I really LOVED the State Swim Meet this weekend for many reasons.
This was the first year I decided to do the ENTIRE meet – 9 individual events + the max of 4 relays. That meant swimming Thursday night and then 6:30am-8pm Saturday and Sunday downtown at the UIC. That is a huge commitment, but in the past I have drove in for “my” favorite events, either the 1650 or the 1000 (alternating years) and the 500 Free.
This year was different. I came off the IM and was SLOW and tired. I took a large chunk of time out of the water after IMAZ. I had not done a hard pool workout in months. By the time I got back to Masters and moving for 2012, I was far behind the girls in my lane. So, when the small meets rolled around, I swam in them, but I was still off and slower. I decided I needed a new challenge. For the past 4-5 years I have either done the 1650 or 1000 and 500. That is all. And, every year I had won. I know that sounds horrible and I never take that for granted (especially this year!) but I needed a new challenge. So, I picked the hardest swim event (in my opinion) to aim for at State. This was in February.
I decided to share that goal with everyone and talk incessantly about it so that it would MAKE me stay honest with it. Because, it is NOT easy to slow down and do the hard stuff that I really needed to do work on my fly, back and breast. But, I did it and by the time this weekend rolled around, I was as ready as I could have been.
Fast forward to this weekend. I tapered fully for it. I did not run or bike after Wednesday…and Wednesday was SUPER light. My 1000 was Thursday night and late..I think I swam around 7:30pm or 8pm? I went down all weekend with Mia, Stacie and Karen. We had a great time and they all PRd massively at the meet!!
So, I swam: 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 1000 Free, 50 Fly, 100 IM, 200 IM, 400 IM and 4 relays all free 50s.
It was like lighting a match 14 x.
ALL out, all lactate burning and all very ,very hard. Closing my eyes to finish hard.
And, eating appropriately to do this from when we woke up at 5am or so until 7:30pm each day. That is tough, but thankfully we did a good job at that (thanks Stacie for the homemade bars!).
Honestly, I was most nervous about the 1000 Free and 500 Free. Two events which I consider a better fit for me as a Triathlete…ironically, I still consider them way too short. MY FAV event is the 1650. Anyway, I was nauseous nervous about the 1000 all day…nothing like racing at 8pm to keep your mind and stomach honest all day!! I did the best I could. I was a little slower than I raced at last time but ended up getting 2nd in that event for the meet and swimming a 12:2x.
Krista, my lane mate ended up 1st. Ironically, we went 1-2 last year as well…just roles were flipped this year. Krista ended up having a GREAT meet, and we went 1-2-3 in the 1000 F, 500 F, 100 F, 200 F (where I just barely out-touched her!) and we were 2 “ apart in the 500 F and swam the same time in the 100 F, but she got me. So, it was a fun meet. She ended up winning HIGH POINTS for our AG – tied with uber swimmer, Jennifer Ridge (who went 56 in the 100, 1:59 in the 200 and went 5:2x in the 500). OUCH.
I was fortunate and pleasantly surprised to get 3rd place HIGH POINTS in our Age Group – I was so excited. How fun is that? Something I didn’t even know they acknowledged or awarded. It just means I scored the 3rd highest points in the meet in my AG. Fun! See, you never know unless you try!
Ok, let’s move on…I hate posting my times b/c that seems kinda silly, but this is a swim meet so I will talk about times if they help..some will think they are very fast and real swimmers will think they are super slow! LOL
I dislike the 50 Free. It is a pure power event/speed, both of which…well…I am not super at. Add in the flip turns and starts and well…OUCH. The 50 Fly and the 50 Free I did score points in but these were the only 2 events I did not get 1st or 2nd or 3rd in.
On Saturday I swam in order:
100 IM: What a fun event! It is fast but fun and another event where there are some amazing swimmers at. My head has to think about the turns a bit more than what it should b/c the turns are not normal for me and they were disqualifying swimmers left and right –so we had to be absolutely perfect with our turns (my weakness). But, I had fun, FELT amazing b/c it was the first event and even got it on tape so I can work on my IM. I went 1:19. That is slow for girls placing. I think my lane mates were closer to 1:10 or faster.
50 y Free: Just fast and hard…got 4th and well, that is not really fun.
200 Free: This is the hardest event of the entire weekend. It is not a distance event and in my mind, it is a full blown sprint for 2+ minutes. It was so hard but I felt AWESOME and swam well…I ended up getting 2nd here with a 2:15. The girl who won went 1:59. Yep.
400 IM: Ok, this was the last event on Saturday! I was not super nervous for it, but had to really think about all the turns…when you can flip back to back and open turn back to breast, etc. The last thing I wanted was to be disqualified!! I will say this. I ABSOLUTELY loved this event. I got done and felt that it was really not that hard. I am so used to absolutely hammering full blown that it was NOT cardio hard for me…it was muscularly hard for me – because I am not super efficient in the strokes compared to freestyle that my muscles hurt, not my breathing. Interesting difference. It went by so fast and I worked really hard because I knew 1st place would be tight. I ended up going high 5 and I was so happy to be under 6 minutes, and I ended up getting 2nd in that event! I will be doing this again for sure!!! Fly was easy for me – It was the breaststroke that was hard for me.
On Sunday we started with the 500 Free!
500 Free: This one is a little personal for me because no matter what I do I am pretty close on my times. My heat was AWESOME. It was 8 of us who were seeded all within seconds of one another – many of us good friends and some of my lane mates! And, Jenna next to me who I knew would swim a 5:45-50, so my goal was to hang on to her draft! Anyway, I felt good, raced so hard I had to close my eyes to fight off the pain and lactate and I ended up with a great time for me and 2nd again (lots of 2nds for me this weekend). Ironically my 400 IM time and 500 Free time were almost the same. I don’t think it really should be like that. Ha! Start of the 500 Free, where I was seeded 2nd slowest, hence lane #1!
200 IM: Now we are talking…not the 100 IM, but the longer the better for me…and after the 400 IM, this would be easy. I love the IM, no pressure and just fun. I went my seed time, which I was happy about and got 2nd! 2:4x.
And, then the 50 Fly. Well, let’s just say this was my bad seed for the day. I kinda screwed up the start. I just was too slow off the blocks and in a 50 fly with these girls, I am already screwed. I did OK but really not super.
100 Free was the last event of the day – at 6pm on Sunday night. I was OVER the getting in the pool to warm up, race hard, cool down. The thought of getting in ANY body of water again – all while we were FREEZING COLD to warm up was not appealing any more. We were all just over it by now…but the 100 Free is a VERY hard event for me and some fast fast girls. So, I willed myself into suffering for 1 more minute…I mean, seriously, we can do that. And, that is what I did….I put my head down, moved as fast as I could after all that swimming and went a 1:03. HA! Not my fastest, but not too shabby considering all my swimming. Krista out-touched me and we went 2-3. The girl who won went 55 or 56 in our AG…um….nice. The girl who won OVERALL 100 Free was 24 years old (maybe) and just graduated from Georgia and went 50.01. Yep. Amazing to watch.
Our team got 4th OA and I know Coach Corinne was not overly thrilled, but we did our best, had a great time and we all swam well.
I got home around 7:30pm last night and was starving for REAL food…my face looks like I got a sunburn – but OH no, we were inside all weekend..that is just the burn from all the chlorine! And, my friend, Sue Welker who coaches the Naperville Waves (who won the meet and who I swam with back in the day) said that she loves when Triathletes like me come out and mix it up with the real swimmers and end up having a great meet and doing things like the 400IM. We both agreed we wish more Triathletes would do these events – really keeps you honest!
CONGRATS to all swimmers – to everyone on the team who did so well and to my lane mates: Drew, Sarah, Krista and Jenna…all who made me work so hard in practice in the stroke work..especially when they are swimming 5:15s for their 400 IM stuff. Thanks for putting up with me this season!! And, for Krista who is 41 years old too and makes me work hard to keep up all the time and it is FUN to compete against you at every meet, even if I get 2nd sometimes. J
Thanks to Andrea who came out to see the meet and watch her friends, including me swim! Watching an all day swim meet is not the most exciting thing to do! And, I spent some quality time with Lindsey Whalen too – great meet! 🙂
And, I was excited to learn I qualified for Nationals in the 50 Free (joke, I will not swim this at nationals!), 100 F, 200 F, 500 F, 1000 F …so I am heading to IUIPUI with Krista (Cheryl and Melissa S!) to swim next year at Nationals…and I am only 13 seconds off for the 400 IM and I will get it there before I go next year!
And, for anyone reading who has never done a swim meet….really, you should. This meet surely had some uber fast swimmers…but the range for women’s 100 Free was 50.01 – 3:00+! And, all ages…up to 85+. Truly inspirational! Really….worth the time and all the hard work!
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