Final swim meets of the spring season.

*Photo of our group at the University of Montana

Well, we had the final meets of the spring season, the Montana Swim Championships, and the Inland Northwest Championships.  I have been training for "other things" this winter and spring so I am getting very excited to make the big reveal to everyone.  My big adventure is May 3rd, and while I am doing my best to not pull my hair out from the stress of preparing, I am excited for the day to live my dream.

After swimming such a daunting schedule at the CDA Swim Meet, I found myself in need of doing my other training, and shifting away from swimming for most of March.  I did not swim at the MT State Championships.  That did not derail the trip, though.  It was such an amazing trip with Steph, Ayla, Evan, and my family.  My parents worked so hard to accommodate a house-full, and my dad literally cooked all weekend so we had dozens of choices for meals. My mom rounded out our meals fit for kings with her special desserts.

*Evan lounging after his 1650 freestyle. 

I am always impressed with my parents' generosity towards people, especially my friends.  They are a model of selflessness and welcoming.  Everyone swam great at the MT meet, except me because I didn't swim, but the fun we had together over-shadowed it all.  It was an amazing trip and I am so thankful to have shared it with those people close to me. I dropped the ball in not getting a family + group shot. :/

*Working hard timing :)

*Patti set a new State Age Division Record in the 1,000 freestyle!

My final meet of the spring was the Inland Championships in Moscow, Idaho.  I really like this town, and the Moscow Chinooks do an incredible job of hosting.  Coach Matt and his wife, Emile, graciously allowed me, Evan, and Ayla to home-stay with them.  We are so thankful for the quarters.  Despite focusing elsewhere for the past several weeks, I was able to swim close to personal bests in most of the events, and even set a new PR in the 100 free, it was a bonus because I didn't expect much in terms of speed at all.

*Great pic of Ayla...keep that head down at the wall, girl :)

The highlight of the weekend was spending a final weekend with my swim friends.  I am always so thankful for taking that step in joining competitive swimming because these people are some of the best teammates and competitors I have ever met.  It is my pleasure to spend time with them each year.  Congratulations to Jack Bevier and Coach Matt for winning this year's Most Inspirational award, and to Sean Murphy for winning Most Dedicated.  We celebrated these folks as well as a very close race for the season's top scoring swimmers. 1. Jack Bevier. 2. James Adams 3. Ferocious Brosious, at the banquet as we sent the season out in style.

Thanks to all my swim friends and family for making the spring season great. I appreciate your friendship, see you all in the fall.    

CDA Swim Meet

 *Thanks to my parents for coming to watch, they are always great.

The Spring Splash swim meet has been one of my favorite swim meets since I first did it in 2012.  Every year has gotten better and better as I have added more events and friends.  The meet this year was by far the toughest swim meet I have done.  I did 16 events and it was a killer.  Friday night was the brute squad; 400 ind. medley, 1500 freestyle, and the 200 fly.  Swimming those three events in one evening was unbelievably hard.  From my last lap of the 1500m free and the start of the 200 fly I had only 5 mins of rest. 

I swam a personal best by 9 seconds in the 400IM, but the back to back 1500 free and 200fly was tough and I struggled to finish the 200 fly...love that feeling.  It was the single hardest day of swimming ever for me, I swam hard all evening and left the pool at 10pm, and I paid for the hard effort on Saturday.  

*Evan did great! A big thank you to him for wearing such a LEGIT sweatsuit. Run DMC would be proud.

Thanks to Stephanie for going to watch and cheer for me, she was a gem :)

I set a personal best in the 100 back the next day, but the rest of the events were not personal best and I fought for all I was worth just to finish them. It was fun to fight that hard (in a sort of sick and twisted way). Four people, including me, swam the maximum of 16 events, including a Friday night brute squad, and I tip my hat to them because that was is a huge feat. It was great to be able to rely on each other through out the day.  It is true what they say, misery does love company. lol 

*Lana and I in the 400IM.  She gets a shout out because she was one of the four who did the 16 event max, including the Friday Night Brute Squad. I apologize because I am forgetting who the other folks were, I want to say James Adams and Sean Murphy did it as well. 

  

*Raise your hand if you love swimming.  Ohhhh me me me!

*Oooo me too!

Great job to my swim friends, too numerous to mention, but never far from my list of appreciation.  Evan and Ayla did great in their events, and Patti again amazed everyone with her skills.  Thank you to everyone for coming to the meet, Evan, my parents, Ayla’s parents, my Montana and Eastern Wash. swim friends, and of course, Stephanie for her cheers. I had an amazing time with all of them, the dinner at Azteca after the swim meet was like heaven on a plate and I can’t wait until next year.   

*One our our group's favorite things; post race at Azteca.  We always eat here after the CDA meet and I look forward to it all year long. 

*My kitchen chalkboard

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and happy start to spring, everyone!  Thanks for following, lots of stuff on the way!