Charlotte Grand Prix

Today I arrived in Charlotte for the annual Ultraswim competition here.  This meet is always great because of the atmosphere, competition level, and athlete friendliness.  The folks running the meet go above the call of duty in making sure the athletes are comfortable.  In terms of swimming, this meet is always a mixed bag of performances.  Like I mentioned in my MGoBlue blog (which I just started doing recently), trying to analyze where others are at in their training based on this meet is like trying to read poker faces. Some swimmers are totally thrashed from training while others are starting to feel good from paring back their intense sessions.  Last year I was in the “thrashed” category so we’ll see what happens this year.  Nobody is qualifying for the US team this weekend so ultimately it doesn’t really matter.  Still, it’s always better to win.

I’m getting super excited for Trials.  It’s clearly on everyone’s mind nowadays.  The next couple of weeks are going to be great.

Last weekend I was back in Michigan for about 24 hours.  One of my classmates got married and I’m really glad I could make it back.  Note:  Try to never miss a wedding where you can get together with old buddies.  You won’t regret it!  The wedding was fun and I was able to visit briefly with some family as well.

M Swimming class of 06' - Congrats Jorge!

Last Month Recap

Again, I need to stop going so long between updates.  I’m actually taking a class right now that will be over in a few weeks so hopefully that will free up my time heading into Olympic Trials.  Training is going well though and I’m excited for the last few months before the “Big Show”.

Let’s go back a few weeks so I can give you the full update.  A little while ago a drag racing event called Gator Nationals came through town for the annual race.  A few teammates and I headed out to the track to see what it was all about.  I’ve never been to a drag race before so I really didn’t know what to expect.  It was pretty awesome.  I knew those cars were loud but I had no idea how loud it would be in person.  Those things are loud!  I was wearing ear plugs and it’s not like the kind of loud that hurts your ears a little bit…It’s the kind of loud that makes your brain shake and your organs rattle inside your chest.  When those cars fly by at over 300 mph it is a total rush.  You must have to be crazy to strap yourself into one of those cars.

Some hot rods starting a race

The other great thing about the race was the people watching.  Hands down the best people watching event I have ever attended.  Thankfully it wasn’t a sunny day so not too many shirts where taken off.

Last weekend I went to Indianapolis for the Indy Grand Prix competition.  Overall, I swam pretty well.  I dropped a little time on my season bests and felt pretty good about my races.  Considering we trained right through the meet as usual, I don’t have any complaints.  I even went a personal best time in the 200 IM, with a 2:01 something something.  I guess since I haven’t raced that event in a jammer since 2006ish, I was overdue for a best time.

Indy is one of my favorite towns to visit.  I love the pool, great restaurants are everywhere, and you can walk just about anywhere in the heart of the city.  I hit up my usual favorite spots which didn’t let me down.  I also got to see family and friends which is always great.

This weekend we might head to the beach for Easter after workout.  In a little over 2 weeks I’ll be heading to Minnesota and North Dakota for some clinics.

Speedo Photo Shoot

First off, congrats to all the Gators this weekend that competed at SEC’s.  It was great to see all the hard work pay off!

The past couple weeks have been thick with training and getting in the best shape possible, but last week I was able to get out to Pasadena for a Speedo catalog photo shoot.  Besides having to travel all the way out there, this was a pretty good time.  The folks at Speedo took great care of me, putting me up in a nice hotel, taking me out to dinner, and just generally being cool.  The best part was the catering service truck on set, which had a dangerous amount of good eats on the menu.  I would easily consider taking out a mortgage to have this truck parked in my driveway at all times.  I would also be 400 lbs.

The set itself was pretty cool too.  The photographer used a lot of different effects to create some cool shots.  Unfortunately, I don’t have anything to show that will end up in the catalog.  Here is a quick picture of one of the sets though.

Now there are a few things about a photo shoot that I will never get used to, the first being make-up.  I don’t have any sisters and this is a department which I know slim to nothing about.  I’m totally fine with it, but I will never get comfortable with someone putting stuff on my face while I stand there doing nothing.  It just feels weird, I don’t know how else to describe it.  Another thing about a shoot, particularly a swim suit shoot, is having to be oiled up.  I guess it just makes the photos turn out better…I don’t make the rules!  Thankfully nobody lit a match nearby because I felt like I had just been swimming in the Gulf circa June, 2010.  Here is me getting oiled and fixed up!

Here are a few impromptu shots while hanging out on set:

Later this week I’m heading to Omaha to meet with some of the great people at the Mutual of Omaha company headquarters.  Training on the road isn’t very much fun, but it does break up the monotony of being home all the time.  From Omaha, I’m going directly to Orlando for the NBA All-Star Game Florida Senior Championships competition.  I’ll be competing on Saturday and Sunday  and then heading back to Gainesville.

Good luck to the Michigan Men this weekend at Big Ten’s at Iowa!  GO BLUE!

Austin Grand Prix and PACEPAL!

This past weekend our team went to Austin, TX for the Grand Prix held there.  I may have said this last year, but the best part about going to Austin is the food.  The BBQ and Tex-Mex is hard to beat.  I didn’t win a race, but I’m inclined to say that I may have won the crown for “most brisket eaten,” which is obviously the next best thing.  In all seriousness, I was pretty pleased with my swims considering where I am in my training right now.  We’ve been cranking pretty hard in workout, so I was a little bit surprised to go as fast as I did.  That’s always a pleasant surprise. Now we enter a 6 week training cycle to carry us through until our next competition.

On a totally separate note, I’m pleased to introduce a new sponsor, PACEPAL.

PACEPAL is a portable underwater clock specifically designed for swimming.  I’m really excited about promoting this product because I am a big believer in it’s benefits.  PACEPAL’s founder, Larry Day, is a longtime swimming enthusiast.   He created a product that I have always desired: a clock that you can see while swimming.  As a distance swimmer myself, I am the type that feeds off positive momentum in practice.  For years, I’ve looked up and checked my times at the running clock on deck, sacrificing speed and more importantly, sound technique, to see how fast I’m going.   Not anymore!  With this product, I can easily check my pace during a set while actually promoting good technique, like keeping my head down on the turns.  This is just one example of many that makes the PACEPAL a valuable training asset.  Recently in training, I set a personal best practice time for a timed 1500 freestyle using PACEPAL.  It kept me right on pace and motivated me to stay on pace.  Teammates also noted how the set goes by faster when you’re concentrating on keeping pace.  I believe that PACEPAL is a great tool for everyone who enjoys swimming, from those who compete at the world-class level, to those who simply swim for exercise and enjoyment.  Thanks PACEPAL, for making me a better swimmer, especially in this Olympic year!

The Holidays

This last month has been a whirlwind for me.  It started with US Nationals, where I had to grind out a few days of competition with no rest.  Then came Christmas training and the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool.  This was an amazing setup for a competition:

Unfortunately, this meet came directly after our hardest training cycle of the year.  I wasn’t much of a factor in terms of scoring points for the team, but I also recognize that no Olympic medals are won at this meet.  I had a lot of fun though and enjoyed the experience.  Congrats to former UM teammate, Davis Tarwater, who set the American Record in the 200 fly!  Our final team dinner was held at the Aquarium in Atlanta, which is awesome.  I got this sweet picture of one of the whale sharks.  I also had the chance to visit with former teammate, Ben Michaelson, who is getting married and shipping out to Afghanistan in the Spring.

A few days after the Duel, I headed home to Michigan for Christmas, and to train with my club team, the Oakland Live Y’ers.  In the ATL airport, I saw the “Turtleman,” who is most widely famous for his Youtube video.   It was awesome to go home and see my family and friends.  I really had a good time and it was a nice break from the normal grind.

Bros and swim buddies

The day after Christmas, my family went downtown to the Boll YMCA where my bros and I helped with a swim clinic for some kids in the area.   A good time was had by all.  There are definitely some talented kids in Detroit and I hope they stick with swimming.  A special thanks to Speedo and USA Swimming for donating suits for the Swim Detroit Initiative.  Also, a big thank you to the great folks at the Boll YMCA for all the great work they do for kids in the community.

My friend Isaiah, who attend the event

I flew back to Florida yesterday from Detroit.  My mom convinced me to take one of the summer sausages that came from the deer my dad shot this year during hunting season.  It was frozen and in my carry-on bag.  Needless to say, I was stopped at security because something in my bag looked suspicious.  The kind gentleman working security, opened my bag and gave me a weird look, in which I replied, “It’s just food.”  Apparently the guy at the computer thought is was a water bottle…

Anyways, I’m back to the normal schedule now and getting ready for 2012!