New England Regionals at Harvard Masters

I qualified for the World Master's Championship!

The Harvard meet is a four day meet.  I only went today.  While the 50 is my best event, it is tomorrow and there were no other events I could swim that day, so I saw the 100 today, along with the 100 IM and got into a 200 freestyle relay.

I have been training for the 100 and having a hard time figuring out the best breathing pattern to enable me to swim as fast and consistently as possible.  The best I did was 1:14, but that was self-timed.  i did a 1;17 and a 1:18 at the end of practice when I was fatigued.  So going for me I had not being fatigued, the all out nature of the competition and wearing my racing suit instead of my regular suit.

I confess I was quite nervous because if I did not get 1:10, then I would have feel like I failed, and while I knew I could get it eventually, i wanted to get it this time.

The race did not start well.  After take your mark, I started to lean, then not hearing the horn, caught myself, then hearing the horn went again, so consequently I was the last one of the blocks.  I did not swim particularly well.  I was flailing, and doing my best to just keep the effort up.  I made my flip turns okay, and came in at 1:08:06.  So I was happy.  I made it more on pure effort than technique.  My first 50 was 32:12 and my last 50 was 35:94.  All I really remember from the swim is telling myself not to let up, not to recognize fatigue.

Galen, my coach, was there watching me swim this race, and she said, I have just begun my journey as a swimmer.  She didn't think I swam great compared to what I could swim, but was happy that I met my goal.

It took my almost 10 minutes after the race to get my breath back.  I had a few coughing fits and was worried I might puke.

The 1:08 was good for 17th place, one place out of the point scoring.

Next I swam in the 100 IM, which is just a fun race for me.  I did the butterfly fine, did the backstroke okay, and then did a backstoke flip turn, which I sort of muffed, then swam a half hearted breast stoke and okay freestyle.  When I got to the end, they told me I was disqualified because of my backstroke turn.  I didn't know you couldn't do one of those turns.  It turns out you have to finish the stroke into the wall.  Now I know.

The last race for me was the 200 freestyle relay.  We were entered in the Men's 25 and over division because all our team could get together was two young guys and two 55 year olds.  I was the slowest of the four, but I had a blazing race.  I went second, and dove perfectly as the first guy came in.  I swam like a rocket.  I had my breathing pattern down perfect, made a nice turn and put my head down and raced home.  My split was 28.6.  My previous best 50 time was 31(admittedly with a muffed turn).  While the 28.6 doesn't count for my Montreal qualifying for the 50.  That must wait till the next race, it gave me great confidence and was a great way to finish the day.

Our team came in 6th in the relay and we actually scored points for CONN masters so I was happy i could contribute to the team point total

Afterwards one of the captains of the CONN team, complimented my on my freestyle technique and my high elbow form.

So, very successful day.  I am inspired to keep working hard, knowing I have many more gains to make.  I was very thankful that Galen when she first saw me swim told me I could be a great swimmer.  That's what I want to be.

Next race is in Holyoke in April.  I will try to qualify in the 50 and maybe also the 200 then.

http://www.meetresults.com/2014/nelmscscy/results.shtml