I am a fast puller. Plain and simple.
SCM
500 w/u
20 X 50s - 5 rounds of 4 on :55, :50, :45, :50, :55
9 X 100s pull (descend 1-3, 4-6, 7-9) on 1:30
8 X 75s kick - S-M-F
16 X 25s sprint on :45
200 cool down
Total - 3600 meters
The first set of 50s got me going. I misunderstood the set though and on round 4, I did them on :40 instead of going back up to :50. I preferred that as it got me going. The 9 X 100s pull were great. My 3 fast ones were right around 1:03s/1:04s (:56/:57).
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
PINK FLAMINGO FRIDAY 4/13/07
Tonight we began our PF practice for IGLA Paris. Pink Flamingo is a fun, comedic event that goes along with all the other water sports at IGLAs. The teams dance and swim to music and try to be the best. In the past, the winners have been the ones who have really made the audience laugh. For the past two years, we, the Long Beach Grunions, have finished in second place, each time behind Team New York. My first time doing it was last year, and it was fun but nerve racking. I'm hoping this year will be better.
As we were learning the initial dance steps, my blood pressure began to rise. The two people in front of me along with the choreographer were picking it up immediately, where as I was so so so soooooooooooo lost. After ten minutes I wanted to quit. I know I can figure the things out, but it was just frustrating seeing these people already know it. Little did I know that a lot of people to the left were having problems too, but it didn't help me!! By the end of the night though, I think I had caught up to most everyone, so I was pleased.
All I can say is that it will be fun but tough to learn!! LOL
As we were learning the initial dance steps, my blood pressure began to rise. The two people in front of me along with the choreographer were picking it up immediately, where as I was so so so soooooooooooo lost. After ten minutes I wanted to quit. I know I can figure the things out, but it was just frustrating seeing these people already know it. Little did I know that a lot of people to the left were having problems too, but it didn't help me!! By the end of the night though, I think I had caught up to most everyone, so I was pleased.
All I can say is that it will be fun but tough to learn!! LOL
Friday, April 13, 2007
Body Position 4/12/07
Didn't make it to spinning tonight. Works been a little on the crazy side and there was a possibility of a video conference with Japan so I just didn't expect to go. The meeting never happened, but it was too late to get to spinning.
I was though, able to get to swim practice. Here was the workout:
LCM -
600 w/u
6 X 100s (25 free/25 stroke/50 free) 1:50
75 easy to the middle of the pool
10 mins of body positioning (just the right amount, nothing too long)
4 X 100s stressing position, with a drill in between each one
25 easy
Main Set
5 X 300s on 5:00 as followed:
200 strong on 3:00
50 hard from the blocks
50 easy.... be ready on 5:00 from the beginning to go again
50 easy
2 X 200s hypoxic breathing 3-5-7-9 by 50.
Total - 3600 meters
To be honest, I wasn't sure in the beginning how long the drills were going to be. But since I have been wiped out, I didn't care as much. AS MUCH. I'm not saying I wouldn't have been annoyed had it gone on for 30 mins, but it went on just long enough. The main set worked out well. My first 4 200s were right around 2:40s(2:18s) and my 50s hard were 35s (30s). My final 200 was 2:36(2:14) which was a little better. There wasn't much rest, so quality times weren't expected. It took a lot of energy to get out of the water each time, and dive in, with it being all windy and cold. But it made the set good. At this point in my training, I'm not sure how those times really stand. I don't feel like I am punching out an exceptional times so I better step it up as IGLA Paris is less that 40 days away.
I was though, able to get to swim practice. Here was the workout:
LCM -
600 w/u
6 X 100s (25 free/25 stroke/50 free) 1:50
75 easy to the middle of the pool
10 mins of body positioning (just the right amount, nothing too long)
4 X 100s stressing position, with a drill in between each one
25 easy
Main Set
5 X 300s on 5:00 as followed:
200 strong on 3:00
50 hard from the blocks
50 easy.... be ready on 5:00 from the beginning to go again
50 easy
2 X 200s hypoxic breathing 3-5-7-9 by 50.
Total - 3600 meters
To be honest, I wasn't sure in the beginning how long the drills were going to be. But since I have been wiped out, I didn't care as much. AS MUCH. I'm not saying I wouldn't have been annoyed had it gone on for 30 mins, but it went on just long enough. The main set worked out well. My first 4 200s were right around 2:40s(2:18s) and my 50s hard were 35s (30s). My final 200 was 2:36(2:14) which was a little better. There wasn't much rest, so quality times weren't expected. It took a lot of energy to get out of the water each time, and dive in, with it being all windy and cold. But it made the set good. At this point in my training, I'm not sure how those times really stand. I don't feel like I am punching out an exceptional times so I better step it up as IGLA Paris is less that 40 days away.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
HOT CHILD IN THE CITY pool - Wednesday 4/11/07
Boy is that water warm at Silverado. It has always been warm, around 83 or so, but today it just felt a lot warmer. I am thinking 86 degrees. Now that is just too warm to work hard in. Especially at 5:30am. The ideal temperature for competition is around 78 or 79 degrees, and for me personally, I can enjoy an 81 degree pool for working out. But anything over 84 just ends up being difficult. Its sometimes hard enough just to get to the pool and work hard so early in the morning, but adding on the warmth of the pool just complicates things ever more. My body is so off in the morning for the first 30 minutes of swimming. I can't do anything too wavy or I get dizzy and want to vomit. Its very similiar to the feeling I get when I swim the ocean (more in a competition open water swim vs. just free swimming). Bottom line, I get sea sick in the pool. I'm not sure if its the lack of lane lines (we should be getting some in June I have been told) or the warm water, or me just being a delicate little flower in the A.M., or the combination of all three, but its there. And today I felt it.
Here was the workout:
500 w/u
10 X 50s (odds free, evens IM order by 50) on :50
4 X 400s pull (odd free, evens IM)
200 cool down
Total - 2,800 meters
Before the 4 X 400s pull, the coach actual said the next set was 3 X 300 IMs. It was then I knew I just wasn't ready to do IM. I was feeling off and dizzy and with the warm water, I just didn't have that extra "oomph" to get going. So instead I grabbed my pull gear and decided to just zone out for the next 30 minutes on a pull set that would take my mind to LA-LA Land. I began the pull by thinking I would go 2 or 3 800 frees. When I saw my splits at the 100/200, I realized nothing magical was going to happen in the pool. The 86 degree water wouldn't allow it. So I refocused my energy onto something else. 800s would be too long without stopping. How about 4 X 400s, and I will make #2 and #4 IM with pulling. I felt that since I would be pulling that the strokes would be more relaxed and slow and therefore a change in the turbulance of the water.
The workout was ok. I was glad to be back in the water, since I had to sub for the normal Monday morning coach and therefore couldn't swim.
Here was the workout:
500 w/u
10 X 50s (odds free, evens IM order by 50) on :50
4 X 400s pull (odd free, evens IM)
200 cool down
Total - 2,800 meters
Before the 4 X 400s pull, the coach actual said the next set was 3 X 300 IMs. It was then I knew I just wasn't ready to do IM. I was feeling off and dizzy and with the warm water, I just didn't have that extra "oomph" to get going. So instead I grabbed my pull gear and decided to just zone out for the next 30 minutes on a pull set that would take my mind to LA-LA Land. I began the pull by thinking I would go 2 or 3 800 frees. When I saw my splits at the 100/200, I realized nothing magical was going to happen in the pool. The 86 degree water wouldn't allow it. So I refocused my energy onto something else. 800s would be too long without stopping. How about 4 X 400s, and I will make #2 and #4 IM with pulling. I felt that since I would be pulling that the strokes would be more relaxed and slow and therefore a change in the turbulance of the water.
The workout was ok. I was glad to be back in the water, since I had to sub for the normal Monday morning coach and therefore couldn't swim.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
TIME TO REFOCUS 4/2/07 - 4/8/07
After Sunday's great swims, I decided to take two days off to recover and refocus for IGLA in Paris. IGLA stands for International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics. Each year some country/state hosts the meet. This will be my 4th time attending it, as I went to Ft Lauderdale in 2004, Atlanta in 2005, Chicago (also Gay Games) in 2006 and now Paris, France in 2007. We leave for Europe on Sunday, May 20th and the competition is Thurs through Sunday of that week. I am almost certain what I am going to swim, but will decide most likely within the next week and register.
WEDNESDAY - SCM
Today was my first day back. Its amazing how just taking two days off can really be felt. Here was the workout:
500 w/u
200 KRLS
4 x 400s
as following:
1) 2 X 200s, first one 200 IM, second one 200 free
2) 4 X 100s, all free
3) 2 X 200s, all free
4) 4 X 100s, last one 100 IM
10 X 50s kick
100 cool down
Total - 2,900 meters
I really don't remember much time wise but it was ok for getting back into it.
THURSDAY - SPIN THEN LCM
Luckily I was able to get out of work in a timely manner, and make it to spin class at 5:30. Spinning always make me feel good, but sometimes I wonder why some do it. These two girls in front of Kurt and I were more just biking, not spinning. There's a difference. They never once changed their gears to get more tension and make it harder and hardly ever followed instructions. You might as well just go out of the room and bike on your own. But oh well, not my problem. There was also this one guy who I guess seems to have a crush on me. Kurt told me about him before and I thought it was just cute. So he walks over today and introduces himself to me and all I can think is "Who the hell wears colored contacts anymore?" The guy didn't wear them before and now he is. They look freaky. I mean come on. Who would believe they are real. Maybe that isn't the effect he is going for, but colored contacts look too fake to me. Kurt thought he looked like the devil. The weirdest angle is a side view.
Spinning was great and as always sweat came pouring out of me. I think I at least burned enough calories for one slice of pizza I had last night. Mmmmmmmmmm pizza. My weakness. I think I have pizza almost once a week, or at least 3 times a month. Therefore spinning and cardio are needed for me. After talking to Kurt after workout tonight, I am going to start working my core for the next month or so before I begin tapering down for IGLA. From what I have read and heard, working your core is very important and something I don't really focus on. Kurt is my hero for his discipline with all this, so I can only hope I am 1/2 as dedicated to these things as he is.
Here was my swimming workout LCM:
500 w/u
4 X 200s KRLS (1 of each stroke)
Main Set:
20 X 100s (alternating IM and Free) all on 2:00
(odds IM ascend.....start as fast as you can go, and get slightly slower until the end)
(evens free descend.....start slow and then get faster until the end)
100 cool down
Total - 3,400 meters
When the main set started, "Pussy Brian" wanted to overpower my brain. He started telling "Kick Ass Brian" that its ok to back off and get out early since I am just getting back into it. After #2 or #3 he thought he was going to win the debate, but then "KAB" stepped it up and realized this set could be good. My IMs started at 1:17 (1:07 SCY) and added 1 to 2 seconds for the odd 100s (all IM). Ken was right with me on the first one, and I thought the 1:17 wasn't too fast, but after converting it, I'm happy with it. The second 100 IM I decided even though I was backing off in effort as instructed, that I would add some legs to my ending freestyle for the first 3 or 4 of them. This helped me in distancing myself just a little bit from Ken. For the freestyle 100s, Ken and I were pretty much side by side for all but the last one. We started around 1:30s (1:17 SCY) and basically dropped about 2 to 3 seconds for each 100. At the halfway point we were at 1:22(1:10 SCY) and then I decided our times for the last 5 should be 1:21, 1:19, 1:17, 1:14 and 1:11. Ken was right next to me on the the #6 through #9 as we went 1:20(1:09), 1:18 (1:07), 1:15(1:04+) and 1:13(1:03). My forearms were hurting from either typing at work or swimming, but I wanted to put in a good last 100. I took the first 100 out fast with no legs and brought it back home with a strong kick to go 1:09 (0:59).
This was a great workout and I am glad "KAB" overpowered "PB" and stayed in the workout.
I want to give a shout out though to Kurt who was the star of the practice. He stepped it up on the freestyles and descended all the way down to 1:12. I was really impressed with him and I hope keeps it up. Way to go Kurt. He has told me he wants to start blogging, so maybe this will be motivation to get him going!
FRIDAY - LCM
Damn kids. Damn damn damn. One of them pooped in the pool. Pool was closed. They tried to be nice as they were pumping in chlorine stating that we could swim on one side of the pool. Um no thanks.
SATURDAY - SCM
600 w/u
5 X 300s (last 2 pull) on 4:00
100 EZ
2 X 400 IM
4 X 100s kick
4 X 200s (descend) on 3:00
100 cool down
Total - 4,300 meters
Good workout. Long and hard. The 300s were tough right off the bat. I was averaging about 1:17s(1:09s) per 100 in the beginning and it felt ok. I think I was down to 1:15s(1:07) on #3. The last two I pulled which made it easier. The last one I busted out a 3:38 which was good since I didn't push it too hard.
The 400 IMs were fun. Wavy but fun. #1 I swam a 5:45(5:09) and #2 I think I swam 5:37(5:01). I think those times are ok. I didn't push any of the strokes too much and definitely didn't do much going home on free.
The 200s I ended up descending. 2:40(2:23), 2:37(2:20), 2:33(2:17), 2:30(2:14). I think those were my times. I'm not sure. I was tired though.
SUNDAY SCM
Easter Sunday. Double workout for me. Swim and then directly to spinning.
500 w/u
16 X 75s on 1:05
500 social kick
8 X 50s under/over
3 X 200s (breathing 3/5/7/5)
100 cool down
Total - 3300 meters
I thought the workout was 3500 or 3600 but oh well. No worries. The 75s were tough and I had trouble going. I ranged about :57s to 1:00s on each of them but since the clocks were slightly off on each end, it was truly hard to gage what my times were.
WEDNESDAY - SCM
Today was my first day back. Its amazing how just taking two days off can really be felt. Here was the workout:
500 w/u
200 KRLS
4 x 400s
as following:
1) 2 X 200s, first one 200 IM, second one 200 free
2) 4 X 100s, all free
3) 2 X 200s, all free
4) 4 X 100s, last one 100 IM
10 X 50s kick
100 cool down
Total - 2,900 meters
I really don't remember much time wise but it was ok for getting back into it.
THURSDAY - SPIN THEN LCM
Luckily I was able to get out of work in a timely manner, and make it to spin class at 5:30. Spinning always make me feel good, but sometimes I wonder why some do it. These two girls in front of Kurt and I were more just biking, not spinning. There's a difference. They never once changed their gears to get more tension and make it harder and hardly ever followed instructions. You might as well just go out of the room and bike on your own. But oh well, not my problem. There was also this one guy who I guess seems to have a crush on me. Kurt told me about him before and I thought it was just cute. So he walks over today and introduces himself to me and all I can think is "Who the hell wears colored contacts anymore?" The guy didn't wear them before and now he is. They look freaky. I mean come on. Who would believe they are real. Maybe that isn't the effect he is going for, but colored contacts look too fake to me. Kurt thought he looked like the devil. The weirdest angle is a side view.
Spinning was great and as always sweat came pouring out of me. I think I at least burned enough calories for one slice of pizza I had last night. Mmmmmmmmmm pizza. My weakness. I think I have pizza almost once a week, or at least 3 times a month. Therefore spinning and cardio are needed for me. After talking to Kurt after workout tonight, I am going to start working my core for the next month or so before I begin tapering down for IGLA. From what I have read and heard, working your core is very important and something I don't really focus on. Kurt is my hero for his discipline with all this, so I can only hope I am 1/2 as dedicated to these things as he is.
Here was my swimming workout LCM:
500 w/u
4 X 200s KRLS (1 of each stroke)
Main Set:
20 X 100s (alternating IM and Free) all on 2:00
(odds IM ascend.....start as fast as you can go, and get slightly slower until the end)
(evens free descend.....start slow and then get faster until the end)
100 cool down
Total - 3,400 meters
When the main set started, "Pussy Brian" wanted to overpower my brain. He started telling "Kick Ass Brian" that its ok to back off and get out early since I am just getting back into it. After #2 or #3 he thought he was going to win the debate, but then "KAB" stepped it up and realized this set could be good. My IMs started at 1:17 (1:07 SCY) and added 1 to 2 seconds for the odd 100s (all IM). Ken was right with me on the first one, and I thought the 1:17 wasn't too fast, but after converting it, I'm happy with it. The second 100 IM I decided even though I was backing off in effort as instructed, that I would add some legs to my ending freestyle for the first 3 or 4 of them. This helped me in distancing myself just a little bit from Ken. For the freestyle 100s, Ken and I were pretty much side by side for all but the last one. We started around 1:30s (1:17 SCY) and basically dropped about 2 to 3 seconds for each 100. At the halfway point we were at 1:22(1:10 SCY) and then I decided our times for the last 5 should be 1:21, 1:19, 1:17, 1:14 and 1:11. Ken was right next to me on the the #6 through #9 as we went 1:20(1:09), 1:18 (1:07), 1:15(1:04+) and 1:13(1:03). My forearms were hurting from either typing at work or swimming, but I wanted to put in a good last 100. I took the first 100 out fast with no legs and brought it back home with a strong kick to go 1:09 (0:59).
This was a great workout and I am glad "KAB" overpowered "PB" and stayed in the workout.
I want to give a shout out though to Kurt who was the star of the practice. He stepped it up on the freestyles and descended all the way down to 1:12. I was really impressed with him and I hope keeps it up. Way to go Kurt. He has told me he wants to start blogging, so maybe this will be motivation to get him going!
FRIDAY - LCM
Damn kids. Damn damn damn. One of them pooped in the pool. Pool was closed. They tried to be nice as they were pumping in chlorine stating that we could swim on one side of the pool. Um no thanks.
SATURDAY - SCM
600 w/u
5 X 300s (last 2 pull) on 4:00
100 EZ
2 X 400 IM
4 X 100s kick
4 X 200s (descend) on 3:00
100 cool down
Total - 4,300 meters
Good workout. Long and hard. The 300s were tough right off the bat. I was averaging about 1:17s(1:09s) per 100 in the beginning and it felt ok. I think I was down to 1:15s(1:07) on #3. The last two I pulled which made it easier. The last one I busted out a 3:38 which was good since I didn't push it too hard.
The 400 IMs were fun. Wavy but fun. #1 I swam a 5:45(5:09) and #2 I think I swam 5:37(5:01). I think those times are ok. I didn't push any of the strokes too much and definitely didn't do much going home on free.
The 200s I ended up descending. 2:40(2:23), 2:37(2:20), 2:33(2:17), 2:30(2:14). I think those were my times. I'm not sure. I was tired though.
SUNDAY SCM
Easter Sunday. Double workout for me. Swim and then directly to spinning.
500 w/u
16 X 75s on 1:05
500 social kick
8 X 50s under/over
3 X 200s (breathing 3/5/7/5)
100 cool down
Total - 3300 meters
I thought the workout was 3500 or 3600 but oh well. No worries. The 75s were tough and I had trouble going. I ranged about :57s to 1:00s on each of them but since the clocks were slightly off on each end, it was truly hard to gage what my times were.
Monday, April 02, 2007
SUNDAY 4/1/07 - DAY OF THE SHOWDOWN
The Showdown has come. Everything we worked for these past months. I was feeling good in the water, but deep down was a little bit nervous and really thought Marc had one up on me. His workouts have been incredible, and I knew his freestyle was ahead of mine. 200 IM. A race where its 50 yards of each stroke. Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle. A mini-decathlon if you may.
We both had our visions on how it would fold out. Both very similiar except for the final 50/75 yards. Brian out first at the 50, maybe by a 1/2 second. Brian extends to a 1 to 1.5 seconds on back. Then Marc powers home on the breast. But this is where both Marc and I differ in our vision of the race. For me, I hold him off by a second going into the freestyle, and then barely hang on in the end. For Marc, he catches me in the breast and never looks back. Marc's goal is 2:07, maybe 2:06, but he'd be happy with 2:08. Brian's goal, satisfied if under 2:10, happy under 2:08, anything else on cloud 9.
Drew and I get there early to the meet as he is doing the 500 free. I find out earlier, that not only is Marc, his awesome wife Elaine and their adorable children coming to cheer him on, but also her suedo-family - of mom, dad, sister and sister's boyfriend. Marc has his own cheering section. This group is so pumped up, they arrive with pom-poms AND all wearing white t-shirts with pictures of Marc on them, saying "Go Marc", or "Go Daddy". This applies more pressure to both myself AND Marc.
Event #1 - Marc's 200 free
This will show me where Marc is. I didn't enter the 200 free, but was stoked to see what Marc would bust out. He's got me on free right now, and knowing he wasn't going to go all out, I was thinking he'd bust out a 1:57. Sure enough, 1:57. He hurt his neck diving off the blocks and said that after a while he just backed off. I think he was beginning to feel the pressure.
Event #2 - THE REMATCH - 200 IM
We warmed up and I was feeling good. Marc was shaved down, and I had my fastskin swim suit on. My fly was feeling good. His breast looked strong. I was placed in lane 3, Marc in lane 6. In between us were two really fast guys. That was good actually, because with them out in the lead we were visible to each other.
As the starter called us to the blocks our mini crowd was going wild. Long Beach Grunions all crowded behind my lane cheering me on. To my left, the Giulianotti Clan, with their matching t-shirts getting Marc pumped up. "This is it", I though, as butterflies finally flew through my body in excitement.
"Swimmers take your mark..... BEEP". As always, I got off the blocks fast and was even with my friend Brian who was in lane 4. My butterfly was feeling great, and oddly I was somewhat close to him at the 25. I pushed off and was still going strong, but suddenly got the fear that I was taking this race out too hard. I touched at the 50 mark at 26.77. YIKES!! I think Marc was out in 28 low. That meant I was farther ahead of him that we both had planned. Had I known that I would have freaked even more. As I pushed off for backstroke though, deep down I knew I had applied just a tad too much. Instead of my first few strokes of backstroke being focused on technique and kicking, all I could think about was that I went out too fast. 4 seconds later though, I had moved on. This is where I need to distance myself from Marc. The first 100 yards are MY 100 yards. I own this distance between the two of us, and I needed to make sure he knew that. I came charging in at the 100 mark, turning at 59.0. That placed my 50 back split at 32.3 Oddly enough, I was only maybe 2 seconds behind Brian in lane 4, which confused me. I was either going REALLY fast, or he wasn't going too fast. I knew he was fast though, so this was a good sign. I succeeded in further distancing myself from Marc. He came in around 1:01 something, which meant I had over 2.5 seconds on him. Now the question was, "WAS THAT ENOUGH". The next 100 has belonged to Marc in the past. But little did he and myself know, that my breaststroke was on today. I powered through the water the best I knew how on breast (I'm not that good at it). I came in at the 150 at 1:35.76. That made my breast split 36.76, which was really strong. What made it even more strong was that Marc split right about the same, so my lead stayed the same. I pushed off and looked to my left and saw I had a big lead. But then the pain really started to hurt. My free felt horrible. I started getting nervous. He's going to catch me. I just know it. That lasted for 10 yards until I told myselt to shut up and dig deep. I flipped at the 175 and obviously glanced over at him to see I was extending my lead even more. This created more motivation and I dug down and swam my heart out until BAM... I hit the touchpad. 2:06.69. My jaw dropped. I cam home in 30.93. A nice finish. I was so tired, I wanted to pass out. Marc came in around 2:10, and I knew he'd be fine with that race. It wasn't what he wanted to do, but I think he knew that doing a 2:10 was acceptable. For me though, I swam out of my skin. I used to go those times in high school duel meets, so that was a fun analogy. YES... I WON. I AM THE KING. THE 200 IM KING. SAY IT MARC. SAY IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO.
To read his version (I assume he will blog it), go here to see what he has to say. Marc
Thanks to that first event, the rest of my meet pretty much was fantastic.
100 fly - My butterfly was on in the 200 IM, so I was excited for the 100 fly. I was still pretty tired from the 200 IM, but was pumped. I was out in 27.29 (slower than the IM), but I came back in 30.04, for a 57.33. That was a 2 second drop from 2 months ago, and a fantastic time.
100 breast - Another event Marc and I are swimming together. But this was his event. He's the breaststroker. I knew he'd beat me, but not sure by how much. Plus I figured he still might be a little mentally broken down after the 200 IM beating by me :-), that I could ride that wave and see what I could do. We pretty much swam head to head on that event too. We turned even at the 25, I turned just ahead at the 50. Then I started thinking to myself that I should let him win this event since its his birthday and he's the breaststroker. I think I started to back off on that 75. He turned ahead of me, but then I thought, "why do that!!". So I began to pick up the pace and rush how as fast as I can. Marc finished in a strong 1:07.14, and I finished in 1:07.60. For him, I'm not sure how he felt. For me, that was a GREAT time. 3 seconds faster than what I did 2 or 3 years ago. I broke the team record too. How funny is that.
100 IM - Since I was doing some great times for me, I figured I'd go out with a bang on this one. I knew I had 58 in me, and actually thought maybe a 57 high was doable. I was in lane 3, Marc was in lane 5. I took the 25 fly out hard, and felt great. I was right behind the top seed. The back felt great and I still wasn't too far off Mr. Speedy in lane 4. The breaststroke I was feeling the fatigue of the meet, but still felt strong enough to finish. I was over to the left side of the lane hoping for a little draft, which ended up being the downfall of my race. As I turned at the 75 to come home for free, both my feet completely slipped on the wall, LITERALLY stopping me dead in my tracks. I am without a doubt confident I lost 1 maybe even 2 seconds. I had to start from scratch on free. Put it this way. 1) - think of pushing off the wall and sprinting home or 2) - think of being right in front of the wall but instead having your legs to your side and having to gain momentum without the use of the wall. I was pissed!! I rushed home as fast as I could, and finished in 59.99. Damn! That is a great time. So now in the back of my mind all I can think of is that my time would have been a low :58. Oh well. It was still a great meet.
Nice job Marc and thanks for the challenge. Without you, none of my swims would have been as fast as they were today. I have the crown until next year.
We both had our visions on how it would fold out. Both very similiar except for the final 50/75 yards. Brian out first at the 50, maybe by a 1/2 second. Brian extends to a 1 to 1.5 seconds on back. Then Marc powers home on the breast. But this is where both Marc and I differ in our vision of the race. For me, I hold him off by a second going into the freestyle, and then barely hang on in the end. For Marc, he catches me in the breast and never looks back. Marc's goal is 2:07, maybe 2:06, but he'd be happy with 2:08. Brian's goal, satisfied if under 2:10, happy under 2:08, anything else on cloud 9.
Drew and I get there early to the meet as he is doing the 500 free. I find out earlier, that not only is Marc, his awesome wife Elaine and their adorable children coming to cheer him on, but also her suedo-family - of mom, dad, sister and sister's boyfriend. Marc has his own cheering section. This group is so pumped up, they arrive with pom-poms AND all wearing white t-shirts with pictures of Marc on them, saying "Go Marc", or "Go Daddy". This applies more pressure to both myself AND Marc.
Event #1 - Marc's 200 free
This will show me where Marc is. I didn't enter the 200 free, but was stoked to see what Marc would bust out. He's got me on free right now, and knowing he wasn't going to go all out, I was thinking he'd bust out a 1:57. Sure enough, 1:57. He hurt his neck diving off the blocks and said that after a while he just backed off. I think he was beginning to feel the pressure.
Event #2 - THE REMATCH - 200 IM
We warmed up and I was feeling good. Marc was shaved down, and I had my fastskin swim suit on. My fly was feeling good. His breast looked strong. I was placed in lane 3, Marc in lane 6. In between us were two really fast guys. That was good actually, because with them out in the lead we were visible to each other.
As the starter called us to the blocks our mini crowd was going wild. Long Beach Grunions all crowded behind my lane cheering me on. To my left, the Giulianotti Clan, with their matching t-shirts getting Marc pumped up. "This is it", I though, as butterflies finally flew through my body in excitement.
"Swimmers take your mark..... BEEP". As always, I got off the blocks fast and was even with my friend Brian who was in lane 4. My butterfly was feeling great, and oddly I was somewhat close to him at the 25. I pushed off and was still going strong, but suddenly got the fear that I was taking this race out too hard. I touched at the 50 mark at 26.77. YIKES!! I think Marc was out in 28 low. That meant I was farther ahead of him that we both had planned. Had I known that I would have freaked even more. As I pushed off for backstroke though, deep down I knew I had applied just a tad too much. Instead of my first few strokes of backstroke being focused on technique and kicking, all I could think about was that I went out too fast. 4 seconds later though, I had moved on. This is where I need to distance myself from Marc. The first 100 yards are MY 100 yards. I own this distance between the two of us, and I needed to make sure he knew that. I came charging in at the 100 mark, turning at 59.0. That placed my 50 back split at 32.3 Oddly enough, I was only maybe 2 seconds behind Brian in lane 4, which confused me. I was either going REALLY fast, or he wasn't going too fast. I knew he was fast though, so this was a good sign. I succeeded in further distancing myself from Marc. He came in around 1:01 something, which meant I had over 2.5 seconds on him. Now the question was, "WAS THAT ENOUGH". The next 100 has belonged to Marc in the past. But little did he and myself know, that my breaststroke was on today. I powered through the water the best I knew how on breast (I'm not that good at it). I came in at the 150 at 1:35.76. That made my breast split 36.76, which was really strong. What made it even more strong was that Marc split right about the same, so my lead stayed the same. I pushed off and looked to my left and saw I had a big lead. But then the pain really started to hurt. My free felt horrible. I started getting nervous. He's going to catch me. I just know it. That lasted for 10 yards until I told myselt to shut up and dig deep. I flipped at the 175 and obviously glanced over at him to see I was extending my lead even more. This created more motivation and I dug down and swam my heart out until BAM... I hit the touchpad. 2:06.69. My jaw dropped. I cam home in 30.93. A nice finish. I was so tired, I wanted to pass out. Marc came in around 2:10, and I knew he'd be fine with that race. It wasn't what he wanted to do, but I think he knew that doing a 2:10 was acceptable. For me though, I swam out of my skin. I used to go those times in high school duel meets, so that was a fun analogy. YES... I WON. I AM THE KING. THE 200 IM KING. SAY IT MARC. SAY IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO.
To read his version (I assume he will blog it), go here to see what he has to say. Marc
Thanks to that first event, the rest of my meet pretty much was fantastic.
100 fly - My butterfly was on in the 200 IM, so I was excited for the 100 fly. I was still pretty tired from the 200 IM, but was pumped. I was out in 27.29 (slower than the IM), but I came back in 30.04, for a 57.33. That was a 2 second drop from 2 months ago, and a fantastic time.
100 breast - Another event Marc and I are swimming together. But this was his event. He's the breaststroker. I knew he'd beat me, but not sure by how much. Plus I figured he still might be a little mentally broken down after the 200 IM beating by me :-), that I could ride that wave and see what I could do. We pretty much swam head to head on that event too. We turned even at the 25, I turned just ahead at the 50. Then I started thinking to myself that I should let him win this event since its his birthday and he's the breaststroker. I think I started to back off on that 75. He turned ahead of me, but then I thought, "why do that!!". So I began to pick up the pace and rush how as fast as I can. Marc finished in a strong 1:07.14, and I finished in 1:07.60. For him, I'm not sure how he felt. For me, that was a GREAT time. 3 seconds faster than what I did 2 or 3 years ago. I broke the team record too. How funny is that.
100 IM - Since I was doing some great times for me, I figured I'd go out with a bang on this one. I knew I had 58 in me, and actually thought maybe a 57 high was doable. I was in lane 3, Marc was in lane 5. I took the 25 fly out hard, and felt great. I was right behind the top seed. The back felt great and I still wasn't too far off Mr. Speedy in lane 4. The breaststroke I was feeling the fatigue of the meet, but still felt strong enough to finish. I was over to the left side of the lane hoping for a little draft, which ended up being the downfall of my race. As I turned at the 75 to come home for free, both my feet completely slipped on the wall, LITERALLY stopping me dead in my tracks. I am without a doubt confident I lost 1 maybe even 2 seconds. I had to start from scratch on free. Put it this way. 1) - think of pushing off the wall and sprinting home or 2) - think of being right in front of the wall but instead having your legs to your side and having to gain momentum without the use of the wall. I was pissed!! I rushed home as fast as I could, and finished in 59.99. Damn! That is a great time. So now in the back of my mind all I can think of is that my time would have been a low :58. Oh well. It was still a great meet.
Nice job Marc and thanks for the challenge. Without you, none of my swims would have been as fast as they were today. I have the crown until next year.
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