Pics from swim meet!

Here are a couple pictures from the masters swim meet that Eric and I swam in Valentine's weekend. I think I was feeling a little lost when the pic was taken...after all, I hadn't been in a swim meet for 3 years.

I suppose I was pleasantly surprised with my times considering I only swim 10,000yards a week now vs. 60-80,000 yards a week when I was in high school and college. 2:04 in the 200free, 26.8 in the 50free, and 5:32 in the 500. The 500 time was a new state record for my age group which is pretty funny, because that is pretty slow. My legs have gotten so much stronger and the 50 actually felt really good! I think I will stick to endurance events though.
It was a lot of fun, and we are also going to swim the state meet the first weekend of April. I might only swim the mile though, since we will be doing long runs and bikes by then on the weekends.

Something to get better at, and something to complain about...

My something to get better at:

-- Descending and turning on my tri bike. Yes, it will be a good 8 weeks before I get outside for a training ride, but since last summer this has been on my mind. I brake too hard too early on downhills, and always feel like I am going to take a spill on turns. That feeling is multiplied by about 100 when I'm in a race and descending and turning with a group of 10-20 other riders. I think I need private lessons for this, and is one of the few things I would spend money on for coacing services. Definitely need to get better at this before '09 tri season.

Something to Complain About:

-- Coaching high school athletes is like being on an emotional roller coaster sometimes. Conjure up the guy or girl you dated in high school that you really liked, but he/she just did not treat you well and nothing really ever seemed to click with them. High schoolers are up/down, at practice/mysteriously missing from practice even though they said they would be there, are committed to swimming/not committed to swimming, happy/grumpy, fast/slow, responding to taper/not responding to taper...and the list goes on. All of this is usually a cyclical pattern that keeps repeating itself weekly. I suppse that is why it is sooo sweet when a kid really "gets it" and commits to a plan...the pay off is beautiful, and I will just keep plugging away at them. I sure hope this is not what it's like being a mom...

Keep on keepin on!

ps---that's Ian Thorpe swimming in the pic...taken at the 2004 Janet Evans Invite at the Olympic Trials pool in Long Beach, CA.

The Facebook 25...yes I am procrastinating

1. I am an insanely competitive person, and sometimes I wish I could just relax and go with the flow

2. I am type A about organizing and staying focused.

3. Sadly, most of my extended family lives in Sweden, and I wish I got to see them more often.

4. I want to be living in Sweden by the time I am 35.

5. I am usually friends with whoever is in my life at the time. I don't keep friends very well, and only have a handful that I keep in touch with...mostly from high school.

6. #5 is probably due to the fact that I don't open up to people much. I am also independent and enjoy time to myself. You could say I'm a loner.

7. I am quiet but not shy. It is a Swedish trait to be ok with silence, and since most people don't know I am Swedish, they think I am shy.

8. Swimming was my stress release and competitive outlet for 13 years. Now triathlons are.

9. Eric and I have been together for 6.5 years, engaged for one year and are getting married summer of 2010. After 8 years, I'm going to be ready to walk down that damn aisle.

10. I get sick and grumpy if I don't workout.

11. I am a total swim nerd. Always have been.

12. I went to boarding school for high school, and it was one of the hardest but best experiences of my life. On any average day, I would be training in the same pool with a handful of olympians, national teamers, and hard workers from all over the world...it was so humbling.

13. I love the feeling you get after you finish a really hard race or workout.

14. #13 is why I swam distance, and now enjoy endurance sports.

15. I dislike talented athletes that don't like to work hard.

16. I love athletes who are created from hard work. Tom Wilkens-esque athletes

17. I am an old school swim coach....thanks to Coach Shofe, Coach Poppell, and Kevin Thornton

18. I tried to force myself into a career in politics, but realized that my true passion lies in swimming. It was a hard realization, but I am much happier because of it.

19. I once ate 14 pancakes in one sitting at Tex and Shirley's...and they weren't no silver dollar pancakes.

20. Madison is sooo cold in the winter....soo cold.

21. I wish I had gotten on an airplane and traveled after college graduation. Instead I did the responsible and grown up thing...got a job and started making money and "building my resume."

22. My best friends are my 2 sisters. We are all so different, but I love them so very much.

23. I love good food

24. If you have ever been involved in my life, thank you!

25. At this moment, I am stressing about whether or not I am leaving out something important.