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...