Swim Championships

In the months before the J. Clarkson Memorial Triathlon I had some vivid dreams of the race. When I had a dream in September about Swim Championships in Oregon I knew that was my destiny and that I had to go. During the dream I was swimming the 400 individual medley, a race I had never swam in competition. It is arguably the hardest swimming event so I thought it a nice challenge and quickly signed up. Swim championships is a two-day event so I decided to max out on events and swim the 400IM, 200IM, 100IM, 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, and 50 butterfly.

I started crafting my two-month plan to get ready for the big competition. During the two-month build up I had some great training, but I also had a few distractions and tough times that I really had to focus and work through. Let me say that every good story has drama, and I had plenty of drama to keep it interesting. :)

I made the long drive to Oregon, a state with amazing views, and arrived late to a dark city and neon lit hotel.  I knew my destiny was fast approaching; the 400IM is a very hard event because it combines strength, endurance, and oxygen deprivation.  It is a very hard event when you are fit; if you aren’t fit, it’s impossible.  Just before I went to sleep, I was feeling prepared, but very under-focused.  I hoped that when I woke up in the morning I would be sharp.  Swim championships started in 10 hours with the hardest of my 6 events.

*Nice views in every direction

*Nice view out the right side

*Nice view out the front

*Nice view out the left side

*The view in the mirror isn't as nice, hoy yoooo!

This meet was the short course championship swim meet for the states of Montana, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. I anticipated many more people than actually showed up to swim, but like all things, races have been impacted by the economy this year. Regardless, I had prepared and I was there, and that was all I could control.

The facility was amazing, Montana doesn’t have many large swim competitions so the swimming pools while nice, are far from the 10 lane, 50 meter Olympic size swimming pool complete with a 30 meter dive platform that greeted me. This was a short course meet so half the pool (25 meters) was the competition side; the other half was the warmup and cool down pool.

I warmed up by swimming (obviously) and practicing my block starts. I always feel relieved when I dive off the blocks and my suit and goggles stay on. That’s a small victory in itself. After a great 45 minute warm up, my heat of the 400IM was called to the blocks, “Swimmers behind the blocks please.” The referee blew once on her whistle and said, “Step up please.” A quick, “Swimmers take your mark,” followed. Anticipation hung as I waited for the starters signal. Scott had given me advice to pace myself and not start too fast. The best way to wreck a race is to start too fast.

The signal came and I dove off the blocks. I tried to go extra deep and dolphin kick underwater. This technique makes the butterfly portion shorter and saves energy. I wouldn’t hold myself out as a swim-specialists. I am pretty good, but I am very far from the best. My individual medleys show my strengths and weaknesses pretty clearly. The first and last portions, the butterfly and front crawl are strong for me. Once I hit the middle sections, the backstroke and breaststroke, I usually lose time. The contrast in my skills makes the race interesting and fun.

I knew I had to pace my self in the fly then stay tough and just “get through” the back and breast strokes. Once I made the last freestyle portion I knew I had it all handled. The race was every bit as hard as I knew it would be. The 6:42 I swam was good enough to get that age division championship that I wanted.

Over the course of the two-day meet I took some good pool beatdowns from the swim specialists, but I did manage to win my age division in 5 of my events, I consider that a great success. I think I did A-OK.

I was very lucky because that same weekend, my cousin Bre had a volleyball tournament in Oregon.  I spent Friday and Saturday night with Bill and Debbie at her games.  They are great people and I was thankful to spend time with them.  It was a long weekend filled with challenge, anxiety, determination, fitness, and fun. These are all the things that make an adventure.

*College Volleyball!

*Bre is awesome!

After all was said and done, I took my awards and drove off into the sunset feeling like the coolest man alive. 

Swim Championship Training

If there is one thing I know, it’s hard work.  If there are two more things I know, they are camouflage and Carhardts, the dress code of Montana.



*Uncle Bry is not even close to being the cute one in this picture.

Swim championships meant a lot to me, but in the final weeks leading up to the big event, I was pulled in a hundred different directions.  Well it was actually only one direction, east.  I’m not a quitter and wasn’t about to start by giving up my dream to win an age division championship. When things got tough and I felt a little burn-out from a long season, I had to go to that next level, I had a job to do. The normal training that I had been doing wasn’t cutting it.  I had to make a decision to change things up.  I sat down, made myself focus, and decided to go old school for the final weeks of training before the big swim meet.

Old school involved busting my body with wood chopping and hauling hay.  "If you don't chop wood and haul hay, you ain't Montana."

*I told my dad, "Save the ugly logs for me."

 

*Step one: Set 'em up

 

*Step two: Find the ugliest log and stare it down

*Step three: Bring the pain

Step four:  Hit the "Power Stance"

*Step five: Devastation

*Step six: Cool down with hay hauling

*Step seven: Go to the one place where everything is perfect, the Tri Pad.

In the final weeks of training, I received some great advice from some very special people. Their support was crucial in my final preparations. The time I spent wasn't pretty, but I did what I had to do.

 "Our best and our worst days have sunsets. The sun will rise tomorrow." -Kevin quoting Normann Stadler.

Race report to follow... 

Triathlon Season 2011

The triathlon adventures are over for the year and the thought of a long cold winter leaves me longing for sun and sacrifice.  The end of the season brings satisfaction, thankfulness, and motivation to do better next year.  To accomplish the things I wanted to, I had to make a lot of sacrifices.  It wasn't always fun, and it definitely wasn't easy, but I knew I had the support of the people who love me.  The hard work is always worth it in the end. 

I think I did "ok" for myself in terms of results :), I won the races I dreamed about for years.  However, the wins aren't the things I feel the most satisfaction in.  This blog (understandably) is usually about me, from my point of view, what I feel, how I did, etc. but I am so thankful and grateful to have had amazing trips with my parents, my sisters, Scott, Uriah, Corrie, Jess, Kevin and his family, Anne, and so many other amazing people.

I had thought about winning J. Clarkson for the entire year.  I had dreams (some nightmares) about it for months, every day it was on my mind.  After completing the dream and winning, I am so thankful to have had my parents and Janet's parents there to share the trip, race, and satisfaction with me.  We will all hold that race and experience in our hearts with fondness.  It really is what dreams are made of.

*Janet's Parents

*A fitting end to a great story

*Courtesy WY News

*Courtesy WY News

The State Games was also a trip that was a dream come true.  I felt so strong during the whole race, but again it was the people who I shared the adventure with that made it what it was.  I was very lucky to share that weekend with Corrie, she's an amazing girl who really added to my enjoyment.  She provided me the support I needed to be at my best.  I will hold that weekend as one of the most special triathlon memories that we have shared.  My sister Mackenzie, my friend Mike, Cheryl, and Kevin Sr. were all very special parts of the second dream that came true.  I can't help but feel like the luckiest person in the world to have shared such adventures with them.  The post race pizza party with Corrie's family was both delicious and (un)nutritious.  I get pizza a few times a year and it was delicious.

*Corrie was a big part of my success in tri season 2011, I was lucky to share so many adventures with her :)

*Friends make the break-away together

*Mike and me at the time trial.

I will always be in debt to all of my friends and family who made 2011 as great as it was.  The trip to Seeley with my family, Corrie, and Jess was awesome.  I didn't have a great result, but that's beside the point.  The Yakima trip with Kevin, his family, and Anne also holds a very special place in my heart.  I felt like family the whole time, I like spending time with them.  Rob and Trina really took care of me when I crashed, it made me feel very special to know they cared about my well being. 

Kevin and I had so many adventures together, we sometimes over look and take for granted how lucky we are to be friends.  Man, did we clean up with the awards this year.  As if I were not lucky enough, I had even more tri adventures with my Washington family, Bill, Debbie, and their gang. They always treat me like royalty when I go to their house...as long as I finish in the top 5.  I am thankful to have them as family.  Rory and Deanna of BuDu Racing have also become very close to me this year.

*I am lucky to have shared my most special times with Corrie, Jess, and Kevin

*Yeah boy

*People say we look the same, except my sister has larger muscles

*Spring Festival Tri!

*The boys getting ready to take care of business

*My bodyguard and mentor Bill

*Family portrait

*Didn't win them all...humbling

*Team EMT, they patched me up great.

I have always felt that I get energy from nature.  In my travels, I have seen sights that would make photographers jealous.  When I see places like these, I can't describe it in words, I get energized and motivated.  It's a powerful feeling to have.

However, it wasn't all pretty music and nice feelings.  I had a few tough races, ouchies, and let downs.  The most physically painful, of course, was the wreck.  I use a flying mount technique, at the Ellensburg tri I used the flying dismount technique, it's not as effective as keeping the rubber side down.

*Not good

One thing about my tri photos, there is always lots of smiling!  I love the people who share the adventures with me, the integrity of the sport, and the lifestyle.  If you know me, you also know I love winning, wearing sweet triathlon outfits, and pictures!

*Kevin with his arm-charm, Anne

*Sidewalk sleeping (well not at the moment)

*Kayla and Scott

*One thumb up

*Two fingers up

*10 tooth smile

*Looks like Kevin had a good time too

*Time to hibernate

It's hard to know what to say to end.  I was lucky on so many levels.  I am so thankful to be me and to share the most precious memories in my life with the special people that understand who I am and my passion.  There is a lot of hard work to be done between now and tri season 2012.  See you all soon.