost two weeks with some sort of virus-crud. As if returning to the pool wasn’t exciting enough, I had forgotten I had a new cap packed in my bag.

This past Christmas my friend and fellow swimmer Danielle gave me a really fun cap — it was white with a snowman face on it, complete with coal eyes and a carrot nose. Hugely popular as it was this past winter, I had decided to swap it out for something a bit more spring-like right before I got sick.

The cap was a great gift — practical but fun. Perhaps more importantly though, it won me over to latex caps. Pre-snowman cap, I’d been using silicone ones for many years. Sure, they are a bit more expensive, but they last longer.

After a winter of latex though, I’m going to stick with latex. The key factor? They aren’t as hot as silicone. I particularly look forward to a cooler head outside this summer, especially if I pick out some new, light colored latex caps for the season.

I also like how latex fits a tad snugger — no more yanking my silicone cap down in between fly and IM repeats. (Although, this same quality makes latex a little more “hair grab-y” when you take it off, if you know what I mean).

My frivilous reason for switching to latex is very girl-ish: I can have fresh caps more frequently; and in crazy colors and patterns.

Of course, having sung the praises of latex, I am not forsaking silicone all together. I’m saving the silcone caps I already have for days when it’s freezing at practice outside, as well as for open water swims. Under those two conditions, keeping my head warm is a priority!

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist

I was caught totally unaware late afternoon yesterday.

Up until then, I’d been (wrongfully, as it turns out) assuming that I had at least another two weeks before State Meet entry deadline. I still like my way better — a deadline two weeks from now would allow me to assess how I feel in the water after being out for a week+ by now with some stupid virus-cold-modern-day-plague thingy before commiting to events.

But no, entry forms are due MONDAY, NO LATER THAN 5 p.m. Which meant I had to scramble to get it in a mailbox this morning.

Before I go any futher, a shout out to Terry Heggy, Foothills coach, for being very coach-ly and sending his swimmers an email reminder. (Lucky for me that I am on their list just because I like to keep up with as many teams as possible while I serve as our region’s newsletter editor!)

So there I was at 6:30 a.m. this morning, scanning the sheets. My original plan was to see what I could sc for once and go in healthy with a new fastskin on: I’d sign up for the Brute Squad (1650, 400 IM, 200 fly) and earn a snappy T-shirt as well as a new PR or two hopefully.

But that plan has sort of fallen apart by now — I am not 100% healthy and I have yet to find a fastskin on sale in my size on line.

My next idea? Make a game of it and challenge myself to swim one event per distance. That kind of fell apart as well — the event schedule (and my unwillingness to swim a 200 breast) isn’t favoring that approach.

Before a third plan came to mind, I realized I wasn’t super motivated for States. Certainly, I don’t feel my best right now, so I’m not overly enthusiastic about much at the moment. But I think the forced randomness of training this past fall/winter due to cutbacks and the lack of a team-feeling (i.e. are we even going to have relays with no head coach to organize them?) is taking a toll.

Ultimately, I sucked it up and signed up for four events because I’m betting that in one month from now, I’ll feel better and won’t want to miss the meet. This year I am totally splitting the difference — 1650, 400 IM, then on “Fun-50s Sunday” I have the 50 back and fly. Random — I know. Maybe next year I’ll be healthy, suited up and feeling well trained!

p.s. Another shout out, this one to the math savant — you need to email me EARLIER, as in before I mail the entry form, with event suggestions! I must give credit where it is due though — your line up for me (1650/500 free, 400/200 IM, 200/100 fly and treat the whole thing like a workout) would have been better for me and makes more sense!

Lately I’ve been wondering if there is one event that everyone agrees is the hardest. If so, what are the qualifications?

If it’s sheer distance, it’d be the 1650/1500. If requiring four strong strokes and endurance are the factors, than the 400 IM wins. What about brute strength? Maybe one of the sprint frees or flys in that case. But if “difficulty” equates to “technical ability” in the pool, I think any of the 200s would have to be considered. (Seriously — I’ve been competiting for decades and I’m still trying to figure out how to pace the 200s.)

For me personally, the 200 breast is the hardest event. That stroke at that distance just wipes me out completely. I can do only one per practice (barely!), and I’m confident I’ve never, ever, swum it in a race. I think I struggle with the 200 breast partly because it’s such a demanding stroke and partly because I have yet to find the technique that best suits my body and ability.

My gut instinct about a “common” hardest event is either the 200 fly or 400 IM though. Both require stamina and decent stroke/s. Although in theory, if you’re pushing yourself, every event should be “hardest!”

Until next time,
Rebecca, swim evangelist