Spring Swim Championships 2015

The University of Idaho is one of my favorite swim venues.  We were lucky because they again hosted the spring championships.

*Stretching in the 500 freestyle

 

I won't lie, I've lost my mojo and have been struggling to find it. Despite that fact, I swam a very hard schedule of events that included the 400 and 200IM, 200 butterfly, 500free, 200back, and a few other races and relays.  While my times were not my fastest, I was somewhat satisfied that I was fairly close to my best times, and that I worked through the level of fatigue in doing such a hard schedule. 

 

*Mini adventure that only I appreciate

 

This is weird, but one thing I always look forward to for the Moscow Idaho meet is sock shopping.  Ross is right next to campus (and there is nothing else to do in the town) so every year I always go to Ross after day 1 of the meet and stock up on socks. This is the only time I visit Ross and the only day I purchase socks. I actually look forward to the mini adventure every year. Every time I leave Moscow I leave with happy feet.  

*The snacks at Moscow are always the best on the circuit.

 

*Thanks to Stephanie for going to the Saturday Night Swim Social and for cheering for me. Somehow the punishment of the 200 butterfly seems slightly less having her at the end of the lane cheering.

I can't believe it's April already, the clock is ticking.

Spring Splash Swim Meet

The Spring Splash in Coeur D' Alene, Idaho is one of my favorite swim meets, ever.  I have not competed in a swim meet since the summer so it was nice to see all my swim friends, I have missed them. 

 

*Stephanie, Patti, and me before the 200IM.

 

Being the first meet in a while I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I am just now starting to turn up and get focused on my big adventures of the year.  I had somewhat consistent training even though it was not swim focused, and for the month of February I eliminated processed foods.  I only missed two days; once when I was home and didn't want to pass up home-made Monster Cookies, and the other at a nice dinner party for the Elite Spa and Salon. Other than that, I nailed it, and I find myself ready to flip that switch to focused training.

 

You may ask what have I been doing with my time.  Well over the past year I have picked up a new hobby, here is a video to check out my new moves, at 0:25 I turn the lights out.  The song is The Illest by Far East Movement (clean version) and it has a sick beat.  Speaking of sick beats, the song for the Spring Splash theme was Beyonce's 7/11.



 

 

 

 Last year at this event, me and my friend, Lana Lawrence, along with two other people, swam the "Spring Splash Sweep" which consisted of 16 events, including a brute squad on Friday Night (400IM, 200 Fly, 1500M free).  It was the hardest swim event I have ever done.  I received this T-shirt for my efforts.

*Lana is quite an artist, she helped me mix my freestyle bodybuilding music, and she also drew the shirt designs for the "sweepers."  She said she used the picture below in drawing it...or maybe she was just shoomizing me after beating me in the 200IM.

 

 

This year I only swam 12 events. I knew I was going to lack race speed so my longer distance events were my stronger showings. My 400M freestyle was effortless speed.  The 100IM lacked top end sharpness and I struggled.  The 200IM, a mix of endurance and speed, was a little better at only 7 seconds slower than last year when I was a machine at the meet.  Overall, no PRs set, but I know what I need to do. It is time to turn up. 

 

This is going to be a big year for me! I have another swim meet coming up, and a few adventures that I am SUPER excited about...but I am not sharing those yet, I will soon though.  Other than training and Inland Championships, there is an adventure in Stephanie's prep for her first figure competition.  After my bodybuilding dream last year it is nice to have some perspective to share in her adventure.  It was nice of her to go to the swim meet with me. We had a lot of laughs and fun.  

 

*I ruined the best picture we had...but it's not like anyone was looking at me anyway. :)

 

Thanks for reading, BIG dreams and adventures to share soon!